Often Overlooked Passages of the Christian Bible

From Sebomenoi

Luke 1:5 "In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zakharyah, of the division of Aviyah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in G-d's sight, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the L-rd."

This all took place under what Christianity traditionally calls 'the Old Law.' Traditionally Christianity teaches that we could not be righteous in the Creator's sight under the 'Old Law,' and that it is impossible to keep the 'burdensome' commands of the so called 'Old Testament.' So what's going on in this verse? Not only does the New Test. here record that they were righteous in G-d's sight BEFORE Jes'us died, while under the 'Old Law,' but it also says that they kept the commandments under the 'Old Law,' while still being righteous in G-d's sight.. Not only does it say they kept the commandments, but it says they kept them BLAMELESSLY.

Luke 13:31 "At that time some Pharisees came to Jes'us and said to him, 'Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.' 32 He replied,.... 33 '...I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!"

Apparently the Jes'us of history didn't teach anything so heretical that it repelled all Pharisees. These Pharisees seemingly attempted to save his life. Jes'us seems to have taken their advice since he goes on to leave, 'for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!' Afterall, Paul himself continued to consider himself a Pharisee even after having begun considering Jes'us as Messiah:

Acts 23:6 "But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"

Notice that he used present tense, and he did not say that he is a Pharisee ONLY in regard to the hope and resurrection of the dead, unless we shall say that he was being deceptive.

Philippians 3:4-5 "..If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the Torah, a Pharisee;"

^-- again, present tense.

Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to cast down the Torah (Law of Moses) or the Prophets; I did not come to cast down but, rather, to accomplish. 18 For certainly, I am telling you, til heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Torah (Law of Moses), till the accomplishment of all. 19 Therefore, whoever annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 23:1 "Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His students, 2 saying: 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore, all that they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do... 5 and all their deeds they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries wide and lengthen the fringes of their garments... 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Torah [Law of Moses]: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Acts 6:13 "They placed forward FALSE witnesses who were saying, 'This man constantly speaks against this Holy Place (the Temple in Jerusalem) and the Law (the Law of Moses); 14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this Place and alter the customs which Moses has handed down to us.'"

Acts 21:19 "After he had greeted them, he began to recount one by one the things which G-d had done among the nations through his serving. 20 And when they heard it they began magnifying G-d; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all passionate for the Torah [Law of Moses]! 21 But they have been told concerning you, that you are instructing all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk in accordance to the traditions. 22 "What, then, is to be done? They will surely hear that you have come. 23 "Therefore do that which we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their dues so that they may shave their heads; then all will know that there is NOTHING to the things which they have been told about you, but rather that you yourself also walk according to the order, keeping the Torah [Law of Moses]. 25 However, concerning those of the nations who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from whatever is strangled and from sexual immorality." 26 Then Paul took the men, and the following day, purifying himself along with them, went into the Temple giving notification of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

James 2:16 "..one says to them, 'Go, with wellbeing. Be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Likewise faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.... 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'AND ABRAHAM TRUSTED G-D, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,' and he was called the friend of G-d." 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone... 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."

Acts 16:3 "Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him for the Jews who were in those areas all knew that his father was a Greek."

Acts 24:14 "But this I admit to you, that according to (A)the Way which they call a (B)sect I do serve (C)the God of our fathers, (D)believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; [NASB]

Romans 3:31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? (A)May it never be! On the contrary, we (B)establish the Law. [NASB]

Romans 6:15What then? (A)Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? (B)May it never be! [NASB]

1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is transgression against the Law.