BIBLICAL COMPARISONS

O.T.

O.T. Traditions

New Testament Church

Institutional Church

New Testament Church

God’s rule

Rule of man 

Lordship of Christ

Rule of man

Lordship of Christ

Tabernacle

Temple

House to house

Church buildings

House to house/rented

Temple

Synagogues

Solomon’s Porch

or borrowed facilities

hired house

God dwelling 
in a Temple

God dwelling in a 
Temple/Synagogue

God dwelling in a 
Temple/Building

God dwelling men’s hearts

God dwelling men’s hearts

High Priest

High Priest

Jesus

God’s Representative 
on Earth 

Jesus

Priests

Priests

All believers

Priests

All believers

Confession to God

Confession to Priests

Confession to God

Confession to Priests

Confession to God

Mosaic Order 

Sanhedrim

Pastor/teachers (elders
-bishops) & deacons

Hierarchy

Pastor/teachers 
elders-bishops) & deacons

Elders

Single Rabbi leadership 

Plurality of leadership

Single minister leadership      

Plurality of leadership

Office

Autocratic Officials

Equipping apostles, 
prophets & evangelists   

Autocratic Officials 

Equipping apostles, 
prophets & evangelists

Priestly line         

Priestly line/Rabbis             

No succession                    

Apostolic Succession 

No succession

Robes of Symbolism

Robes of Authority

Regular clothes

Robes of Authority

Regular Clothes

Clergy/Laity

Clergy/Laity

No Distinction

Clergy/Laity

No Distinction

Titles

Titles

Description of service

Titles

Description of service

Sacrificial System

Sacrificial System

Jesus

Eucharist/Sacrament

Jesus

Passover

Passover

Lord’s Supper as Love Feast

Eucharist/Communion

Lord’s Supper as Love Feast

Law

Traditions

Grace

Traditions

Grace

Prototype

Strict Regulations

Fulfilled Freedom

Strict Regulations

Fulfilled Freedom

Moses/Joshua apprenticeship

School of Gamaliel 

Paul/Timothy 
apprenticeship

Seminaries

Paul/Timothy 
apprenticeship

Faith

Works

Faith

Works

Faith

Tithes

Tithes

Sacrificial giving

Tithes

Sacrificial giving

God’s provisions

Human resources

God’s provisions

Human resources

God’s provisions

Worship Symbolized

Formal worship

Informal worship

Formal worship

Informal worship

Designated Worship

Worship is a place

Worship in Spirit & Truth

Worship is a place

Worship in Spirit & Truth

Symbolic Liturgy

Liturgy

Spirit led

Liturgy

Spirit led

Participators

Spectators

Participators

Spectators

Participators

Ministries

Activities

Ministries

Activities

Ministries

Come & hear     

Come & hear     

Go & tell

Come & hear     

Go & tell

Circumcision

Circumcision 
Body & Heart    

Circumcision Body Only

Infant  baptism  /new birth         

Circumcision of heart

Washings

Washings

Immersion of believers           

Infant sprinkling/pouring  

Immersion of believers

All time sacred   

Secularization of time

All time sacred   

Secularization of time

All time sacred   

Spiritual gifts     

Human talents

Spiritual gifts     

Human talents

Spiritual gifts     

Organism

Organization

Organism

Organization

Organism

Body

Building/structure

Body

Building/structure

Body

Symbolic Life

Legalism/Death

Life

Legalism/Death

Life

Family

Political  parties

Family

Political  parties

Family

Spiritual life      

Secularizing life

Spiritual life      

Secularizing life

Spiritual life      

 

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