What are we asking of God when we pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? (Part 3 of 3)

While the heavenly Father does not tempt anyone to sin, he does allow it. He even escorts us into precarious situations that challenge and test our faith. The purpose, it seems, is to elicit greater dependence on him and ultimately strengthen our faith and prepare for eternity.

As we acknowledge our own human frailties and weaknesses, we have God’s permission to ask in prayer, “bring us not into temptation” (Matt. 6:13a).¹ However, if we are unwilling to avail ourselves of all that he provides to help us along the way, we are missing a key component of the petition, “your will be done on earth as also in heaven” (v. 10b). Whether or not he responds to our requests according to our shortsighted preferences, we can be assured that he always answers according to his perfect will (1 John 5:14-15).²

Heavenly Provision

1. God provides opportunities to learn, develop, and grow. It is not in our best interest to be completely shielded from life’s troubles and Satan’s attacks. Like a responsible and caring parent raising children in a perilous environment, the Lord “proves” or “disciplines” those he loves (Heb. 12:6-11). How else are we to foster notable qualities like patience, humility, courage, compassion, empathy, endurance, and strength of character? 

The Lord’s purpose is not fulfilled by removing challenges, though he does help us through.³ “My brethren, consider it all joy whenever you are encompassed by various trials [πειρασμοῖς], knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance; and let the perseverance have its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing …. Blessed is the man who endures trial [πειρασμόν], that having been approved he will receive the crown of life which [God] promised to the ones loving him” (Jas. 1:2-4, 12).

2. God provides the avenue of prayer. Jesus lived each day on earth as a vulnerable human being, having no unfair advantage over the rest of us.⁴ No wonder he spent so much of his time in prayer⁵ and taught his disciples to do the same.⁶ We should not attempt to combat Satan and his evil forces alone. 

With ready access to the divine power source, we especially need to pray for one another: “Our Father … give us this day … forgive us … bring us not … deliver us …”⁷ Neglecting prayer leaves us ill equipped to resist the devil’s assaults. “But to the One having power above all things to do exceedingly beyond what we ask or think, according to the power working in us; to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all the generations forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21). 

3. God provides the Holy Spirit. As Jesus walked the earth in human flesh, at his baptism the Spirit of God came “upon” [ἐπί] him (Matt. 3:16; Luke 3:22; 4:18a), entering “into” [εἰς] him (Mark 1:10) and accompanying him thereafter.⁸ At the same time, his autonomous free will and personal accountability remained intact.⁹

As penitent believers at baptism we also receive the Holy Spirit, who accompanies us thereafter.¹⁰ We are “in” [ἐν] Christ when we have been baptized “into” [εἰς] him (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27), thus having heard and believed the word of truth and having entered Christ, we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a guarantee of our inheritance unto the redemption of the possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:13-14). At the same time, our autonomous free will and personal accountability remain intact.¹¹

We are to glorify God in our bodies because we belong to him and have his Spirit abiding in us (1 Cor. 6:18-20; cf. Rom. 6:1-23; 1 Thess. 4:1-8). To continue in sin is to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). As we prayerfully persevere through life’s challenges and eagerly anticipate the heavenly reward, “the Spirit also joins to help in our weaknesses,” interceding for us (Rom. 8:25-27). Note the cooperative effort when “you [all]” put to death the deeds of the body “by the Spirit” (Rom. 8:13; cf. v. 16; Eph. 3:16-17).  

Now disagreements abound as to exactly “when” and “how” the Spirit operates (directly, instrumentally through scripture, both?), and we surely want to avoid subjective and extreme views that twist or strain or contradict clear biblical teaching.¹²  Meanwhile let us be content knowing that God’s Spirit is so much bigger than anything we can fully comprehend, and even if we do not have it all figured out, we can still be thankful he is who he is and does what he does. At the end of the day, whether or not I believe it or fully understand it or can adequately explain it, the reality of what God does is not jeopardized or thwarted by my personal ignorance and limitations. Irrespective of the specific details of “when” and “how,” we can be assured that the Lord is present and working in our lives, which is really all we need to know. 

4. God provides his inspired word. Whatever the Holy Spirit did for Jesus, throughout his entire earthly ministry Jesus still relied on and utilized his knowledge of God’s word.¹³ The psalmist prayed, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psa. 119:11), and Jesus likewise repelled the devil’s temptations by appealing to the sacred scriptures (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; Luke 4:4, 8, 12). 

The Holy Spirit is distinct from the written word of God, yet the Spirit and the word are inseparable. Without the Holy Spirit we would not have God’s word (Eph. 3:3-5; 6:17), and without God’s word we would have neither knowledge of nor the possibility of receiving God’s Spirit (Acts 19:2; Eph. 1:13). The word of God is “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17) which effectively works in those who submit to it (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).  

5. God provides angelic ministration. We know that God providentially works in the lives of his people,¹⁴ and angels appear to be the agency through which he works.¹⁵ “Are not [angels] all ministering spirits being sent forth [presently and continuously] for service for those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:13-14). God’s holy angels, with superior power and strength (Heb. 2:6-7; 2 Pet. 2:11), are concerned about and invested in our spiritual well-being.¹⁶ Even Jesus benefitted from their help.¹⁷

6. God provides the church. Christianity was not designed as a personal religion to be experienced independently and privately. We are part of a spiritual family, members of one body, joint-citizens of a heavenly kingdom. Despite the personal struggles each person faces, we are engaged in a spiritual warfare together, a collaborative effort as fellow-soldiers fighting side-by-side.¹⁸

A key term in God’s salvific plan is ἐκκλησία (“church”), occurring about 114 times in the Greek NT and always referring to a collectivity of people.¹⁹ The plethoric NT directives involving “one another” simply cannot be obeyed on an individualistic basis.²⁰ “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be made whole; a righteous one’s effectual prayer avails much” (Jas. 5:16; cf. v. 19; Gal. 6:1-2). Each person is accountable to God, and the gospel is to be obeyed on an individual basis, yet every baptized believer is expected to look beyond self as part of a larger community of the Lord’s people.²¹ 

Conclusion

Satan tempts. God provides. We decide which path to follow. When we ask in prayer, “bring us not into temptation” (Matt. 6:13a), let us earnestly appropriate the Lord’s ample provisions as we also pray, “your will be done on earth as also in heaven” (v. 10b).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ² Matt. 6:10; 26:39; Acts 18:21; 21:14; Rom. 1:10; 15:30-33; 1 Cor. 4:19; 2 Cor. 12:7-9; Jas. 4:13-15; 1 Pet. 3:17; 4:19.

     ³ Rom. 5:3-4; 8:28; Phil. 1:12-14; 2:12-13, 17-18; 1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 4:6-18; 12:5-10; Heb. 11:8-40; 12:1-11; cf. also 2 Cor. 1:8-11; 6:1-10; Rev. 3:10. 

     ⁴ John 1:14; 2 Cor. 8:9; 13:4; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 2:9-18; 4:15; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 7. Jesus is explicitly referred to as “man” no less than 36 times in the NT, and as “the son of man” an impressive 82 times (almost entirely as a self-description). Whatever he needed on earth to confirm his identity and message was supplied to him by the heavenly Father (Matt. 9:8; 12:28; Luke 4:14-19; John 3:2; 5:30-47; 6:27, 57; 7:16; 8:16-18, 26, 29, 38, 40, 54-55; 9:4; 10:18, 25, 32; 11:4, 41-42; 12:49-50; 14:10; 16:32; Acts 2:22; 10:38).   

     ⁵ Matt. 11:25-26; 14:23; 26:39-44; 27:46; Mark 1:35; 6:45; 14:32-39; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 10:21; 11:1; 22:39-45; 23:[34], 46; John 11:41-42; 12:27-28; 17:1-26; Heb. 5:7.

     ⁶ Matt. 6:5-13; 7:7-11; 11:29; 26:41; Mark 9:29; 14:38; Luke 11:1-4, 9-13; 18:1, 7, 10-14; 22:40, 46; John 15:16; 16:23-24.

     ⁷ John 17:20; Acts 12:4; Jas. 5:14-16. Paul regularly prayed for his brethren (Rom. 1:9-10; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3-4; Col. 1:9-12; cf. 1 Thess. 1:2; 3:10; 2 Thess. 1:11) and requested their prayers on his behalf (Rom. 15:30-32; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:19-20; Phil. 1:19; Col. 4:3, 4; Philem. 22; cf. 1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1-2).

     ⁸ Matt. 12:28; Luke 4:1, 14-21; Acts 10:38-39; metaphorically described as a spiritual anointing (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; cf. Heb. 1:9). On the anointing of 1 John 2:20, 27, see K. L. Moore, “The ‘Anointing’ in 1 John,” Moore Perspective (31 Aug. 2016), <Link>. On the anointing of 2 Cor. 1:21, see K. L. Moore, “Who is ‘Anointed’ in 2 Cor. 1:21?” Moore Perspective (7 Sept. 2016), <Link>.

     ⁹ Matt. 11:27; 26:39; Luke 10:22; 22:42; John 5:30; 6:38; 7:17-18.

     ¹⁰ Acts 2:37-38; 5:32; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Cor. 5:5; Gal. 3:14; Tit. 3:5-6; 1 John 3:24; 4:13; cf. Luke 11:13. See K. L. Moore, “God’s Indwelling Spirit,” Moore Perspective (26 Aug. 2015), <Link>.Jesus was “full” [πλήρης] of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), and faithful Christians in the early church were “full” [πλήρης] of wisdom, faith, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, 5; 11:23-24); cf. Rom. 15:13-14. This does not mean the Holy Spirit does for everyone all that he did for Jesus, and vice versa. The Spirit operates “as he wills” (1 Cor. 12:11), apparently with respect to circumstances and need (cf. Matt. 25:15; 1 Cor. 2:1-5). 

     ¹¹ Rom. 2:6-10; 6:12-13, 16-19; 8:5; 11:22-23; 12:1-2, 9, 18, 21; 13:12-14; 14:5, 12; 1 Cor. 6:18; 7:36; 8:9; 10:6-10, 12, 14, 24; 14:40; 15:33; 16:13-14; 2 Cor. 2:9; 5:9; 6:1, 12-13; 7:1-2; 8:3, 12, 19; 9:2, 7; 13:5; Gal. 1:6; 2:10-13, 17; 4:9, 18; 5:1, 4, 7, 10, 13-16, 24-26; 6:1-10; Eph. 4:1-3, 14-17, 22-32; 5:1-21; 6:11, 13-18; Phil. 1:9-11, 27; 2:2-5, 12-16; 3:12-17; 4:1, 9; Col. 1:23; 2:6-8; 3:1-17; 4:5-6; 1 Thess. 1:3, 9; 2:12; 3:8; 4:1-8, 10-12; 5:8, 21-22; 2 Thess. 1:3-4; 2:15; 3:6, 11-15; 1 Tim. 1:5-6, 18-19; 3:2, 8-11, 15; 4:15-16; 5:20; 6:3-14, 17-21; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:12, 15, 19, 22-26; 3:14; 4:7; Tit. 1:6-9; 2:1-8, 11-12; 3:1-11, 14; Philem. 21; Heb. 12:1-2; Jas. 2:14-26; et al. 

     ¹² While open to anything the Lord provides to aid in our spiritual walk, we ought to be sensible enough not to attribute to God or to his Spirit thoughts, feelings, or experiences for which he may not be responsible. Since each of us will be held accountable for every careless word spoken (Matt. 12:36), we must be careful not to presumptuously credit the Lord with specific activities that cannot be substantiated in his inspired word. How do I know I have God’s Spirit living within me? The Bible tells me so.

     ¹³ Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; 5:5, 17; 7:12; 9:13; 10:35-36; 11:10, 13; 12:7, 16-21; 13:14-15, 34-35; 15:4, 8-9; 18:16; 19:4-5; 19:18-19; 21:1-5, 13, 16, 42; 22:31-32, 37-40, 43-45; 23:39; 24:15; 26:31, 54, 56; 27:46; Mark 2:25-26; 4:11-12; 7:6-7, 10; 9:12-13, 48; 10:5-9, 19; 11:17; 12:10-11, 26-, 29-31, 36-37; 13:14; 14:27; 15:34; Luke 2:46-47; 4:4, 8, 12, 17-21, 24-27; 6:3-4, 9; 7:27; 8:10; 10:12, 26-28; 11:29-32, 51; 12:27; 13:35; 16:31; 17:26-32; 18:20; 19:46; 20:17, 37-38, 41-44; 22:8, 11, 15, 37; 23:30, 46; 24:27, 32, 44-47; John 3:14; 5:38-47; 6:32, 45, 49, 58; 7:19, 22, 38, 8:39-40; 10:34-35; 12:14-16; 13:18; 15:25; 17:12.

     ¹⁴ Gen. 45:5-7; 50:20; Prov. 2:6-8; Acts 11:21; 26:22; Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 2:12; 1 Thess. 3:11; 2 Tim. 4:17-18; cf. Esth. 4:14; Philem. 15. 

     ¹⁵ Beyond the visible and communicatory activities of angels throughout the OT record and in the early developmental stages of the Christian movement, note the Lord’s providential working, not restricted to the miraculous, through the instrumentality of angels: Matt. 28:2; Acts 5:19; 12:23; Heb. 13:2; Rev. 7:1; cf. Psa. 91:11-12; Matt. 24:31; Luke 16:22; Heb. 12:22-24. See Wayne Jackson, “Do Angels Minister to Christians Today?” Christian Courier (accessed 5 Sept. 2022), <Link>.

     ¹⁶ Matt. 18:10; Luke 12:8-9; 15:7, 10; 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Tim. 5:21; Rev. 3:5. See K. L. Moore, “Questions About Angels,” Moore Perspective (26 May 2013), <Link>.

     ¹⁷ Matt. 4:11; Mark 1:13; Luke 22:43 (textual variant); cf. Matt. 26:53; Heb. 2:9.

     ¹⁸ See K. L. Moore, “Putting on God’s Whole Armor … in Context,” Moore Perspective (28 Oct. 2015), <Link>.

     ¹⁹ See K. L. Moore, “The Church of the NT,” Moore Perspective (18 July 2014), <Link>; and “Where’s the Church in the Gospel Plan of Salvation?” Moore Perspective (16 Feb. 2016), <Link>.

     ²⁰ The reciprocal pronoun ἀλλήλων (“one another”) is found no less than 100 times in the Greek NT. See K. L. Moore, “Individualism vs. Collectivism,” Moore Perspective (17 July 2019), <Link>.

     ²¹ Acts 2:41-47; Rom. 12:4-16; 1 Cor. 1:10; 10:24, 33; 12:12-27; Phil. 1:27–2:4; Heb. 3:13; 10:23-25; 1 Pet. 4:10.

Related Posts: Lead Us Not Into Temptation Part 1, Part 2, Supply in Your Faith Godliness

Related Lessons: Zach Bauman’s 6 Steps to Help in Your Struggle with Sin 

Image credit: adapted from https://godinallthings.com/2015/01/28/praying-with-your-life/

What are we asking of God when we pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? (Part 2 of 3)

Temptation to sin does not emanate “from” [ἀπό] God but from our own desires and self-deception when the devil is not resisted and the divine will is ignored or rejected (Jas. 1:13-15; 4:7). What, then, does Jesus mean when he teaches his disciples to pray, “bring us not into temptation”? In addition to what was considered in the previous post, Christ’s own experience provides the best commentary.

The Beginning of the Lord’s Ministry

At Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit came upon him, along with heavenly confirmation as God’s Son.¹ Immediately afterwards he was conducted into the wilderness (presumably in the Jordan Valley district),² where he spent the next forty days facing the devil’s temptations (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). 

Luke reports that Jesus was “led” [ἄγω], Matthew says he was “led up” [ἀνάγω], from the low-lying Jordan River to a higher elevation, whereas Mark gives a more intense description of Jesus being “driven out [ἐκβάλλω] into,” implying a compelling force that is identified by all three Synoptics as τό πνεῦμα (“the spirit”). Most English translations have interpreted the expression as “the Spirit” (capital ‘S’) in reference to the Holy Spirit, albeit without conclusive specification in the original Greek texts.³

Word Analysis

Whenever the noun πνεῦμα is qualified in the NT with the genitival ἁγίου (“holy”) or τοῦ θεοῦ (“of God”), it almost certainly refers to the divine personage of the Holy Spirit of God.⁴ However, without these qualifiers the same expression can apply to one’s own internal “spirit,”⁵ or to a nonhuman (evil) “spirit.”⁶ Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not employ modifiers here, so was Jesus driven out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, by his own convicted spirit, or by the devil?

Contextual Analysis

Contextually the Holy Spirit is most likely in view. Matthew reports that at Jesus’ baptism “the Spirit of God” (Matt. 3:16) descended upon him as a dove, identified by Luke as “the Holy Spirit” (Luke 3:22). In Mark’s parallel account this was simply “the Spirit,” then immediately “the S/spirit” drove Jesus out into the wilderness (Mark 1:10, 12). Moreover, Luke prefaces the allusion to the leading of “the S/spirit” (Luke 4:1b) with Christ “full of [the] Holy Spirit” (v. 1a),⁷ while later “Jesus returned in the power of the S/spirit to Galilee” and then applied the scripture to himself, “[The] Spirit of [the] Lord [is] upon me …” (vv. 14, 18). 

Interpreting these references as consistently applicable to the Holy Spirit allows for a smoother and more natural reading (cp. Luke 2:25-27), although the engagement of Jesus’ own internal spirit cannot be totally discounted. He resisted the devil’s attacks by quoting scriptures (Deut. 6:13, 16; 8:3) indicative of his deliberate submission to the Father’s will.  

During the Lord’s Ministry

Following his baptism Jesus was not only “led up” [ἀνήχθη – aorist passive indicative –completed past action] “into” [εἰς] the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1), he was “being led” [ἤγετο – imperfect middle or passive indicative – progressive action in the past] “in” [ἐν] the wilderness (Luke 4:1), “being tempted” [πειραζόμενος – present passive participle – continual action] during the entire forty-day period (Luke 4:2a; Mark 1:13). He successfully withstood, and “the devil departed from him until [ἄχρι] an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). The testing thus continued throughout his entire earthly life (cf. Heb. 2:18; 4:15; 5:7), and he persistently withdrew into the wilderness to pray (Luke 5:16).

The End of the Lord’s Ministry

The temptation narrative at the beginning of Christ’s ministry is parallel to a comparable episode near the end of his ministry (Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-39; Luke 22:39-46). Prior to his tortuous trials and brutal execution, as Jesus falls to the ground in earnest prayer, the inspired writers vividly describe his volatile mental and emotional state as intense “grieving” [λυπέω], “distressing” [ἀδημονέω], “very sorrowful” [περίλυπος], and “sorely dismayed” [ἐκθαμβέομαι], “even to death” (Matt. 26:37-38; Mark 14:33-34). Luke’s account, albeit beset with textual issues,⁸ includes “agony” [ἀγωνία], “and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44), symptomatic of extreme psychological distress.⁹

As recounted in all three Synoptics, from the depths of his anguished “soul” [ψυχή] Jesus repeatedly makes the fervent plea: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as you [will] …. My Father, if this is not able to pass unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matt. 26:39-44); “he was praying that if it is possible the hour might pass from him, and he was saying, ‘Father, Father, all things are possible for you; take this cup from me, but not what I will but what you [will]’” (Mark 14:35-39); “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not my will but your [will] be done” (Luke 22:41).

Irrespective of whatever may have been available to assist Jesus through such a trying ordeal, his own volition was clearly not overridden. The same is true of his disciples. In the midst of these ardent prayers, as the ones closest to him struggled with fatigue and worrisome “grief” [λύπη] (Luke 22:45), Jesus admonishes them to be attentive and to pray not to enter into temptation [πειρασμός], “indeed the spirit [τὸ πνεῦμα] is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46).

Bringing It All Together

A key tenet of the Christian faith is the incarnate humanness of Jesus,¹⁰ having become one of us “in all things” [κατά πάντα] (Heb. 2:17), including being tempted “in all things” [κατά πάντα] as we are (Heb. 4:15). Subject to human weakness,¹¹ he became the supreme example of how to live the human life in complete submission to the Father’s will.¹²

In preparation for his public ministry Jesus was led (driven) in the wilderness to face a nearly six-weeks’ onslaught of the devil’s temptations that did not cease during his time on earth. Near the end of his ministry, as he prayed, “take this cup from me,” he was essentially asking the Father to not carry him into an approaching ordeal that would put his resolve to the severest of tests, but with the caveat, “your will be done.” Knowing first-hand what it is like to face the all-out attacks of the tempter, he also instructed his followers to pray likewise, seeing that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Jesus was a man of endless trials and unrelenting prayer, providing a model for how and for what to pray, including the appeal, “bring us not into temptation.”

Although God does not cause temptation, he allows it to happen and even brings us into situations where we are confronted by trials that elicit greater dependence on him and ultimately strengthen our faith.¹³ At the same time, we must be aware of our own human frailties and weaknesses. It is neither abnormal nor inappropriate to plead with the heavenly Father to avoid or escape circumstances that challenge and potentially disrupt our allegiance to his heavenly objective. In view of God’s abiding presence and providential care, “bring us not into temptation” is a needed and comforting plea.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; cf. Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 10:38. Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ² Luke says he “returned” [ὑποστρέφω] (4:1), not to his home environment of Galilee (cf. v. 14) but to an uninhabited region where he was accustomed to withdrawing for periods of prayer. In Luke 5:16 the imperfect verb ἦν with the present participle ὑποχωρῶν indicates a customary or habitual practice, something Jesus did “often” (CSB, NASB, NKJV) or “frequently” (BSB, NET); “he continued his habit …” (ISV). Cp. Luke 22:39.

     ³ The rendering “the spirit” occurs in the American King James Version in Matt. 4:1 and Mark 1:12, and in the Douay-Rheims Bible in Matt. 4:1. The verbal ἀνάγω (Matt. 4:1) is never used elsewhere in the NT for an internal leading. The verbal ἐκβάλλω (Mark 1:12) typically involves an outward force, with the possible exception of Matt. 12:35 and its textual variant τῆς καρδίας (“of the heart”); cp. Luke 6:45. The verbal ἄγω (Luke 4:1) almost always refers to an external leading, although in 1 Cor. 12:2 irrational impulses and in 2 Tim. 3:6 various passions do the leading. Moreover, ἄγω was something done to Jesus by the Spirit, by the devil, and by antagonists (Luke 4:1, 9, 29). Elsewhere in the NT this is an action involving God (Rom. 2:4), Christ (Heb. 2:10), and the Spirit (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18).

     ⁴ Matt. 1:18, 20; 3:11, 16; 12:28, 31-32; 28:19; Mark 1:8; 3:29; 12:36; 13:11; Luke 1:15, 35, 41, 67; 2:25, 26; 3:16, 22; 4:1a; 10:21; 11:13; 12:10, 12; cf. also Matt. 10:20; 12:18; Luke 4:18.

     ⁵ Matt. 5:3; 26:41; 27:50; Mark 2:6; 8:12; 14:38; Luke 1:17, 47, 80; 8:55; 9:55; 23:46; cf. Luke 24:37, 39.

     ⁶ Matt. 8:16; 10:1; 12:43, 45; Mark 1:23, 26-27; 3:11, 30; 5:2, 8, 13; 6:7; 7:25; 9:17, 20, 25; Luke 4:33, 36; 6:18; 7:21; 8:2, 29; 9:39, 42; 10:18-20; 11:24, 26; cf. Luke 13:11; 24:37.

     ⁷ Compare Luke 1:15; Acts 6:3, 5; 7:55; 11:24.

     ⁸ While undisputed in the Byzantine Majority Text, the editors of UBS⁵ and NA²⁸ have enclosed Luke 22:43-44 in double square brackets, considering the verses to have been absent from the original and added in the early stages of transmission. On the diverse manuscript evidence, see P. W. Comfort, A Commentary on the Text and Manuscripts of the NT 235-36; B. M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek NT (2nd ed.) 151. Unlike other textual variants, this passage does not depend on parallel accounts or provide an explanation to the narrative. In fact, angelic activity is thematic in Luke’s writings (Luke 1:11-19, 26-38; 2:9-13, 15, 21;  4:10; 9:26; 12:8-9; 15:10; 16:22; 20:36; [22:43]; 24:23; Acts 5:19; 6:15; 7:30, 35, 38, 53; 8:26; 10:3, 7, 22; 11:13; 12:7-11, 15, 23; 23:8-9; 27:23), and as a physician Luke would surely have an interest in bloody sweat. Notwithstanding the possibility of accidental omission, absence from some manuscripts (passed on to others) could be due to scribal excision as an attempt to harmonize Luke’s report with the other Gospels or to avoid the perception of Jesus’ heightened human weakness. For a fairly balanced assessment of the textual issues, see Dirk Jongkind, “Luke 22:43-44. An early addition?” Evangelical Textual Criticism (16 March 2018), <Link>.

     ⁹ Medically, hematidrosis (bloody sweat), albeit rare, is the result of capillaries hemorrhaging into the sweat glands due to extreme mental anguish. See W. D. Edwards, W. J. Gabel, F. E. Hosmer, “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ,” JAMA 255:11 (21 March 1986): 1456.

     ¹⁰ John 1:14; Phil. 2:5-8; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 7. See K. L. Moore, “Jesus Christ: the Son of Man,” Moore Perspective (23 July 2017), <Link>.

     ¹¹ 2 Cor. 13:4; cf. Isa. 53:2-12; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:5-8; 1 Pet. 3:18. 

     ¹² Luke 5:16; John 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; 12:27-28; 18:11; cf. Matt. 26:39-44; Mark 14:35-39; Luke 22:41.

     ¹³ 2 Cor. 12:5-10; Heb. 11:8-40; 12:1-11; Jas. 1:2-4, 12.

Related Posts: Lead Us Not Into Temptation Part 1, Part 3

 

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What are we asking of God when we pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? (Part 1 of 3)

What has traditionally been labeled “the Lord’s Prayer,” or more appropriately “a model prayer,” was taught by Jesus as a sample of how to pray (Matt. 6:5-15; Luke 11:2-4). It includes the petition, in English translation, “lead us not into temptation,” which some have interpreted to mean that God deviously tempts humans to do what he condemns.¹ This has prompted a call to adapt the wording to a more tolerable, “do not let us fall into temptation.”² But mistranslation based on misinterpretation is not a satisfactory solution. 

Would the heavenly Father really lead us into temptation if we neglected to ask him not to? Is it necessary to request that he refrain from doing what he would never do? Is there something we might be missing about what Jesus expects his disciples to pray for?

Defining Terms

The verbal πειράζω in the Greek NT can simply mean to “try,” as in making an attempt,³ but usually means to “test,” whether for teaching or confirming,⁴ or to trap with sinister motives,⁵ including luring into sin,⁶ or to challenge God.⁷ In some instances a double nuance might be inferred, i.e., testing by trials and tempting.⁸ The noun form πειρασμός essentially refers to a difficult “trial” that may serve as a “test,” particularly in assessing one’s commitment to the Lord. It can apply to adversity or physical suffering,⁹ or to any type of challenge to one’s faith,¹⁰ including enticement to sin.¹¹ Again, in some instances a double nuance might be inferred, i.e., trials and temptations.¹² This study mainly concerns the latter, although clear distinctions are not always discernable.¹³

The Process of Temptation

When it comes to allurements to sin, the devil has a role, we have a role, and God has a role. 

·      The devil is recognized as ὁ πειράζων, “the tempting [one]” or simply “the tempter” (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5; cf. Matt. 5:37; 13:19; 1 Cor. 7:5). 

·      With free-will moral capacity, each accountable human being is personally responsible for how the devil’s temptations are handled in his or her own life (Matt. 13:20-23; 1 Tim. 6:9; Jas. 1:14; 4:1-4). While everyone is the tempter’s target, those who persistently capitulate also become his agents (cf. Matt. 5:39; 13:38; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:15). 

·      God provides the necessary tools for warning against, resisting, escaping, and overcoming the devil’s ploys (1 Cor. 10:13; Eph. 6:10-18; Jas. 1:12; 4:7-10; 1 Pet. 5:6-11).

According to James 1:13-15, God actively “tempts” [πειράζει] no one “of evils” [κακῶν]. Enticement to sin, therefore, does not come “from” [ἀπό] God but from one’s own desires and self-deception when the devil is not resisted and the divine will is ignored or rejected (cf. vv. 21-27; 2:19-26; 3:13-18; 4:1-10).

Does God Have an Active Role in Temptation?

In Matthew 6:13a and Luke 11:4b, when Jesus instructs his disciples to ask the Father, “lead us not into temptation” (ESV, NASB, NET, NIV, N/KJV, RSV), in both passages the verbal εἰσφέρω is employed, a combination of φέρω (to “bring” or “carry”) + εἰς (“in,” “unto,” “into”). Elsewhere in the NT the sense is always to “bring” or “carry,”¹⁴ thus the petition should read, if translated consistently, “bring us not into temptation” (ASV, ISV, CSB, NRSV, WEB).¹⁵ This more readily implies the heavenly Father’s presence and involvement. He not only leads, he accompanies.¹⁶

But in what sense would the heavenly Father ever bring or carry us into temptation that would occasion a prayer like this? In the vein of Hebrew parallelism, the contrast is between “bring [εἰσφέρω] not into temptation” and “deliver [ῥῦσαι] from the evil [one].”¹⁷ The entreaty does not ask God to abstain from tempting, which would be nonsensical, but to guide us away (deliver, rescue) from the evil one’s allurements. Even so, it follows that if God explicitly delivers or rescues from (cf. 2 Pet. 2:9), he also implicitly brings into – not temptation itself but situations where temptations (and trials) are possible, likely, or inevitable.  

The Jewish Context

The prayers of the Hebrew psalter repeatedly petition God for guidance in the right direction¹⁸ and affirm that he acts accordingly.¹⁹ Although the concepts of “leading” and “bringing” could be viewed interchangeably,²⁰ the latter involves a more personal and intimate description of God’s abiding presence, elsewhere stated more explicitly.²¹ While he can and does lead instrumentally, Hebrew verbs like yatsa [יָצָא] more clearly convey an active and direct “bringing” or “carrying.”²²

The psalmist duly prayed, “Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to unjust gain” (Psa. 119:36); “Do not incline my heart to practice anything evil with wicked men who work iniquity, and do not let me eat of their delicacies” (Psa. 141:4).²³ At the same time, personal accountability is understood: “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psa. 119:11); “I have inclined my heart to do your statutes indefinitely to the end” (Psa. 119:112).

Concluding Thoughts

In the Lord’s model prayer, the “bring us not into temptation” appeal is preceded by a recognition that the heavenly Father already knows our needs, along with a desire for his will to be done and a request for forgiveness (Matt. 5:8-12). Beyond the immediate context, to get the clearest sense of what Jesus teaches about prayer, what better commentary than his own experience? To be continued …

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Fabio Frustaci, “Lead us not into temptation,” The Conversation (8 Dec. 2017), <Link>.

     ² Harriet Sherwood, “Lead us not into temptation: pope wants the Lord’s prayer changed,” The Guardian (8 Dec. 2017), <Link>. Note also CEV, ERV, God’s Word^®, The Message, J. B. Phillips, NLT, NLV. Calls to change the wording of this prayer also include the reference to “our Father”: see Harriet Sherwood, “Lord's Prayer opening may be 'problematic,'” The Guardian (7 July 2023), <Link>.

     ³ Acts 9:26; 16:7; 24:6. Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ⁴ John 6:6; 2 Cor. 13:5; Heb. 11:17, [37]; Rev. 2:2, 10; 3:10.

     ⁵ Matt. 16:1; 19:3; 22:18, 35; Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:15; Luke 11:16; John 8:6.

     ⁶ Matt. 4:1, 3; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2; 1 Cor. 7:5; Gal. 6:1; 1 Thess. 3:5; Jas. 1:13-14.

     ⁷ Acts 5:9; 15:10; 1 Cor. 10:9; Heb. 3:9.

     ⁸ 1 Cor. 10:13b; Heb. 2:18; 4:15.

     ⁹ Luke 22:28; Acts 20:19; 1 Pet. 1:6-7; 4:12-13.

     ¹⁰ Luke 8:13; 1 Cor. 10:13; Gal. 4:14; Heb. 3:8; Jas. 1:2-3, 12; Rev. 3:10.

     ¹¹ Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 4:13; 22:40, 46; 1 Tim. 6:9. This appears to be the sense in Matt. 6:13a; Luke 11:4b, somewhat parallel to Matt. 26:41; Luke 22:40, 46.

     ¹² Luke 8:13; 1 Cor. 10:13a; 2 Pet. 2:9.

     ¹³ “But it would be a mistake to distinguish the connotations sharply; for every enticement to sin tests faith, and every test of faith holds an enticement to sin” (Robert H. Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary [2nd ed.] 109).

     ¹⁴ Luke 5:18, 19; 12:11; Acts 17:20; 1 Tim. 6:7; Heb. 13:11. Notwithstanding the prepositional prefix, the compound verb εἰσφέρω parallels 2 Pet. 1:21, wherein men are said to have spoken from God, being “brought” or “carried” [φέρω] by [ὑπό] the Holy Spirit. In Heb. 12:7 the verbal προσφέρω is a combination of φέρω + πρός (“to,” “towards”); note also 11:17. Throughout Hebrews this compound word is used in the sense of “offer” (5:1, 3, 7; 8:3-4; 9:7, 9, 14, 25, 28; 10:1-2, 8, 11-12; 11:4, 17).

     ¹⁵ Young’s Literal Translation inconsistently renders the verb “lead” (Matt. 6:13) and “bring” (Luke 11:4b).

     ¹⁶ In Luke’s writings, with greater literary precision, when the idea of “leading” or “guiding” is conveyed, the verbal εἰσάγω is more commonly used (Luke 2:27; 14:21; 22:54; Acts 7:45; 9:8; 21:28, 29, 37; 22:24; outside of Luke only in John 18:16; Heb. 1:6). God not only “led” Israel from Egypt (Ex. 13:17-18, 21; 15:13), he “brought” them (Ex. 3:8, 17; 6:6, 7; 7:4, 5; 12:17, 42, 51; 13:3, 9, 14, 16; 29:46; Psa. 105:37, 43; 107:14; 136:11), and not merely by command (Ex. 6:13; 7:6) but with his very presence (Ex. 3:12; 18:19; 20:24; 29:42-46; 33:14; 34:5, 9).

     ¹⁷ With textual variation, the Byzantine Majority Text includes this contrasting clause in both passages, whereas in Luke’s account it is omitted in the NA²⁷ and UBS⁵ Greek texts with an abridged version.

     ¹⁸ Psa. 5:8; 27:11; 31:3; 43:3a; 61:2; 139:24; 143:10. 

     ¹⁹ Psa. 23:3; 67:4; 73:24; 77:20; 107:30; 139:10.

     ²⁰ Psa. 31:3-4; 43:3; 60:9; 108:10. 

     ²¹ Psa. 14:5; 16:8-11; 21:6; 23:4; 46:7, 11; 51:11; 54:4; 68:7-8; 73:23-24; 91:15; 139:7-10, 18, 24; 140:13.

     ²² Psa. 25:15, 17; 31:4; 37:6; 142:7; 143:11; 107:28; 136:11.

     ²³ The active voice is sometimes substituted for the passive for emphasis. “Active verbs were used by the Hebrews to express, not the doing, but the permission of the thing which the agent is said to do” (James MacKnight, A New Literal Translation: Apostolical Epistles, with Commentary and Notes 29).

Related Posts: Lead Us Not Into Temptation Part 2, Part 3

 

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