Christ' (1 Pet. 1:7).  Here, 'that' is 'in order that'; 'trial' is to

dokimion, 'the proof after testing', and the result of the trial, 'praise and

honour and glory' at the appearing of the Lord.  It is utterly impossible to

import temptation to sin into 1 Peter 1:6.  It is the trial of faith that is

in view.  If it were needed, the fullest confirmation of this interpretation

is contained in 1 Peter 4:12:

'Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to

try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice,

inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His

glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye

be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ... let none of you

suffer as a murderer, or as a thief ...' (1 Pet. 4:12-15).

This passage is so eloquent in the distinction which it makes between

temptation as a test, and temptation to sin, that we add no word of our own,

except to say that the trial here, which is called 'fiery' and is partaking

of Christ's sufferings (not at all being led away by evil things), is the

translation of the Greek word peirasmos.

The only other reference is that of 2 Peter 2:9:

'The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations'.

The context of this statement speaks of the deliverance of 'just Lot',

who escaped the overthrow of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, which

overthrow was an ensample of the fate that awaits the ungodly.

It is clear by this examination that the epistles of the circumcision

use the word 'temptation' consistently, and always in the sense of trial; not

in the sense of enticement to sin.

The word peira, which lies at the root of the words translated 'tempt',

'temptation', 'try' and 'prove', means a point, or an edge, or, as we would

call it, a 'probe'.  It is a well-known phenomenon in language for 'b' and

'v' to be interchangeable, consequently we are not surprised to learn that

the verb 'to prove' comes from probare, 'to test as to its goodness', which

in turn comes from the word probus, 'good'.  So we find such words as

'probable', 'probate', 'probation', 'probity', all coming from the same root,

and having the basic meaning of 'testing for goodness'.

The word 'probe' means either an instrument, or the act of searching,

exploring and trying.  In the great majority of the passages where 'tempt'

and 'temptation' occur in the New Testament, the meaning is just this

'probing to discover whether goodness is present', and only in a few passages

can the popular idea of 'tempting to commit sin by solicitations, and an

appeal to evil desire within' be discovered.

We return, therefore, to the original verse that caused this

examination, and rejoice to know that in all the 'probing' and 'testing' that

must be undergone on the way to glory, we have both the sympathy and the

succour of Him Who was tested in all points like His brethren, 'sin

excepted'.  Where temptation issues in sin, not sympathy, succour and

infirmity, but forgiveness and restoration are needed, and forthcoming, but

in such experiences the Son of God can have no part.  He needed not

forgiveness, He was never deflected, He needed not to be restored.