Word Studies — Law 08: What Was Abolished at the Cross?¶

All data from Strong's Concordance lookups (search_strongs.py) and Greek parsing (greek_parser.py).

ABOLITION / REMOVAL VOCABULARY¶

G2673 — katargeo (to abolish, make void, done away)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: katargeo - Part of Speech: verb - Definition: from kata + argeo; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally - BLB Count: 27 occurrences

NT Occurrences (from lexicon outline): | Reference | KJV Translation | What is katargeo'd? | |-----------|----------------|---------------------| | Luke 13:7 | "cumbereth it" | The barren fig tree cumbers the ground | | Romans 3:3 | "make...without effect" | Does unbelief make void God's faithfulness? | | Romans 3:31 | "Do we...make void" | Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid | | Romans 4:14 | "made of none effect" | The promise would be made of none effect | | Romans 6:6 | "might be destroyed" | The body of sin might be destroyed | | Romans 7:2 | "she is loosed" | She is loosed from the law of her husband | | Romans 7:6 | "we are delivered" | We are delivered from the law | | 1 Corinthians 1:28 | "bring to nought" | God chose base things to bring to nought things that are | | 1 Corinthians 2:6 | "come to nought" | Wisdom of princes that come to nought | | 1 Corinthians 6:13 | "shall destroy" | God shall destroy both meats and the belly | | 1 Corinthians 13:8 | "they shall fail" | Prophecies shall fail | | 1 Corinthians 13:10 | "shall be done away" | That which is in part shall be done away | | 1 Corinthians 13:11 | "I put away" | I put away childish things | | 1 Corinthians 15:24 | "he shall have put down" | When he shall have put down all rule and authority | | 1 Corinthians 15:26 | "shall be destroyed" | The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death | | 2 Corinthians 3:7 | "was to be done away" | "the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away" | | 2 Corinthians 3:11 | "is done away" | "that which is done away" (neuter participle — the fading system) | | 2 Corinthians 3:13 | "is abolished" | "the end of that which is abolished" (neuter participle) | | 2 Corinthians 3:14 | "is done away" | The vail "is done away in Christ" | | Galatians 3:17 | "should make...of none effect" | The law cannot make the promise of none effect | | Galatians 5:4 | "is become of no effect" | Christ is become of no effect unto you who seek justification by law | | Galatians 5:11 | "ceased" | "then is the offence of the cross ceased" | | Ephesians 2:15 | "Having abolished" | "the law of commandments in ordinances" | | 2 Thessalonians 2:8 | "shall destroy" | The Lord shall destroy the lawless one | | 2 Timothy 1:10 | "hath abolished" | Christ "hath abolished death" | | Hebrews 2:14 | "he might destroy" | That he might destroy him that had the power of death |

KEY PATTERN: Katargeo is used for a wide range of things being "done away": death (1 Cor 15:26; 2 Tim 1:10), the body of sin (Rom 6:6), prophecies (1 Cor 13:8), political authorities (1 Cor 15:24), the glory of Moses' face (2 Cor 3:7), the veil (2 Cor 3:14), the offence of the cross (Gal 5:11). In the law-related passages: - 2 Cor 3:7,11,13 — katargeo modifies THE GLORY (feminine in v.7) or a NEUTER participle (vv.11,13), NOT nomos (masculine) - Eph 2:15 — katargeo acts on "the law of commandments in ordinances" (ton nomon ton entolon en dogmasin) - Rom 3:31 — Paul asks "Do we katargeo the law?" and answers "God forbid; we establish the law"

G5498 — cheirographon (handwriting, certificate of debt)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: cheirographon - Part of Speech: neuter noun - Definition: neuter of a compound of cheir (hand) + grapho (to write); something hand-written - BLB Count: 1 (HAPAX LEGOMENON — occurs only in Col 2:14)

Sole Occurrence: - Colossians 2:14 — "Blotting out the handwriting (cheirographon) of ordinances (tois dogmasin)"

KEY OBSERVATIONS: 1. Cheirographon = "something hand-written" (cheir + grapho). The Decalogue was written by the FINGER OF GOD (Exo 31:18; Deu 9:10), not by human hands. The "book of the law" was written by Moses' hand (Deu 31:24). 2. In Greco-Roman legal context, cheirographon was a certificate of indebtedness — a bond signed by a debtor acknowledging a debt. 3. The phrase "cheirographon tois dogmasin" = "the handwriting consisting in/characterized by dogmata (decrees/ordinances)" 4. Prior study (law-04) established: cheirographon cannot refer to the Decalogue because the Decalogue was God-written, not hand-written (E-item).

G1378 — dogma (decree, ordinance)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: dogma - Part of Speech: neuter noun - Definition: from the base of dokeo; a law (civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical) - BLB Count: 5

All NT Occurrences: | Reference | KJV Translation | Context | |-----------|----------------|---------| | Luke 2:1 | "a decree" | Caesar Augustus' decree for taxation | | Acts 16:4 | "decrees" | The decrees from the Jerusalem Council | | Acts 17:7 | "decrees" | The decrees of Caesar | | Ephesians 2:15 | "ordinances" | "the law of commandments contained in ordinances" | | Colossians 2:14 | "of ordinances" | "the handwriting of ordinances" |

LXX References (from lexicon outline): - Daniel 2:13; 3:10; 4:3; 6:13 — all refer to royal/governmental decrees - Hebrews 11:23 (listed in outline)

KEY OBSERVATIONS: 1. Dogma in NT secular usage = decrees of civil authorities (Caesar, Jerusalem Council) 2. Dogma in law-abolition usage = the thing abolished/nailed (Eph 2:15; Col 2:14) 3. Dogma is NEVER used for the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments anywhere in the NT 4. Prior studies established: dogma vocabulary is consistently used for what was abolished; entole vocabulary is consistently used for what continues (1 Cor 7:19; Rev 12:17; 14:12)

G1379 — dogmatizo (to decree, subject to ordinances)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: dogmatizo - Part of Speech: verb - Definition: from dogma; to prescribe by statute, i.e. (reflexively) to submit to - BLB Count: 1

Sole NT Occurrence: - Colossians 2:20 — "why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (dogmatizesthe)"

KEY OBSERVATION: This is the verbal form of dogma, used in the same passage (Col 2) as the dogmasin of v.14. Paul asks why believers who have died with Christ are still being subjected to dogmata (ordinances/decrees).

G1345 — dikaioma (ordinance, righteous judgment)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: dikaioma - Part of Speech: neuter noun - Definition: from dikaioo; an equitable deed; by implication, a statute or decision - BLB Count: 10

Key Occurrences: | Reference | KJV Translation | Context | |-----------|----------------|---------| | Luke 1:6 | "ordinances" | Zacharias and Elisabeth walked in all commandments and ordinances | | Romans 1:32 | "judgment" | Knowing the judgment of God | | Romans 2:26 | "righteousness" | The uncircumcised keep the righteousness of the law | | Romans 5:16 | "justification" | The free gift unto justification | | Romans 5:18 | "righteousness" | By the righteousness of one | | Romans 8:4 | "the righteousness" | "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" | | Hebrews 9:1 | "ordinances" | "the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service" | | Hebrews 9:10 | "carnal ordinances" | "dikaiomata sarkos, imposed until the time of reformation" | | Revelation 15:4 | "judgments" | Thy judgments are made manifest | | Revelation 19:8 | "righteousness" | The fine linen is the righteousness of saints |

KEY OBSERVATIONS: 1. Dikaioma in Heb 9:1,10 = "ordinances of divine service" / "carnal ordinances" — explicitly identified as "meats and drinks, and divers washings" = CEREMONIAL regulations 2. Dikaioma in Rom 8:4 = "the righteousness of the law" that is FULFILLED in believers who walk after the Spirit — the MORAL requirement continues 3. Same word, two different uses: ceremonial regulations (abolished) vs. moral righteousness (fulfilled/continued)

G2647 — kataluo (to destroy, dissolve)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: kataluo - Part of Speech: verb - Definition: from kata + luo; to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. to demolish - BLB Count: 17

Key Occurrence: - Matthew 5:17 — "Think not that I am come to destroy (katalusai) the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy (katalusai), but to fulfil." - Acts 6:14 — "Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy (katalusei) this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us" - Galatians 2:18 — "For if I build again the things which I destroyed (katelusa)"

KEY OBSERVATION: Jesus' explicit denial in Mat 5:17 uses kataluo — "I am not come to kataluo the law." This is the strongest possible statement against the abolition of the law. The same word is used for destroying the temple (Mat 26:61; 27:40).

REDEMPTION / CURSE VOCABULARY¶

G1805 — exagorazo (to redeem, buy out)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: exagorazo - Part of Speech: verb - Definition: from ek + agorazo; to buy up, i.e. ransom; figuratively, to rescue from loss - BLB Count: 4

Occurrences: | Reference | Translation | Context | |-----------|-------------|---------| | Galatians 3:13 | "hath redeemed" | "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law" | | Galatians 4:5 | "redeem" | "To redeem them that were under the law" | | Ephesians 5:16 | "Redeeming" | "Redeeming the time" | | Colossians 4:5 | "redeeming" | "Redeeming the time" |

KEY OBSERVATION: In Gal 3:13, Christ redeems us FROM THE CURSE (katara) OF the law — not from the law itself. The object of redemption is the curse/penalty, not the law.

G1944 — epikataratos (accursed)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: epikataratos - Part of Speech: adjective - Definition: from epi + a derivative of kataraomai; imprecated, i.e. execrable - BLB Count: 3 (in LXX: Deu 21:23; 27:26)

Key Occurrences: - Galatians 3:10 — "Cursed (epikataratos) [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law" (citing Deu 27:26) - Galatians 3:13 — "Cursed (epikataratos) [is] every one that hangeth on a tree" (citing Deu 21:23)

KEY OBSERVATION: Both citations are from Deuteronomy — the "book of the law" (not the stone tablets). Gal 3:10 quotes the curse for disobedience from Deu 27:26. Gal 3:13 quotes the curse upon the hanged from Deu 21:23. Christ became the curse to redeem us from the curse's penalty.

LAW VOCABULARY¶

G3551 — nomos (law)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: nomos - Part of Speech: masculine noun - Definition: from nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing); anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command - BLB Count: 197 (by far the most frequent Greek law term)

Translation Distribution: 169 total KJV occurrences. Translated as "law" (95), "the law" (49), "of the law" (14), plus minor variations.

KEY OBSERVATION: Nomos is the general Greek term; context must determine which law. In the 7 abolition passages: - Eph 2:15: "ton nomon ton entolon en dogmasin" = "the law of commandments in ordinances" — nomos qualified by BOTH entolon and dogmasin - Heb 7:12: "nomou metathesis" = "a change of the law" — in context of priesthood change (Levitical law) - Heb 10:1: "skian gar echon ho nomos" = "the law having a shadow" — identified by context as the sacrificial system - Gal 3:13: "ek tes kataras tou nomou" = "from the curse of the law"

G1785 — entole (commandment)¶

Lexicon Entry: - Transliteration: entole - Part of Speech: feminine noun - Definition: from entellomai; injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription - BLB Count: 71

Translation Distribution: 43 KJV occurrences. Translated as "commandment" (23), "commandments" (12), plus minor variations.

Key Occurrences in Abolition Context: - Eph 2:15: "ton nomon ton ENTOLON en dogmasin" — entole appears alongside nomos and dogma, describing the law of COMMANDMENTS in ordinances - Heb 7:5: "entolen" — the Levitical commandment to take tithes - Heb 7:16: "entoles sarkines" — "the law of a carnal commandment" (the Levitical appointment based on ancestry) - Heb 7:18: "proagouses ENTOLES" — "the commandment going before" that is "disannulled for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof" = the Levitical priesthood commandment

KEY OBSERVATION: In Heb 7:16,18, entole refers specifically to the commandment governing Levitical succession — NOT to the Decalogue. The "disannulling" is of this specific priestly commandment.

GREEK PARSING — 7 ABOLITION PASSAGES (Summary of Key Findings)¶

Colossians 2:14 Parsing¶

exaleipsas (G1813) = Aorist Active Participle Nom Sg M — "having blotted out"
cheirographon (G5498) = Acc Sg Neuter — "the handwriting" (object of blotting out)
tois dogmasin (G1378) = Dative Plural Neuter — "in/by the decrees/ordinances" (instrumental dative describing what the handwriting consists of)
proselosAs (G4338) = Aorist Active Participle Nom Sg M — "having nailed"
auto (G846) = Acc Sg Neuter — "it" (the cheirographon, neuter)
to stauro (G4716) = Dative Sg Masculine — "to his cross"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: The subject of both participles (exaleipsas, proselosas) is the implied subject from v.13 (God/Christ). The OBJECT of nailing is "auto" (it, neuter) = the cheirographon, not nomos or entole.

Ephesians 2:15 Parsing¶

ton nomon (G3551) = Acc Sg Masculine — "the law"
ton entolon (G1785) = Gen Pl Feminine — "of commandments"
en dogmasin (G1378) = Dat Pl Neuter — "in ordinances/decrees"
katargesas (G2673) = Aorist Active Participle Nom Sg M — "having abolished"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: The phrase is "ton nomon ton entolon en dogmasin" = "the law of the commandments [consisting] in ordinances." The law (nomos, masc) is qualified by two other terms: entolon (commandments, fem gen) and dogmasin (ordinances, neut dat). The dogma qualifier specifies WHICH commandments are in view — those that consist in ceremonial dogmata.

Hebrews 7:12 Parsing¶

metatithemenes (G3346) = Present Passive Participle Gen Sg Feminine — "being changed" (agrees with hierosunes, priesthood, fem)
tes hierosunes (G2420) = Gen Sg Feminine — "of the priesthood"
nomou (G3551) = Gen Sg Masculine — "of [the] law"
metathesis (G3331) = Nom Sg Feminine — "a change/transfer"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: "The priesthood being changed" (genitive absolute) -> "of necessity also a change of [the] law takes place." The "law" that changes is the law governing the priesthood — NOT identified as the Decalogue.

Hebrews 9:10 Parsing¶

dikaiomata (G1345) = Nom Pl Neuter — "ordinances" (the things described)
sarkos (G4561) = Gen Sg Feminine — "of flesh" (= "carnal")
mechri (G3360) = adverb — "until"
kairou (G2540) = Gen Sg Masculine — "time"
diorthoseos (G1357) = Gen Sg Feminine — "of reformation"
epikeimena (G1945) = Present M/P Participle Nom Pl Neuter — "imposed/lying upon"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: The dikaiomata sarkos (carnal ordinances) consist in "meats and drinks, and divers washings" (v.10a). They are "imposed until the time of reformation" = temporary by design. The noun dikaiomata here refers to ceremonial regulations, NOT to the moral law.

Hebrews 10:1,9 Parsing¶

v.1: skian (G4639) = Acc Sg Fem — "a shadow"; ho nomos (G3551) = Nom Sg Masc — "the law"; thusiais (G2378) = Dat Pl Fem — "sacrifices"
v.9: anairei (G337) = Present Active Ind 3rd Sg — "He takes away/removes"; to proton (G4413) = Acc Sg Neuter — "the first [thing]"; to deuteron (G1208) = Acc Sg Neuter — "the second"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: "The law" that has "a shadow" is identified by its content: "those sacrifices which they offered year by year" (v.1). The "first" that is taken away (v.9) = the sacrificial system; the "second" established = God's will (doing His will, v.7).

2 Corinthians 3:7 Parsing¶

he diakonia (G1248) = Nom Sg Feminine — "the ministration"
tou thanatou (G2288) = Gen Sg Masculine — "of death"
grammasin (G1121) = Dat Pl Neuter — "in letters"
entupomene (G1795) = Perf Pass Ptcp Nom Sg FEMININE — "having been engraven" (agrees with diakonia, fem)
lithois (G3037) = Dat Pl Masculine — "in/on stones"
ten doxan (G1391) = Acc Sg Feminine — "the glory"
ten katargoumenen (G2673) = Present Pass Ptcp Acc Sg FEMININE — "being done away" (agrees with ten doxan, feminine!)

CRITICAL GRAMMATICAL FINDING: katargoumenen in v.7 is FEMININE SINGULAR, agreeing with ten doxan (the glory), NOT with nomos (masculine) or with diakonia (also feminine but in nominative case). What is "done away" in v.7 is THE GLORY of Moses' face, not the law itself. This is confirmed by the prior study on 2 Cor 3 (2-corinthians-3-ministration/CONCLUSION.md).

2 Corinthians 3:11 Parsing¶

to katargoumenon (G2673) = Present Pass Ptcp Nom Sg NEUTER — "that which is being done away"
to menon (G3306) = Present Act Ptcp Nom Sg NEUTER — "that which remaineth"

NOTE: Both participles are NEUTER, matching neither diakonia (fem) nor nomos (masc). They refer to the whole systems being compared as abstract entities. What "remaineth" exceeds what is "done away" in glory.

2 Corinthians 3:13 Parsing¶

tou katargoumenou (G2673) = Present Pass Ptcp Gen Sg NEUTER — "of that which is being abolished"

NOTE: Again NEUTER genitive — "the end of that [neuter thing] which is being abolished."

Galatians 3:13 Parsing¶

exegorasen (G1805) = Aorist Active Ind 3rd Sg — "redeemed/bought out"
ek tes kataras (G2671) = Gen Sg Feminine — "from the curse"
tou nomou (G3551) = Gen Sg Masculine — "of the law"
katara (G2671) = Nom Sg Feminine — "a curse"
epikataratos (G1944) = Nom Sg Masculine — "cursed"

STRUCTURAL NOTE: The object of redemption is "ek tes kataras tou nomou" = "from the curse OF the law." Christ redeems FROM THE CURSE, not from the law itself. He became a curse (katara) to absorb the curse.

CROSS-TESTAMENT PARALLELS (Summary)¶

Col 2:14 OT Parallels¶

Isa 43:25 — "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions" (same "blotting out" concept)
Neh 10:1 — Written document with names sealed

Eph 2:15 NT Parallels¶

Mat 22:40 — "On these two commandments hang all the law" (commandment + law connection)
Heb 7:16 — "law of a carnal commandment" (commandment + law, same vocabulary)

Heb 7:12 OT Parallels¶

Neh 13:29 — Defiled the priesthood (priesthood vocabulary)
Exo 40:15 — Everlasting priesthood (priesthood vocabulary)
Psa 110:4 (via Heb 7:17) — "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek"

2 Cor 3:7 OT Parallels¶

Exo 34:30,35 — Moses' face shone (direct allusion)
Jos 8:31-32 — Written on stones by Moses

Gal 3:13 OT Parallels¶

Deu 21:23 — "He that is hanged is accursed of God" (DIRECT QUOTATION)
Deu 27:26 — "Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law" (cited in Gal 3:10)
Num 24:9 — "Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee"

VOCABULARY COMPARISON ACROSS THE 7 PASSAGES¶

Passage	Thing Abolished/Changed	Greek Vocabulary for Thing	Greek Vocabulary for Act	Explicitly Names Decalogue?
Col 2:14	"the handwriting of ordinances"	cheirographon (G5498) + dogmasin (G1378)	exaleipsas (blotted out), proselosas (nailed)	NO — context lists meat, drink, holyday, new moon, sabbath (v.16)
Eph 2:15	"the law of commandments in ordinances"	nomon (G3551) + entolon (G1785) + dogmasin (G1378)	katargesas (G2673, abolished)	NO — context is Jew/Gentile wall (circumcision, vv.11-12)
Heb 7:12	"the law" (governing the priesthood)	nomou (G3551)	metathesis (G3331, change/transfer)	NO — context is Levitical priesthood change (vv.5,11,16)
Heb 9:10	"carnal ordinances"	dikaiomata sarkos (G1345)	epikeimena mechri (imposed until)	NO — context specifies "meats, drinks, washings"
Heb 10:1-9	"sacrifice and offering" / "the first"	thusian + prosphoran (sacrifice + offering)	anairei (takes away, G337)	NO — context is "blood of bulls and goats" (v.4); law WRITTEN ON HEARTS (v.16)
2 Cor 3:7,11,13	"the glory" / "that which is done away"	doxan (G1391, glory, fem); neuter participles	katargeo (G2673)	NO — refers to GLORY, not the law; law "engraven in stones" = the referent for the ministration's glory
Gal 3:13	"the curse of the law"	kataras tou nomou (G2671 + G3551)	exegorasen (redeemed from, G1805)	NO — cites Deu 27:26 and 21:23; the law's CURSE is what Christ bore

CRITICAL FINDING: None of the 7 passages explicitly names the Decalogue/Ten Commandments/moral law as the thing abolished. Each passage uses different vocabulary: - Col 2:14 uses dogma + cheirographon (ordinance + handwriting) - Eph 2:15 uses nomos + entole + dogma (law of commandments in ordinances) - Heb 7:12 uses nomos (law, in context of priesthood) - Heb 9:10 uses dikaioma (ordinance, qualified as "carnal" and limited to "meats, drinks, washings") - Heb 10:1-9 uses thusia/prosphora (sacrifice/offering) - 2 Cor 3:7-13 uses doxa (glory) and diakonia (ministration) - Gal 3:13 uses katara (curse) — not the law itself but its curse/penalty

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