Word Studies¶
Question¶
What does "the law of Moses" refer to -- moral, ceremonial, or both? Classify all 22 occurrences of "law of Moses" by identifiable content. Examine Paul's usage of "law of God" vs "law of Moses." Compare with "law of the LORD" occurrences.
torah -- H8451¶
Original: תּוֹרָה (towrah) Transliteration: towrah Pronunciation: to-raw Part of Speech: feminine noun (n-f) Definition: "a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch -- law" (from yarah H3384, "to throw, shoot, point, teach") Total Occurrences: 244 (BLB count: 219)
Translations (top entries)¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| the law | 60 | 24.6% |
| of the law | 28 | 11.5% |
| law | 24 | 9.8% |
| thy law | 20 | 8.2% |
| in the law | 19 | 7.8% |
| my law | 10 | 4.1% |
| The law | 5 | 2.0% |
| in my law | 4 | 1.6% |
| a law | 3 | 1.2% |
| and the law | 3 | 1.2% |
Key Observations¶
- Torah is the Hebrew word behind "law" in all three phrases: "law of Moses" (torat Mosheh), "law of God" (torat Elohim), and "law of the LORD" (torat YHWH).
- The lexicon definition itself notes the word refers "especially [to] the Decalogue or Pentateuch," suggesting a dual range.
- Torah functions as an umbrella term in legislative contexts (Deu 4:44-45: "This is the torah... these are the edot, chuqqim, and mishpatim").
- In devotional contexts (Psa 1:2; 19:7; 119 passim), torah is the object of delight and meditation.
LXX Connections¶
H8451 (torah) is translated in the LXX primarily as: | Greek Word | Strong's | Count | PMI Score | Meaning | |---|---|---|---|---| | nomos (G3551) | G3551 | 188 | 6.45 | law | | grapho (G1125) | G1125 | 32 | 4.08 | to write | | biblion (G975) | G975 | 21 | 3.90 | scroll/book | | entole (G1785) | G1785 | 23 | 3.73 | commandment/injunction | | phylasso (G5442) | G5442 | 32 | 3.11 | to guard/keep | | dikaioma (G1345) | G1345 | 16 | 3.80 | statute/righteous requirement | | anaginosko (G314) | G314 | 8 | 4.21 | to read | | Moseus (G3475) | G3475 | 34 | 2.34 | Moses |
Key LXX finding: Torah maps dominantly to nomos (188x), but also to entole (23x) and dikaioma (16x). The LXX translators did not render torah uniformly, using "commandment" and "righteous requirement" alongside "law." The co-occurrence with Moseus (G3475, 34x) reflects the frequency of the "law of Moses" phrase.
Distribution in "Law of Moses" Verses¶
Torah appears in all OT "law of Moses" passages: Josh 8:31, 32; 23:6; 1 Ki 2:3; 2 Ki 14:6; 23:25; 2 Chr 23:18; 30:16; Ezra 3:2; 7:6; Neh 8:1; Dan 9:11, 13; Mal 4:4 (Hebrew 3:22). In each case, torah is in construct with Mosheh (Moses).
nomos -- G3551¶
Original: νόμος (nomos) Transliteration: nomos Pronunciation: nom'-os Part of Speech: masculine noun (n-m) Definition: "from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals) -- law" (i.e., anything parceled out, assigned, hence a law or custom) Total Occurrences: 169 (BLB count: 197)
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| law | 95 | 56.2% |
| the law | 49 | 29.0% |
| of the law | 14 | 8.3% |
| a law | 2 | 1.2% |
| to the law | 2 | 1.2% |
| laws | 2 | 1.2% |
| Other | 5 | 3.0% |
Key Observations¶
- Nomos is the NT Greek equivalent of torah. The LXX established this equivalence (188 mappings).
- Paul uses nomos extensively in Romans (74+ occurrences) with multiple referents depending on context: the Mosaic law, the Pentateuch, a general principle, the moral law, or the law of sin.
- In the "law of Moses" NT occurrences, nomos appears in the genitive construction with Mouseos (Luk 2:22; Act 13:38-39; 15:5; 1 Cor 9:9; Heb 10:28).
- In the "law of God" occurrences, nomos appears with theou in the genitive (Rom 7:22, 25; 8:7).
- The same noun (nomos) is used for both phrases, with only the genitive modifier differing.
Greek Parsing: Key Verses¶
Romans 7:22 -- "to nomo tou Theou" (the law of God) - nomos: dative singular masculine [N-DSM] - Theou: genitive singular masculine [N-GSM] -- genitive of source/origin
Romans 7:25 -- "nomo Theou... nomo hamartias" (law of God... law of sin) - nomos: dative singular masculine [N-DSM] in both phrases -- parallel construction. Paul serves the "law of God" with his mind and the "law of sin" with his flesh.
Romans 8:7 -- "to nomo tou Theou ouch hypotassetai" (to the law of God is not subject) - nomos: dative singular masculine [N-DSM] - hypotassetai: present passive indicative 3rd sg -- the carnal mind "is not being subjected to" the law of God. Present tense indicates ongoing state.
1 Corinthians 9:9 -- "en to Mouseos nomo" (in the law of Moses) - nomos: dative singular masculine [N-DSM] - Mouseos: genitive singular masculine [N-GSM] -- genitive of authorship/mediation - Note the word order: "in the of-Moses law" -- the genitive precedes the noun, an emphatic construction.
Luke 2:22 -- "kata ton nomon Mouseos" (according to the law of Moses) - nomos: accusative singular masculine [N-ASM] -- object of preposition kata ("according to") - Mouseos: genitive singular masculine [N-GSM]
Acts 13:38 -- "en nomo Mouseos dikaiothenai" (in [the] law of Moses to be justified) - nomos: dative singular masculine [N-DSM] -- anarthrous (no article), emphasizing the qualitative character of the law - dikaiothenai: aorist passive infinitive of dikaioo (G1344) -- "to be justified/declared righteous"
Acts 15:5 -- "ton nomon Mouseos" (the law of Moses) - nomos: accusative singular masculine [N-ASM] -- with article, specifying the definite Mosaic code - Context: Pharisees demand "to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses"
Hebrews 10:28 -- "nomon Mouseos" (law of Moses) - nomos: accusative singular masculine [N-ASM] -- anarthrous, qualitative - athetesas (G114): aorist active participle -- "having set aside / despised"
entole -- G1785¶
Original: ἐντολή (entole) Transliteration: entole Pronunciation: en-tol-ay Part of Speech: feminine noun (n-f) Definition: "from entellomai (G1781); injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription -- commandment, precept" Total Occurrences: 43 (BLB count: 71)
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| commandment | 23 | 53.5% |
| commandments | 12 | 27.9% |
| precept | 2 | 4.7% |
| a commandment | 2 | 4.7% |
| Other | 3 | 7.0% |
Key Observations¶
- Entole maps primarily to Hebrew mitsvah (H4687) in the LXX (153 times per law-06 findings).
- Prior studies (law-04) established that entole is associated with the moral law in Paul's usage. Key verse: 1 Cor 7:19 -- "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments [entole] of God." This separates circumcision (ceremonial) from "commandments of God" (moral).
- Entole is never used for the ceremonial ordinances that are said to be abolished. The "law of commandments in ordinances" (Eph 2:15) uses entole qualified by dogma (G1378), specifying which commandments are in view.
- In Romans 7:8-12, entole is used for the specific Decalogue commandment "Thou shalt not covet" (Rom 7:7): "the commandment is holy, and just, and good" (Rom 7:12).
- Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 use entole for "the commandments of God" kept by the end-time people of God alongside "the faith of Jesus."
Key Verses Where Entole Appears¶
- Mat 15:3 -- "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
- Mat 22:36, 38 -- "the great commandment in the law"
- Rom 7:8-13 -- "the commandment" identified as "Thou shalt not covet" (Decalogue)
- 1 Cor 7:19 -- "the keeping of the commandments of God"
- Rev 12:17 -- "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus"
- Rev 14:12 -- "they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus"
Relationship to This Study¶
Entole (commandment) does NOT appear in any "law of Moses" phrase. It appears in "commandments of God" contexts. This distribution may indicate that NT authors use different vocabulary when referencing the moral law (entole of God) versus the Mosaic legislation (nomos of Moses).
dogma -- G1378¶
Original: δόγμα (dogma) Transliteration: dogma Pronunciation: dog'-mah Part of Speech: neuter noun (n) Definition: "from the base of dokeo; a law (civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical) -- decree, ordinance" Total Occurrences: 5 (BLB count: 5)
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| decrees | 2 | 40.0% |
| a decree | 1 | 20.0% |
| ordinances | 1 | 20.0% |
| of ordinances | 1 | 20.0% |
All 5 Occurrences¶
| Verse | Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Luk 2:1 | "a decree" | Caesar's civil decree for taxation |
| Act 16:4 | "decrees" | The Jerusalem Council's decrees |
| Act 17:7 | "decrees" | Caesar's civil decrees |
| Eph 2:15 | "of ordinances" | "the law of commandments contained in ordinances" -- abolished in Christ's flesh |
| Col 2:14 | "ordinances" | "handwriting of ordinances...nailing it to his cross" |
Key Observations¶
- Dogma appears only 5 times in the entire NT.
- Of the 5 uses, 2 are Caesar's civil decrees (non-biblical law), 1 is the Jerusalem Council's decisions, and 2 refer to Jewish religious regulations abolished at the cross.
- Prior study (law-04) established: dogma is NEVER applied to the Decalogue, to nomos as moral law, or to entole as "commandments of God." The cessation vocabulary (Eph 2:15; Col 2:14) is restricted to dogma/cheirographon, not to nomos/entole.
- This is significant for the "law of Moses" study: when the NT speaks of laws "abolished" or "nailed to the cross," it uses dogma, not nomos. When it speaks of "the law of Moses" in contexts of justification (Act 13:39), it uses nomos.
dikaioma -- G1345¶
Original: δικαίωμα (dikaioma) Transliteration: dikaioma Pronunciation: dik-ah'-yo-mah Part of Speech: neuter noun (n) Definition: "from dikaioo (G1344); an equitable deed; by implication, a statute or decision -- judgment, justification, ordinance, righteousness" Total Occurrences: 10 (BLB count: 10)
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| ordinances | 3 | 30.0% |
| righteousness | 3 | 30.0% |
| judgment | 1 | 10.0% |
| justification | 1 | 10.0% |
| the righteousness | 1 | 10.0% |
| judgments | 1 | 10.0% |
All 10 Occurrences¶
| Verse | Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Luk 1:6 | "ordinances" | Zacharias and Elizabeth walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord |
| Rom 1:32 | "judgment" | Those who know the judgment (dikaioma) of God that such are worthy of death |
| Rom 2:26 | "righteousness" | If uncircumcision keep the righteousness (dikaioma) of the law |
| Rom 5:16 | "justification" | The free gift unto justification |
| Rom 5:18 | "righteousness" | By the righteousness of one |
| Rom 8:4 | "righteousness" | That the righteousness (dikaioma) of the law might be fulfilled in us |
| Heb 7:16 | (implied) | A carnal commandment (related context) |
| Heb 9:1 | "ordinances" | The first covenant had ordinances (dikaiomata) of divine service |
| Heb 9:10 | "ordinances" | Carnal ordinances (dikaiomata) imposed until the time of reformation |
| Rev 15:4 | "judgments" | Thy judgments are made manifest |
| Rev 19:8 | "righteousness" | The righteousness of the saints |
Key Observations¶
- Dikaioma has a broad semantic range: "equitable deed, statute, decision, ordinance, righteous requirement."
- In the LXX, dikaioma translates H8451 (torah) 16 times -- making it a secondary but significant Greek rendering of "law."
- In Hebrews 9:1, 10, dikaiomata are "ordinances of divine service" and "carnal ordinances" -- specifically the sanctuary/ceremonial regulations. These are said to be "imposed until the time of reformation."
- In Romans 8:4, dikaioma tou nomou ("the righteousness/righteous requirement of the law") is "fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The context (Rom 7:7-8:4) identifies the law by the Decalogue (7:7 -- "Thou shalt not covet").
- This dual usage (Hebrews: ceremonial ordinances; Romans: moral law's righteous requirement) reflects the broader pattern: the same vocabulary can apply to different aspects of the law depending on context.
Relationship to This Study¶
Dikaioma shows how the same Greek term can reference both ceremonial regulations (Heb 9:1, 10) and the moral law's righteous requirement (Rom 8:4). Context determines the referent. This parallels the finding about "law of Moses" -- the phrase's referent is determined by its surrounding context, not by the phrase itself.
Summary: Vocabulary Patterns Across the Study¶
The Three Phrases Use the Same Core Terms¶
| Phrase | Hebrew | Greek | Genitive Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law of Moses | torat Mosheh | nomos Mouseos | Moses (human mediator) |
| Law of God | torat Elohim | nomos Theou | God (divine Author) |
| Law of the LORD | torat YHWH | nomos Kyriou | LORD/YHWH (covenant God) |
All three use the same noun (torah/nomos) with different genitive modifiers. The noun itself does not determine the referent; the modifier and context do.
Vocabulary Distribution Pattern¶
| Greek Term | Typical Association | "Law of Moses" Context | "Law of God" Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| nomos (G3551) | Broad: any law | Used in all "law of Moses" phrases | Used in all "law of God" phrases |
| entole (G1785) | Moral law/commandments | NOT used in "law of Moses" phrases | Used for "commandments of God" (1 Cor 7:19; Rev 14:12) |
| dogma (G1378) | Ceremonial/abolished | NOT used in "law of Moses" phrases | NOT used for "law of God" |
| dikaioma (G1345) | Ceremonial OR moral (context-dependent) | Not directly in "law of Moses" phrases | Rom 8:4 -- "righteousness of the law" (moral) |
Observations for the Analysis Agent¶
- The NT vocabulary shows a pattern where entole ("commandment") is associated with the moral law/Decalogue, while dogma ("ordinance") is associated with ceremonial regulations. Neither term appears in the "law of Moses" phrase itself.
- Nomos is the shared term across all three phrases, carrying no inherent moral/ceremonial distinction.
- The genitive modifier (Mouseos vs. Theou) may carry theological significance: Paul uses "law of God" (nomos Theou) for the law he delights in (Rom 7:22), identified by the Decalogue commandment "Thou shalt not covet" (Rom 7:7); he uses "law of Moses" (nomos Mouseos) for the broader Mosaic code (1 Cor 9:9 -- "muzzle not the ox").
- The Hebrew parsing of Malachi 3:22 (= 4:4) shows torah in construct with Mosheh, followed by chuqqim (statutes) and mishpatim (judgments) -- these additional terms expand what "the law of Moses" encompasses.