Article September 11, 1937 Issue

Bible Notes

"Then was Jesus led up . . . to be tempted of the devil" (Matt. 4:1) —The Greek word "peirazein," which is here rendered "tempt," meant originally "to try, make trial of, or test," without any necessary implication of an evil motive; but it was sometimes employed in the meaning of "to try or test one's faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin, . . . to solicit to sin, to tempt" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 498). It may be added that in the phrase translated: "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (verse 7), a slightly different Greek verb (ekpeirazein) is used; the prefix "ek-" adding a suggestion of peculiar intensity or thoroughness to the meaning of the simple verb "peirazein" found in verse 1.

"The devil . . . Satan" (Matt. 4:8 and 10)—The term "diabolos," which is here translated "devil," means literally, "calumniator, slanderer, false accuser," and was the usual Greek term for "devil" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 135). The alternative name "Satan" derives from the Hebrew "satan," meaning "adversary" (loc. cit., p. 512; Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 966), "opponent or enemy" (Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 331). It is contended by scholars that the Jews borrowed the idea of Satan from the Zoroastrian religion (see Ernest F. Hume: World's Living Religions, p. 191).

"In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isa. 26:4)—The words "The Lord Jehovah" represent the "YH YHWH" of the Hebrew, "YH" (pronounced "Jah" or "Yah") being an abbreviated form of "YHWH" (Jehovah, or, more exactly, Yahweh). The words translated "everlasting strength" mean literally "rock of ages" or "an everlasting rock" (Revised Version). Smith translates: "Yah the Lord is a rock everlasting;" while Moffatt has: "The Eternal's strength endures."

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