δόγμα

a decree, edict, ordinance

Definition

In the New Testament, δόγμα (dogma) primarily refers to an authoritative decree or ordinance. In its secular usage, it denotes an official edict from a governing authority, such as the decree from Caesar Augustus for a census in Luke 2:1. In a religious context, it can refer to binding regulations, like the decrees of the Mosaic law (Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14) or the decisions made by the Jerusalem council for Gentile believers (Acts 16:4). The word carries a sense of something established and imposed, whether by human or divine authority.

Biblical Usage

The word is used five times in the New Testament, appearing in both historical narrative and Pauline epistles. In Luke 2:1 and Acts 17:7, it describes Roman imperial decrees. In Acts 16:4, it refers to the apostolic decrees from the Jerusalem council. Paul uses it theologically in Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14 to describe the ordinances of the Mosaic law that Christ abolished through his work on the cross.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb δοκέω (dokeō, G1380), meaning 'to think, seem, or suppose.' Δόγμα originally referred to an opinion, judgment, or philosophical tenet. Over time, it developed the stronger sense of an authoritative, settled opinion that becomes an official decree or ordinance, reflecting its usage in both governmental and religious spheres.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it highlights the contrast between human/legal decrees and the work of Christ. Paul uses it to show that Christ has 'abolished the law of commandments expressed in ordinances (dogmas)' (Ephesians 2:15) and 'set aside' the record of decrees against us (Colossians 2:14). This underscores the doctrine that salvation is by grace through faith, not by adherence to legal decrees, and that Christ's work supersedes all previous authoritative religious ordinances.

In the Greco-Roman world, a 'dogma' was a formal, binding decision issued by an authority like an emperor, city council, or philosophical school. For Jewish readers, it would also resonate with the decrees of the Torah. The term implies something fixed and non-negotiable, carrying more weight than a simple opinion. This cultural understanding of irrevocable authority amplifies the significance of Christ's action in nullifying the Mosaic decrees.

νόμος (nomos, G3551) — The law, often the Mosaic Law, as a broader system, whereas δόγμα refers to specific decrees within it. ἐντολή (entolē, G1785) — A commandment, often with a more personal or direct sense of charge, while δόγμα can imply a more formal, published decree. κρίμα (krima, G2917) — A judgment or decision, often judicial, while δόγma emphasizes the authoritative, established nature of the decree.

Word Details

Scripture References