Day Six

Matthew 6:13

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

As we read through the Psalms, Proverbs, and other parts of wisdom and poetry in the Old Testament what we soon discover is a Hebrew writing style in which two lines say the same thing but say it slightly differently. We see an example of this in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” If we are trusting in the LORD with all our heart, then we cannot lean on our own understanding. Jesus may well have been using this same stylistic technique when he said this part of the Lord’s Prayer for although two different lines are given, they are really saying the same thing. For God to lead us not into temptation is also for Him to deliver us from evil, the two parts really cannot be separated for they are one whole idea.

We know that God does not tempt anyone to sin, so this part of the Lord’s Prayer is clearly not asking God not to tempt us. Instead, it is asking God to keep us from all situations or circumstances in which we might be tempted. It is possible to be more tempted to sin when in certain environments like a challenging workplace or when in certain company such as when we are alone with someone who is not our spouse. Just as a young child quickly learns that the oven is hot and not to be touched so too, we ought to examine ourselves and find where we are most vulnerable in order that such times, places, and company can be avoided. Once we have identified them, we can ask God in His grace to deliver us from them. Temptations can come both from without and within. The world is full of them but more dangerously subtle may be the sinful desires of our own hearts with which we must wrestle.

Some people have tried to escape temptation by withdrawing from the world but none of us can avoid temptation completely. When Martin Luther was a monk, he spent more time confessing his sins than any of the other monks (we might wonder how much trouble someone can get up to in a monastery?). He later said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” Don’t play with fire. Stay away from the areas where you are weak because temptation is not something we can flirt with. Just as Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife so we must also flee when temptation comes calling. Since we know that temptations will come, let us prepare for them by seeking help from our Father who defends and guards His children.

The Greek at the end of this verse could rightly be translated as either “evil” or “the evil one” and when we consider how Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for 40 days the latter translation may be the better fit. Ultimately, we don’t need to worry too much about the translation here as both options are really saying the same thing: there is evil in this world, and we need to be on guard against it. As a nervous child seeks refuge and comfort in his parents so likewise, we ought not to be presumptuous, but to see our own weaknesses and therefore turn to God in prayer and find protection in our heavenly Father.

As Christians we must be aware of the reality that we live in the midst of spiritual warfare. We have an enemy, the devil, who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8). The devil is a powerful enemy, but he is also a defeated one. The cross and empty tomb remind us of Jesus’ victory over all the powers of spiritual darkness. The devil may be strong, but Jesus our Saviour is infinitely stronger. Let us consider some helpful advice from James 4:7-8 in closing, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” The devil knows when he is defeated. Alone we do not have the strength to resist the devil, but with the power and strength of the Holy Spirit in us we certainly do. Draw near to God. Begin with prayer. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.