SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK TERMS FOR TESTING AND THEIR CONNOTATIONS

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK TERMS FOR TESTING AND THEIR CONNOTATIONS

I was confused by the relationship between Matt. 6:13 and James 1:13. They seem to contradict each other. The answer came in the connotation of two Greek terms.

There are two Greek terms in all their forms that have the connotation of testing, trying, or tempting someone for a purpose.

Dokimazō, Dokimion, Dokimasia
This term is a metalurgist term for testing the genuineness of something (i.e., metaphorically someone) by fire (see SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE). The fire reveals the true metal and burns off (i.e., impurities) the dross. This physical process became a powerful idiom for God and/or Satan and/or humans testing others. This term is only used in a positive sense of testing with a view towards acceptance (see SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD TESTS HIS PEOPLE [OT]).
It is used in the NT of testing
1. oxen ‒ Luke 14:19
2. one's life ‒ 1 Cor. 3:13
3. ourselves ‒ 1 Cor. 11:28
4. believers approved by God ‒ 2 Cor. 10:18; 1 Thess. 2:4
5. even God ‒ Heb. 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:7
6. our faith ‒ James. 1:3
7. spiritual messengers or prophets ‒ 1 John 4:1
  The outcomes of these tests were assumed to be positive (cf. Rom. 2:18; 16:10; 2 Cor. 10:18; 13:3,7), therefore, the term conveys the idea of someone examined and approved
  1. to be worthwhile
  2. to be good
  3. to be genuine
  4. to be valuable
  5. to be honored
Peirazō, Ekpeirizō, Peirasmos, Peirasmo
This term often has the connotation of examination for the purpose of fault finding or rejection. It is used in connection to Satan's tempting Jesus in the wilderness (cf. Matthew 4; Luke 4).
1. It conveys the attempt to trap Jesus (cf. Matt. 4:1; 16:1; 19:3; 22:18, 35; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2; Heb. 2:18).
2. This term (peirazōn) is used as a title for Satan in Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5 (i.e., "the tempter"; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SATAN).
3. Usage
  1. It was used by Jesus warning humans not to test God (cf. Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12, [or Christ cf. 1 Cor 10:9]).
  2. It also denotes the attempt to do something that has failed (cf. Heb.11:29).
  3. It is used in connection with the temptation and trials of believers (cf. 1 Cor. 7:5; 10:9, 13; Gal. 6:1; 1 Thess. 3:5; Heb. 2:18; James. 1:2, 13, 14; 1 Pet. 4:12; 2 Pet 2:9).
In Hebrews 3:9 they are both used in their distinctive senses. Words have meaning only in contexts!