David E. Aune on Hebrews 2:17-18

  

JESUS SUFFERED AND WAS TEMPTED

(HEBREWS 2 17-18)

 

¹⁷Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For because he himself has suffered and had been tempted [πεπονθεν αυτος πειρασθεις], he is able to help those who are tempted [πειρασθεις]

 

The sufferings of Jesus referred to must have involved such human experiences as fear, grief, pain, anxiety, and anguish. Whether this refers to the story of the temptation of Jesus by the devil or Satan depends on the meaning of the verb πειραζω The verb is used in the introduction to the story of Jesus’s temptation in Matt 4 1-11 and Luke 4 1-13 and in the brief summary of the temptation story in Mark (1 13), in these contexts the verb πειραζω means “to tempt” in the sense of “to entice to improper behavior” The verb is also used with some frequency in the Gospels of attempts by the opponents of Jesus in the sense “to test or entrap [through a process of inquiry]” (Matt 16 1, 19 3, 22 18, 35, Mark 8 11, 10 2, 12 15, Luke 11 16, 20 23) In Heb 2 18, however, it is likely that GK means “to test” in the sense of “to try to learn the nature or character of someone or something by submitting such to thorough and extensive testing,” in which case the temptation accounts in Matthew and Luke are not being referred to. (David E. Aune, “Historical Jesus Traditions in Hebrew,” in The Figure of Jesus in History and Theology: Essays in Honor of John Meier, ed. Vincent Skemp and Kelley Coblentz Bautch [Catholic Biblical Quarterly Imprints 1; Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2020], 227)

 

Aune makes reference to (1) BDAG and (2) Louw-Nida:

 

BDAG:

 

πειράζω impf. ἐπείραζον; fut. πειράσω; 1 aor. ἐπείρασα, mid. 2 sg. ἐπειράσω. Pass.: 1 aor. ἐπειράσθην; pf. ptc. πεπειρασνένος (fr. πεῖρα; Hom., then Apollon. Rhod. 1, 495; 3, 10. In prose since Philo Mech. 50, 34; 51, 9; also Polyb.; Plut., Cleom. 808 [7, 3], Mor. 230a; Vett. Val. 17, 6; schol. on Aristoph., Pl. 575; PSI 927, 25 [II a.d.]; LXX; TestJos 16:3 v.l.; ApcSed 8:5 p. 133, 5 Ja.; Joseph.; Just., D. 103, 6; 125, 4.—B-D-F §101 p. 54; Mlt-H. 387 n. 1; 404).

 

① to make an effort to do someth., try, attempt at times in a context indicating futility (ὁ θεὸς τῷ πειράζοντι δοὺς ἐξουσίαν τὴν τοῦ διωκειν ἡμᾶς Orig., C. Cels. 8, 70, 11) w. inf. foll. (Polyb. 2, 6, 9; Dt 4:34.—B-D-F §392, 1a) Ac 9:26; 16:7; 24:6; Hs 8, 2, 7. Foll. by acc. w. inf. IMg 7:1. Abs. Hs 8, 2, 7.

 

② to endeavor to discover the nature or character of someth. by testing, try, make trial of, put to the test

 

ⓐ gener. τινά someone (Epict. 1, 9, 29; Ps 25:2) ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει 2 Cor 13:5 (π. εἰ as Jos., Bell. 4, 340). ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους Rv 2:2. προφήτην οὐ πειράσετε οὐδὲ διακρινεῖτε D 11:7.

 

ⓑ of God or Christ, who put people to the test, in a favorable sense (Ps.-Apollod. 3, 7; 7, 4 Zeus puts τὴν ἀσέβειαν of certain people to the test), so that they may prove themselves true J 6:6; Hb 11:17 (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 (s. πειράω); 11:37 v.l.; Rv 3:10 (SBrown, JBL 85, ’66, 308–14 π.=afflict). Likew. of the measures taken by the angel of repentance Hs 7:1.

 

ⓒ The Bible (but s. the Pythia in Hdt. 6, 86, 3 τὸ πειρηθῆναι τοῦ θεοῦ κ. τὸ ποιῆσαι ἴσον δύνασθαι ‘to have tempted the deity was as bad as doing the deed’; cp. 1, 159) also speaks of a trial of God by humans. Their intent is to put God to the test, to discover whether God really can do a certain thing, esp. whether God notices sin and is able to punish it (Ex 17:2, 7; Num 14:22; Is 7:12; Ps 77:41, 56; Wsd 1:2 al.) 1 Cor 10:9; Hb 3:9 (Ps 94:9). τὸ πνεῦμα κυρίου Ac 5:9. In Ac 15:10 the πειράζειν τὸν θεόν consists in the fact that after God’s will has been clearly made known through granting of the Spirit to the Gentiles (vs. 8), some doubt and make trial to see whether God’s will really becomes operative. τὸν διά σου θεὸν πειράσαι θέλων, εἰ since I want to put the god (you proclaim) to a test, whether AcPt Ox 849, 20–22 followed by οὐ πειράζεται ὁ θεός God refuses to be put to a test.—ASommer, D. Begriff d. Versuchung im AT u. Judentum, diss. Breslau ’35. S. πειράω.

 

③ to attempt to entrap through a process of inquiry, test. Jesus was so treated by his opponents, who planned to use their findings against him Mt 16:1; 19:3; 22:18, 35; Mk 8:11; 10:2; 12:15; Lk 11:16; 20:23 v.l.; J 8:6.

 

④ to entice to improper behavior, tempt Gal 6:1; Js 1:13a (s. ἀπό 5eβ) and b, 14 (Aeschin. 1, 190 the gods do not lead people to sin). Above all the devil works in this way; hence he is directly called ὁ πειράζων the tempter Mt 4:3; 1 Th 3:5b. He tempts humans Ac 5:3 v.l.; 1 Cor 7:5; 1 Th 3:5a; Rv 2:10. But he also makes bold to tempt Jesus (Just., D. 103, 6; Orig., C. Cels. 6, 43, 28) Mt 4:1; Mk 1:13; Lk 4:2 (cp. use of the pass. without ref. to the devil: ἐν τῷ πειράζεσθαι … καὶ σταυροῦσθαι Iren. 3, 19, 3 [Harv. II 104, 3].—Did., Gen. 225, 2). On the temptation of Jesus (s. also Hb 2:18a; 4:15; 2b above) s. HWillrich, ZNW 4, 1903, 349f; KBornhäuser, Die Versuchungen Jesu nach d. Hb: MKähler Festschr. 1905, 69–86; on this Windisch, Hb² ’31, 38 exc. on Hb 4:15; AHarnack, Sprüche u. Reden Jesu 1907, 32–37; FSpitta, Zur Gesch. u. Lit. des Urchristentums III 2, 1907, 1–108; AMeyer, Die evangel. Berichte üb. d. Vers. Christi: HBlümner Festschr. 1914, 434–68; DVölter, NThT 6, 1917, 348–65; EBöklen, ZNW 18, 1918, 244–48; PKetter, D. Versuchg. Jesu 1918; BViolet, D. Aufbau d. Versuchungsgeschichte Jesu: Harnack Festschr. 1921, 14–21; NFreese, D. Versuchg. Jesu nach den Synopt., diss. Halle 1922, D. Versuchlichkeit Jesu: StKr 96/97, 1925, 313–18; SEitrem/AFridrichsen, D. Versuchg. Christi 1924; Clemen² 1924, 214–18; HVogels, D. Versuchungen Jesu: BZ 17, 1926, 238–55; SelmaHirsch [s. on βαπτίζω 2a]; HThielicke, Jes. Chr. am Scheideweg ’38; PSeidelin, DTh 6, ’39, 127–39; HHoughton, On the Temptations of Christ and Zarathustra: ATR 26, ’44, 166–75; EFascher, Jesus u. d. Satan ’49; RSchnackenburg, TQ 132, ’52, 297–326; K-PKöppen, Die Auslegung der Versuchungsgeschichte usw.’61; EBest, The Temptation and the Passion (Mk), ’65; JDupont, RB 73, ’66, 30–76.—B. 652f. DELG s.v. πεῖρα. M-M. EDNT. DLNT 1166–70. TW. Spicq. Sv.

 

 

Louw-Nida:

 

27.46 πειράζω^a; πειρασμός^a, οῦ m; ἐκπειράζω^a: to try to learn the nature or character of someone or something by submitting such to thorough and extensive testing—‘to test, to examine, to put to the test, examination, testing.’

 

πειράζω^a: ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει ‘put yourselves to the test as to whether you are in the faith (or not)’ 2 Cor 13:5; προσελθόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ Σαδδουκαῖοι πειράζοντες ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπιδεῖξαι αὐτοῖς ‘the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked if he would show them a sign from heaven’ Mt 16:1.

 

πειρασμός^a: μὴ ξενίζεσθε τῇ ἐν ὑμῖν πυρώσει πρὸς πειρασμὸν ὑμῖν γινομένῃ ‘don’t be surprised at the painful testing you are experiencing’ 1 Pe 4:12; ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις ἐκπειράζω^a: οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ‘you shall not put the Lord your God to the test’ Lk 4:12; νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτόν ‘an expert in the Law stood up to test him’ Lk 10:25.

 

It is also possible to understand πειράζω and ἐκπειράζω in Mt 16:1 and Lk 10:25 as meaning ‘to try to trap’ (see 27.31). See also 88.308.

 

 

88.308 πειράζω^c; ἐκπειράζω^c; πειρασμός^b, οῦ m: to endeavor or attempt to cause someone to sin—‘to tempt, to trap, to lead into temptation, temptation.’

 

πειράζω^c: ἦν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας πειραζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Σατανᾶ ‘he stayed for forty days in the desert and Satan tried to make him sin’ Mk 1:13. In translating expressions involving tempting or trying, it is necessary in a number of languages to indicate clearly whether or not the temptations succeeded. Therefore, it may not be sufficient in Mk 1:13 to simply say ‘Satan tempted him’; in fact, in some instances it may be necessary to make the failure of the temptation quite specific, for example, ‘Satan tried to make Jesus sin, but was not successful.’

 

ἐκπειράζω^c: νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτόν ‘a certain teacher of the Law came up and tried to catch him (saying something wrong)’ Lk 10:25. It is also possible to understand ἐκπειράζω in Lk 10:25 as merely a process of testing (see 27.46) or of trying to trap (see 27.31).

 

πειρασμός^b: συντελέσας πάντα πειρασμὸν ὁ διάβολος ἀπέστη ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι καιροῦ ‘when the Devil completely finished tempting (Jesus), he left him for a while’ Lk 4:13.