The Greek noun “ἡσυχία”

Limited to Acts 22:2; 2 Thess. 3:12; 1 Tim. 2:11-12, the Greek noun “hesuchia” meant “silence,” “quietness,” peace.”

The mob which tried to injure and perhaps kill Paul was “quiet” when Paul spoke to them from a place of safety (Acts 22:2).  When it comes to males and females in worship assemblies, women are to be “silent” (1 Tim. 2:11-12) in terms of public instruction.  Stated another way, male spiritual leadership is God’s will in His church.

The Dictionary of New Testament Theology (3:111) noted how in non-Biblical Greek this word described “quietness of peace (as opposed to war) (Thucydides), relief from pain (Plato), a place of solitude (Xenophon), and the tranquility of the philosopher who escapes from the turmoil of politics (Plato).”

The Greek verb “ἡσυχάζω”

Limited to Lk. 14:4; 23:56; Acts 11:18; 21:14; 1 Thess. 4:11, the Greek verb “hesuchazo” means “rest,” “be still,” “silent.”  This word describes abstention from work (Lk. 23:56), the silencing of possible opposition (Lk. 14:4; Acts 11:18), and cessation of an effort to convince (Acts 21:14).  In 1 Thess. 4:11, this verb describes a life free of “inordinate ambition” (Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3:112).

Ἠσαΐας

Mentioned twenty-three times in the New Testament, “Isaiah” is classified as a “major” prophet because of how much he wrote.  In the New Testament, Isaiah is first mentioned in Mt. 3:3.  The last New Testament reference to him is Rom. 15:12.

Ἡρῳδιανός

Limited to Mt. 22:16; Mk. 3:6; 12:13, “Herodianos” meant “Herodian.”  Normally the Herodians, who were a sect of Hellenistic Jews, were not on good terms with the Pharisees, but they were willing to work together to oppose Jesus.

Ἡρῴδης (Herodes)

The name “Herod” is limited to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts, and it describes four different men.  Herod the Great, who ruled over Judea from 37-4 B.C., was in power when Jesus was born (Mt. 2:1).  He ordered the deaths of children in the area of Bethlehem (Mt. 2:16).  Herod Antipas, who ruled from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39, was tetrarch of Perea and Galilee.  He married his brother’s wife (Mk. 6:17) and ordered the death of John the Baptist (Mt. 14).  The last two were Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great who killed James (Acts 12).  He ruled from 10 B.C.-44 A.D.  Herod Agrippa Israel, who was the son of Agrippa I, ruled from A.D. 27-93 and was involved with Paul’s trial (Acts 25).

The Greek adjective “ἤρεμος”

Limited to 1 Tim. 2:2, the Greek adjective “eremos” meant “clam,” “quiet,” “tranquil.”  Paul told Christians to pray so they can have a “calm” life.  Since civil government is in the immediate context of this statement, this tranquility would include political or national calm.