All the bold words are basically the same word in Greek. The word means to be put to the test, to submit another to a test, to make an attempt to make one stumble, to learn the true nature of character, an enticement to sin/distrust God or to break one’s fidelity, integrity, or virtue. A different Greek word is used to describe being “on trial” before a court to determine guilt or innocence.
Matthew 6:13a (NASB95). ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’
Matthew 26:41 (NASB95) “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:38 (NASB95) “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Luke 4:13 (NASB95) When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.
Luke 8:13 (NASB95) “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luke 11:4 (NASB95) ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
Luke 22:28 (NASB95) “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials;
Luke 22:40 (NASB95) When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:46 (NASB95) and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Acts 20:19 (NASB95) serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB95). No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Galatians 4:14 (NASB95). and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
Hebrews 3:8 (NASB95). Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
James 1:2 (NASB95). Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
James 1:12 (NASB95). Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
1 Peter 1:6 (NASB95). In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Peter 4:12 (NASB95). Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
2 Peter 2:9 (NASB95). then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
Revelation 3:10 (NASB95). ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
James 1.13-15 (NIV) - "When tempted,no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
ReplyDeleteHence, more times than not we put ourselves to the "test" by our own evil desires or sinful nature. This verse suggests that God does not put us to the test by temptation.
In the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11.4, Matt 6.13), we are asking our Heavenly Father to "lead us not into temptation". In this context, it suggests we asking to be delivered or be spared from our own evil desires.
Think back to Adam and Eve. God put them in a situation in which they were intended to be tested.
ReplyDeleteAlso look over Jesus' temptation in Matthew 4. He was sent into a situation for the purpose of testing.
Yet God was not the agent of testing. So I agree with you that the temptation comes from something within us.
Some say that this part of the Lord's prayer is not asking God to spare us from testing but that it expresses a desire to be dependent upon His leading rather than our own - "lead us". Our own leading would send us right into circumstances in which we would be tempted but when we depend upon His leading we can expect Him to lead us away from those circumstances. It becomes a bit more clear when we realize as James points out that all temptation is a consideration to not trust solely in God.
All this is going to be the topic of discussion Thursday, so you are getting prepared.