The Spirit of the Law vs the letter of the law

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Hi, Can anyone cite examples that would clarify the meaning of Spirit vs Letter of the Law for me? Personal examples or any Biblical reference? Thanks
 
Hi, Can anyone cite examples that would clarify the meaning of Spirit vs Letter of the Law for me? Personal examples or any Biblical reference? Thanks
The Sabbath rest. We see Jesus (doing work) healing on that day and the Jews thought it wa a scandal. They were focused on the letter of the law while the spirit had more to do with well being,
 
Hi, Can anyone cite examples that would clarify the meaning of Spirit vs Letter of the Law for me? Personal examples or any Biblical reference? Thanks
Here is an example I received from a priest once.

Let’s say you are rushing someone to the hospital and there is a red light. The law says you must stop and wait for the light to turn green. However, you run the red light.
If it is noon and the intersection is busy, you have sinned by breaking both the Spirit and Letter of the Law.
However, if it’s mid-night and you are the only car you can see… you can run the red light because the Spirit of the law is to prevent car crashes & speed along traffic. So in this scenario, because you are rushing someone to the hospital, while you are breaking the letter of the law, you are not breaking the spirit of the law. (NOTE: if there was no danger, you should still wait for the green)
I pray this helps.
 
Let us suppose a man is living in poverty and is unemployed. He has a large family that he needs to support.

He has found a job, but the catch is that he now needs to perform manual labour on Sundays (which is servile work and goes against the Commandment on the Sabbath). However, there is no alternative employment open as of now. He would not sin gravely by taking such a job, as it is his duty as the head of the household to support his wife and family, and to earn his bread “by the sweat of his brow”.

In effect, most such cases reduce to what Our Saviour wisely said: the Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. 🙂
 
Hi, Can anyone cite examples that would clarify the meaning of Spirit vs Letter of the Law for me? Personal examples or any Biblical reference? Thanks
The Gospel of Luke 10

[25] And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life?

[26] But he said to him:
What is written in the law? how readest thou? [27] He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself. [28] And he said to him: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. [29] But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour? [30] And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.

[31] And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by.

[32] In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by.

[33] But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion. [34] And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.

[36] Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? [37] But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.​
 
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