The term "impose" generally refers to the act of establishing or applying something by authority or force. In a biblical context, it can relate to the imposition of laws, burdens, or practices upon individuals or communities. The concept of imposing is seen throughout the Scriptures, often in the context of God's commandments, societal laws, or religious practices.

Imposition of God's Laws

In the Old Testament, God imposes His laws upon the Israelites as a covenantal requirement. These laws, given through Moses, are meant to guide the people in righteousness and holiness. In Deuteronomy 4:1-2 , Moses instructs the Israelites: "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I am commanding you, nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I am giving you."

The imposition of these laws is not merely a legalistic requirement but a means to maintain a covenant relationship with God. The laws are intended to set the Israelites apart as God's chosen people, reflecting His holiness and justice.

Imposition of Burdens by Religious Leaders

In the New Testament, Jesus criticizes the religious leaders for imposing heavy burdens on the people. In Matthew 23:4 , Jesus says of the Pharisees and scribes: "They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." Here, the imposition is seen as an abuse of authority, where religious leaders add to God's laws with their traditions, making it difficult for the people to follow.

This critique highlights the distinction between God's righteous imposition of His laws and the burdensome impositions of human traditions that can lead to legalism and hypocrisy.

Imposition of Authority

The concept of imposing authority is also evident in the governance structures established in the Bible. Romans 13:1-2 speaks to the imposition of governmental authority: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

This passage underscores the belief that all authority is ultimately derived from God, and the imposition of such authority is part of His divine order. Christians are called to respect and submit to these authorities, as long as they do not contradict God's commandments.

Imposition in the Early Church

In the early church, the imposition of certain practices and beliefs was a matter of significant debate. The Jerusalem Council, as recorded in Acts 15, addressed the issue of imposing Jewish customs, such as circumcision, on Gentile believers. The council concluded that it was not necessary to impose these customs, emphasizing instead the essentials of faith and moral conduct.

Acts 15:28-29 states: "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things."

This decision reflects the early church's understanding of the balance between necessary impositions for the sake of unity and the avoidance of unnecessary burdens that could hinder the spread of the Gospel.

Conclusion

The concept of imposing in the Bible is multifaceted, involving the righteous imposition of God's laws, the critique of burdensome human traditions, the recognition of divinely appointed authority, and the discernment required in the early church to maintain unity without unnecessary burdens. Each instance of imposition serves to highlight the importance of aligning human actions with divine will and the ultimate authority of God in all matters.1. (v. t.) To lay on; to set or place; to put; to deposit.

2. (v. t.) To lay as a charge, burden, tax, duty, obligation, command, penalty, etc.; to enjoin; to levy; to inflict; as, to impose a toll or tribute.

3. (v. t.) To lay on, as the hands, in the religious rites of confirmation and ordination.

4. (v. t.) To arrange in proper order on a table of stone or metal and lock up in a chase for printing; -- said of columns or pages of type, forms, etc.

5. (v. i.) To practice trick or deception.

6. (n.) A command; injunction.

2028. eponomazo -- to call by name
... to call by name. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eponomazo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-on-om-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I name, impose a name on Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2028.htm - 6k

1945. epikeimai -- to lie on
... 1), pressing around (1). impose, press upon. From epi and keimai; to rest
upon (literally or figuratively) -- impose, be instant ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1945.htm - 7k

2615. katadouloo -- to enslave
... 2615 (from 2596 , " to a point," intensifying 1402 , "enslave, bring into
bondage") -- properly, ; to impose abject bondage. Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2615.htm - 7k

5422. phrenapatao -- to deceive the mind
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: phrenapatao Phonetic Spelling: (fren-ap-at-ah'-o)
Short Definition: I deceive the mind Definition: I deceive the mind, impose upon ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5422.htm - 7k

2007. epitithemi -- to lay upon, to place upon
... From epi and tithemi; to impose (in a friendly or hostile sense) -- add unto, lade,
lay upon, put (up) on, set on (up), + surname, X wound. see GREEK epi. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2007.htm - 8k

2018. epiphero -- to bring upon or against
... Transliteration: epiphero Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-fer'-o) Short Definition: I
bring forward against Definition: I bring forward (against), impose, inflict. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2018.htm - 6k

2599. katabareo -- to weigh down
... 2599 ("burden ") is only used in 2 Cor 12:16. burden. From kata and bareo;
to impose upon -- burden. see GREEK kata. see GREEK bareo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2599.htm - 6k

7412. remah -- to cast, throw
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to ramah Definition to cast, throw NASB
Word Usage cast (10), impose (1), set (1). cast down, impose. ...
/hebrew/7412.htm - 6k

6006. amas -- to load, carry a load
... Or mamas {aw-mas'}; a primitive root; to load, ie Impose a burden (or figuratively,
infliction) -- be borne, (heavy) burden (self), lade, load, put. ...
/hebrew/6006.htm - 6k

5190. natal -- to lift, bear
... bear, offer, take up. A prim root; to lift; by implication, to impose -- bear,
offer, take up. 5189, 5190. natal. 5191 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5190.htm - 5k

5414. nathan -- to give, put, set
... grant (18), granted (11), growl* (1), had (3), hand over (2), hang (3), has had
(1), have (2), have* (1), heap (1), held (1), hung (1), impose (1), imposed (3 ...
/hebrew/5414.htm - 9k

7760. sum -- to put, place, set
... 1), establishment (1), expected* (1), fasten (1), fix (1), formed and made (1),
gave (2), give (7), grant (1), had (1), hunt* (1), impose (1), impress (1 ...
/hebrew/7760.htm - 7k

1318. bashas -- to trample
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to trample NASB Word Usage impose heavy rent
(1). tread. A primitive root; to trample down -- tread. 1317, 1318. ...
/hebrew/1318.htm - 5k

7136. qarah -- to encounter, meet, befall
... A primitive root; to light upon (chiefly by accident); causatively, to bring about;
specifically, to impose timbers (for roof or floor) -- appoint, lay (make ...
/hebrew/7136.htm - 5k

5953. alal -- to act severely
... effect thoroughly; specifically, to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in
a bad sense) to overdo, ie Maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literal ...
/hebrew/5953.htm - 5k

Whether Heavenly Bodies Impose Necessity on Things Subject to ...
... OF THE ACTION OF THE CORPOREAL CREATURE (SIX ARTICLES) Whether heavenly
bodies impose necessity on things subject to their action? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether heavenly bodies impose necessity.htm

Whether Solemn Penance Should be Imposed on Women and Clerics, and ...
... OF THE SOLEMN RITE OF PENANCE (THREE ARTICLES) Whether solemn penance should be
imposed on women and clerics, and whether any priest can impose it? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether solemn penance should be.htm

Anti-Romanistic Attitude.
... or break our peace with any, only when they deviate from the pure doctrine of the
Gospel, and when they compose traditions of their own and impose them on ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/anti-romanistic attitude.htm

Concerning a Spurious Alexander.
... Thus was this man elated, and able to impose on those that came to him; and when
he was come to Crete, he made all the Jews that came to discourse with him ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 concerning a spurious.htm

Divine Sovereignty.
... seem never to have considered that God is, and must be, a law unto himself; that
he is necessarily omniscient, and that the divine reason must impose law on ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlv divine sovereignty.htm

In the Second Place, Repentance and Grace are Obscured. ...
... And these punishments pertain in no way to the keys because the keys neither can
impose nor remit them, but God, without the ministry of the keys, imposes and ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 17 in the second.htm

The Foundation of the Church among the Heathen
... [Sidenote: The Hebrews wish to impose circumcision.] Here, too, were the head-quarters
of those disciples who not only clung to the Mosaic law themselves, but ...
/.../blunt/a key to the knowledge of church history/chapter ii the foundation of.htm

Whereas, Then, all Christians have to Guard Humility...
... I do not, for my part, impose on such a great regard for humility, in whom pride
itself is confounded, and bloodstained by wound of conscience. ...
/.../augustine/of holy virginity /section 33 whereas then all.htm

How Internal Exercises are to be Practised in Times Improper and ...
... 4. In case, therefore, that superiors shall think good to impose an office upon
a religious subject: 1. If the subject know of any real incapacity or ...
/.../chapter iv how internal exercises.htm

On the Dominion of God Over the Creatures, and Chiefly Over Man
... But that dominion is infinite according to which it may be lawful and proper for
God to issue his commands to the creature, to impose on him all his works, to ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/on the dominion of god.htm

Impose (12 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To lay as a charge, burden, tax, duty, obligation, command, penalty, etc.;
to enjoin; to levy; to inflict; as, to impose a toll or tribute. ...
/i/impose.htm - 10k

Charge (379 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To lay on or impose, as a load, tax, or burden; to load; to fill. ...
3. (vt) To lay on, impose, or make subject to or liable for. ...
/c/charge.htm - 41k

Lay (524 Occurrences)
... 20. (vt) To apply; to put. 21. (vt) To impose, as a burden, suffering, or
punishment; to assess, as a tax; as, to lay a tax on land. 22. ...
/l/lay.htm - 41k

Imposed (16 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Impose. Multi-Version Concordance
Imposed (16 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 9:16 If I go on ...
/i/imposed.htm - 11k

Trump (2 Occurrences)
... 8. (vt) To trick, or impose on; to deceive. 9. (vt) To impose unfairly; to
palm off. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TRUMP; TRUMPET. ...
/t/trump.htm - 8k

Dictate (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To say; to utter; to communicate authoritatively; to deliver (a command)
to a subordinate; to declare with authority; to impose; as, to dictate the ...
/d/dictate.htm - 7k

Condition (38 Occurrences)
... 7. (vi) To impose upon an object those relations or conditions without
which knowledge and thought are alleged to be impossible. ...
/c/condition.htm - 20k

Imposing (8 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) of Impose. 2. (a.) Laying as a duty; enjoining. ... 5. (n.) The act of imposing
the columns of a page, or the pages of a sheet. See Impose, vt, 4. ...
/i/imposing.htm - 9k

Keys (2 Occurrences)
... or obligation; privilege, or responsibility? Does He promise position, or
does He impose duty? These alternatives are not necessarily ...
/k/keys.htm - 32k

Oppress (57 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To impose excessive burdens upon; to overload;
hence, to treat with unjust rigor or with cruelty. ...
/o/oppress.htm - 24k

Why do Christians try to impose their values on others? | GotQuestions.org

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Impose: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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