ordinance, tradition

“Ordinance” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

This term in the Old Testament generally signifies that which God “ordered” for His people to observe. “They kept His testimonies, and the ordinance that He gave them” (Psa. 99:7⁷He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. (Psalm 99:7)). “Ye are gone away from Mine ordinances” (Mal. 3:7⁷Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? (Malachi 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. 31:35³⁵Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: (Jeremiah 31:35)). David made an ordinance (Ezra 3:10¹⁰And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. (Ezra 3:10): Compare Neh. 10:32³²Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; (Nehemiah 10:32)). In the New Testament it refers especially to the enactments of the law: “ordinances of divine service” (Heb. 9:1,10¹Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. (Hebrews 9:1)
¹⁰Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Hebrews 9:10)); “blotting out the handwriting of ordinances” (Col. 2:14¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (Colossians 2:14)). It is also applied to human laws (Rom. 13:2²Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (Romans 13:2); 1 Peter 2:13¹³Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (1 Peter 2:13)); and to the rules of the moralists (Col. 2:20²⁰Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Colossians 2:20)). The directions that Paul had given to the Corinthians are in the AV called “ordinances” (1 Cor. 11:2²Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)); margin, “traditions.”

“Tradition (παράδοσις)” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

This may be described as that which is handed down as oral teaching. It may be from God, as in 2 Thessalonians 2:15¹⁵Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (2 Thessalonians 2:15); 2 Thessalonians 3:6⁶Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6); and 1 Corinthians 11:2²Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2) (where it is translated “ordinance”), instruction handed down before the word of God was complete. Or it may be from man, as was the tradition of the elders of Israel, which was strongly denounced by the Lord, and declared to be a subverting of the commandments of God (Matt. 15:2-6²Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. ³But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ⁴For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. ⁵But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; ⁶And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. (Matthew 15:2‑6); Mark 7:3-13³For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. ⁴And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. ⁵Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? ⁶He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ⁸For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. ⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: ¹¹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:3‑13); Gal. 1:14¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Galatians 1:14)). In Colossians 2:8⁸Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8) it is the mere teaching of the moralists, of which much has survived to the present day. What man institutes, man holds to most tenaciously.

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

3862 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

παράδοσις

Transliteration:

paradosis

Phonic:

par-ad’-os-is

Meaning:

from 3860; transmission, i.e. (concretely) a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law

KJV Usage:

ordinance, tradition