--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not that the study is not important. A…" description: "\"“Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once studies with would often say, 'For us Jews studying the bible is more important than obeyin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/eugene-h-peterson-1745_bible_not-that-the-study-is-not-important-a-je_1614673.jpg" --- # Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once… ![“Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once studies with would often say, 'For us Jews studying the bible is more important than obeying it because if you don't understand it rightly you will obey it wrongly and your obedience will be disobedience. This is also true.” quote by Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/eugene-h-peterson-1745_bible_not-that-the-study-is-not-important-a-je_1614673.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/eugene-h-peterson-1745_bible_not-that-the-study-is-not-important-a-je_1614673.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/eugene-h-peterson-1745_bible_not-that-the-study-is-not-important-a-je_1614673.jpg) > ““Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once studies with would often say, 'For us Jews studying the bible is more important than obeying it because if you don't understand it rightly you will obey it wrongly and your obedience will be disobedience. This is also true.”” [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that studying scripture deeply is essential to proper obedience; misunderstanding leads to misguided compliance. **In simple terms:** Understanding precedes proper obedience. Key Takeaway Study before you obey. Themes religion interpretation obedience Mood thoughtful spiritual Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - religious practice - ethical decision‑making - education Key Concepts theology epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How does deeper study affect your actions? - When is blind obedience justified? A Different Perspective It may undervalue the value of tradition and faith without scholarly study. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Obedience to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience-to-god/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Spiritual reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-reading/) [Studying The Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studying-the-bible/) ## Related quotes > [The Bible and studying the Bible has been an important part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/the-bible-and-studying-the-bible-has-been-an-important-part-of-my-life/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I've been studying the Bible for a long time. I remember that after the first five years or so of diligently studying the Word,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/i-ve-been-studying-the-bible-for-a-long-time-i-remember-that-after/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Don't fall into the trap of studying the Bible without doing what it says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-studying-the-bible-without-doing-what-it/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Someone has said that there are four things necessary in studying the Bible: Admit, submit, commit and transmit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-has-said-that-there-are-four-things-necessary-in-studying-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't go to church in England - although that's down to the language barrier - and I don't spend all my time studying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-almiron/i-don-t-go-to-church-in-england-although-that-s-down-to-the-language/) [Miguel Almiron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-almiron/) > [I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study - more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/i-cannot-too-greatly-emphasize-the-importance-and-value-of-bible/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [“As Christians, we celebrate many holidays and memorials throughout the year. Some we decide to celebrate by referencing events in the Bible. Others are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/as-christians-we-celebrate-many-holidays-and-memorials-throughout-the/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [no subject of study is more important than reading…all other intellectual powers depend on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/no-subject-of-study-is-more-important-than-reading-all-other/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [I have quite a few different Bibles. Having rejected my parents' religion, I still think the King James Bible is the most important work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-have-quite-a-few-different-bibles-having-rejected-my-parents/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“It's not important where you study it's important how well you study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/it-s-not-important-where-you-study-it-s-important-how-well-you-study/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“What you study is more important than how you study. Students are subordinate to materials, much like novice cooks are subordinate to recipes. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-you-study-is-more-important-than-how-you-study-students-are/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [My family prayed a lot, but we didn't really go to church. On Sunday, my mum and dad used to always tell me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-sturridge/my-family-prayed-a-lot-but-we-didn-t-really-go-to-church-on-sunday-my/) [Daniel Sturridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-sturridge/) > [You won't become a saint by studying your Bible; you'll become a saint by living it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/you-won-t-become-a-saint-by-studying-your-bible-you-ll-become-a-saint/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [“If you assign ten new believers the task of studying the Bible to find God’s heart for this generation, not one of them would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/if-you-assign-ten-new-believers-the-task-of-studying-the-bible-to/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [By studying the Bible one can at best know about God. There is a vast difference between knowing God and knowing about God. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tenney/by-studying-the-bible-one-can-at-best-know-about-god-there-is-a-vast/) [Tommy Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tenney/) ## More by Eugene H. Peterson > [“Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/forget-about-deciding-what-s-right-for-each-other-here-s-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“The core message of the gospel is that God invades us with new life, but the setting for this is most often in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-core-message-of-the-gospel-is-that-god-invades-us-with-new-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy puts us to work along with all the others who have been and are being put to work in the world by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-puts-us-to-work-along-with-all-the-others-who-have-been-and/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, For you, GOD, have put my life back together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/at-day-s-end-i-m-ready-for-sound-sleep-for-you-god-have-put-my-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/i-think-pastors-are-the-worst-listeners-we-re-so-used-to-speaking/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“When I look for help in developing my pastoral craft and nurturing my pastoral vocation, the one century that has the least to commend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/when-i-look-for-help-in-developing-my-pastoral-craft-and-nurturing-my/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/religion-is-a-very-scary-thing-because-a-pastor-is-in-a-position-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The vocation of pastor(s) has been replaced by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-vocation-of-pastor-s-has-been-replaced-by-the-strategies-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/repentance-is-a-realization-that-what-god-wants-from-you-and-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [It's essential for us to develop an imagination that is participatory. Art is the primary way in which this happens. It's the primary way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/it-s-essential-for-us-to-develop-an-imagination-that-is-participatory/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“My uncle Ernie didn't believe in God. At least that's what he said. But he always Went to church on Christmas. Which I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/my-uncle-ernie-didn-t-believe-in-god-at-least-that-s-what-he-said-but/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/you-don-t-make-your-words-true-by-embellishing-them-with-religious/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“And the remainder of the Message details God’s intricate and loving plan to redeem, restore, and reconcile creation back to himself after what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/and-the-remainder-of-the-message-details-god-s-intricate-and-loving/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) [Explore all 210 Eugene H. Peterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once studies with would often say, 'For us Jews studying the bible is more important than obeying it because if you don't understand it rightly you will obey it wrongly and your obedience will be disobedience. This is also true.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eugene H. 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