Lexical Summary sainó: To wag, to flatter, to fawn Original Word: σαίνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance agitate, flatter, moveAkin to seio; to wag (as a dog its tail fawningly), i.e. (generally) to shake (figuratively, disturb) -- move. see GREEK seio NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to wag the tail, hence to greet, flatter, disturb NASB Translation disturbed (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4525: σαίνωσαίνω: present infinitive passive σαίνεσθαι; (ΣΑΩ, σείω); 1. properly, to wag the tail: of dogs, Homer, Odyssey 16, 6; Aelian v. h. 13, 41; Aesop fab. 229, Halm edition (354 edition Coray); with ὀυρη added, Odyssey 17, 302; Hesiod theog. 771; οὐράν, Aesop, the passage cited; others; see Passow (or Liddell and Scott), under the word, I. 2. metaphorically, a. to flatter, fawn upon (Aeschylus, Pindar, Sophocles, others). b. to move (the mind of one), α. agreeably: passive, ὑπ' ἐλπίδος, Aeschylus, Oppian; ἀληθῆ σαινει τήν ψυχήν, Aristotle, metaphorically, 13, 3, p. 1090a, 37. β. to agitate, disturb, trouble: passive, 1 Thessalonians 3:3 (here A. V. move (Buttmann, 263 (226))) (here Lachmann ἀσαίνω, which see); οἱ δέ σαινόμενοι τοῖς μενοις ἐδακρυον, (Diogenes Laërtius 8, 41. Classical writers used the verb behind Strong’s 4525 for the gentle, rhythmic wag of a dog’s tail or the rocking of a boat on small waves—movements that lull rather than jolt. Carried into Christian vocabulary, the word pictures an external force that coaxes the human spirit off its firm footing, persuading rather than overpowering. Biblical Usage Its lone New Testament occurrence appears in 1 Thessalonians 3:3, where Paul sends Timothy “so that none of you would be shaken by these trials”. The infinitive shows Paul’s pastoral purpose: to prevent spiritual destabilization under persecution. Context in 1 Thessalonians Acts 17:5-9 recounts the mob violence that birthed Thessalonian affliction. Paul, barred from returning, fears that continued pressure—economic boycott, civic marginalization, perhaps imprisonment—could sway new believers. “The tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:5) operates not only through sudden assaults but through prolonged agitation, the very nuance of 4525. Suffering and Perseverance Scripture consistently frames hardship as divinely utilized rather than divinely neglected. Paul reminds the church, “you know that we are destined for this” (3:3). Believers must therefore read adversity through a theology that pairs sovereign appointment (Philippians 1:29) with promised preservation (1 Corinthians 10:13). The verb underscores how trials test emotional equilibrium as much as doctrinal conviction. Old Testament Parallels Though 4525 itself is absent from the Septuagint, its idea resonates. Psalm 46:5 celebrates a city that “will not be moved” despite quaking nations, while Isaiah 54:10 promises an unshakable covenant of peace. These Old-Covenant images foreshadow the stability found in Christ. Theological Themes 1. Divine purpose in affliction—“destined” (1 Thessalonians 3:3). Historical Setting Thessalonica’s imperial cult pressed citizens to honor Caesar as lord. Refusal branded Christians as disloyal, inviting boycotts or violence. The verb’s gentle imagery fits a social climate where constant civic expectation, more than isolated outbreaks, wore on believers’ resolve. Relation to Other New Testament Terms • σαλεύω (“shake,” Hebrews 12:27) stresses violent upheaval; 4525 spotlights subtle sway. Pastoral Applications • Anticipate rather than merely react to suffering; preventative encouragement is Pauline strategy. Contribution to Ministry Strong’s 4525, though rare, warns that faith can be rocked by pressures that feel minor yet persistent. Gospel ministry must therefore combine doctrinal ballast with relational support, ensuring that the church, while battered, remains unswayed: “The one who does the will of God remains forever” (1 John 2:17). |
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