Greek word · G5010

τάξις

taxis

order

Arrangement, ordered sequence, assigned position, rank, class or kind. In military Greek it meant a battle-line or a unit. It could mean a priestly division: Luke 1:8 speaks of Zechariah serving 'in the order of his division'.

Appears 9 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

τάξις, -εως, ἡ

(τάσσω), [in LXX: Job 38:12 (מָקוֹם), Psalms 110:4 (דִּבְרָה), 2Ma.9:18, al. ;]

1. an arranging, hence, in military sense, disposition of an army, battle array (Thuc., al.).

2. arrangement, order (Plat., al): Luke 1:8.

3. due order: Colossians 2:5 (ICC, in l); κατὰ τάξιν, 1 Corinthians 14:40.

4. office, order (for exx., see MM, xxiv): Hebrews 5:6 (LXX), Hebrews 5:6 6:20 7:11, 17" (LXX) .†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 5:6

Range of meaning

Arrangement, ordered sequence, assigned position, rank, class or kind. In military Greek it meant a battle-line or a unit. It could mean a priestly division: Luke 1:8 speaks of Zechariah serving 'in the order of his division'. With kata ('according to') it often means 'after the manner of, of the same kind as'.

Against the English

English 'order' easily suggests a religious order, a fraternity or a chain of ordination. In the psalm and in Hebrews' explanation of it, taxis means the type or pattern of priesthood, not a body of members.

How it drifted

In English, 'the order of X' came to mean an organised society, as in monastic or knightly orders. That made 'the order of Melchizedek' sound like an institution with members. The KJV's 'after the order of' originally carried the older sense 'after the manner of'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint chose κατὰ τὴν τάξιν to render the unusual Hebrew ʿal-dibrātî, 'according to the manner/matter of'. Hebrews 7:15 paraphrases it as κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισέδεκ, 'according to the likeness of Melchizedek', and 7:11 contrasts it with 'the order of Aaron'.

From the study of Hebrews 6:20

Range of meaning

Arrangement, order (of things set in sequence); post or station; rank or position; class or kind; manner or fashion. In the Septuagint of Psalm 109(110):4 it translates Hebrew dibrah, which means 'manner' or possibly 'on account of.'

Against the English

'Order' (KJV, ESV, NASB, BSB) is literally fine. But modern ears hear 'an order' as an institution (a religious order, a fraternity, a church office with members). Hebrews means something closer to 'the same kind of priesthood as Melchizedek's,' or 'Melchizedek's rank.'

How it drifted

English 'order' picked up the senses 'religious order' and 'ordination' from medieval church institutions. Some modern religious movements also use 'Melchizedek priesthood' as the name of an ordained office held by many members.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 110:4 LXX: 'You are a priest forever κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδεκ.' Hebrews explains the phrase itself: 'according to the likeness (ὁμοιότητα) of Melchizedek' (7:15). It stresses that Melchizedek has no recorded genealogy (7:3) and that his priesthood does not pass on by descent. Elsewhere in Hebrews, Aaron's priesthood has its own τάξις (7:11).

From the study of Hebrews 7:17

Range of meaning

From tassō, 'to arrange, station.' The word means an ordered arrangement; a military rank or post; a position or office; the proper manner or pattern of something. BDAG gives senses including 'fixed succession', 'arrangement', 'position, post' and 'nature, quality, manner'.

Against the English

English 'order' comes through the Latin Vulgate's secundum ordinem. To modern ears it suggests a religious order or brotherhood, or a lineage of office-holders. NIV, NLT and BSB 'in the order of', and KJV 'after the order of', all keep the Latin wording. 'Of the same kind as' or 'after the pattern of' would be closer to the sense.

How it drifted

In Latin, ordo was already moving toward meaning a class of clergy, as in 'holy orders'. The English 'order of X' later came to mean an institution with members, such as monastic and chivalric orders.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX, taxis is used for the 'arrangement' of priestly service (e.g. 2 Macc 4:12 context; for priestly divisions compare 1 Chr 6–24 imagery). Here it translates the rare Hebrew dibrah ('manner, cause') in Ps 110:4. Hebrews 7:15 paraphrases the phrase as kata tēn homoiotēta Melchisedek, 'according to the likeness of Melchizedek', which is the author's own explanation.

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 1:8 τάξει order

    One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:40 τάξιν order

    But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

    Here: An ordered arrangement in which each person or thing has its place and turn, like soldiers in formation or priests serving in their rota (Luke 1:8). Here it sums up 14:27–31: two or three speakers, 'in turn', 'one by one', the first speaker giving way to the next.

Colossians · 1

  1. Colossians 2:5 τάξιν good order

    For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.

    Here: An ordered arrangement in which each member is in their place. In ordinary Greek it was often used of soldiers drawn up in ranks. The point is a community holding together in discipline, not office tidiness. The Greek does not say "good" order; the context implies it.

Hebrews · 6

  1. Hebrews 5:6 τάξιν order

    And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

    Here: The pattern or kind of priesthood. Hebrews itself explains the phrase as 'according to the likeness of Melchizedek' (7:15). It does not mean a guild or a line of successors.

  2. Hebrews 5:10 τάξιν order

    and was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

  3. Hebrews 6:20 τάξιν order

    where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

    Here: The rank or type of priesthood. It does not mean an organisation or a family line. Hebrews 7:15 restates it as 'the likeness of Melchizedek.'

  4. Hebrews 7:11 τάξιν τάξιν order

    Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?

    Here: The kind or pattern of priesthood, not a line of succession: Melchizedek has no genealogy and no successors (7:3).

  5. Hebrews 7:17 τάξιν order

    For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

    Here: The kind, pattern or standing of a priesthood. Hebrews restates it in 7:15 as 'likeness' (homoiotēta), so it means a priesthood like Melchizedek's, not a line of priests descended from him.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.