Temptation

Temptation [EBD]

(1.) Trial; a being put to the test. Thus God "tempted [Gen. 22: 1; R.V., 'did prove'] Abraham;" and afflictions are said to tempt, i.e., to try, men (James 1:2, 12; comp. Deut. 8:2), putting their faith and patience to the test. (2.) Ordinarily, however, the word means solicitation to that which is evil, and hence Satan is called "the tempter" (Matt. 4:3). Our Lord was in this way tempted in the wilderness. That temptation was not internal, but by a real, active, subtle being. It was not self-sought. It was submitted to as an act of obedience on his part. "Christ was led, driven. An unseen personal force bore him a certain violence is implied in the words" (Matt. 4:1-11).

The scene of the temptation of our Lord is generally supposed to have been the mountain of Quarantania (q.v.), "a high and precipitous wall of rock, 1,200 or 1,500 feet above the plain west of Jordan, near Jericho."

Temptation is common to all (Dan. 12:10; Zech. 13:9; Ps. 66:10; Luke 22:31, 40; Heb. 11:17; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:7; 4:12). We read of the temptation of Joseph (Gen. 39), of David (2 Sam. 24; 1 Chr. 21), of Hezekiah (2 Chr. 32:31), of Daniel (Dan. 6), etc. So long as we are in this world we are exposed to temptations, and need ever to be on our watch against them.

Temptation [NAVE]

TEMPTATION.
Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:27, 28; Prov. 7:7-23; Prov. 9:15-17; Prov. 12:26; Prov. 14:27 Prov. 13:14. Prov. 16:29; Prov. 19:27; Prov. 28:10; Eccl. 7:26; Isa. 33:15, 16; Jer. 2:24, 25; Jer. 35:5-7; Hos. 7:5; Amos 2:12; Matt. 4:1-11 Luke 4:1-13. Matt. 5:19; Matt. 12:45; Matt. 13:22 Luke 8:13, 14. Matt. 18:6-9; Matt. 26:31, 41 Luke 22:40. Mark 4:15, 17; Mark 10:21-25; Mark 13:21, 22; Luke 11:4; Luke 22:3, 31, 32, 46 Mark 14:38. John 16:1, 2; Rom. 6:12-14; Rom. 7:5; Rom. 8:35-39; Rom. 12:21; Rom. 14:13, 15, 21; 1 Cor. 7:5; 1 Cor. 8:9-13; 1 Cor. 10:13, 28-32; 2 Cor. 2:11; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14, 15; 2 Cor. 12:7 Gal. 4:14. Gal. 5:17; Eph. 4:27; Eph. 6:11, 13-17; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Tim. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10; 2 Tim. 3:13; Heb. 2:18; Heb. 4:15; Heb. 12:3, 4; Jas. 1:2-4, 12-16; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7; 1 Pet. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:8, 9; 2 Pet. 2:9, 18; 2 Pet. 3:17; 1 John 2:16, 26; 1 John 4:4; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 12:10, 11, 17 See: Demons; Faith, Trial of; Satan.
A Test
Gen. 22:1 vs. 2-14;; Heb. 11:17. Deut. 8:2, 5; Deut. 13:1-3; 2 Chr. 32:31; Job 1:8-22; Job 2:3-10; Psa. 66:10-13; Dan. 12:10; Zech. 13:9; Jas. 1:2, 3, 12; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7 See: Affliction, Design of; Faith, Trial of.
Leading into
Prayer against being led into, Matt. 6:13; Luke 22:40.
Instances of:
Abraham leads Pharaoh, Gen. 12:18, 19; Abimelech, Gen. 20:9.
Balak tempts Balaam, Num. 22; 23; 24.
The old prophet of Beth-el, the prophet of Judah, 1 Kin. 13:15-19.
Gideon leads Israel into sin, Judg. 8:27.
Jeroboam leads Israel into, 1 Kin. 15:30.
See: Resistance to; Yielding to, below.
Resistance to
Gen. 39:7-10; Neh. 4:9; Job 31:1, 5-17, 19-34, 38-40; Psa. 17:4; Psa. 73:2-26; Psa. 94:17, 18; Psa. 119:101,110; Amos 4:12; Matt. 4:1-11 Luke 4:1-13. Matt. 24:42-44; Matt. 25:13; Matt. 26:38-42; Mark 13:33-37; Mark 14:37, 38; Luke 12:35-38; Luke 21:33-36; 1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Pet. 4:7; Rev. 3:2, 3
Instances of:
Joseph resists the temptation to commit adultery, Gen. 39:7-12.
Balaam, in refusing to curse the children of Israel, Num. 22:7-18; 24:12, 13.
The prophet of Judah, 1 Kin. 13:7-9.
Micaiah, 1 Kin. 22:13-28.
Job, Job 1:6-21; 2:4-10.
Rechabites, Jer. 35.
David, to injure Saul, 1 Sam. 26:5-25.
the people of Jerusalem, not to trust Jehovah, 2 Kin. 18:30-36.
Jesus, Matt. 4:1-11.
Yielding to
Instances of:
Adam and Eve, Gen. 3:1-19.
Sarah, to lie, Gen. 12:13; 18:13-15; 20:13.
Isaac, to lie, Gen. 26:7.
Jacob, to defraud Esau, Gen. 27:6-13.
Balaam, Num. 22:15-22; 2 Pet. 2:15.
Achan, Josh. 7:21.
David, to commit adultery, 2 Sam. 11:2-5; to number Israel, 1 Chr. 21.
Solomon, to become an idolater through the influences of his wives, 1 Kin. 11:4; Neh. 13:26.
The prophet of Judah, 1 Kin. 13:11-19.
Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 20:12-20; Isa. 39:1-4, 6, 7.
Peter, Matt. 26:69-74; Mark 14:67-71; Luke 22:55-60.

TEMPT; TEMPTATION [ISBE]

TEMPT; TEMPTATION - temt, tem-ta'-shun (nacah, "to prove" "try," "tempt" maccah, "a trial," "temptation"; peirazo, "to try" "prove" peirasmos "a trial," "proof"): The words have a sinister connotation in present-day usage which has not always attached to them. Originally the words were of neutral content, with the sense of "putting to the proof," the testing of character or quality. Thus, God is "tempted" by Israel's distrust of Him, as if the people were actually challenging Him to show His perfections (Ex 17:2; Ps 78:18; Acts 15:10; Heb 3:9, and often); Abraham is "tempted," being called upon to offer up Isaac (Gen 22:1); and Jesus is "tempted" to a spectacular Messiahship (Mt 4 and parallel passages (see TEMPTATION OF CHRIST)). No evil is implied in the subject of these temptations. Temptation therefore in the Scripture sense has possibilities of holiness as well as of sin. For as all experience witnesses, it is one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall. To be tempted--one may rejoice in that (Jas 1:2), since in temptation, by conquering it, one may achieve a higher and nobler manhood.

"Why comes temptation but for man to meet

And master and make crouch beneath his foot,

And so be pedestaled in triumph?"

Holiness in its best estate is possible only under conditions which make it necessary to meet, resist and triumph over temptation. Thus, Jesus Himself became our Great High Priest in that, being tempted in all points like as we are, He never once yielded, but fought and triumphed (Heb 4:15).

One must not deceive one's self, however, in thinking that, because by the grace of God one may have profit of virtue through temptation as an instrument, all temptation is equally innocent and virtuous. It is noticeable in the case of Jesus that His temptation was under the direction of the Spirit (Mk 1:12); He Himself did not seek it, nor did He fear it. Temptations encountered in this way, the way of duty, the way of the Spirit, alone constitute the true challenge of saintship (Jas 1:12); but it is the mark of an ignoble nature to be perpetually the center of vicious fancies and tempers which are not of God but of the devil (Jas 1:13-15). One may not escape entirely such buffetings of faith, but by any sound nature they are easily disposed of. Not so easily disposed of are the trials (temptations) to faith through adversity, affliction, trouble (Lk 22:28; Acts 20:19; Jas 1:2; 1 Pet 1:6); and yet there is no lack of evidence to the consoling fact that God does not suffer His own to be tempted above what they are able to bear (1 Cor 10:13) and that for every crisis His grace will be sufficient (2 Cor 12:8,9).

Charles M. Stuart