[B-Greek] articles on PEIRASMOS
Jeff Smelser
jeffsmelser at ntgreek.net
Wed Aug 20 15:59:09 EDT 2003
I have just returned from out of town and therefore am admittedly unaware of
what all is being said on this thread. But it might be helpful to note that
part of the confusion may lie in current usage of the word "tempt" as
opposed to an older meaning, which was "test" or "try." Consider the related
"attempt" to see evidence of a "trying." Also note that the English
"empirical" (as in empirical knowledge, such as can be put to the test)
comes from the PEIR- stem.
Jeff Smelser
jeffsmelser at ntgreek.net
www.ntgreek.net
www.centrevillechurchofchrist.org
_______________________________________
> I am confused. If the word PEIRAZW has never had such meaning as
> "temptation", how can we interpret it in this way?
Now I am confused. I thought the question being asked was whether PEIRAZW
can carry the meaning "to tempt" in the New Testament. Are you saying that
it can't because it never had such meaning? But aren't we looking at the
text for the very purpose of determining whether it can have that meaning?
Of course, we would do well to consult the conclusions of others who have
done such research. BDAG and Spicq agree that PEIRAZW can have this meaning.
And LSJ agrees, providing references to non-biblical literature as well as
biblical literature:
II. c. acc. pers., try, tempt a person, put him to the test, LXX Ge.22.1,
al. ; heautous peirazete, ei . . 2 Ep.Cor.13.5, al.; ti peirazete ton Kurion
; LXX Ex. 17.2, cf. Act.Ap. 15.10, 1 Ep.Cor. 10.9, al.
2. in bad sense, seek to seduce, tempt, Athênaiên A.R. 3.10 : abs., ho
peirazôn the Tempter, 1 Ep.Thess. 3.5, etc. :--Pass., to be sorely tried,
peirazomenê basanizomai PLit.Lond. 52.5 ; stomakakkêi Str. 16.4.24 ; to be
attacked, hupochusei Alex.Aphr. Pr.2.54 ; epilêpsiai Cyran.47 ; to be
tempted to sin, Ev.Matt. 4.1, al.
So what is your authority for saying that PEIRAZW "has never had such
meaning"?
Jonathan
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