Will-worship (éIceAoIpnoxeia). Only here in the New Test- ament. Worship self-imposed or volunteered. Similar com- pounds of é3édw to will sometimes carry the meaning of pre- tence, unreality ; as éIedoxwpos pretending deafness ; édedo- p7xtop a pretentious orator. Augustine makes hybrid Latin compounds, as thelodives, one who takes on the airs of a rich man ; thelosapiens, one who affects wisdom. More commonly, however, the sense is that of voluntariness or officiousness.
500 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cu. IL
Thus Thucydides says that Pithias acted as é9ehompofevos vol- untary agent or representative of the Athenians (iii., 70). EJe- Aoxivduvos is running voluntarily into danger, foolhardy : éJedodovreia is voluntary slavery. The idea of pretence seems to be involved here along with that of self-chosen worship.
Humility. Voluntary and affected.
And neglecting («al agevdia). Only here in the New Test- ament. From @ not and geldowar to spare. Hence unsparing treatment or severity. Also used for lavishness, extravagance of means and of life. So Thucydides: “The running aground of the ships was reckless (apevdys.” iv., 26). Weglecting is wrong. Rey., correctly, severity. The cal and before severity is doubt- ful. If omitted, severity to the body defines have a reputation for wisdom, the outward austerity being that which makes the popular impression of a higher wisdom.
In any honor (év tiyuqA Twi). Rev., better, of any value. The real value of these ascetic practices contrasted with their popular estimation. Price or value is the original meaning of Twn, and its use in this sense is frequent in classical Greek. So in the New Testament, as Matt. xxvii. 9, “the price of Him who was priced (retyunuévov).” In Paul, 1 Cor. vi. 20; vii. 23. The idea of value appears in 1 Pet.i.19. ‘“ Ye were redeemed —with the precious (tyuim) blood of Christ ;” something of real and adequate value. So 1 Pet. ii. 4, of Christ as the living stone, precious (évtimov), of recognized value.
To the satisfying (apds wAncpovnv). To means as a rem- edy against. IInopoviy denotes repletion, surfeiting. Paul says that these ascetic observances, while they appeal to men as indications of superior wisdom and piety, have no value as remedies against sensual indulgence.
Cu. II.) THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 501