St. Paul`s letter to the 1st century Corinthians (especially 2 Corinthians 3:6) refers to the spirit and letter of the Law. Although not quoted directly, the principle is applied with the words “spirit” and “letter” in the context of the legalistic view of the Hebrew Bible. This is the first recorded use of print. Subscribe to America`s largest dictionary and get thousands of other definitions and an advanced search – ad-free! “The Spirit of the Law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20spirit%20of%20the%20law. Retrieved 6 December 2020. Interpretations of the U.S. Constitution have historically split in the “letter vs. spirit” debate.
For example, at its founding, the Federalist Party advocated a more flexible interpretation of the Constitution and granted Congress broad powers consistent with the spirit of the broader purpose of some founders (including, in particular, the goals of the federalist founders). The federalists represented the aspect of “spirit”. In contrast, the Democratic-Republicans, who favored limited federal government, argued for a strict interpretation of the Constitution, arguing that the federal government had only been given the powers enumerated in the Constitution and nothing that was not explicitly stated; They represented the interpretation of the “letters”. The letter of the law against the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. Obeying the letter of the law but not the spirit obeys the literal interpretation of the words (the “letter”) of the law, but not necessarily the intention of those who wrote the law. Conversely, if one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one does what the authors of the law intended, although one does not necessarily adhere to the literal formulation. What motivated you to seek the spirit of the law? Please let us know where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). According to Jeremiah, “the characteristics of the new covenant presented in the old way are: a) It will not be broken; b) His law shall be written in the heart, not only on tablets of stone; c) Knowledge of God will no longer deem it necessary to put it into written words of instruction. [3] According to Luke (Luke 22:20) and Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians (1.
Corinthians 11:25), this prophecy was fulfilled only by the work of Jesus Christ,[3] who said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which shall be shed for you.” Christ did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. His intention was to encourage people to look beyond the “letter of the law” to go beyond the “spirit of the law.” The principles underlying the commandments and intent of the law. Jesus quotes the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus: “The whole law can be summed up in this: to love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with your neighbor as yourself” (paraphrased). In the Gospels, Jesus is often portrayed as critical of the Pharisees. He resembled the Essenes more than the other Jewish groups of the time (Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots); However, the Pharisees, like Jesus, believed in the resurrection of the dead and divine judgment. They advocated prayer, almsgiving, and fasting as spiritual practices. The Pharisees were those who tried to be faithful to the law given to them by God. Not all Pharisees or Jews of that time were legalists.
Although modern language has used the word Pharisee pejoratively to describe someone who is legalistic and rigid, it is not an accurate description of all Pharisees. The dispute between the “spirit of the law” and the “letter of the law” was also part of early Jewish dialogue. [1] William Shakespeare wrote numerous plays dealing with the antithesis of letter versus spirit, almost always on the side of “spirit,” often forcing the bad guys (who have always sided with the letter) to make concessions and take corrective action. In one of the most famous examples, The Merchant of Venice, he presents the quarrel as a plot to save both the spirit and the letter of the law. The lender Shylock has made a deal with Antonio that if he can`t repay a loan, he`ll get a pound of meat from him. When the debt is not repaid on time, Portia first asks for mercy in a famous speech: “The quality of mercy is not tense, it falls like the gentle rain of heaven at the place below. She is blessed twice: she blesses the giver and the receiver. (IV, i, 185). When Shylock refuses, she finally saves Antonio by pointing out that Shylock`s agreement with him does not mention blood and therefore Shylock can only have his pound of flesh if he does not shed blood. Playing with the system, also known as “rules advocate,” is a pejorative phrase applied to someone who follows the letter of the law to achieve an outcome that the speaker considers immoral or contrary to the spirit of the law. There are two reasons why this may be possible. A body of law may have been formulated in such a way as to permit ambiguity, or there may be restrictions on the scope or jurisdiction of the law.
For example, an offshore bank account can be used to reduce domestic tax liabilities in some countries. In the New Testament, Pharisees are seen as people who place the letter of the law above the Spirit (Mark 2:3-28; 3:1-6). Thus, “Pharisee” entered the language as pejorative for someone who does; the Oxford English Dictionary defines the Pharisees with one of the meanings as a person of spirit or character commonly attributed to the Pharisees in the New Testament; a legalist or a formalist.