As we look at the people of scripture, the individuals
around us, and at our own lives we see that temptation is everyone’s foe and
unwanted companion. Even those best known for their service to God such as
Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter struggled against temptation. In the words of the
Apostle Paul, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do
not do, but what I hate I do. . . For I have the desire to do what is good, but
I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil
I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.(Romans 7:15, 18b, 19).
Even Christ
was familiar with temptation. He was made like us in this way so that he,
Christ:
Might destroy
him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all
their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. .
. For this reason he had to be made like his
brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for
the
sins of the people.
Because he himself suffered when he was
tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.(Hebrews 2:14b, 15, 17,
18)
In scripture the words that have been translated as
“temptation” were at other times also translated as “test” or “trial.” The
Greek word
Peirazō was used in various scriptures to mean examine, submit another
to a test, to learn the true nature or character of, to trap or tempt. (James
1:14, 2 Cor. 13:5; Matt. 16:1, Mark 1:13)[1]
The New Testament forms of this word included
peiráō (to try, to test, to put
someone to the test, or to know by experience),
peirasmós (testing, temptation) and
apeírastos
(untried, without temptation).
[2]
In the Old Testament in Genesis 22 we see a similar idea.
Abraham was tested to see if he would obey and sacrifice his son Isaac. In the
book of Job, Job was tempted and tested to turn against God in the midst of his
suffering. In the book of Judges the Israelites had entered the Promised Land
but all the ungodly inhabitants were not driven out. Judges 2:22 says, “I
will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD
and walk in it as their forefathers did.”
The temptations
of scripture were not merely situations where people could be drawn into moral
or spiritual failure. There was a redemptive aspect to the temptation. It was
an opportunity to show the condition and loyalty of one’s heart. Temptation was
a crossroads where one could harden their heart against God and sin or move
towards him and obey. In success their faith would be strengthened. In failure
their sinful struggles could be revealed and surrendered anew to Christ.
The next blog will consider how we are "Enticed by Our Desires."
[1]James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages
With Semantic Domains : Greek (New Testament), electronic ed. (Oak Harbor:
Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), DBLG 4279, #1.
[2]Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich and Geoffrey W.
Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, electronic ed.
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1985; Published in electronic form by Logos
Research Systems, 1996), 822.
