It is disappointing that the translators of the Authorized Version of the Bible [the King James Version] translated 1 Thessalonians 5:14 with these words, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” “Feebleminded” translates the Greek word [oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος]. This comes from oligos, ὀλίγος = small, few, light, slight, and psuchē, ψυχή meaning breath , life, inner self, soul.
The word “feebleminded” in our day seems to imply some form of diminished mental ability but that may not be the true meaning of the word. It is the only use of this word in the New Testament in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 where it is translated in the Christian Standard Bible as “comfort the discouraged” and in the English Standard version as “encourage the fainthearted.” This seems to imply a state of mind which can be strengthened through encouragement and comfort.
We may find some help by looking at the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint [the LXX]. One modern English translation of the Septuagint is the NETS version [The New English Translation of the Septuagint] which we will use to find how the word is translated in the verses in which it occurs.
The word [oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος] is found in the following verses.
- Proverbs 14:29, “A man slow to anger is abundant in prudence, but an impatient man is extremely foolish.” This is not a reference to a feeble mind but to an inappropriate response to a stressful situation.
- Proverbs 18:14, “A “sensible attendant calms a man’s anger, but who can endure a faint-hearted man? Here the reference is to the difficulty of dealing with a man who is not strong emotionally. An angry man’s anger can be dealt with using the right treatment, but a person of weak emotional strength is more difficult to know how to handle.
- Isaiah 35:4 “Give comfort, you who are faint of heart and mind! Be strong; do not fear! Look, our God is repaying judgment; yes, he will repay; he himself will come and save us.“ The faint of heart and mind are able to bring comfort to others as they are themselves strengthened and lose their fear.
- Isaiah 54:6 “The Lord has not called you as a forsaken and faint-hearted woman, nor as a woman hated from youth, your God has said.” The nation as the bride of God had known exile for its sin and perhaps was emotionally weak as a result. But they would again experience His love for them.
- Isaiah 57:15 “This is what the Lord says, the Most High, who dwells forever in lofty places— Holy among the holy ones is his name, the Lord Most High who rests among the holy ones and gives patience to the faint-hearted and gives life to those who are broken of heart:” Israel’s holy God promises that He will give patience and the ability to cope to those He had formerly deserted because of their sin.
It seems overall that feebleness of mind is not what is really meant by this word. Rather the actual “little or weak in spirit” or emotionally weak seems to be the true meaning. As such it could apply to all believers from time to time. There will be times in the lives of all of us when we feel emotionally weak, confused or even anxious about the future. So it is comforting to know that the Lord has a real ministry to those who feel this way, as is shown in the ESV translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”
Encouragement rather than rejection is a ministry we can share with one another for the word for “encourage” here is [paramytheomai, παραμυθέομαι] meaning to exercise an influence by using words to soothe, comfort, console, as seen in the other occurrences of the word in the New Testament, namely John 11:19, “and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.” John 11:31, “When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.” And 1Thessalonians 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”
Encouraging, consoling, comforting, strengthening the ‘fainthearted.” That is our privilege and responsibility.
Blog No.506 posted on Friday 17 November 2023.
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.
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506.“Encourage the Fainthearted.” [Oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος]
It is disappointing that the translators of the Authorized Version of the Bible [the King James Version] translated 1 Thessalonians 5:14 with these words, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” “Feebleminded” translates the Greek word [oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος]. This comes from oligos, ὀλίγος = small, few, light, slight, and psuchē, ψυχή meaning breath , life, inner self, soul.
The word “feebleminded” in our day seems to imply some form of diminished mental ability but that may not be the true meaning of the word. It is the only use of this word in the New Testament in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 where it is translated in the Christian Standard Bible as “comfort the discouraged” and in the English Standard version as “encourage the fainthearted.” This seems to imply a state of mind which can be strengthened through encouragement and comfort.
We may find some help by looking at the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint [the LXX]. One modern English translation of the Septuagint is the NETS version [The New English Translation of the Septuagint] which we will use to find how the word is translated in the verses in which it occurs.
The word [oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος] is found in the following verses.
It seems overall that feebleness of mind is not what is really meant by this word. Rather the actual “little or weak in spirit” or emotionally weak seems to be the true meaning. As such it could apply to all believers from time to time. There will be times in the lives of all of us when we feel emotionally weak, confused or even anxious about the future. So it is comforting to know that the Lord has a real ministry to those who feel this way, as is shown in the ESV translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”
Encouragement rather than rejection is a ministry we can share with one another for the word for “encourage” here is [paramytheomai, παραμυθέομαι] meaning to exercise an influence by using words to soothe, comfort, console, as seen in the other occurrences of the word in the New Testament, namely John 11:19, “and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.” John 11:31, “When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.” And 1Thessalonians 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”
Encouraging, consoling, comforting, strengthening the ‘fainthearted.” That is our privilege and responsibility.
Blog No.506 posted on Friday 17 November 2023.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.