Repeated Ideas Help Bring Out Meaning

Repeated words in a passage of Scripture, chapter, or even a whole book are valuable signposts that often help us uncover the meaning of a Text. But sometimes, the words themselves do not repeat--the ideas do. A good Bible expositor should have a trained ear for repeated words and ideas.  

For example, the third temptation of Satan in Luke 4 plays out through a repeated idea and pattern when almost none of the words repeat.  

Luke 4:9-12 says, "And he [Satan] took him [Jesus] to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and 'One their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.' And Jesus answered him, 'It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord God to the test'" (ESV, italics added for emphasis).

After Jesus preached in the Nazarene Synagogue, the people tried to kill him. Luke 4:28-30 says, "When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away" (italics added for emphasis).

Then Jesus confronted a demon. Luke 4:35 says, "But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be Silent and come out of him!' And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm" (italics added for emphasis).     

There's a repeating idea and pattern. The Greek words behind "throw him down" are not the same. ("βάλε σεαυτὸν ἐντεῦθεν," "κατακρημνίσαι αὐτόν," and "ῥῖψαν αὐτὸν.") Yet, the idea of throwing down or being thrown down or being cast down is the same. And there's a claim of protection that follows. No harm comes. Satan quoted Psalm 91, saying that God will guard and not even a foot will hit a stone. Luke carefully pointed out that Jesus was not thrown off a cliff but passed through their midsts. God protected him. And when the demon threw the man down, Luke carefully noted that the man was not harmed.  

The Old Testament Scriptures quoted by Satan and Jesus bring out even more meaning from this repeated pattern. Satan cited Psalm 91:11-12. That psalm opens by saying, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" It goes on to proclaim that God will deliver from all the snares and traps of the fouler. Remarkably, verse 13, following what Satan quoted, says, "You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot." Then, verses 14-16 bring a powerful message of hope of salvation and protection from God. They say, "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.  When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."  

Jesus responded to Satan by quoting the first part of Deuteronomy 6:16 -- "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." The verse continues, saying, "as you tested him at Massah." The Massah event (Exodus 17:1-7) is when the people grumbled against Moses because they had no water and believed they would die. Moses asked why they were testing God, which was a way of pointing out that they did not trust God and were not in obedience to the Lord. Then, God provided water from a stone. Deuteronomy 6 continues with instructions to obey God's commandments because it will go well. It is a picture of trusting rather than doubting the Lord.     

With these quoted passages in view, the pattern of trust and protection becomes much more significant throughout the chapter. The Old Testament passages were not reserved for Jesus but encouragement and instruction to all of God's people. The three-fold pattern seen from Satan's temptation to the demon unable to harm the person opens up a great deal of meaning from this passage.  

The point: Look not just for repeated words but also for repeated ideas.