[B-Greek] articles on PEIRASMOS

Jonathan Robie jonathan.robie at datadirect.com
Fri Aug 15 17:29:52 EDT 2003


At 03:21 PM 8/15/2003, Jeffrey B. Gibson wrote:
>I have uploaded several files on PEIRASMOS and PEIRAZW, including my
>DNTB entry on "Testing and Trial in Secular Greek Thought", to the
>following page:
>
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JBGibsonWritings/files/

Thanks - this is very helpful. Although I agree with your conclusion that 
PERIAMOS and PEIRAZW *usually* refer to a trial rather than temptation in 
the modern English sense, I currently still find it difficult to believe 
that it *never* means temptation.

I would be interested in your response to the following excerpt from my 
original email on this topic - modified to make it a little less confusing, 
since my original wording was not precise:

>In verses 13-14, though, the word PEIRAZW seems to be linked to a person's 
>desires, which lead him astray:
>
>James 1:13-15 MHDEIS PEIRAZOMENOS LEGETW hOTI APW QEOU PEIRAZOMAI; hO GAR 
>QEOS APEIRASTOS ESTI KAKON, PERAZEI DE AUTOS OUDENA. hEKASTOS DE 
>PEIRAZETAI hUPO THS IDIAS EPIQUMIAS EXELKOMENOS KAI DELEAZOMENOS; EITA hH 
>EPIQUMIA SULLABOUSA TIKTEI hAMARTIAN, hH DE hAMARTIA APOTELESQEISA APOKUEI 
>QANATON.
>
>Especially the close linkage to the phrase EXELKOMENOS KAI DELEAZOMENOS, 
>drawing the person out and baiting them, seems to refer to enticing 
>someone or tempting them. In verses 2-3, PIERAZW seems refer to trials 
>that need to be endured, in 13-15 it seems to refer to appetites that can 
>result in us being hooked like a fish
>
>To me, this indicates that the word PEIRAZW refers to testing, which may 
>include testing either by persecution or temptation.

Another verse where PEIRAZW seems to have a meaning linked to temptation is 
Galations 6:1:

Gal 6:1 (WEB) Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who
are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;
looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.

The last phrase of this in Greek is: SKOPWN SEAUTON, MH KAI SU PEIRASQHS.

In this context, the implication seems to be that if someone else has 
fallen into sin, and we engage with them, we may also face temptation 
through this contact. I do not know how to construe this verse without the 
sense of temptation.

How do you interpret these verses?

Jonathan 




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