δογματίζω
dogmatízō
G1379 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
to decree, to prescribe rules, to lay down regulations; in reflexive/passive use, to submit to regulations or decrees. The primary sense is to make something a formal requirement by issuing a regulation or decree. Secondarily, in the middle/passive forms, it means to subject oneself or be subject to such decrees or ordinances, often with reference to ritual or legal requirements.
Semantic Range
to prescribe rules, to decree, to lay down ordinances, to subject (oneself) to regulations, to be subject to prescribed rules or human decrees, to observe ritual or legal requirements
Root / Etymology
Formed from δόγμα (dogma, 'decree, ordinance, regulation'), itself deriving from δοκέω ('to think, seem, appear'), with the denominative verb suffix -ίζω, indicating the making or instituting of a dogma. Thus, δογματίζω means 'to make a regulation' or 'to prescribe decrees.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
δογματίζω is rare in literary Greek and is primarily attested in Hellenistic and later sources. Its most notable New Testament occurrence is in Colossians 2:20, in a passage critiquing adherence to humanly-devised religious regulations. In the Septuagint, the verb is absent; related nouns (e.g., δόγμα) are used for decrees of rulers. In Koine Greek, the term broadly connotes both official civic decrees and, especially in religious or ritual contexts, prescriptive ordinances or requirements. In later Christian theological contexts, 'dogma' and related words took on a technical meaning about doctrine, but at the time of the New Testament, δογματίζω primarily referred to legal or ritual regulations, whether civic or cultic. Reflexive use (to submit oneself to ordinances) reflects the language of ritual or religious discipline, especially concerning food laws, purity, and ascetic regulations. Standard translations such as 'be subject to ordinances' capture part of the sense but may obscure the regulatory, prescriptive character of the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from δόγμα; to prescribe by statute, i.e. (reflexively) to submit to, ceremonially rule:--be subject to ordinances.
Root Family
δογματίζω (dogmatizō) — to prescribe, to decree, to regulate
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1379-01 |
δογματίζεσθε | dogmatizesthe | V PRS PASS IND 2P PL |
submit | you were being subjected to decrees | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1379-01 |
Colossians 2:20 | δογματίζεσθε | dogmatizesthe | V PRS PASS IND 2P PL |
submit | you were being subjected to decrees |