Bible Dictionary
SELF-WILL
Self-will is stubbornly insisting on one’s own desires, especially against wisdom, propriety, or the wishes of others. Scripture associates it with pride, obstinacy, and conduct unsuitable for godly leadership.
Definition
Self-will is a stubborn and proud insistence on one’s own desires, especially against wisdom, propriety, or the wishes of others. It involves pertinacious adherence to one’s own will and may express itself as obstinacy or disregard for authority.
Biblical Usage
Jacob’s death song refers to self-will in describing the actions of Simeon and Levi. The New Testament applies the idea to conduct unsuitable for church leadership and to arrogant people who disregard proper authority.
Historical Background
The supplied material identifies one Old Testament occurrence and two New Testament occurrences. In the latter, the term has the sense of pleasing oneself and is associated with pride and obstinacy.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>self-wil' (ratson; authades): Found once in the Old Testament (Ge 49:6, "In their self-will they hocked an ox") in the death song of Jacob (see HOCK). The idea is found twice in the New Testament in the sense of "pleasing oneself": "not self-willed, not soon angry" (Tit 1:7); and "daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities" (2Pe 2:10). In all these texts it stands for a false pride, for obstinacy, for "a pertinacious adherence to one's will or wish, especially in opposition to the dictates of wisdom or propriety or the wishes of others."elfare of his neighbor, just as Christ pleased not Himself (Ro 15:3); also to leaders (1Co 16:16), and to earthly rulers (Ro 13:1).</p><p>Henry E. Dosker</p>