Thomas Constable's Expository Notes

Some interpreters view verse 13 as containing one petition while others believe Jesus intended two. Probably one is correct in view of the close connection of the ideas. They are really two sides of one coin.

“Temptation” is the Greek peirasmos and means “testing.” It refers not so much to solicitation to evil as to trials that test the character. God does not test (peirasmos) anyone (James 1:13-14). Why then do we need to pray that He will not lead us into testing? Even though God is not the instrumental cause of our testing He does permit us to experience temptation from the world, the flesh, and the devil (cf. 4:1; Gen. 22:1; Deut. 8:2). Therefore this petition is a request that He minimize the occasions of our testing that may result in our sinning. It articulates the repentant disciple’s felt weakness to stand up under severe trials in view of our sinfulness (cf. Prov. 30:7-9).[357]),” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 41:3 (September 1998):353-65.

“But” introduces the alternative. “Deliver us” could mean “spare us from” or “deliver us out of.” The meaning depends on what “evil” means. Is this a reference to evil generally or to the evil one, Satan? When the Greek preposition apo (“from”) follows “deliver,” it usually refers to deliverance from people. When ek (“from”) follows it, it always refers to deliverance from things.[358] Here apo occurs. Also, the adjective “evil” has an article modifying it in the Greek text, which indicates that it is to be taken as a substantive: “the evil one.” God does not always deliver us from evil, but He does deliver us from the evil one.[359]

However the Old Testament predicted that a time of great evil would precede the establishment of the kingdom (Jer. 30). Some commentators, including non-premillenarians, have understood the evil in this petition as a reference to Satanic opposition that will come to its full force before the kingdom begins.[360] God later revealed through Paul that Christians will not go through this Tribulation (1 Thess. 1:10; 4:13-18; et al.). Consequently we do not need to pray for deliverance from it but from other occasions of testing.

Some have seen a veiled reference to the Trinity in these last three petitions. The Father provides our bread through His creation and providence, the Son’s atonement secures our forgiveness, and the Spirit’s enablement assures our spiritual victory.

THE FREE BIBLE COMMENTARY

The First Christian Primer: Matthew

By Dr. Bob Utley, retired professor of hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation)

6:13
NASB. NKJV	"do not lead us into temptation"
NRSV	"do not bring us to the time of trial"
TEV	"do not bring us to hard testing"
NJB, REB	"do not put us to the test"
Peshitta	"do not let us enter into temptation"

This is a negative aorist active subjunctive. This grammatical construction meant "do not ever begin an action." There has been much discussion about this verse as compared with James 1:13, concerning God's agency in testing. There is a play on the connotation of two Greek words translated "test" or "try." The one here and in James 1:13 has the connotation of testing for the purpose of destroying [peirasmo]; the other has a connotation of testing for the purpose of strengthening [dokimazo]. God does not test believers so as to destroy, but to strengthen.

Possibly this referred to the intense governmental and legal trials of that day (cf. Matt. 26:41; Mark 13:8). C. C. Torrey in The Four Gospels, pp. 12, 143. translates it as "keep us from failing under trial" (cf. Luke 22:40).

Special Topic: Greek Terms for "Testing" and Their Connotations

NASB, Peshitta	"from evil"
NKJV, NRSV, JB, REB	"from the evil one"
TEV, NJB	"from the Evil One"

It is impossible grammatically to determine whether this term was masculine or neuter. This same form referred to Satan in Matt. 5:37, 13:38, and John. 17:15. This same ambiguous form appears in Matt. 5:37; 6:13; 13:19,38; John. 17:15; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 John. 2:13,14; 3:12; 5:18-19.

Special Topic: Personal Evil)

▣ The Doxology of Matt. 6:13b is not found in

1. 
   
2. the parallel of Luke 11:2-4
3. the ancient Greek uncial manuscripts א, B, D
4. the commentaries of Origen, Cyprian, Jerome, or Augustine

There are several forms of this doxology in the different Greek manuscripts of Matthew. It probably was added from 1 Chr. 29:11-13 as the Lord's prayer began to be used in liturgical ways by the early Church. It was not original. Roman Catholic liturgy omits it because it is not in the Vulgate. A. T. Robertson commented on this text in his Word Pictures in the New Testament, "The Doxology is placed in the margin of the Revised Version. It is wanting in the oldest and best Greek manuscripts. The earliest forms vary much, some shorter, some longer than the one in the Authorized Version. The use of a doxology arose when this prayer began to be used as a liturgy to be recited or to be chanted in public worship. It was not an original part of the Model Prayer as given by Jesus," p. 55. The UBS4 rates the omission as "A" (certain).

MATTHEW HENRY

6. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. This petition is expressed,

(1.) Negatively: Lead us not into temptation. Having prayed that the guilt of sin may be removed, we pray, as it is fit, that we may never return again to folly, that we may not be tempted to it. It is not as if God tempted any to sin but, "Lord, do not let Satan loose upon us chain up that roaring lion, for he is subtle and spiteful Lord, do not leave us to ourselves (Psalm 19:13), for we are very weak Lord, do not lay stumbling-blocks and snares before us, nor put us into circumstances that may be an occasion of falling." Temptations are to be prayed against, both because of the discomfort and trouble of them, and because of the danger we are in of being overcome by them, and the guilt and grief that then follow.

(2.) Positively: But deliver us from evil apo tou ponerou--from the evil one, the devil, the tempter "keep us, that either we may not be assaulted by him, or we may not be overcome by those assaults:" Or from the evil thing, sin, the worst of evils an evil, an only evil that evil thing which God hates, and which Satan tempts men to and destroys them by. "Lord, deliver us from the evil of the world, the corruption that is in the world through lust from the evil of every condition in the world from the evil of death from the sting of death, which is sin: deliver us from ourselves, from our own evil hearts: deliver us from evil men, that they may not be a snare to us, nor we a prey to them."

JOHN CALVIN

Verse 13

13.And lead us not into temptation Some people have split this petition into two. This is wrong: for the nature of the subject makes it manifest, that it is one and the same petition. The connection of the words also shows it: for the word but, which is placed between, connects the two clauses together, as Augustine judiciously explains. The sentence ought to be resolved thus, That we may not be led into temptation, deliver us from evil The meaning is: “We are conscious Of our own weakness, and desire to enjoy the protection of God, that we may remain impregnable against all the assaults of Satan.” We showed from the former petition, that no man can be reckoned a Christian, who does not acknowledge himself to be a sinner; and in the same manner, we conclude from this petition, that we have no strength for living a holy life, except so far as we obtain it from God. Whoever implores the assistance of God to overcome temptations, acknowledges that, unless God deliver him, he will be constantly falling. (441)

The word temptation is often used generally for any kind of trial. In this sense God is said to have tempted Abraham, (Genesis 22:1,) when he tried his faith. We are tempted both by adversity and by prosperity: because each of them is an occasion of bringing to light feelings which were formerly concealed. But here it denotes inward temptation, which may be fitly called the scourge of the devil, for exciting our lust. It would be foolish to ask, that God would keep us free from every thing which makes trial of our faith. All wicked emotions, which excite us to sin, are included under the name of temptation Though it is not impossible that we may feel such pricks in our minds, (for, during the whole course of our life, we have a constant warfare with the flesh,) yet we ask that the Lord would not cause us to be thrown down, or suffer us to be overwhelmed, by temptations

In order to express this truth more clearly, that we are liable to constant stumbling and ruinous falls, if God does not uphold us with his hand, Christ used this form of expression, ( μὴ εἰσενέγκὟς ,) Lead us not into temptation: or, as some render it, Bring us not into temptation It is certainly true, that “every man is tempted,” as the Apostle James says, (James 1:14) “by his own lust:” yet, as God not only gives us up to the will of Satan, to kindle the flame of lust, but employs him as the agent of his wrath, when he chooses to drive men headlong to destruction, he may be also said, in a way peculiar to himself, to lead them into temptation In the same sense, “an evil spirit from the Lord” is said to have “ seized or troubled Saul,” (1 Samuel 16:14 :) and there are many passages of Scripture to the same purpose. And yet we will not therefore say, that God is the author of evil: because, by giving men over to a reprobate mind,” (Romans 1:28,) he does not exercise a confused tyranny, but executes his just, though secret (442) judgments.

Deliver us from evil The word evil ( πονηροῦ) may either be taken in the neuter gender, as signifying the evil thing, or in the masculine gender, as signifying the evil one Chrysostom refers it to the Devil, who is the contriver of every thing evil, and, as the deadly enemy of our salvation, is continually fighting against us. (443) But it may, with equal propriety, be explained as referring to sin There is no necessity for raising a debate on this point: for the meaning remains nearly the same, that we are in danger from the devil and from sin, if the Lord does not protect and deliver us.

For thine is the kingdom It is surprising that this clause, which agrees so well with the rest of the prayer, has been left out by the Latins: (444) for it was not added merely for the purpose of kindling our hearts to seek the glory of God, and of reminding us what ought to be the object of our prayers; but likewise to teach us, that our prayers, which are here dictated to us, are founded on God alone, that we may not rely on our own merits.

ENDURING WORD - DAVID GUZIK

iv. Temptation literally means a test, not always a solicitation to do evil. God has promised to keep us from any testing that is greater than what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).

v. “God, while he does not ‘tempt’ men to do evil (James 1:13), does allow his children to pass through periods of testing. But disciples, aware of their weakness, should not desire such testing, and should pray to be spared exposure to such situations in which they are vulnerable.” (France)

vi. “The man who prays ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ and then goes into it is a liar before God…‘Lead us not into temptation,’ is shameful profanity when it comes from the lips of men who resort to places of amusement whose moral tone is bad.” (Spurgeon)

vii. If we truly pray, lead us not into temptation, it will be lived out in several ways. It will mean:

· Never boast in your own strength.

· Never desire trials.

· Never go into temptation.

· Never lead others into temptation.

NET BIBLE NOTES
13 And do not lead us into temptation,1 but deliver us from the evil one.2 

1 tn Or “into a time of testing.”

sn The request do not lead us into temptation is not to suggest God causes temptation, but is a rhetorical way to ask for his protection from sin. Some interpreters see this as a specific request to avoid a time of testing that might lead to a crisis of faith, but occurring as it does toward the end of the prayer, a more general request for protection from sin seems more likely.

2 tn The term πονηροῦ (ponērou) may be understood as specific and personified, referring to the devil, or possibly as a general reference to evil. It is most likely personified since it is articular (τοῦ πονηροῦ, tou ponērou). Cf. also “the evildoer” in 5:39, which is the same construction.