WG: Commandment¶
Overview¶
The commandment concept in the NT involves a cluster of Greek words for authoritative directives, along with the key verbs that describe the human response to them (keeping, doing, loving). The core word ἐντολή (entolē) dominates usage, while cognates and near-synonyms distinguish different nuances of command.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1785 | ἐντολή | entolē | noun | 67 | The directive itself (commandment) | G1785 |
| G1781 | ἐντέλλομαι | entellomai | verb | 17 | The act of commanding | TODO(need G1781 study) |
| G1778 | ἔνταλμα | entalma | noun | 3 | Human precept (pejorative) | G1778 |
| G2003 | ἐπιταγή | epitagē | noun | 7 | Authoritative decree/injunction | G2003 |
| G3551 | νόμος | nomos | noun | 194 | The law system containing commandments | G3551 |
| G5083 | τηρέω | tēreō | verb | 75 | The response: to keep/guard | G5083-tereo |
| G25 | ἀγαπάω | agapaō | verb | 143 | Love: both content and motive of obedience | — |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- ἐντολή (G1785), ἐντέλλομαι (G1781), ἔνταλμα (G1778) — all from root ἐντελ- (ἐν + τέλλω, to enjoin upon)
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐντολή (G1785) | νόμος (G3551) | 9 | "commandment in the law" (Matt 22:36); law and commandment together (Rom 7) |
| ἐντολή (G1785) | τηρέω (G5083) | 5 (DB) / ~16 (full) | "keep the/his commandments" — the defining collocation of Johannine theology |
| ἐντολή (G1785) | ἀγαπάω (G25) | 3 (DB) / ~10 (full) | Love as content of the commandment (John 13:34); love as motive for keeping (John 14:15) |
| νόμος (G3551) | ἀγαπάω (G25) | 2 | "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom 13:8; Gal 5:14) |
| νόμος (G3551) | τηρέω (G5083) | 2 | "keep the law" (Acts 15:5, 24) |
Note: DB counts understate Johannine co-occurrences because the translation database is missing John, 1 John, and 2 John. Full counts (from Greek text) are shown where applicable.
Roles in the Concept¶
- The System: νόμος (nomos) — the law as a whole
- The Specific Directive: ἐντολή (entolē) — a particular commandment within the law, or Christ's personal command
- The Act of Commanding: ἐντέλλομαι (entellomai) — verb form; God/Christ enjoins
- The Human Counterfeit: ἔνταλμα (entalma) — human traditions masquerading as commandments
- The Authoritative Decree: ἐπιταγή (epitagē) — emphasizes the weight of authority behind the command
- The Response of Obedience: τηρέω (tēreō) — to keep, guard, observe
- The Motive and Content: ἀγαπάω (agapaō) — love both motivates and summarizes the commandment(s)
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Matt 22:36-40 — entolē + nomos: "Which is the great commandment in the law?"
- John 14:15 — entolē + tēreō + agapaō: "If ye love me, keep my commandments"
- John 15:10 — entolē + tēreō + agapaō: "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love"
- Rom 7:8-12 — entolē + nomos: Sin exploits the commandment within the law
- 1 John 5:2-3 — entolē + tēreō + agapaō: "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments"
- Matt 15:3-9 — entolē + entalma: God's commandment vs. human precepts
Generated from: search_strongs.py, greek_parser.py, co-occurrence queries Last updated: 2026-03-31