Are We Overtaken by the “Common” Temptations of Man?
The word most commonly translated as "overtake" in a Biblical context is “Nasag”. Nasag is a verb that means "to reach," "to attain," "to catch up with," or "to seize". It often has a two-way (casual) meaning, such as "to cause to move away" or "to make it so one cannot escape".
1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man".
Here are a few more words that have descriptive impact on us, from the choices we make.
Radaf: In Psalm 23, the word translated as "follow" is radaf, which more accurately means "to pursue".
Taqeph and aphaph are two other words that are used in specific contexts that would mean (to overpower, prevail) or (to surround, encompass).
NOTE: BOTH which describe how suffering or evil can seize a person.
Defining Nasag’s Actions listed in Deuteronomy 28:2 (and Leviticus 26:5)
28 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your GOD, being careful to do all His Commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your GOD will put you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 and all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the Lord your GOD:
3 “Blessed will you be in the city and blessed will you be in the country.
4 “Blessed will be the children of your womb, the produce of your ground, and the offspring of your animals: the newborn of your herd and the young of your flock.
5 “Blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.
6 “Blessed will you be when you come in and blessed will you be when you go out.
7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways. 8 The Lord will Command the blessing for you in your barns and in everything that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land that the Lord your GOD is giving you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the Commandments of the Lord your GOD and walk in His Ways. 10 So all the people of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 The Lord will give you more than enough prosperity, in the children of your womb, in the offspring of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless every work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will only be above, and not be underneath, if you listen to the Commandments of the Lord your GOD which I am Commanding you today, to follow them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the Words which I am Commanding you today, to the right or the left, to pursue other gods to serve them.
NOTE: In verse (2) “…and all these blessings will come to you and reach you…” is the word NASAG.
The imagery linked to "overtaken" (nasag) in Hebrew varies greatly depending on the context. This action carries significant Biblical implications. If we used the terms consequences or effects, I suppose there would be a better understanding. One of the effects of obeying the Law (Words) of GOD would be “His Blessings would pursue us”, according to Deuteronomy 28:2 and Leviticus 26:5. The word nasag is used in both of these references to get GOD’s point across. This word alone is used to describe how GOD's blessings will "overtake" the people IF they obey His Commandments.
The imagery (pictures, metaphors and descriptions) suggests blessings so plentiful and continuous that people cannot escape them, as if GOD is hunting them down and chasing the obedient one(s) to give them gifts (blessing and favor).
The ”consequences” of obedience is inescapable, according to Scripture. : The word nasag is also used to describe the certainty and inevitability of ELOHIM’s judgment or “curses”. The Biblical word for curses is “qelalah”, which means “a criticism, or spoken stain.” This situation is often contrasted with berakhah (blessing); and it appears in covenant contexts.
NOTE: Covenantal environments do not do things that harm the desired actions, words and responses. Which lets us know, if the LORD is not chasing us down with blessings (gifts), we have DONE something, or likewise NOT done something.
Disobedience creates an image of soon-coming consequences that relentlessly pursue and capture the wrongdoer, like a hunter catching their prey. …if you will.
Interestingly enough, the plots of the chronicles in the portions of Exodus 14:9 and 1 Samuel 30:8 use "overtake" as a literal military term. This describes one army successfully catching up with a fleeing enemy force. I know many of you recall hiding from your parents, when you were made aware you were in trouble. Why would anyone run from a loving authoritarian figure, when they have obeyed their wishes and/or expectations?
Sadly, here is another Scriptural reference that gives even more of a visual of someone evoking images of someone being overwhelmed by circumstances. “…sins [that] have overtaken me, so that I am bent down with their weight" (Psalm 40:12) or the sword and famine that will overtake those who flee GOD's warning (Jeremiah 42:16).
Oh, it becomes worse. In 1 Corinthians, Paul directly addressed the substantial influence of the adulterous and immoral Greco-Roman culture on the Messianic (Christian) community. The city of Corinth was famous for its wealth, commercial prominence, and a reputation for wicked and lustful behavior and pagan sewage.
NOTE: Hanging around Greek culture will do some stuff to you. The Greco-Romans were quite nasty and degrading. This was one of the major knocks Paul spoke of. This is the culture of these Unites States, and others.
Some of the issues that had manifested in the believing kehillahs (communities) were pagan religious practices were going strong. In Corinth, the city's religious landscape included numerous temples, notably the significant temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, which was associated with forms of cultic prostitution.
I think the stage has been prepared for our next section. We are now getting into TEMPATION. We must use HEBREW, because that is the language of the people we are talking about.
NOTE: There were some Greeks that that were transformed in their faith, but the struggle is for those who knew the Way and chose to allow the sinful ways and culture to come into the “house of the GOD of the LORD.”
The most common term translated as "temptation" is nissayon. However, this word carries a distinct and necessary hint compared to the common English understanding of temptation as an enticement to do evil.
In Biblical Hebrew culture, temptation nissayon is often synonymous with "testing" or "trial," intended to prove a person's character and commitment to GOD, rather than an enticement to do evil from GOD. In other cultures, particularly Western ones that are influenced by Greek and Roman thought, temptation is more distinctly an enticement to sin or an appeal to selfish (egocentric) desires.
Nissayon is best understood as a "test," "trial," or "challenge". Its primary purpose is not to lure a person into sin, but to reveal and strengthen character. A nissayon is an opportunity for an individual to actualize their hidden potential and inner strengths. It brings out the reality of one's commitment and faith.
If you and I take a deeper look-see (dive) into the temptation, we should ask ourselves “What is going on HERE?” and “Is this REALLY a temptation for me?” and “Do I have the power to resist?” and “Will I resist and submit to the Truth of GOD that I already know?”
Each scenario will provide an opportunity for growth. How so? I am glad you asked.
When (if) you and I successfully overcome a trial, we will achieve a higher spiritual level and become a stronger individual. Is it that easy? We must choose to walk away. It has not been so easy for me in some areas. However, in others, I have done waaaaaay better. I so desire to be stronger in every challenge I face. I must choose to overcome.
Each and every compulsion, lure, persuasion or “temptation” forces a person to make a conscious choice of clarity loyalty. We will have a preference between our natural inclinations or external pressures and the commitment to GOD's will and the Commandments (mitzvot).
REVISIT: The Hebrew verb related to nissayon IS nasah, which means "to test," "to try," or "to prove."
A notable EXAMPLE is when "GOD tested Abraham". Was it a difficult challenge given by GOD? In today’s vernacular, that would be a DUH! Why would the Father Who promised Abraham a son, be calling for the murder of that same child? Maybe, the True and Wise ADONAI desired to reveal and demonstrate Abraham's profound faith and obedience. It was NOT to cause Abraham to fail. The LORD GOD knew what was in Abraham’s heart, but the proof that was to be shown, revealed and know was FOR Abraham to learn about himself.
CONNECTIVE Spiritual Tissue: see Deuteronomy 8, for another reference to GOD’s approach for training us to trust Him.
NOTE: In essence, while the tempter's goal is to make one fail, the purpose of a nissayon is to provide an opportunity for success and spiritual elevation.
In Corinth, there was widespread sexual immorality. The general attitude towards sexual conscience and moral values was permissive by Judeans and later standards of those gentiles who chose to follow the Words of the Messiah.
The Greek verb korinthiazesthai ("to Corinthianize") became a slang term meaning "to practice fornication" or engage in debauchery, illustrating the city's notorious reputation.
This societal acceptance led to specific issues within the church (kehillah) as a whole, such as the man living with his stepmother. (1 Corinthians 5:1), “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.”
TO BE CLEAR, Paul was speaking to the believing Judeans and Greeks in Corinth. It was composed of both Jewish and Gentile converts living in a city known for its rampant immorality and idol worship.
He said that "no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man" to address specific issues within the Corinthian body of believers, such as disunity, sexual immorality, and participating in pagan feasts.
Paul used the term "common to man" for these temptations to emphasize that while the specific forms were culturally unique to Corinth, the underlying human desires for pleasure, power, and status were universal, and could be overcome through faith in GOD. The meaning is that the temptations humans face are universal and that others have gone through similar struggles before.
The verse goes on to say that GOD is faithful and provides a way of escape from every temptation so that it can be endured.
Temptation is a universal struggle, because the GOD of all of creation desires that “all men will come to repentance”, and for all of the same creation will learn to trust Him, as He knows what He has for each and every one of them.
Greek and Christian Influence listed in the New Testament (Brit Chadasha), the transliterated Greek word for temptation is peirasmos, which also carries the double meaning of "trial" or "temptation". However, the Hebrew Epistle of James clarifies that while believers will face trials, GOD does not directly tempt people to sin; rather, individuals are tempted by their own inner desires.
Western (Greek) thought is largely influenced by the story of Adam and Eve and the fall of man, views temptation as an attraction to act contrary to GOD's Commandments, often stemming from internal lusts, the world, or the devil. Jesus's temptation in the wilderness is a central narrative, presenting universal human struggles with immediate needs, power, and identity.
At the core, while all cultures deal with the human struggle between desire and right action, Hebrew culture emphasizes the role of temptation as a test for spiritual growth and character, while other cultures often view it as an enticement to evil that must be overcome through celestial assistance and moral discipline.
Paul uses the history of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness as a cautionary tale, pointing out that even though they had been blessed by GOD, they still gave in to various temptations.
LOOKING BACK: The grumbling and testing GOD is what the freed mixed-multitudes (like us) did in complaining against GOD and His provisions, which was nothing short of a lack of faith that led to severe consequences.
LOOKING FORWARD: Paul was providing instruction and a warning to the Corinthians, using the history of ancient Israel as a cautionary example. The Israelites, despite having witnessed GOD's power and provision, fell into idolatry, sexual immorality, and grumbling, which led to their destruction.
By telling the Corinthian believers, that “their temptations were common to man," Paul was reminding them that everyone, even the seemingly strong, is susceptible to sin, and "let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).
TAKE THIS AS AN OFFERING of ENCOURAGEMENT, NOT DESPAIR: This post was not that temptation is easy to resist, but that it is bearable because GOD is faithful and will provide a "way of escape" (a means to endure it). The temptations were not uniquely overwhelming or an excuse for sin.