Bible Dictionary
Shadow
A shadow represents the temporary and symbolic character of the old covenant ceremonies in relation to the fuller realities revealed through Christ. The New Testament describes those earlier ordinances as a shadow of things to come.
Definition
A shadow is an image or preliminary representation rather than the complete reality. In the supplied biblical usage, the term describes the typical relation of Jewish ordinances to the fuller realities associated with the Christian dispensation.
Biblical Usage
Colossians, Hebrews, and related passages use “shadow” for the temporary and symbolic character of the Jewish ceremonies and ordinances in relation to things to come. The term contrasts the earlier forms with the fuller reality to which they pointed.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Used in Col. 2:17; Heb. 8:5; 10:1 to denote the typical relation of the Jewish to the Christian dispensation.