2. Introduction to gin.o.mai Two Terms to know: 1.Positionally: A reference to one’s position in relationship to something else. 2.Experientially: A reference to one’s experience in relationship to something else.

3. Review of the Introduction to The Epistle of James Author: God Writer: James (brother of Jesus) Time Period: ~45-50 A.D. Written To: Those scattered from Jerusalem.

4. Review of the Introduction to The Epistle of James James deals with one topic which he addresses through four evidences. 1.True Spirituality: a. Faith in action. b. Self-Control. c. Unselfish, Generous, Impartial, Patient. d. Submits to God through Prayer. James teaches what True Spirituality means, and also teaches the mechanics needed in order to be “Truly Spiritual.”

5. Review of  faith  is a feminine noun which means, “complete dependency, based on response.” It identifies a relationship between two or more objects or persons in which one of the objects or persons is completely dependent upon the other for some thing or action. i.e.: Sitting in a chair.

6. Model of Humanity God (The Father) Initiates Mankind Responds Model of Humanity which Christ showed.

7. Review: Human Viewpoint vs. Divine Viewpoint Human Viewpoint (Sight-based): A process of thought or manner of thinking which is based on data perceived and developed by the human senses within the realms of this human world system. Divine Viewpoint (Faith-based): A process of thought or manner of thinking which is based upon dependence upon Spiritual Truth Doctrines of God’s World System.

8. The Faith-Rest Technique The Faith-Rest Technique is the act of relying upon God’s promises and doctrines through faith during circumstances which are humanly difficult or trying. This is an ability that believers are to develop and practice. It requires knowledge of God’s Promises and application of Bible doctrine. The Faith-Rest technique allows the believer to rest in faith upon God because of His promises and doctrines despite the degree of difficulty of his circumstances.

9. Review of  “  ” means, “something which attempts to learn the nature or character of something through evaluation.” In that sense, “test” may be a good summary of the idea. The understanding is that of a circumstance which tests an individual’s resolve, nature, or character in an attempt to discover what it is made of.

10. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God;’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” James 1.13

11. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) This transition, as it appears in the English Bibles, by James from dealing with trial to dealing with temptation is apparently a mistranslation by the translators. However, this “mistranslation” is not necessarily devoid of applicable meaning. Our task tonight will be to explain the differences between trial and temptation through our study of James 1:13

12. The Dilemma James 1:12  Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial… James 1:13  Let no one say when he is tempted…

13. The Dilemma  (from verse 12) is from  which refers to “something which attempts to learn the character of an object through evaluation.”  (from verse 13) is from  which means, “to attempt to learn the character of an object through evaluation.”

14. The Dilemma Both  and  are relatives being noun and verb counterparts to their respective roots. For example: The run was good. “Run” is a noun, a thing. Run for your life. “Run” is a verb, an action.

15. The Dilemma  and  are the noun and verb forms of the same stem, from which they are formulated. Therefore, their definition is only differentiated in their roles as noun and verb, one being a thing, and the other being an action. And yet, the translators decided they were to be translated by two different words, “trial” (vv. 2-12) and “temptation” (vv. 13-14).

16. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) The translators have attempted to identify the difference between the noun and the verb by using two different words to do so. Therefore, we need to understand two things. 1. A trial is the result of temptation. 2. Being tempted by something is a trial.

17. 1. A trial is the result of temptation. 1.Temptation comes from  which means, “to attempt to learn the character of something by evaluation.” 2.Through tempting, a trial is encountered. 3.The tempted party therefore finds themselves within the midst of a trial while they are being tempted. James 1:2 identifies there are many different types of trials, “…when you encounter various trials…”

18. 2. Being tempted by something is a trial. 1.Temptation occurs when one is acted upon himself, or acts upon another object or person, to attempt to learn its character through evaluation. 2.Through this act being affected upon the believer, the believer finds themselves within “something which is attempting to learn the character of an object through evaluation.” 3.Temptation is not merely, the enticement to sin; it innately precludes the testing of the an individual.

19. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) A trial is the situation or thing in which one is being tempted or evaluated. The tempting is the infliction of the trial upon the individual. Remember! There are various types of trials according to James 1:2. It is imperative that we understand the difference in definitions between the noun and verb forms of these words.

20. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “Let no one say when he is tempted…” The opening phrase of verse 13 is all backwards in English. Literally it reads,  “not one being tempted say…” The emphasis in the original language is on  (pronounced, “mae-deis”) which means “not one.”

21. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “not one being tempted say…” With that emphasis in mind we are able to understand the severity of James’ statement to the . Thus we understand the importance of what James is about to teach.

22. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “not one being tempted say…” James uses a participle to identify his subject as those who are being acted upon by “something which is attempting to learn their character through evaluation.” The “acted upon” part of that expanded definition is the result of the passive voice.

23. Voice in Koine Greek Voice is used in Koine Greek to express how the subject operates in relationship to the verb. There are three types of voice in Koine Greek: 1.Active Voice – the subject performs the action. 2.Middle Voice – the subject participates in the action. 3.Passive Voice – the subject is acted upon by the action. “  ” is in the passive voice. This identifies the subject as one who “is being acted upon by something which is attempting to learn its character through evaluation.”

24. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “not one being tempted say…” Our subject then, are those who are being “acted upon by something which is attempting to learn their character through evaluation.” Since the subject is built into the verb, we must examine  to understand what the subject is doing.

25. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “not one being tempted say…”  (pronounced, “leh-geh-toh”), means “to speak” or “to say.” It emphasizes the verbal communication of a thought. It is an imperative active verb in the present tense.

26. Mood in Koine Greek Mood is used in Koine Greek to establish the atmosphere of an action or state of being. There are four types of mood in Koine Greek: 1.Indicative Mood- identifies reality 2.Optative Mood- identifies desire 3.Imperative Mood- identifies command 4.Subjunctive Mood- identifies possibility “  ” is in the Imperative Mood. This identifies it as a command.

27. Voice in Koine Greek Voice is used in Koine Greek to express how the subject operates in relationship to the verb. There are three types of voice in Koine Greek: 1.Active Voice – the subject performs the action. 2.Middle Voice – the subject participates in the action. 3.Passive Voice – the subject is acted upon by the action. “  ” is in the active voice. This identifies the subject as one who “performs the action of speaking.”

28. Tense in Koine Greek Tense is used to identify the type of action in Koine Greek more so than the time of action. There are many tenses and combinations of tenses. Simply described, the present tense identifies a continuous type of action. An action which starts and then keeps going with no reference made to when it finishes  is a present tense verb which means, “continuously speak.”

29. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “not one being tempted say…” Our understanding of James’ opening statement then is, “Not one being acted upon by something which is attempting to learn its character through evaluation perform the continuous action to speak.” James is introducing something which he says none undergoing temptation should speak. His emphasis is on not a single one speaking the statement he is introducing.

30. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “I am being tempted by God” Again the English has the order all backwards. It reads thusly in the original text:  “That away from God I am being tempted”

31. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “That away from God I am being tempted”  (pronounced “ho-tee”) is a conjunction which connects James’ first statement with his second. It links the command “no one…say” with the content of what it is which is not to be said.

32. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “That away from God I am being tempted”  (pronounced, “ah-po”) is a preposition which literally means, “away from.” It denotes the source or origin from which something came. It is coupled with  (pronounced, “The-oo”) which means, “God.”

33. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  away from God We get the understanding then that the source or origin of something is from , God. What is that something which came from God?

34. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  “That away from God I am being tempted” It is the action of being tempted.  (pronounced, “pei-rahdz-oh-mai”) is a verb which means, “to attempt to learn the character of an object through evaluation.” James is saying that no man is to say that God is the source of the tempting of those being tempted.

35. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) So far, James has said that no one is to say that the source of their testing is from God. “Not one being acted upon by something which is attempting to learn its character through evaluation perform the continuous action to speak that ‘away from the source of God I am being acted upon by something which is attempting to learn the my character.’”

36. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) As is typical in the original language, the text not only gives a command, but explains why that command is valid and able to be carried out.  for God cannot be tempted by evil Again the English is a little backwards, and a little misleading.

37. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) The literal rendering of the text is this:  the forGod untemptable isevil Koine Greek does an amazing job with syntactical relationship structure. So while this doesn’t make sense in English, that’s ok. It wasn’t designed to be interpreted through English syntactical structure.

38. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) The literal rendering of the text is this:  the forGod untemptable isevil However, in order to emphasize the Greek syntax we must highlight the relationships.

39. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) After grouping the syntactical constructs together appropriately we have a more understandable literal understanding:  fortheGod is untemptable (with) evil The conjunction  (pronounced, “gar”) is causal and therefore denotes the cause behind the command (Don’t say it because the God is…).

40. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  theGod is untemptable (with) evil The phrase, “  ” (pronounced, “ho Theh-os es-tin a-pei-ras-ton”) literally means, “The God exists being incapable of being tempted.” Which makes logical sense. A supreme and sovereign infinite ruler should not be subject to anything.

41. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  theGod is untemptable (with) evil  (pronounced, “kah-kohn”) is not literally “evil” in the sense of wickedness (which is  ). Instead,  refers to something which is inherently worthless. That is something which has no value within itself.

42. Human Viewpoint vs. Divine Viewpoint “Good” based upon Human Viewpoint: Defined as something which is “desired or approved of; that which is pleasant or nice.” “Good” based upon Divine Viewpoint (  ): Defined as something which is “valuable or beneficial within its nature.”

43. Human Viewpoint vs. Divine Viewpoint “Bad” based upon Human Viewpoint: Defined as something which is “undesired or disapproved of; that which is unpleasant.” “Bad” based upon Divine Viewpoint (  ): Defined as something which is “inherently worthless, possessing no beneficial properties within itself.”

44. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  theGod is untemptable (with) evil  (pronounced, “kah-kohn”) is from the root word,  which means, “inherently worthless.” God is not able to be tempted by anything which is inherently worthless in its nature.

45. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  And He himself does not tempt anyone  (pronounced, “pei-rah-dzai”) is a present active indicative verb which means, “to attempt to learn the character of an object through evaluation.” Its subject is “God” in this grammatical construction.

46. Tense in Koine Greek Tense is used to identify the type of action in Koine Greek more so than the time of action. There are many tenses and combinations of tenses. Simply described, the present tense identifies a continuous type of action. An action which starts and then keeps going with no reference made to when it finishes.  is a present tense verb which means, “to continuously attempt to learn the character of something through evaluation.”

47. Voice in Koine Greek Voice is used in Koine Greek to express how the subject operates in relationship to the verb. There are three types of voice in Koine Greek: 1.Active Voice – the subject performs the action. 2.Middle Voice – the subject participates in the action. 3.Passive Voice – the subject is acted upon by the action. “  ” is in the active voice. This identifies the subject (God) as the One who “performs the action of continuously attempting to learn the character of something through evaluation.”

48. Mood in Koine Greek Mood is used in Koine Greek to establish the atmosphere of an action or state of being. There are four types of mood in Koine Greek: 1.Indicative Mood- identifies reality 2.Optative Mood- identifies desire 3.Imperative Mood- identifies command 4.Subjunctive Mood- identifies possibility “  ” is in the Indicative Mood. This identifies it as reality.

49. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) Therefore  means, God “really performs the continuous action to attempt to learn the character of something through evaluation.” Yet,  is not the only word in this sentence. It is affected by .  is a conjunction of soft contrast which links two constructs together which are slightly different in nature or meaning.

50. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) In this passage, de is connecting the statement that God is untemptable by inherently worthless things, to .  (pronounced, “au-tos”) is a personal emphatic pronoun which is used to express emphasis on the person performing an action. It means “himself” in this passage and adds emphasis to the statement such as does the English, “I will do it myself.”

51. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  (pronounced, “oo-dehn-ah”) literally means, “no one.” It is in the accusative case which identifies it as the direct object, and therefore, the recipient of the action of the verb . The accusative case also declares boundaries around an object for the sake of creating specificity about what is actually receiving the action of the verb.

52. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1)  comes at the tail end of the construct and drastically changes the constructs meaning. When coupled together with its syntactical colleagues, the last construct of verse 13 reads, “but He (God) really performs the continuous action to attempt to learn the character of something through evaluation Himself to no one.” In other words, God, Himself, really performs the continuous action to tempt no one.

53. Trial vs. Temptation (part 1) Therefore we are commanded as believers not to believe that the source of our trials or the source of tempting is God. There are two other options which we will identify before this study on Trials vs. Temptation is completed. Both of which will be discussed next session as we study verse 14.