Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
(All) which things, [ hatina (G3748 )] have (Greek, 'are having:' commonly) show of wisdom - `the reputation х logon (G3056)] of wisdom.'
Will-worship - arbitrarily-invented: would-be-worship, devised by self-will, not God. So jealous is God of this, that He struck Nadab and Abihu dead for burning strange incense (Leviticus 10:1-3). So Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for usurping the priest's office (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). Compare the will-worship of Saul (1 Samuel 13:8-14), for which he lost his throne. This 'voluntary worship' is the counterpart to "voluntary humility" (Colossians 2:18): both specious: the former seeming to do even more than God requires (as in Rome's dogmas), but really setting aside God's will for man's own: the latter seemingly self-abasing, really proud of man's self-willed "humility;" while foregoing the dignity of direct communion with Christ, the Head, worshipping angels.
Neglecting of the body, х afeidia (G857) soomatos (G4983)] - 'not sparing of the body.' This rested on the Oriental theory that matter is the source of evil. This looked plausible (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Timothy 4:8).
Not in any honour - of the body. As "neglecting of the body" describes asceticism positively, so this clause negatively: not paying any of the "honour" due to the body as redeemed by the blood of Christ. We should have a just estimation of ourselves, not in ourselves, but in Christ (Acts 13:46; 1 Corinthians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 7:23; 1 Corinthians 12:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 4:4). True self-denial regards the spirit, not the forms of self-mortification in meats, which profit not those occupied therein' (Hebrews 13:9), and is consistent with Christian self-respect, the "honour" which belongs to us as dedicated to the Lord. Compare "vainly," Colossians 2:18. But Ellicott, 'not in any real value' [time].
To the satisfying of the flesh - the real tendency of human ordinances of bodily asceticism, voluntary humility, and will-worship of angels. While seeming to deny self and the body, they really are pampering the flesh. Thus "satisfying of the flesh" answers to "puffed up by his fleshly mind" (Colossians 2:18); so that "flesh" is used for 'the carnal nature,' opposed to the spiritual: not in the sense, "body." х Pleesmoneen (G4140)] "Satisfying" implies satiating to repletion, or excess. "A surfeit to carnal sense in human tradition." (Hilary the Deacon, in Bengel). Tradition clogs heavenly perceptions. They put away true "honour," to 'satiate to the full THE FLESH.' Self-imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (namely, self), even when seeming to mortify it.