ἐθελοθρησκεία

ἐθελοθρησκεία — ethelothrēskeía

ἐθελοθρησκεία (T WH ἐθελοθρησκία, see Iota), ἐθελοθρησκειας, 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: Col 2:23; Suidas ἐθελοθρησκει. ἰδίῳ θελήματι σεβει τό δοκοῦν. Cf. ἐθελόδουλος, ἐθελοδουλεία, ἐθελοπρόξενος, one who acts the part of aproxenus without having been appointed to the office, etc. The explanation of others: simulated, counterfeit religion (cf. in Greek lexicons, ἐθελοφιλοσοφος, ἐθελοκωφος, 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 clxi., p. (1460 b., Migne edition) 1831, Halle edition; (Eusebius, h. e. 6, 12, 1; Jerome, epistle 121, vol. 1,1031, Migne edition). Epiphanius haer. 1, 16 (i., p. 318, 3rd edition, Dindorf) attributes ἐθελοπερισσοθρησκεια to the Pharisees.)