by R.C. Sproul

Do Not Lead Us into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil
At first glance this section of the Lord's Prayer seems to be two separate petitions, but that is not the case. It follows the literary form of parallelism used in the Old Testament--two different ways of saying the same thing. Jesus is not suggesting that God will tempt us to evil, if we do not petition him otherwise. James 1:13 specifically says that God tempts no one. God may test, but he never tempts to evil. A test is for growth; temptation is toward evil.

Not all temptation is from Satan, for James also says that we are tempted by our own lust. Satan is not innocent of evil; nevertheless the evil inherent within the heart of man is capable of tempting man without Satan's help.

The plea to avoid temptation and the petition for deliverance from evil are one and the same. The King James Version is not the best translation of this text, because the evil is not in the general sense of which Jesus speaks. In Greek, the word for evil is neuter in gender; in this section of the Lord's Prayer, the word is masculine in gender. Jesus is saying that we should ask the Father to deliver us from the evil one, from onslaughts Luther called the "unbridled assaults of Satan," the enemy who would destroy the work of Christ in this world.

Jesus is telling us to ask the Father to build a hedge around us. The petition is not designed to avoid the trials of this world, but to protect us from naked exposure to the attacks of Satan.

In his "High Priestly Prayer," Jesus asks the Father not to take his disciples out of the world, but rather to "keep them from the evil one [poneros]" (John 17:15).

We are asking for God's redemptive presence. Without that presence we are easy prey for the enemy. Think of Peter, who had just finished rhapsodizing to Jesus about the extent of his commitment, the depth of his love and devotion, and the intensity of his loyalty. Looking at him and foretelling his denial, Jesus said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:31-32). In other words, Jesus was telling Peter that on his own he would be putty in the hands of Satan. Were it not for the intercession of Christ on Peter's behalf, Peter would have been lost; his faith would have failed.

Not only do we have Jesus to intercede for us to protect us from the enemy, but we ourselves are also to ask God to keep us safe from the enemy's hand.

In six petitions, Jesus has outlined the pattern and the priorities for our prayer lives. The close of the Lord's Prayer--"for Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever. Amen"--is not in the best manuscripts. In all probability it was not in the original text, but was a common conclusion for prayers in the early church. However, it is a fitting and truthful ending. It hearkens back to the prayer's opening, raising a doxology to the one who hears our petitions.

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This is part seven of R.C. Sproul's small book Does Prayer Change Things?. Over the coming weeks we will be posting the complete text of this short but profound and practical book right here at the Ligonier Ministries blog. We have already posted Chapter 1.