Lexical Summary rhipizó: To fan, to winnow, to toss to and fro Original Word: ῥιπίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance toss. From a derivative of rhipto (meaning a fan or bellows); to breeze up, i.e. (by analogy) to agitate (into waves) -- toss. see GREEK rhipto NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rhipis (a fan) Definition to fan, generally to make a breeze NASB Translation tossed by the wind (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4494: ῤιπίζωῤιπίζω: present passive participle ῥιπιζόμενος; (from ῤιπίς a bellows or fan); hence, 1. properly, to raise a breeze, put air in motion, whether for the sake of kindling a fire or of cooling oneself; hence, a. to blow up a fire: φλόγα, πῦρ, Anthol. 5, 122, 6; Plutarch, Flam. 21. b. to fan, i. e, cool with a fan (Tertullianflabello): Plutarch, Anton. 26. 2. to toss to and fro, to agitate: of the wind, πρός ἀνέμων ῥιπίζεται τό ὕδωρ, Philo de incorrupt. mundi § 24; ῥιπιζομενη ἄχνη, Dio Cassius, 70, 4; δῆμος ἀστατον, κακόν καί θαλάσσῃ πανθ' ὅμοιον, ὑπ' ἀνέμου ῥιπίζεται, Dio Chr. 32, p. 368 b.; hence, joined with ἀνεμίζεσθαι it is used of a person whose mind wavers in uncertainty between hope and fear, between doing and not doing a thing, James 1:6. Strong’s Greek 4494 paints the picture of something caught up in gusts that drive it back and forth. The metaphor evokes the threshing floor, where a worker’s fan sends grain skyward so that the wind may separate wheat from chaff, and it also recalls waves whipped relentlessly by squalls. Scripture uses the term once, in James 1:6, but its single appearance reverberates through larger biblical themes of instability versus steadfastness. Biblical Occurrence: James 1:6 James exhorts believers to petition God with a settled confidence: “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) Here the participle translated “blown and tossed” embodies spiritual fickleness. James writes to dispersed Jewish Christians facing trials (James 1:1–2). Their circumstances tempted them to vacillate between faith and skepticism. By comparing the doubter to a wind-driven wave, James exposes the inner turbulence that prevents the reception of divine wisdom (James 1:7–8). Ancient Cultural Background In Hellenistic agriculture, a large fan (Greek rhipis) was swung through harvested grain to create airflow. The lighter chaff flew off, while the heavier kernels dropped to the floor. The same verb could describe bellows stoking a forge, or winds lashing the shoreline. First-century readers, therefore, would picture a force strong enough to move objects lacking anchor or weight—a telling symbol for a heart not anchored in faith. Theological Motifs 1. Instability of Doubt 2. Divine Wisdom versus Human Uncertainty 3. Separation and Judgment 4. Ecclesial Stability Pastoral and Ministry Significance • Prayer Counseling When encouraging believers to pray for wisdom, counselors can reference James 1:6 to highlight the necessity of wholehearted trust. The verse does not condemn honest questions, but warns against a divided allegiance that nullifies expectation. • Discipleship and Doctrine Teachers should aim to move disciples from emotional, wave-like spirituality to anchored conviction. Regular engagement with Scripture, corporate worship, and accountable fellowship add “weight” that resists erratic gusts of cultural pressure. • Preaching and Illustration A homiletical approach might contrast two believers watching the same storm: one moored to the Rock of Christ, the other adrift. The preacher may reenact a threshing floor scene to dramatize how faith and doubt respond differently to the same wind. Connections with Old Testament Imagery • Isaiah 57:20: “The wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be still.” James weaves these prophetic echoes into his call for single-minded faith, aligning New Testament wisdom with earlier revelation and demonstrating the unity of Scripture. Christological Implications Jesus embodies absolute trust in the Father (John 12:49–50) and commands storms to cease (Mark 4:39). He is the stabilizing center around whom the believer’s life gains weight and direction. The Spirit, given without measure (John 3:34), replaces the vacillating winds of doubt with the steady breath of divine assurance. Summary Though Strong’s Greek 4494 appears only once, it crystallizes a profound biblical warning: a heart split between faith and skepticism will be driven by every gust of circumstance and ideology. True wisdom—and answered prayer—reside with the believer whose confidence is firmly fixed on the unchanging character of God revealed in Jesus Christ. |
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