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"Travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered" (Rev. 12: 2).
"The ship. . . . tossed with the waves" (Matt. 14: 24).
"Vexed his righteous soul" (II Pet. 2: 8).
"He saw them toiling in rowing" (Mark 6: 48).
Dr. Young in his Concordance gives as the first meaning of the word basanizo:--
"To try and then test, inquisition, torment."
Dr. Parkhurst in his Lexicon gives the following order of the meaning of the word:--
"1: To examine, try. 2: To examine by torture, Hence, 3: To torture, torment. The
word comes from basanos, which was a stone by which gold was tried."
Liddell and Scott's Greek Lexicon gives:--
"Basanizo--To rub upon the touch stone (basanos), to try the genuineness of a thing,
test, make proof, e.g., to convict, to put to the torture."
These are independent witnesses whose statements are confirmed by many other
authoritative Lexicons and Dictionaries. It will thus be seen that the primary root idea of
the word throughout is that of "testing," with the added idea of tormenting in the process.
The original idea, that of testing for gold, is observable in the passages to which we will
return shortly. If the gold is to be found, this testing will evidence its presence; if not, the
testing, though prolonged and severe, is not continued for eternity, it ends in the lake of
fire, and the final destruction of the second death. Proof of this, however, we will reserve
until we have considered the passages. Turning to the book of the Revelation, which
gives us the prophetic history of the day of the Lord, we read:--
"They shall be tormented five months" (9: 5).
"The two prophets toemented them" (11: 10).
"He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (14: 10).
"Shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (20: 10).
Here for the present we must leave the subject; we hope to devote a complete article to
the teaching of punishment as found in the book of Revelation in a future issue.
I John
4
8
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love.
Matt.
25
46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Acts
20
38
Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And
they accompanied him unto the ship.
Rom.
9
2
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred
I Tim.
6
10
from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.