Abarim Publications' online Biblical Greek Dictionary
ωθεω
The verb ωθεω (otheo) means to thrust of push. Used occasionally to describe forceful winds and streams, this verb most commonly describes human force (Sisyphus pushing his bolder up the hill, soldiers who push back their enemy, a crowd that pushes and crushes itself), and often via assault weapons such as spears and daggers. Sometimes our word describes a figurative pushing toward some objective, or a pushing away from something to be avoided.
The etymology of this verb is not clear but it does seem to someone fit into a cluster of Indo-European words that have to do with pushing or otherwise applying force. This word's similarity to words like θεω (theo), to run, θεος (theos), god, and θεωρια (theoria), a sight, is accidental.
Our verb ωθεω (otheo), to thrust of push, is not used independently in the New Testament, but from it come:
- Together with the preposition απο (apo), meaning from: the verb απωθεω (apotheo), meaning to push from, to push away from. In the classics this verb is mostly used to describe men pushing other men away from them, often violently but sometimes with mere gentle nudges. On occasion, this verb could describe the wind beating a ship off its intended course, or someone shaking off sleep upon awakening. This verb is used 6 times in the New Testament; see full concordance.
- Together with the preposition εκ (ek), meaning out or from: the verb εξωθεω (exotheo), meaning to push out, to expel (Acts 7:45 and 27:39 only). In the classics, this verb was commonly used to describe the expulsion and barring of unwanted persons, but also, significantly, the getting a ship out of stormy waters and onto dry land. Greek literary imagery strongly associated dry land with rational certainty and hence ships with governments of all sorts. From the verb κυβερναω (kubernao), to steer (a ship), came the English words government and cybernetics (i.e. the study of control).