taken from Lenski's commentary..
from past sins the (Lord Jesus') prayer turns to possible future sins and dangers.
JAMES 1.13 (let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by god' ; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he Himself does not tempt anyone.)..
settles the matter as far as the tempter is concerned.
JAMES 1.2-4 (consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. and let endurance have its perfec result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.)
I PETER 4.12-3 (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' but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing: so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.
settle the point that we are bound to be tempted and tried in this life.
I CORINTHIANS 10.13 (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, that you may be able to endure it.
indicates how god answers this sixth petition.
'temptation' is here used in the pregnant sense, referring no only o the act of tempting or of being tempted but to any situation in which, because of our own weakness and satan's cunning, we should succumb to sin. the realm of attractive things where our lusts may carry us away and the realm of direful things, pain, shame, etc., where fright and cowardice may bring us to fall are included. our petition, then, is the opposite of false security, temerity and presumption. we ask our Father to take providential charge of us and thus not to bring us into temptation in the effective sense; hence, to keep us out of some situations because our faith could not endure them (example, Peter) and in other situations so to strengthen us that we may be victorious. two things stand out in this petition: the faith which dreads the fall and he assurance that in His own way God will no let us fall.
....the newer commentators as well as Luther and the A.V. regard (greek: apo tou povArU) as neuter: 'from the evil', not as masculine: 'from the evil one', the devil. all moral wickedness is referred to and pain and distress only in so far as hey may injure our souls. while the abstract term 'temptation' might connote the devil, the sixth petition speaks of providential leadings and thus avoids this connotation and its implication in the seventh petition. thus the deliverance we ask, while i includes rescue from wickedness throughout our lives, really asks for deliverance from the entire wicked world by a blessed death.
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