Our Father

And Lead Us Not into Temptation

There are some who have sinned, but desire to be pardoned for their sins; therefore they confess them and repent, but do not make a complete effort not to fall into sin again. This indeed is illogical, that on the one hand a man weep for his sins as he repents, and on the other hand multiply the very thing that made him weep, when he sins. Therefore the Prophet says "Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil." (Is. 1.16) And therefore in the previous part Christ taught us to ask for the pardon of our sins; while in this part He teaches us to pray that we be able to avoid sins when he says: "Lead us not into temptation," that is the temptation through which we fall into sin.

From this we learn three things. The first is what temptation is; the second is how a man is tempted and by whom; the third is how a man is delivered from temptation.

To tempt is simply to test or try someone. Therefore, to tempt a man is to test his virtue. A man's virtue can be put to the test in two ways, according to the two things which virtue demands. The first thing virtue demands is that a man do what he does well; the other is that he take care to avoid evil. "Turn from evil, and do good." (Ps. 33.15) Thus a man's virtue can be tested to see if he is really doing good, or if he has turned from evil.

On the first point a man can be tried to see if he is prompt in doing good, for example, fasting. Then is your virtue great when you are found to be prompt in doing good. God sometimes tries a man in this way, not as though he were ignorant of that man's virtue, but so that all may know of it, and he be given to all as an example. In this way God tried Abraham and Job. And therefore God often sends tribulations to the just, so that as they patiently progress in virtue, as Moses said to the Hebrews: "The Lord your God is testing you, to see whether you love Him or not." In this way God sometimes tries a man, urging him on to do good.

On the second point, a man's virtue can be tested when he is urged on to evil. And if he resists well and does not consent, then great is the virtue of that man, but if he succumbs to the temptation, his virtue is nil. No one is tempted by God in this way: "for God is no tempter to evil, and He Himself tempts no one." (Jas. 1.13) In this way a man can be tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil.

We are tempted by the flesh in two ways. "The flesh" is continually instigating us to evil, for it seeks its own pleasures, carnal ones, in which there is often sin. For he who lingers in carnal pleasures neglects spiritual things. The flesh also tempts us by drawing us away from good works. The spirit would willingly seek its delight in spiritual goods, but the flesh weighs heavily on the spirit and impedes it. "The corruptable body burdens the soul." (Wis. 9.15)

Now this temptation from the flesh is extremely violent, because our "enemy", namely the flesh, is joined to us and as Boethius says, no pest is better able to harm us than an enemy who is familiar to us. Against it we must exercise vigilance: "Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation." (Mt. 26.41)

The devil also tempts us in an extremely violent way. For once the flesh has been bridled, another one, that is, the devil, rises up, against whom we have a tremendous struggle. "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the Principalities and the Powers, against the world rulers of this darkness," as the Apostle says (Eph.6.12) It is very significant that he is called the Tempter.

In temptation he proceeds as a master of deceit. Like a good general who is besieging some fortress, he considers the weakest part in whomever he wishes to attack, and there he tempts him. And therefore with men who have vanquished the flesh, he tempts them to those vices to which they are the most prone—sins of the spirit such as anger and pride. "For your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour." (I Pet. 5.8-9)

The devil does two things when he tempts someone: for he does not propose to someone right away some obvious evil, but something that has the appearance of good. At the very beginning he tries at least to disorient a man somewhat, so that later on he can more easily induce him to sin. "Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light." (II Cor. 11.14) After inducing someone to sin, he binds him so as not to permit him to rise again. Therefore the devil both deceives his victims, and once they have been deceived, detains them in their sins.

The world tempts us in two ways: first, by an excessive and immoderate desire for worldly things, and secondly by trying to break us down through persecutors and tyrants. Do not fear those who kill the body. (Mt. 10.28)

Now that we have seen what temptation is, how a man is tempted, and by whom, there remains to consider how we are delivered from temptation.

We must remember that Christ teaches us to pray not that we suffer no temptations, but that we do not be led into temptation. For if a man vanquishes temptation, he merits a crown and therefore the disciple says "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life. . . . Esteem it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various trials." (Jas. I) Therefore we are taught to pray that we not be led into temptation by consenting to it. For to be tempted is human, but to consent comes from the devil.

One might object: If God never induces us to evil, why do we pray: "lead us not into temptation?"

I answer that God does not lead anyone into evil, properly speaking, but may permit some to fall when He takes away His Grace from somebody who is obstinate in sinning, and then such a one falls.

On the other hand, God guides men in such a way that they not fall into temptation, because of the fervor of charity, for even the smallest degree of charity is able to resist any sin. Likewise, God guides by the light of the intellect, by which He instructs us about what we must do, for as Aristotle says, everyone who sins is to that extent ignorant. This is what King David asked for when he said: "Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death, lest my enemy say, I have overcome him." (Ps 12.4)

We receive this light through the gift of understanding. When we do not consent to temptation, we keep our heart clean, as the Gospel says: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. (Mt.5.8). And therefore we will arrive at the vision of God to which, at length, may He conduct us.

But Deliver Us from Evil

Earlier the Lord taught us to ask for the pardon of sins, and how we may avoid temptations; here He teaches us to ask for preservation from evils. And this petition is a general one against all evils; that is, sins, infirmities and afflictions, as St. Augustine says. Since we have already spoken of sin and temptation, we should speak of other evils, such as all the adversities and afflictions of this world, from which God delivers us in four ways.

Sometimes God intervenes so that the affliction does not come at all, although this is rare, for the saints are afflicted in this world, for "all who want to live piously in Christ Jesus will suffer affliction." (II Tim 3.12) Yet God does at times grant to some that they not be afflicted by a certain evil, when they are incapable of resisting it, just as a doctor does not give a weak patient violent medicines. "Behold, I have caused a door to be opened before thee which no one can shut, for thou hast scanty strength." (Apoc. 3.8)

In our heavenly home no one shall be afflicted. "Out of six troubles," meaning the present life, "He will deliver you, and at the seventh no evil shall touch you." (Job 5.19)

In the second place, God delivers us when He consoles us in our afflictions. For unless God consoled us, man would not be able to bear it. "According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy consolations have gladdened my soul." (Ps. 93.19)

Third, God delivers us from evil because He heaps up so many good things upon the good that they forget the evils they have suffered. And thus the afflictions and tribulations of this world are not to be feared for they are easily tolerated, both because of the consolation that comes with them, and their short duration. For our present light affliction, which is for the moment, prepares us for an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all measure. (II Cor. 4.17) for through these things we are led to eternal life.

Finally, God converts our temptation and tribulation to our own profit, and therefore Christ does not teach us to say, "Deliver us from tribulation," but "Deliver us from evil," because for the saints their tribulations lead to a crown, and therefore they glory in their tribulations.

God delivers men from evil and from tribulations by converting it to their own good, which is a sign of supreme wisdom, for the wise can draw good out of evil, because of the patience which the saints exercise in their tribulations. The other virtues may be exercised in prosperity, but patience thrives in tribulations.

Therefore, the Holy Ghost makes us ask this through the gift of wisdom, and through it we will arrive at that beatitude to which peace orders us, because through patience we have peace both in prosperous times and in adversities. Therefore the peacemakers are called the children of God, for they have a similarity to God in that, just as nothing can harm God, so nothing can harm the peacemakers, neither good things or evil; and therefore blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. (Mt. 5.9)

"Amen" is the universal confirmation of all we have asked for.

In general we may say that in the Our Father are contained both all the things we should desire, and all the things we should avoid.

Among all desirable things that which is most desired is that which is most loved, and this is God. Therefore you first ask for the glory of God, when you say: "Hallowed be Thy Name."

You should desire from God three things which pertain to you. The first is that you arrive at eternal life, which you ask for when you say: "Thy kingdom come." The second is that you fulfill the will of God and His justice, and you ask for this when you pray: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The third is that you have what is necessary for your life, which you ask for when you pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Concerning these three things, the Lord says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Mt 6.33)

Those things which we ought to avoid and fly from are whatever is contrary to the good. Now that good which is desirable above all else is fourfold.

First is the glory of God, and to this no evil is contrary in an efficacious way. For God is glorified both inasmuch as He punishes evil and rewards what is good.

Secondly, there is eternal life, which is opposed and lost by sin. Therefore to remove this impediment we say: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."

Thirdly, there is justice and good works, to which is opposed to temptation, for temptations impede us from doing good. To remove or take away this obstacle we say: "Lead us not into temptation."

Fourthly, there are the things necessary for our life on earth, to which adversity and tribulations are opposed, and to remove this we pray: "But deliver us from evil."

Amen.