Verses¶
Primary Verses¶
Romans 10:4 (the verse under study)¶
"For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
Context (Romans 10:1-11):
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 10:4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:) 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Matthew 5:17-19 (Jesus on the law)¶
5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
1 Timothy 1:5-10 (Paul: telos of the commandment)¶
1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned: 1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 1:8 But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully; 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Romans 3:31 (Paul: we establish the law)¶
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Romans 8:3-4 (righteousness of the law fulfilled)¶
8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 13:8-10 (love fulfils the law)¶
13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:14,18 (law fulfilled in love; not under the law)¶
5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 3:23-25 (schoolmaster unto Christ)¶
3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Romans 9:30-32 (context preceding Rom 10:4)¶
9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 9:32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Romans 7:12 (the law is holy)¶
"Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."
Every NT Use of telos (G5056) -- 39 occurrences¶
Category 1: Eschatological/Temporal End (8 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Mat 24:6 | "the end is not yet" | Temporal: eschatological consummation not yet arrived |
| Mat 24:14 | "then shall the end come" | Temporal: eschatological end |
| Mar 13:7 | "the end [shall] not [be] yet" | Temporal: eschatological end not yet |
| Luk 21:9 | "the end [is] not by and by" | Temporal: eschatological end not immediate |
| 1Co 15:24 | "Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom" | Eschatological consummation |
| 1Pe 4:7 | "the end of all things is at hand" | Eschatological nearness |
| 1Pe 4:17 | "what shall the end [be] of them that obey not" | Eschatological outcome/judgment |
| 2Co 11:15 | "whose end shall be according to their works" | Outcome/judgment at the end |
Category 2: Perseverance "unto the end" (9 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Mat 10:22 | "he that endureth to the end shall be saved" | Perseverance to the end |
| Mat 24:13 | "he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" | Perseverance |
| Mar 13:13 | "he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" | Perseverance |
| Jhn 13:1 | "he loved them unto the end" | Extent/perseverance |
| 1Co 1:8 | "confirm you unto the end" | Perseverance to the end |
| 2Co 1:13 | "I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end" | Perseverance |
| Heb 3:6 | "hold fast the confidence...firm unto the end" | Perseverance |
| Heb 3:14 | "hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" | Perseverance |
| Heb 6:11 | "full assurance of hope unto the end" | Perseverance |
Category 3: Outcome/Result (8 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 6:21 | "the end of those things is death" | Outcome: sin results in death |
| Rom 6:22 | "the end everlasting life" | Outcome: holiness results in life |
| Php 3:19 | "Whose end [is] destruction" | Outcome: their path leads to destruction |
| Heb 6:8 | "whose end [is] to be burned" | Outcome: useless land results in burning |
| Jas 5:11 | "have seen the end of the Lord" | Outcome: what the Lord brought about |
| 1Pe 1:9 | "Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls" | Outcome/goal: faith results in salvation |
| Mat 26:58 | "sat with the servants, to see the end" | Outcome: what would happen |
| Luk 22:37 | "the things concerning me have an end" | Completion/fulfillment: prophesied things accomplished |
Category 4: Cosmic Alpha-Omega (3 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 1:8 | "the beginning and the ending" | Divine totality |
| Rev 21:6 | "the beginning and the end" | Divine totality |
| Rev 22:13 | "the beginning and the end" | Divine totality |
Category 5: Tax/Custom (3 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Mat 17:25 | "of whom do the kings of the earth take custom" | Tax/duty |
| Rom 13:7a | "custom to whom custom" | Tax/duty |
| Rom 13:7b | "custom to whom custom" (second occurrence) | Tax/duty |
Category 6: Cessation/Termination (possible: 2-4 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 3:26 | "he cannot stand, but hath an end" | Cessation: Satan's kingdom ceases |
| Luk 1:33 | "of his kingdom there shall be no end" | Negated cessation: kingdom never ends |
| Heb 7:3 | "having neither beginning of days, nor end of life" | Negated cessation: no termination |
| 2Co 3:13 | "the end of that which is abolished" | Disputed: cessation or goal of the fading glory |
Category 7: Goal/Purpose (2 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| 1Ti 1:5 | "the end of the commandment is charity" | Goal: the commandment aims at love |
| Rev 2:26 | "keepeth my works unto the end" | Perseverance (could be goal-oriented) |
Category 8: Spatial/Extent (3 uses)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| 1Th 2:16 | "the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" | Extent: wrath to the full extent |
| 1Co 10:11 | "the ends of the world are come" | Spatial/temporal: endpoints of the ages |
| Luk 18:5 | "by her continual coming" | Extent: ongoing/persistent |
Category 9: Miscellaneous¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| 1Pe 3:8 | "Finally, [be ye] all of one mind" | Transitional: "to sum up" or "lastly" |
Category 10: Disputed (the verse under study)¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 10:4 | "Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness" | Disputed: termination, goal, or outcome? |
Cross-Testament Parallels¶
NT parallels for Matthew 5:17¶
| Reference | Score | Key overlap |
|---|---|---|
| ACT 24:14 | 0.406 | law, prophet |
| MAT 22:40 | 0.397 | law, prophet |
| LUK 24:44 | 0.392 | fulfill, law, prophet |
| ROM 3:21 | 0.386 | law, prophet |
| ROM 8:4 | 0.381 | fulfill, law |
| MAT 11:13 | 0.380 | law, prophet |
| MAT 7:12 | 0.361 | law, prophet |
concept_context.py --scope author Results¶
Romans 10:4 (Paul's author-level usage)¶
Concepts identified: MESSIAH (G5547), TELOS (G5056), LAW (G3551), RIGHTEOUSNESS (G1343), FAITH (G4100)
Key same-author connections: - 1Ti 1:5 [FAITH, TELOS] -- "the end of the commandment is charity...of faith unfeigned" -- SAME construction - Gal 3:24 [FAITH, LAW, MESSIAH, RIGHTEOUSNESS] -- "law was schoolmaster unto Christ, justified by faith" - Gal 2:16 [FAITH, LAW, MESSIAH, RIGHTEOUSNESS] -- "not justified by works of the law but by faith of Jesus Christ" - Rom 3:31 [FAITH, LAW] -- "we establish the law" - 2Co 11:15 [RIGHTEOUSNESS, TELOS] -- "whose end shall be according to their works" - 1Co 1:8 [MESSIAH, TELOS] -- "confirm you unto the end"
Matthew 5:17 (Matthew's author-level usage)¶
Concepts identified: LAW (G3551), PROPHET (G4396), FULFILLMENT (G4137)
Key same-book connections: - Mat 22:40 -- "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" - Mat 11:13 -- "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" - Mat 7:12 -- "this is the law and the prophets" - Mat 19:17 -- "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" - Mat 15:3,6 -- Jesus rebukes making "the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition" - Multiple pleroo uses: Mat 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4 -- all prophecy fulfillment (what was spoken...might be fulfilled)