hagIocracy

[Greek hagios =holy, and krateō to rule or govern.) A sacred government; a hierarchy; the rule or government of the priesthood. "The intention of the ancient law was over-stepped in the late days of the hagiocracy."- Ewald : Antiq . Israel (ed. Solly), p. 81. *hăg-1-o-graph, s . [Greek hagios =holy, and graphe =a writing.] A holy or sacred writing. hăg-1-og-raph-a, s. pl . [Pl. of Gr. hagiog raphos written by inspiration; Gr. hagios =holy, and graphoto write.] Script. Canon : A Greek word, signifying sacred writings, first introduced by Epiphanius as the rendering of the Hebrew word Kethubhim = writings. The third and last great division of the Old Testament books, the others being Torah (the Law) and Nebiim (the Prophets). The division does not occur in the Old Testament itself. It is probable that the writings were originally called as they are in the prologue to Ecclesiastes, the" other writings." The three-fold division is alluded to in the New Testament, the several parts being described as "the law of Moses," "the Prophets," and "the Psalms" (Luke xxiii. 44). In this pa age the Psalms are the Hagiographa. When the division is two-fold, the Law and the Prophets, the Hagiog rapha are merged in the second category (Matt. v. 17, xi. 13.) In our present Hebrew Bibles the Hagiographa consist of thirteen books thus arranged: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. hăg-1-og-ra-phal, a. [English hagiograph (y); al.] Of or pertaining to hagiography or the hagiographa.