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The Jurisprudence and Vocabulary
of Law
Vocabulary of Law: Ius (iuris),
Lex (legis), Droit, Derecho, Diritto, Recht
Ius: Legal system, individual
law, and right
Definitions of Law:
The Random House Webster's College Dictionary defines law as "the principles and regulations established by a government."
Black’s Law Dictionary: That
which is laid down, ordained or established. Law is a body of rules
of action or conduct prescribed by controlling authority and having binding
legal force.
Custom, written and unwritten
Legislation: statutes, constitutions, plebiscites, laws, ordinances
[Court decisions: stare decisis ]
Transcendental legal systems:
Ius gentium, ius naturale, religious law, moral and ethical norms
Positive law (ius positivum), John Austin (legal positivism)
Law in the Early Church
New Testament: Rom. 7:14: "The law as we know is something spiritual."
Rom. 10:4-5: "Christ has superceded the law, bringing justification to anyone who will believe (Finis enim legis, Christus, ad iustitiam omni credenti). The account that Moses gives of that justification that comes from the law is that a man will find life in its commandments if he observes them."
Gal. 3:10-13: "Those who take their stand on observance of the law are all under a curse; Cursed be everyone (we read) who does not persist in carrying out all that this book of law prescribes. And indeed, that the law cannot make a man acceptable to God is clear enough; it is faith we are told that brings life to the just man."
2 Corthin. 3:6-7: "All our ability
comes from God, since it is he who has enabled us to promulgate his new
law to men. It is spiritual, not a written law; the written law inflicts
death, whereas the spiritual law brings life." verses: 17-18: "The
Spirit we have been speaking of is that of the Lord; and where the Lord’s
Spirit is, there is freedom." (Dominus autem spiritus est; ubi autem
Spiritus Domini, ibi libertas).
Didache (Doctrine of the Twleve Apostles) and other collections of moral precepts that circulated before ca. 300 A.D.
