Lexical Summary anemizó: To be tossed by the wind, to be driven by the wind Original Word: ἀνεμίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance driven by the wind. From anemos; to toss with the wind -- drive with the wind. see GREEK anemos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom anemos Definition to drive by the wind NASB Translation driven (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 416: ἀνεμίζωἀνεμίζω: (ἄνεμος); to agitate or drive by the wind; present passive participle ἀνεμιζόμενος, James 1:6. Besides only in schol. on Homer Odyssey 12, 336 ἔνθα ἦν σκέπη πρός τό μή ἀνεμίζεσθαι, (Hesychius under the word ἀναψυξαι ἀνεμισαι; Joannes Moschus (in Patr. Graec. 87, p. 3044 a.) ἀνεμιζοντος τοῦ πλοίουvelificantenave). The Greeks said ἀνεμόω. Cf. κλυδωνίζομαι. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 416 (ἀνεμίζομαι) appears once in the New Testament, in James 1:6, where it vividly portrays a life unsettled by doubt. The term, drawn from the movement of the wind, becomes a picture-word for spiritual instability, contrasting sharply with the steadfastness produced by genuine faith. Biblical Imagery of Wind-Driven Instability Scripture often employs wind to depict fickleness or transience. Psalm 1:4 compares the wicked to “chaff blown away by the wind,” while Hosea 13:3 says they “will be like chaff swirling from the threshing floor.” The Lord rebukes faithless Israel as “a reed swayed by the wind” in Matthew 11:7. These parallels illuminate James’s choice of vocabulary: the doubter resembles the most helpless object on the sea, wholly at the mercy of forces outside himself. Usage in James 1:6 “But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6) In context, James addresses believers facing trials (James 1:2-4). God promises wisdom generously (James 1:5), but the reception of that wisdom is conditioned on undivided trust. The doubter’s petitions are thwarted, not because God withholds goodness, but because vacillation severs the channel through which divine generosity flows. The present middle participle ἀνεμιζόμενος underscores an ongoing, self-involved state: the doubter continually subjects himself to spiritual turbulence. Historical and Literary Background Jewish wisdom literature often warns against a double heart. Sirach 1:28 exhorts, “Do not disobey the fear of the Lord; do not approach Him with a divided heart.” In Greco-Roman rhetoric, the sea portrayed the unpredictable fortunes of life, and philosophers urged equanimity as the antidote. James, steeped in Old Testament wisdom yet writing to Diaspora believers conversant with Hellenistic imagery, weds both traditions to call for single-minded faith in the living God. Theological Significance 1. Nature of Faith: Faith is not wishful thinking but a settled reliance on God’s character (Hebrews 11:6). Doubt, when cherished, fractures that reliance and produces instability. Pastoral and Discipleship Implications • Encourage believers to fortify faith through Word and prayer, establishing deep roots that withstand cultural winds (Colossians 2:6-7). Liturgical and Homiletical Uses The image of the wind-tossed wave lends itself to sermons on prayer, spiritual warfare, and perseverance. Responsive readings might pair James 1:6 with Psalm 107:28-30, celebrating God’s power to still the storm. Hymns such as “My Anchor Holds” or “Will Your Anchor Hold?” naturally complement the theme. Patristic Reflections Origen interpreted the sea as human life and the wind as opposing powers; the believer buffeted by doubt loses sight of Christ. Augustine warned that prayers lacking faith resemble “noise upon the waters” rather than true supplication. These early voices echo James’s admonition and underscore the church’s historic concern for unwavering trust. Related Greek and Hebrew Concepts ἀνεμίζομαι belongs to a semantic field that includes: Conclusion Strong’s Greek 416 encapsulates the peril of divided allegiance before God. Its solitary appearance in James is sufficient to etch an enduring lesson: faith that wavers forfeits wisdom and hinders prayer, while steadfast trust secures divine aid and fosters maturity. Forms and Transliterations ανεμιζομενω ανεμιζομένω ἀνεμιζομένῳ anemizomeno anemizomenō anemizoménoi anemizoménōiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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