The Evolving Concept of Testing/Tempting

[TonyChanYT]

English Standard Version, Malachi 3:

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test [H974, G1980], says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Strong's Hebrew: 974. בָּחַן (bachan) — 29 Occurrences

Brown-Driver-Briggs:

1. examine, scrutinize, try
2. prove, test, try.

There is another Hebrew word for the idea of testing that is a bit more ambiguous. Genesis 22:

1 Some time later God tested [H5254, LXX G3985] Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

Deuteronomy 13:

3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing [H5254] you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

H5254 appears 36 times.

Brown-Driver-Briggs:

1. test
2. attempt, assay, try to do a thing
3. test, try, prove, tempt [but not in the modern sense of the word: see Deuteronomy 6:16; Psalms 453, 483]

This Hebrew word did not carry the full English sense of "temptation". It meant testing or trying.

The Greek word G3985 is different. As Satan went rogue, the negative concept of temptation emerged from G3985. By the time of the NT, James 1:

3 because you know that the testing [G1383] of your faith produces perseverance.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted [G3985 πειραζόμενος], “I am being tempted [H3985 πειράζομαι] by God,” for God cannot be tempted [G551 ἀπείραστός adjective] with evil, and he himself tempts [G3985 πειράζει] no one.

Matthew 6:

13 And lead us not into temptation [G3986], but deliver us from the evil one.’

G3985 is ambiguous. It could mean testing in the OT or tempting in the NT.

BDAG πειράζω:
① to make an effort to do someth., try, attempt at times in a context indicating futility
② to endeavor to discover the nature or character of someth. by testing, try, make trial of, put to the test
ⓑ of God or Christ, who put people to the test, in a favorable sense (Abraham, as Gen 22:1). Also of painful trials sent by God (Ex 20:20; Dt 8:2 v.l.; Judg 2:22; Wsd 3:5; 11:9; Jdth 8:25f) 1 Cor 10:13; Hb 2:18ab; 4:15 ③ to attempt to entrap through a process of inquiry, test.
④ to entice to improper behavior, tempt

God tests people in the ancient Hebrew sense of the word [H5254]. God does not tempt people in the Greek sense of the word [G3985] to entrap. Satan does. In the beginning, Satan was given the job of testing people. He gradually changed from the testing to tempting to downright entrapment.

ESV Deuteronomy 6:

16 You shall not put the LORD your God to the test [H5254], as you tested [H5254] him at Massah.

People can H974-try or H5254-test God, but God cannot be G3985-tempted.

 

[Josheb]

Hmmmm...

Would you please post some scripture reporting testing or tempting is an evolving concept?

Do you think Romans 5:12 means only a little sin or only certain sins, or only certain types of sin entered the world? Does God not know omnisciently know all there is to know about testing, tempting, sin? Do you mean to assert humans' understanding of testing and tempting is evolving? If so then please explain that with greater detail.

God tests people in the ancient Hebrew sense of the word [H5254]. God does not tempt people in the Greek sense of the word [G3985] to entrap. Satan does.

You've got a false equivalence going there, and you're wrong about Satan. The New Testament is very clear: we are tempted by our own lusts, not Satan. Furthermore, when scripture reports Jesus or Peter being "tempted" by Satan that does not mean Satan has any power to know Jesus' lusts and use them against him. The better term there would be "bait." Jesus went into the wilderness to be bated by Satan, not to have his non-existent lusts exposed and used against him. Old Testament testing is better associated with tempering, not in the sense of God omnisciently not knowing the outcome of His own actions toward sinful humans.