Strong’s Greek 1485 (ἔθος, ethos) denotes a habitual practice—anything done by usage, prevailing habit, or established tradition. In Scripture it may describe civil conventions, ritual observances, or personal routines that, through repetition, become recognized “customs.”

Distribution in Scripture

The noun occurs twelve times in the Greek New Testament, appearing in Luke, John, Acts, and Hebrews. Roughly half of these texts concern Jewish practices rooted in Mosaic legislation, while the remainder touch on Greco-Roman legal or social norms and the ongoing habits of believers.

Representative Passages

• Luke 1:9: “He was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.”
• Luke 22:39: “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him.”
• Acts 25:16: “I told them it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has stood face to face with his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.”
• Hebrews 10:25: “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Jewish Customs under the Law

Several occurrences highlight practices inherited from Moses. Acts 6:14, Acts 15:1, Acts 21:21, and Acts 28:17 allude to circumcision, temple rites, and broader ceremonial observances. The early church wrestled with whether these time-honored customs remained binding on Gentile believers. While the apostolic ruling in Acts 15 freed Gentiles from most ceremonial obligations, the same council upheld the continuing moral authority of the Law and encouraged sensitivity to Jewish conscience (Acts 15:20-21). Thus ethos can mark a divine ordinance now fulfilled in Christ, yet still respected for the sake of witness and unity (Romans 14:5-6).

Roman and Gentile Customs

Ethos also describes secular conventions. Acts 16:21 records a mob accusing Paul and Silas of advocating “customs that are unlawful for us Romans to accept.” Acts 25:16 cites Rome’s legal guarantee of due process. These texts show that the apostolic mission operated within—and at times challenged—Gentile societal norms. Christians were exhorted to honor legitimate civil customs (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17) yet resist any practice conflicting with allegiance to Christ (Acts 5:29).

Jesus and Custom

Luke emphasizes that Jesus honored godly customs. As a youth He traveled to Jerusalem “according to the custom of the Feast” (Luke 2:42). In adulthood He “went out as usual to the Mount of Olives” for prayer (Luke 22:39). His life thus modelled faithful participation in communal worship and private devotion, distinguishing between Spirit-filled obedience and empty traditionalism (Mark 7:8-13).

The Apostles and Custom

Paul claimed he had “done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers” (Acts 28:17). He circumcised Timothy for missional sensitivity (Acts 16:3) yet refused to impose Mosaic circumcision on Titus (Galatians 2:3-5). His balanced approach demonstrates that customs may be voluntarily observed to remove stumbling blocks (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) but never imposed as prerequisites to salvation.

Custom, Tradition, and the Gospel

Scripture distinguishes between human traditions that obscure truth (Colossians 2:8) and apostolic traditions that safeguard it (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Ethos can serve either category. Its value rests not in antiquity but in conformity to revealed doctrine and its capacity to edify the body of Christ.

Ministry Implications

1. Discernment: Leaders must evaluate local customs in light of biblical teaching, retaining what accords with sound doctrine and rejecting what compromises the gospel.
2. Unity: Voluntary accommodation of non-essential customs can advance gospel outreach and foster fellowship across cultures.
3. Continuity: Beneficial habits—regular worship (Hebrews 10:25), corporate prayer, charitable giving—should be cultivated until they become sanctified “customs” that shape congregational life.

Application for the Modern Church

Customs surrounding music styles, dress codes, holiday observances, or service formats should be assessed by scriptural principles of holiness, love, and gospel clarity. Where a practice clearly aids reverence and mutual edification, it may be embraced; where it merely perpetuates preference or hinders mission, it may be set aside. The goal is not novelty for its own sake, nor tradition for tradition’s sake, but obedience to “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).