Order

Method; the established manner of performing a thing. Nothing can be more beautiful in religion and morals than order. The neglect of it exposes us to the inroads of vice, and often brings upon us the most perplexing events. Whether we consider it in reference to ourselves, our families, or the church, it is of the greatest importance. As to the first, order should be attended to as it respects our principles, Heb 13:9. Jas 1:8: our tempers, Pro 17:14. Eph 4:31; our conversation, Col 4:6; our business, Pro 22:29; our time, Psa 90:12. Ecc 3:1; our recreations; and our general conduct, Php 1:27. 2Pe 1:5, &c.

2. As it regards our families, there should be order; as to the economy or management of its concerns, Mat 12:25; as to devotion, and the time of it, Jos 24:15; as to the instruction thereof, Eph 6:1. Gen 18:19. 2Ti 1:5.

3. In respect to the church, order should be observed as to the admission of members, 2Co 6:15; as to the administration of its ordinances, 1Co 14:33; 1Co 14:40; as to the attendance on its worship, Psa 27:4; as to our behaviour therein, Col 1:10. Mat 5:16. To excite us to the practice of this duty, we should consider that God is a God of order, 1Co 14:33; his works are all in the exactest order, Eph 1:11. Psa 104:25. Ecc 3:11; heaven is a place of order, Rev 7:1-17; Rev 8:1-13; Rev 9:1-21; Rev 10:1-11; Rev 11:1-19; Rev 12:1-17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-20; Rev 15:1-8; Rev 16:1-21; Rev 17:1-9. Jesus Christ was a most beautiful example of regularity. The advantages of order are numerous. "The observance of it, " says Dr. Blair, "serves to correct that negligence which makes us omit some duties, and that hurry and precipitancy which makes us perform others imperfectly. Our attention is thereby directed to its proper objects. We follow the straight path which Providence has pointed out to us; in the course of which all the different business of life presents itself regularly to us on every side. Ser. vol. 2: p. 23.

Any of the various grades or degrees of the Christian ministry

ORDER.—See Priest (in NT), 775^a.

(Latin: ordo, array, row)

• a class or group of persons of the same condition, occupation, profession

• a state, such as the natural or supernatural

• a body of men or women abiding by common religious, moral, or social regulations

• a form of service, such as the order, or ordinary, of the Mass

• a grade or rank in the ministry, one of the holy orders

• one of the nine choirs of angels

• a fraternity or society of knights

• the badges or decorations of the various knighthoods

New Catholic Dictionary

ôr´dẽr (ערך, ‛ārakh, “to arrange”; τάσσειν, tássein (diatássein, táxis, tágma)): “Order” in Biblical phrases may indicate (1) arrangement in rows, (2) sequence in time, (3) classification and organization, (4) likeness or manner, (5) regulation, direction or command, or (6) the declaring of a will. In many passages it is difficult if not impossible to determine from the English text alone in which of these senses the word is used.

1. Arrangement in Rows:

The fundamental idea suggested by the Hebrew, Greek and English words is that of arrangement in rows. Thus “order” is used in the Bible of arranging wood for an altar (Lev 1:7; 1Ki 18:33; compare Hebrew Gen 22:9; Isa 30:33); of laying out flax-stalks for drying (Jos 2:6); of preparing offerings (Lev 1:8, Lev 1:12; compare Lev 6:5; Jdg 6:26); of arranging lamps (Exo 27:21; Exo 39:37; Lev 24:3, Lev 24:4; compare Psa 132:17); of placing the shewbread on the table (Exo 40:4, Exo 40:23; Lev 6:12; Lev 24:8; 2Ch 13:11); of drawing up the battle array (1Ch 12:38 (Hebrew 39,‛ādhar)); and of arranging weapons in order for battle (Jer 46:3, the American Standard Revised Version “prepare”). As a verb “to order” in the older versions usually has the obsolete sense “to arrange” and not the more usual English meanings, “to demand” or “to direct.” Thus: “In the tent of meeting shall Aaron order it” (Lev 24:4, the American Standard Revised Version “keep in order”); “Order ye the buckler and shield” (Jer 46:3; compare Psa 119:133; Job 23:4, the American Standard Revised Version “set in order”; Judith 2:16; The Wisdom of Solomon 8:1; 15:1; Ecclesiasticus 2:6). The Hebrew pa‛am (literally, “hoof-beat,” “occurrence,” “repetition”) in the plural conveys the idea of an architectural plan (Eze 41:6). Another word, shālabh, literally, “to join,” in connection with the tabernacle, has in some versions been translated as including the idea of orderly arrangement (Exo 26:17). The word “order” standing by itself may mean orderly or proper arrangement (1 Esdras 1:10; The Wisdom of Solomon 7:29; 1 Macc 6:40; Col 2:5). Akin to the idea of arranging things in a row is that of arranging words (Job 33:5; Job 37:19; Psa 5:3), of recounting things in order (Isa 44:7; Luk 1:1 the King James Version (diatassein); Luk 1:3; Act 11:4 (kathexḗs)), of setting forth a legal case (Job 23:4; Job 13:18; compare Psa 50:21). From the idea of arranging in order for the purpose of comparison the Hebrew ‛ārakh acquires the meaning “to compare” (Isa 40:18; Psa 89:7). This is clearly the meaning of ’ēn ‛ărōkh ’ēlekhā (Psa 40:5 (Hebrew 6)), where “They cannot be set in order unto thee” must be interpreted to mean “There is nothing that can be compared unto thee.”

2. Sequence in Time:

As the fundamental meaning of ‛ārakh is arrangement in space, that of ṣādhar is order or sequence in time. In later Hebrew ṣēdher was used in the sense of “program.” In Job 10:22 lō’ ṣ^edhārı̄m, absence of regularity, in the description of the uncertain period that follows death probably means “confusion in time.” (The Septuagint (φέγγος, phéggos) suggests, in the place of ṣ^edhārı̄m, a word for “light,” possibly cohŏrayim.) In the New Testament we find “order” used of time in connection with the resurrection of the dead (1Co 15:23 (tagma)) and of a succession of places visited (Act 18:23 (kathexes)). The phrase “in order unto” (Psa 119:38) expresses causal sequence and hence, purpose.

3. Classification and Organization:

The idea of classification is present in the Hebrew tāḳan, translated “set in order,” with reference to a collection of proverbs (Ecc 12:9). The same stem is used with reference to the arranging of singers before the altar (Hebrew Ecclesiasticus 47:9), The classification of priests according to their service is spoken of as “ordering” (1Ch 24:3, 1Ch 24:19, Hebrew pāḳadh). Next to the high priests ranked priests of the second order (mishneh, 2Ki 23:4; compare 2Ki 25:18 parallel Jer 52:24). The related concept of organization is present where the Hebrew kūn (literally, “to establish”.) is translated “order” (Isa 9:7 the King James Version, “to establish” the American Standard Revised Version; Psa 119:133; 2Ch 29:35; compare 1 Macc 16:14). A similar use of the term “order” is found in the New Testament in connection with the organization of the affairs of the church (1Co 16:1 (diatassein); Tit 1:5 (epidiorthóō); 1Co 11:34).

4. Likeness or Manner:

“Order,” in the sense of likeness or manner, is used in the phrase “after the order of Melchisedek” to translate the Hebrew‛al dibh^erath, or rather the archaic form ‛al dibh^erāthı̄ (Psa 110:4), which in other passages is translated “because of” (compare Ecc 3:18; Ecc 7:14; Ecc 8:2). This well-known phrase is rendered in Septuagint katá tḗn táxin, a translation adopted in Heb 5:6, Heb 5:10; Heb 6:20; Heb 7:11, Heb 7:17, where the passage from Psalm is made the basis of an extended argument, in the course of which “order” is taken in the sense of “likeness” (Heb 7:16).

5. Regulation, Direction, Command:

In the sense of regulation, we find “order” as a translation of mishpāṭ (which is literally, “the ruling of a shōphēṭ,” whether as a judicial decree or legislative act) in connection with the conduct of priests (1Ch 6:32 (Hebrew 17); 2Ch 30:16; compare Luk 1:8; 1 Esdras 1:6), and with reference to the Nazirite regulations in the story of Samson (Jdg 13:12, the Revised Version (British and American) “manner”), church services (1Co 14:40) and, in the older English VSS, with reference to other ritual matters (1Ch 15:13; 1Ch 23:31; 2Ch 8:14, the American Standard Revised Version “ordinance”). The phrase ‛al yadh, literally, “according to the hand of,” translated in Ezr 3:10; 1Ch 25:2, 1Ch 25:3, 1Ch 25:6 twice in various ways, means “under the direction of,” or “under the order of,” as translated in the last instance. The modern sense of “command” is suggested here and in several other instances (1 Esdras 8:10; 1 Macc 9:55). He “that ordereth his conversation aright” (sām derekh, Psa 50:23) is probably one who chooses the right path and directs his steps along it. “Who shall order the battle?” (1Ki 20:14) is corrected in the American Standard Revised Version: “Who shall begin the battle?” (compare 2Ch 13:3, Hebrew’āṣar, literally, “to bind,” hence, “to join” or “begin”; compare proelium committere).

6. Declaring of Last Will:

The phrase “to set one’s house in order” (Isa 38:1 parallel 2Ki 20:1; 2Sa 17:23), used of Hezekiah and Ahithophel, in contemplation of death, means to give final instructions to one’s household or to make one’s will. The Hebrew cāwāh used in this phrase is the stem found in the later Hebrew cawwā’āh, “a verbal will” (Bābhā’ Bathrā’ 147a, 151b; BDB). Great moral weight was attached in Biblical times to the charges laid upon a household by a deceased father or remoter ancestor, not only as to the disposition of property but also as to personal conduct. (Compare the case of the Rechabites, where the same Hebrew expression is used, ciwwāh ‛ālēnū, Jer 35:6.)

A division of the Mishnah and Talmud.