Ordinance

This term in the O.T. generally signifies that which God ’ordered’ for His people to observe. "They kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them." Psa 99:7. "Ye are gone away from mine ordinances." Mal 3:7. It is also applied to things in creation: God giveth "the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night." Jer 31:35. David made an ordinance. Ezr 3:10: cf. Neh 10:32.

In the N.T. it refers especially to the enactments of the law: "ordinances of divine service," Heb 9:1; Heb 9:10; "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances." Col 2:14. It is also applied to human laws, Rom 13:2; 1Pe 2:13; and to the rules of the moralists. Col 2:20. The directions that Paul had given to the Corinthians are in the A.V. called ’ordinances,’ 1Co 11:2; margin , ’traditions.’

See TAḲḲANAH (plural, Taḳḳanot):

ORDINANCE.—See Decree.

ôr´di-nans:

1. Old Testament Use:

This word generally represents חקּה, ḥuḳḳāh, something prescribed, enactment, usually with reference to matters of ritual. In the King James Version the same word is frequently translated by “statute” or “statutes,” which is also the rendering of a similar Hebrew word, namely, חק, ḥōḳ. the Revised Version (British and American) generally retains “ordinance,” but sometimes substitutes “statute” (e.g. Exo 18:20; Psa 99:7). In one instance the Revised Version (British and American) renders “set portion” (Eze 45:14). The word generally has a religious or ceremonial significance. It is used for instance in connection with the Passover (Exo 12:43; Num 9:14). According to Exo 12:14, the Passover was “an ordinance for ever,” i.e. a permanent institution. In the plural the word is often employed, along with such terms as commandments, laws, etc., with reference to the different prescriptions of the Deuteronomic and Priestly codes (Deu 6:1, Deu 6:2; Lev 18:4).

In 11 passages (Exo 15:25; Jos 24:25; 1Sa 30:25; 2Ki 17:34, 2Ki 17:37; 2Ch 33:8; 2Ch 35:13; Psa 119:91; Isa 58:2 twice; Eze 11:20) “ordinance” is the rendering of משׁפּט, mishpāṭ, judgment, decision or sentence by a judge or ruler. In the Book of the Covenant (Ex 20:22 through 23:33) the term “judgments” denotes civil, as contrasted with ritual, enactments. In 2Ki 17:34 the King James Version employs “manners” and “ordinances” as renderings of this word. In 3 passages (Lev 18:30; Lev 22:9; Mal 3:14) “ordinance” is the translation of משׁמרת, mishmereth, “charge,” which the Revised Version (British and American) restores. In one instance (Neh 10:32) ordinance renders מצוה, micwāh, “commandment,” while in Ezr 3:10 the King James Version the phrase “after the ordinance of David” represents a Hebrew phrase which literally means “upon the hands of David,” i.e. under the guidance or direction of David.

2. New Testament Use:

In the New Testament, “ordinance” renders different Greek words, namely, (1) δικαίωμα, dikaı́ōma, in Luk 1:6 and Heb 9:1, Heb 9:10. The word means literally, “anything declared right”; but in these passages ceremonial and religious regulation; (2) δόγμα, dógma, in Eph 2:15; Col 2:14. In the New Testament this word always means a decree or edict (Act 17:7); (3) παράδοσις, parádosis, in 1Co 11:2 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes “traditions”; (4) κτίσις, ktı́sis, “setting up,” “institution” in 1Pe 2:13. The term is used exclusively of the action of God. Peter implies that institutions, apparently human, such as the family and the state, are of divine origin. The same doctrine is found in Rom 13:1.

The word ‘ordinance’ is used in the Revised Version to translate four different Greek substantives: (1) äéêáßùìá (Rom_1:32; Rom_2:26; Rom_8:4, Heb_9:1; Heb_9:10); (2) äéáôáãÞ (Act_7:53, Rom_13:2); (3) äüãìá (Eph_2:15, Col_2:14); (4) êôßóéò (1Pe_2:13). The Latin Vulgate in these passages renders äüãìá by decretum, êôßóéò by creatura, äéêáßùìá by iustificatio or iustitia, äéáôáãÞ by dispositio and ordinatio. äéêáßùìá is also used to signify a righteous act (Rom_5:16; Rom_5:18, Rev_15:4; Rev_19:8), äüãìá is translated ‘decree’ in Act_16:4; Act_17:7 and ‘commandment’ in Heb_11:23. The only Evangelist who uses either word is St. Luke (Luk_1:6; Luk_2:1). The verb äïãìáôßæåóèå (‘submit yourselves to ordinances’ [Revised Version ], decernitis [Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] ]) is found in Col_2:20. Clement uses äéêáßùìá three times (ad Cor. ii., xxxv., lviii.). In the first and third of these passages it is coupled with ðñüóôáãìá; in the second he is quoting the Greek (Septuagint ) version of Psa_50:16. He has three other words which might be translated ‘ordinance’: (1) íüìéìá (ad Cor. i.); (2) äéÜôáîéò (ib. xxxiii.); (3) äåäïãìáôéóìÝíá (ib. xx.; cf. Col_2:20). The verb äéÝôáîå, ‘he ordained,’ occurs once (ib. xx.). ‘The äüãìá of the Gospel’ as a practical rule of conduct occurs in the Didache, xi. Ignatius speaks of being ‘established in the äüãìáôá of the Lord’ (Magn. xiii.) and has the verb äéáôÜóóïìáé, ‘I ordain,’ three times (Eph. iii., Trall. iii., Rom. iv.). The substantive derived from it (äéÜôáãìá) occurs in Trall. vii.

The conception of an ordinance seems to be primarily something which is recognized as obtaining in practice. The authority upon which it rests may be Divine, as when it is applied by Clement to the laws of nature, which earth, sea, sky, and all living creatures must obey; or it may be primarily human, albeit ultimately Divine, as in 1Pe_2:13. The usage is not absolutely uniform, but as a rule the Divine sanction of an ordinance seems to be less direct than the immediate command of God Himself. Thus the Law is spoken of as being the ordinance of angels (Act_7:53). An ordinance is generally a human deduction from a Divinely-revealed premise rather than the actual premise itself. When Ignatius says ‘I ordain,’ it is with reference to his personal authority, which is not irrefragable (cf. the distinction drawn by St. Paul in 1Co_7:25).

R. H. Malden.