Understanding διστάζω (distazō) Strong’s G1365: Overcoming Doubt When Walking With the Messiah

Pronunciation Guide: dis-tad’-zo (the ‘d’ is soft as in “this,” and the ‘z’ is pronounced as in “wisdom”)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1365: The Greek verb διστάζω (distazō) fundamentally means “to doubt, waver, or hesitate between two opinions.” It describes a state of mental uncertainty where one stands in two places at once, unable to fully commit to either position. This term uniquely captures the experience of being pulled in opposite directions by competing beliefs or feelings, resulting in hesitation and uncertainty in one’s faith journey.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Structure: Compound word from δίς (dis, “twice, double”) + στάζω (stazō, “to stand”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Primary Usage: Found in narrative sections of the Gospels, particularly in moments of divine revelation where human faith is tested
• Frequency: Rare, appearing only twice in the New Testament, both in Matthew’s Gospel
• Voice/Mood Patterns: Always occurs in active voice in biblical usage

διστάζω Morphology:

• διστάζω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I doubt/waver
• διστάζεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you doubt/waver
• διστάζει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it doubts/wavers
• διστάζομεν (present active indicative, 1st person plural) – we doubt/waver
• διστάζετε (present active indicative, 2nd person plural) – you (plural) doubt/waver
• διστάζουσι(ν) (present active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they doubt/waver
• διστάζων (present active participle, masculine nominative singular) – doubting/wavering (one)
• ἐδίστασας (aorist active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you doubted/wavered (completed action)

Origin & History

The term διστάζω emerges from the classical Greek concept of “standing in two places” or “being of two minds.” Its compound structure reveals its core meaning: δίς (dis) meaning “twice” or “double” combined with στάζω (stazō) meaning “to stand.” This elegant construction perfectly captures the image of someone with one foot in each of two different positions—unable to fully commit to either.

In classical Greek literature, the concept appears in Plato’s works where he discusses the hesitation between competing philosophical positions. However, the specific verbal form διστάζω gained more prominence in Hellenistic Greek. In the Septuagint, though the exact form διστάζω does not appear, related concepts of wavering faith are expressed through terms like διψυχία (dipsychia, “double-mindedness”). The Church Father Origen frequently employed διστάζω in his commentaries on Matthew’s Gospel, particularly when discussing Peter’s experience of walking on water and the disciples’ response to the risen Messiah, noting how doubt often accompanies even profound spiritual experiences.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Mental Division: A split in one’s thinking between two competing positions or beliefs
• Faith Hesitation: Wavering between trust and skepticism in the face of divine revelation
• Spiritual Ambivalence: Being caught between belief and unbelief when confronted with the supernatural
• Action Paralysis: Hesitation to act decisively because of competing thoughts or loyalties

διστάζω Translation Options:

• Doubt – Most common English translation, though potentially broader than the Greek concept of διστάζω which specifically suggests being pulled in two directions rather than general uncertainty
• Waver – Captures the back-and-forth motion implied in the original term, emphasizing the instability of one caught between positions
• Hesitate – Emphasizes the delay in decision or action caused by the internal division
• Be of two minds – Perhaps the most literal translation that captures the etymological essence of standing in two places mentally
• Vacillate – Effectively conveys the oscillation between competing positions implied in διστάζω

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, διστάζω appears only twice, both times in Matthew’s Gospel and both in contexts where faith confronts extraordinary supernatural manifestations of the Messiah. The first occurrence is in Matthew 14:31, where Yeshua (Jesus) responds to Peter’s wavering faith as he attempts to walk on water. The second is in Matthew 28:17, describing some disciples’ response to the resurrected Messiah. In both cases, διστάζω captures that peculiar human response to divine intervention—a simultaneous reaching toward faith while being pulled back by skepticism.

Matthew’s selective use of this term is significant. As a tax collector before following Yeshua, Matthew would have been familiar with the need for certainty and precision. His choice of διστάζω pinpoints the precise nature of faith struggles—not complete disbelief, but the tension between belief and unbelief that characterizes many believers’ experiences when confronted with God’s supernatural activity. This tension reflects the honest spiritual journey many disciples experience, where conviction and questioning coexist.

• **”And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you *doubt* [ἐδίστασας]?'”** Matthew 14:31
• **”When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some *doubted* [ἐδίστασαν].”** Matthew 28:17

Cultural Insights

In first-century Jewish thought, faith (אמונה, emunah) was not merely intellectual assent but active trust expressed through obedience. This understanding illuminates Peter’s διστάζω moment on the water. Initially, Peter demonstrated authentic faith by actually stepping out of the boat—a radical act of obedience. His subsequent διστάζω was not simply intellectual doubt but a wavering in his active trust when confronted with the seeming impossibility of his situation.

The cultural context of Matthew 28:17 is equally revealing. In ancient Jewish legal tradition, witnessing required absolute certainty—witnesses could not testify if they had any doubts. For Matthew to record that some disciples ἐδίστασαν (doubted) upon seeing the resurrected Messiah was a startling admission in a culture where certainty was prized. This honesty actually strengthens the resurrection account, demonstrating the Gospel writer’s commitment to truthful reporting even when it included the disciples’ imperfect response. Such transparency was countercultural in an environment where religious narratives were often sanitized to remove embarrassing details.

Additionally, the Jewish concept of בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת (bein hashmashot), the twilight period between day and night, offers a cultural parallel to διστάζω. This in-between time was considered neither fully day nor fully night—a liminal space similar to the divided mental state διστάζω describes. In rabbinic discussions, this twilight period generated considerable debate about when certain religious obligations began or ended. Similarly, διστάζω captures the spiritual “twilight zone” where faith and doubt intermingle.

Theological Significance

The concept of διστάζω provides profound insight into the nature of faith itself. Rather than portraying faith as absolute certainty without questions, the biblical usage of διστάζω suggests that faith often coexists with elements of uncertainty. What makes this significant is how Yeshua responds to the διστάζω of His followers—not with condemnation but with compassionate correction and continued invitation to trust. This reveals a God who understands human frailty and meets us in our moments of divided loyalty.

In theological terms, διστάζω illuminates the tension between divine revelation and human comprehension. When Peter walks on water or the disciples encounter the risen Messiah, they experience realities that transcend natural understanding. Their διστάζω represents the genuine struggle to integrate supernatural experience into their understanding of reality. This struggle is not unique to the first disciples but represents the universal challenge believers face when God’s truth challenges human perception and understanding.

Furthermore, διστάζω connects to the broader biblical theme of wholehearted devotion to יהוה (Yahweh). In Deuteronomy 6:5, Israel is commanded to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength—a call to undivided allegiance. Διστάζω represents the opposite state—a divided heart. Yet the Messiah’s gentle response to διστάζω demonstrates that God’s pathway to wholehearted devotion often involves His patient work with our divided hearts, slowly drawing all our allegiance to Himself through experiences that challenge and ultimately strengthen our faith.

Personal Application

When we experience διστάζω in our own spiritual journeys—those moments when we find ourselves caught between faith and doubt, trust and fear—we can take comfort in knowing that this experience is documented among Yeshua’s closest followers. What matters is not the absence of διστάζω but how we respond when caught in this divided state. Do we, like Peter, cry out “Lord, save me!” even in the midst of our wavering? Or do we allow διστάζω to pull us completely away from faith’s path?

The antidote to διστάζω is not blind certainty but honest engagement with both our faith and our questions. When we bring our divided hearts before God, acknowledging both our belief and our struggle to believe fully, we create space for Him to meet us as He met Peter—with an outstretched hand and a gentle, correcting word. Our moments of διστάζω can actually become catalysts for deeper faith when they drive us to dependence on the Messiah rather than self-reliance. Remember that in both biblical occurrences of διστάζω, Yeshua remained present with those who wavered, demonstrating that our moments of divided trust do not drive Him away but rather invite His compassionate intervention.

Related Words

• διακρίνω (diakrinō) [dee-ak-ree’-no] – To distinguish, discern, judge, or waver. While διστάζω focuses on being mentally in two places, διακρίνω often emphasizes the analytical process that leads to such division. In James 1:6, it describes wavering like a wave of the sea. See G1252
• δίψυχος (dipsychos) [dip’-soo-khos] – Double-minded or two-souled. This term describes someone with a divided soul, similar to διστάζω but emphasizing the division of one’s deepest loyalties rather than momentary hesitation. James 1:8 uses this to describe the double-minded person who is unstable in all ways. See G1374
• ἀπιστία (apistia) [ap-is-tee’-ah] – Unbelief or faithlessness. While διστάζω describes wavering between faith and doubt, ἀπιστία represents a more complete absence of faith. In Mark 9:24, a father cries, “I believe; help my unbelief!” expressing both faith and its absence simultaneously. See G570
• ὀλιγόπιστος (oligopistos) [ol-ig-op’-is-tos] – Of little faith. This term, often used by Yeshua to describe His disciples (including Peter during his διστάζω moment), refers not to divided faith but to faith that is present yet insufficient in strength or substance. See G3640
• μετεωρίζομαι (meteōrizomai) [met-eh-o-rid’-zom-ahee] – To be anxious, in suspense, or “up in the air.” Like διστάζω, it involves uncertainty, but specifically emphasizes the anxiety and mental elevation (being “up in the air”) that comes with uncertainty. See G3349

Did You Know?

• The Greek root of διστάζω has carried into modern psychology through terms like “cognitive dissonance,” which describes the mental discomfort experienced when holding contradictory beliefs simultaneously—a scientific description of what the ancient Greek word captured through the image of standing in two places at once. When researchers study the brain activity of someone experiencing cognitive dissonance, they observe increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex—the same region that activates during conflict monitoring and decision-making under uncertainty.
• In modern Greek, derivatives of διστάζω are still used in everyday language. The term δισταγμός (distagmos) is commonly used to express hesitation or reluctance before making a decision. When a modern Greek speaker says “Έχω δισταγμούς” (Exo distagmous), they’re expressing the same concept of internal division that Peter experienced on the water—a beautiful linguistic thread connecting contemporary expression to ancient biblical narrative.
• While διστάζω appears only twice in the New Testament, both instances occur at critical junctures in the revelation of Yeshua’s identity and power—first during His ministry (walking on water) and then after His resurrection. This strategic placement suggests that divine self-revelation often creates a moment of decision where διστάζω (wavering between belief and unbelief) naturally occurs. Far from being unusual, such moments of wavering may actually be expected stages in authentic spiritual growth when confronted with new dimensions of God’s reality.

Remember This

Διστάζω reminds us that the journey of faith often passes through the valley of uncertainty, but even in our moments of wavering, the Messiah reaches out His hand to steady us and draw us toward wholehearted trust.