The term "obsolete" refers to something that is no longer in use or has been replaced by something newer or more effective. In the context of the Bible, the concept of obsolescence can be applied to certain laws, practices, or covenants that were fulfilled or superseded by the coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant.

Old Covenant and the Law

The Old Covenant, established between God and the people of Israel, included the Mosaic Law, which encompassed ceremonial, civil, and moral laws. These laws were given to guide the Israelites in their relationship with God and with one another. However, with the advent of Jesus Christ, the Old Covenant was fulfilled, and a New Covenant was established. Hebrews 8:13 states, "By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." This passage highlights the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, rendering the former obsolete in terms of its ceremonial and sacrificial requirements.

Sacrificial System

The sacrificial system, central to the Old Covenant, involved the offering of animals to atone for the sins of the people. These sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself once for all. Hebrews 10:1-4 explains, "The law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." With Christ's sacrifice, the need for the old sacrificial system became obsolete.

Dietary and Ceremonial Laws

The dietary and ceremonial laws given to Israel served to set them apart as God's chosen people. However, in the New Testament, these laws are no longer binding on believers. In Acts 10:15 , Peter receives a vision in which God declares, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This vision signified the removal of dietary restrictions and the inclusion of Gentiles into the faith. Similarly, Colossians 2:16-17 states, "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ."

Moral Law

While the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Mosaic Law are considered obsolete, the moral law, encapsulated in the Ten Commandments, remains relevant. Jesus affirmed the moral law, summarizing it in the two greatest commandments: to love God and to love one's neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). The moral principles continue to guide Christian conduct, reflecting God's unchanging character.

Conclusion of the Old Covenant

The obsolescence of the Old Covenant does not imply that it was without purpose or value. Rather, it served as a tutor to lead people to Christ (Galatians 3:24). The New Covenant, established through Jesus' death and resurrection, offers a more excellent ministry, as it is based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). The transition from the old to the new reflects God's redemptive plan, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.(a.) No longer used or accepted; as an obsolete word.3822. palaioo -- to make or declare old
... or declare old. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: palaioo Phonetic Spelling:
(pal-ah-yo'-o) Short Definition: I make old, declare obsolete Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3822.htm - 6k

1166. deiknumi -- to show
... show. A prolonged form of an obsolete primary of the same meaning; to show
(literally or figuratively) -- shew. (deiknuein) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1166.htm - 7k

4150. pluno -- to wash
... wash. A prolonged form of an obsolete pluo (to "flow"); to "plunge", ie Launder
clothing -- wash. Compare louo, nipto. see GREEK louo. see GREEK nipto. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4150.htm - 6k

5490. chasma -- a chasm, wide space
... gulf. From a form of an obsolete primary chao (to "gape" or "yawn"); a "chasm" or
vacancy (impassable interval) -- gulf. (chasma) -- 1 Occurrence. 5489, 5490 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5490.htm - 6k

4008. peran -- on the other side
... Apparently accusative case of an obsolete derivative of peiro (to "pierce"); through
(as adverb or preposition), ie Across -- beyond, farther (other) side, over ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4008.htm - 6k

138. haireo -- to take, choose
... Some of the forms are borrowed from a cognate hellomai hel'-lom-ahee; which is
otherwise obsolete. see GREEK airo. (airesomai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/138.htm - 7k

4160. poieo -- to make, do
... Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide
application, more or less direct) -- abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4160.htm - 14k

3313. meros -- a part, share, portion
... From an obsolete but more primary form of meiromai (to get as a section or allotment);
a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3313.htm - 6k

2041. ergon -- work
... deed, doing, labor, work. From a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as
an effort or occupation); by implication, an act -- deed, doing, labour, work. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2041.htm - 7k

2203. Zeus -- Zeus, the greatest of the pagan Gk. gods
... Of uncertain affinity; in the oblique cases there is used instead of it a (probably
cognate) name; Dis (deece), which is otherwise obsolete; Zeus or Dis (among ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2203.htm - 6k

Archaisms in the Hymns
... 1. WORDS USED WITH AN OBSOLETE PRONUNCIATION. ?�CCEPTABLE. Thou our sacrifice
receive,. ... [34]. 2. WORDS USED IN AN OBSOLETE SENSE. PREVENT. ...
/.../iii archaisms in the hymns.htm

How Much is the Bible Worth?
... It is no more true that the ceremonial legislation of the Old Testament is obsolete
than that large portions of the moral legislation are obsolete. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter xiii how much is.htm

American Revision of the Thirty-Nine Articles, AD 1801.
... VIII.; the remaining changes are political, and adapted to the separation of Church
and State. Otherwise even 'the obsolete diction' is retained. ...
/.../ 82 american revision of.htm

He Attacks the Doctrine of the Manich??ans Concerning Evil, God ...
... 26, 29.) When objections, then, as to obsolete ritual usages, or the sins committed
by Old Testament worthies are urged, the answer is plain: the ritual has ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter vii he attacks the doctrine.htm

Article vi: of Confession and Satisfaction.
... These customs have long since grown obsolete. Neither is it necessary to restore
them, because they are not necessary for the remission of sins before God. ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 16 article vi of.htm

The Bible in the Life of To-Day
... original Bible. 3. Then there are in our King James version a few archaic
and obsolete phrases. We have already spoken of them. Most ...
/.../mcafee/study of the king james bible/lecture vi the bible in.htm

The Epistle to the Laodiceans the Proper Designation is to the ...
... World"Who? Creation and Regeneration the Work of One God. How Christ Has
Made the Law Obsolete. A Vain Erasure of Marcion's. The ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xvii the epistle to the.htm

Bad Ecclesiastics and Base Plots
... them. In spite of the obsolete canon which forbade the transference of
bishops to other dioceses, Severian might be translated. ...
/.../chapter xxxix bad ecclesiastics and.htm

The Saints' Everlasting Rest
... NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. In this edition some obsolete or defective forms
of expression are altered without changing the thought. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the saints everlasting rest/title page.htm

Preface by the Translator.
... Among them were his Commentaries, or rather Lectures, on the Epistles of Peter and
Jude.[1] The forbidding aspect of the page, with the obsolete spelling of ...
/.../preface by the translator.htm

Obsolete (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) No longer used or accepted; as an obsolete
word. Multi-Version Concordance Obsolete (1 Occurrence). ...
/o/obsolete.htm - 6k

Liken (12 Occurrences)
... lik, lik'-n, lik'-nes, lik'-ing: (1) As a noun, "like" in modern English is virtually
obsolete, except in the phrase "and the like," which is not found in ...
/l/liken.htm - 16k

Likeness (52 Occurrences)
... lik, lik'-n, lik'-nes, lik'-ing: (1) As a noun, "like" in modern English is virtually
obsolete, except in the phrase "and the like," which is not found in ...
/l/likeness.htm - 29k

Liking (2 Occurrences)
... lik, lik'-n, lik'-nes, lik'-ing: (1) As a noun, "like" in modern English is virtually
obsolete, except in the phrase "and the like," which is not found in ...
/l/liking.htm - 14k

Like (10728 Occurrences)
... lik, lik'-n, lik'-nes, lik'-ing: (1) As a noun, "like" in modern English is virtually
obsolete, except in the phrase "and the like," which is not found in ...
/l/like.htm - 14k

Revised
... The removal of obsolete words ("magnifical," "neesings," etc.) has been effected
fairly thoroughly, obsolete constructions ("jealous over," etc.) have been ...
/r/revised.htm - 12k

American
... The removal of obsolete words ("magnifical," "neesings," etc.) has been effected
fairly thoroughly, obsolete constructions ("jealous over," etc.) have been ...
/a/american.htm - 13k

Occupy (25 Occurrences)
... In almost every case the meanings of "to occupy" as used in the King James Version
in harmony with the common usage of the time have become obsolete. ...
/o/occupy.htm - 16k

Locust (25 Occurrences)
... (2) sal`am, from obsolete [?] cal`am ... (8) gobh, from the obsolete root gabhah (compare
Arabic jabi, "locust," from the root jaba', "to come out of a hole"). ...
/l/locust.htm - 34k

Witty (1 Occurrence)
... wot," and a past "wist." This inflection is derived from more complicated forms
in the older English, and in post-Elizabethan times has become quite obsolete. ...
/w/witty.htm - 10k

What is Covenant Theology? | GotQuestions.org

What is the 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)? | GotQuestions.org

What are some English words that have changed in meaning since the translation of the KJV? | GotQuestions.org

Obsolete: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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