STRONGS G1479:
ἐθελοθρησκεία [T WH
-κία, see
Ι, ι],
-ας,
ἡ, (from
ἐθέλω and
θρησκεία, which see [cf. Winers Grammar, 100 (95)]),
voluntary, arbitrary worship, (
Vulg. superstitio),
[A. V. will-worship],
i. e. worship which one devises and prescribes for himself, contrary to the contents and nature of the faith which ought to be directed to Christ; said of the misdirected zeal and practices of ascetics:
Colossians 2:23; Suidas
ἐθελοθρησκεῖ· ἰδίῳ θελήματι σέβει τὸ δοκοῦν. Cf.
ἐθελόδουλος,
ἐθελοδουλεία,
ἐθελοπρόξενος, one who acts the part of a
proxenus without having been appointed to the office, etc. The explanation of others:
simulated, counterfeit religion (cf. in Greek lexicons
ἐθελοφιλόσοφος,
ἐθελόκωφος, etc.), does not square so well with the context. (The word is found besides in
Mansi, Collect. Concil. vol. iv., p. 1380, and in
Theodoret, vol. iv., epistle 161, p. [1460 b., Migne edition] 1331, Halle edition; [Eusebius,
h. e. 6, 12, 1; Jerome, epistle 121, vol. 1:1034, Migne edition]. Epiphanius haer. 1, 16 [i., p. 318, 3rd edition, Dindorf] attributes
ἐθελοπερισσοθρησκεία to the Pharisees.)
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
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