Lexical Summary anaseió: To stir up, to incite, to shake up Original Word: ἀνασείω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance move, stir up. From ana and seio; figuratively, to excite -- move, stir up. see GREEK ana see GREEK seio NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and seió Definition to move to and fro, stir up NASB Translation stirred (1), stirs (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 383: ἀνασείωἀνασείω; 1 aorist ἀνεσεισα; to shake up; tropically, to stir up, excite, rouse: τόν ὄχλον, Mark 15:11; τόν λαόν, Luke 23:5. (So in Diodorus 13, 91; 14, 10; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 8, 81.) Topical Lexicon Overview of the Term Strong’s Greek 383 (ἀνασείω) pictures a forceful shaking that results in an emotional or social agitation. In its New Testament setting, the verb moves beyond mere physical vibration to describe the deliberate rousing of people toward a specific end—generally hostile or rebellious. The word occurs only twice, both in the Passion narratives, underscoring how sinful hostility was marshalled against the Son of God. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Mark 15:11 – “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.” In each verse the verb stands in the imperfect, portraying an ongoing campaign of agitation rather than a single moment. The chief priests and members of the Sanhedrin did not simply express an opinion; they energetically manipulated the crowds and persistently pressed Pilate. Contextual Analysis: The Passion Narratives Mark emphasizes the priests’ success: their agitation overturns Pilate’s inclination to release Jesus (Mark 15:10–15). Luke, writing for a Gentile audience, reveals how this orchestrated unrest reached across Galilee and Judea, making it appear that Jesus was a destabilizing political threat. The verb thereby exposes the calculated strategy of Israel’s leaders: use popular disturbance as leverage to secure a Roman death sentence. Historical and Cultural Background First–century Judea simmered with Messianic expectation and nationalistic fervor. Rome feared any public disorder; governors were removed when riots broke out on their watch. Knowing this, the religious elite weaponized the crowd. By “shaking up” the masses, they placed Pilate in political jeopardy, compelling him to act against his conscience (compare Matthew 27:24). The term ἀνασείω thus mirrors the period’s volatile intersection of religion and politics. Theological Significance 1. Revelation of Human Sinfulness: The same word used of literal earthquakes in Greek literature here describes moral upheaval. Humanity’s inner rebellion surfaces through orchestrated outrage, highlighting the depth of enmity toward God’s anointed (Psalm 2:1–3). Old Testament Parallels • Numbers 16: “all the congregation gathered against Moses and Aaron”—another instance where leaders whip up unrest against God’s chosen. Implications for Ministry Today 1. Discernment toward Manipulation: Church leaders must resist the temptation to direct zeal toward personal or political ends (3 John 9–10). Pastoral Exhortation Whenever controversy arises, believers are to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger” (James 1:19). Rather than stirring unrest, Christians are called to “pursue the things that lead to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19). Faithful ministry therefore counters ἀνασείω not with passivity but with Spirit-empowered peacemaking. Summary Strong’s Greek 383 serves as a sober reminder that crowds can be manipulated, leaders can abuse influence, and sinful agitation can appear righteous. Yet even such shaking cannot thwart God’s redemptive plan; it only magnifies the steadfastness of the Messiah and calls His followers to advance His unshakable kingdom with truth, humility, and peace. Forms and Transliterations Ανασειει ανασείει Ἀνασείει ανεσεισαν ανέσεισαν ἀνέσεισαν ανεσκαμμένη ανέσκαψεν Anaseiei Anaseíei aneseisan anéseisanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Mark 15:11 V-AIA-3PGRK: δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς ἀνέσεισαν τὸν ὄχλον NAS: But the chief priests stirred up the crowd KJV: the chief priests moved the people, INT: but [the] chief priests stirred up the crowd Luke 23:5 V-PIA-3S Strong's Greek 383 |
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