τροφός G5162
nursing mother, wet nurse, one who nourishes infants
Paul uses this tender image in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, comparing his gentle care for the Thessalonian believers to a nursing mother cherishing her own children. The metaphor emphasizes nurture, intimacy, and self-giving love—a mother provides from her own body to sustain infant life. By choosing this feminine imagery, Paul underscores the tenderness and personal investment he brought to his ministry, countering any notion that apostolic authority means harsh domination. The nursing mother gives herself completely for the wellbeing of those in her care.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul's self-description employs striking maternal imagery to convey his pastoral heart. A nursing mother represents the epitome of gentle, self-sacrificial care—she literally gives of herself to nourish and sustain vulnerable life. The multilingual evidence—Spanish 'nodriza', French and German preserving the Greek—points to this nurturing role. In a culture where nursing was sometimes delegated to wet-nurses, Paul claims this intimate maternal function for his own relationship to the church. The image powerfully communicates pastoral love that is gentle, patient, and utterly devoted to the spiritual growth of God's children. 1×
AR["مُرْضِعَةٌ"]·ben["ধাত্রী"]·DE["Amme"]·EN["nursing-mother"]·FR["τροφὸς"]·heb["מֵינֶקֶת"]·HI["धऐ"]·ID["ibu-menyusui"]·IT["trophos"]·jav["ibu-susu"]·KO["유모가"]·PT["ama"]·RU["кормилица"]·ES["nodriza"]·SW["mlezi"]·TR["süt-anne"]·urd["دائی"]
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H3206 1. child, boy, youth (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)G3384 1. mother (77×)H6485a 1. Qal passive participle: numbered ones, enrollment (76×)H1397 1. man (strong/mighty) (65×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τροφός, ὁ and ἡ, (τρέφω) feeder, rearer, Refs 8th c.BC+ and always feminine of a nurse, φίλη τ. Εὐρύκλεια LXX+5th c.BC+; of a mother, Refs 5th c.BC+ —The _masculine_ was usually τροφεύς (which see); but τροφός as masculine occurs in Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, of a city, Συράκοσαι, ἀνδρῶν ἵππων τε δαιμόνιαι τροφοί Refs 5th c.BC+; of Miletus, τ. τοῦ.. Ἀπόλλωνος Refs 4th c.AD+ __3 in neuter,…