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Bible Dictionaries
Religion
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or The uses of the word ‘religion’ in the apostolic writings may be classified under three heads.
1. In Galatians 1:13 f. Ἰουδαϊσμός is twice translated ‘the Jews’ religion.’ St. Paul reminds the Galatians that they had heard of his manner of life aforetime when he followed Judaism, and that they knew his proficiency in Judaism. In this context the literal rendering ‘Judaism’ is to be preferred, for the factious rather than the religious aspect of Judaism is prominent. The English Version ‘Jews’ religion ‘is an unfortunate’ translation, because ‘it implies a definite separation between the two religions which did not then exist, … and it puts this view into the mouth of Paul, who steadfastly persisted in identifying the faith of Christ with the national religion.… Here Ἰουδαϊσμός denotes Jewish partisanship, and accurately describes the bitter party spirit which prompted Saul to take the lead in the martyrdom of Stephen and the persecution of the Church, … He advanced beyond his fellows in sectarian prejudice and persecuting zeal’ (F. Rendall, in Expositor’s Greek Testament , ‘Galatians,’ London, 1903, p. 153 f.).
2. The Greek adjective δεισιδαίμων is rendered in Acts 17:22 ‘superstitious’ (Revised Version ) and ‘religious’ (Revised Version margin). The derivative noun δεισιδαιμονία is rendered in Acts 25:19 ‘religion’ (Revised Version ) and ‘superstition’ (Revised Version margin). The dominant meaning of the words in classical Greek is ‘due reverence of the gods,’ but in the 1st cent. a.d. they had a depreciatory sense and signified ‘excessive fear of the gods’ (cf. E. Hatch, Essays in Biblical Greek, Oxford, 1889, p. 45). It does not, however, follow that ‘religion’ is an impossible rendering in the address of Festus to the Jewish king, Agrippa, who paid outward deference to the Jewish religion. But although Felix is not likely to ‘have used the term offensively … he may well have chosen the word because it was a neutral word (verbum μέσον, Bengel) and did not commit him to anything definite’ (R. J. Knowling, in Expositor’s Greek Testament , ‘Acts,’ London, 1901, p. 497). ‘Superstitious’ is more probably, though not certainly, the correct translation in Acts 17:22. St. Paul was addressing Athenians, and they ‘would instinctively recall the literary associations of the word.… In point of fruit, the words ὡς δεισιδαιμονεστέρους give, in a form as little offensive as possible, St. Paul’s view of Athenian idolatry already noticed by the historian (v. 18), The ὡς brings out the fact that the word δεισιδαιμονεστέρους expresses the speaker’s own impression’ (F. H. Chase, The Credibility of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, London, 1902, p. 213).
3. In Acts 26:5 and James 1:26 f. ‘religion’ is the rendering of θρησκεία which in Colossians 2:18 is translated ‘worshipping.’ The contemporary meaning of the word is religion in its external aspect-‘cultus religiosus, potissimum externus’ (Wilke-Grimm, Clavis Novi Test., 1868). It is appropriately used by St. Paul in his address to Agrippa (Acts 26:5). Calling to remembrance his life as a Pharisee, the Apostle claims to have been ‘a zealous and diligent performer … of the outward service of God’ (R. C. Trench, Synonyms of the NT11, London, 1890, p. 175). In James 1:6 f., when the word is rightly understood, there is no support for those who disparage inward and spiritual religion, nor for those who so exalt its outward aspects as practically to identify it with morality and works of benevolence. What St. James asserts of such works is that they are ‘the body, the θρησκεία, of which godliness, or the love of God, is the informing soul.… The apostle claims for the new dispensation a superiority over the old, in that its very θρησκεία consists in acts of mercy, of love, of holiness, in that it has light for its garment, its very robe being righteousness; herein how much nobler than that old, whose θρησκεία was at best merely ceremonial and formal, whatever inner truth it might embody’ (R. C. Trench, op. cit. p. 176, who says, ‘these observations are made by Coleridge, Aids to Reflection, 1825, p. 15’).
J. G. Tasker.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Religion'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/r/religion.html. 1906-1918.
