What does “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” mean?

Abba Isaac says, “Job was tempted but was not led into temptation. For he did not ascribe folly to God nor blasphemy, nor with impious mouth did he yield to that wish of the tempter toward which he was drawn. Abraham was tempted, Joseph was tempted, but neither of them was led into temptation for neither of them yielded his consent to the tempter.”[232 ]

St. Augustine says, “For whosoever is overcome by temptation, commits sin. Thus the Apostle James says, ‘Let no man say when he is tempted, he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then lust, when it has conceived, brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death’ (James 1:13–15). Therefore that you not be drawn away by your lust; do not consent to it.”²³³

“With that kind of temptation, whereby we are deceived and seduced, God tempts no man. But undoubtedly in His deep and hidden judgment He abandons some. And when He has abandoned them, the tempter finds his opportunity. For he finds in him no resistance against his power, but immediately presents himself to him as his possessor, if God abandon him. Therefore that He may not abandon us, do we say, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ … What then has he [the apostle James] hereby taught us? To fight against our lusts … Let no enemy from without be feared: conquer your own self, and the whole world is conquered. What can any tempter from without, whether the devil or the devil’s minister, do against you? Whosoever sets the hope of gain before you to seduce you, let him only find no covetousness in you; and what can he who would tempt you by gain effect? Whereas if covetousness be found in you, you take fire at the sight of gain, and are taken by the bait of this corrupt food … Or should the tempter set before you some woman of surpassing beauty; if chastity be within, iniquity from without is overcome. Therefore that he may not take you with the bait of a strange woman’s beauty, fight with your own lust within; you have

231 St. Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise 4: On the Lord’s Prayer 22 (ANF 5:453).

232 St. John Cassian, The Conferences 9.23 (NPNF II/11:395).

233 St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 8.9 (NPNF I/6:287) amended.

no sensible perception of your enemy, but of your own concupiscence you have … Get the mastery then over that of which you are sensible within.”²³⁴

St. Cyprian says, “In which words it is shown that the adversary can do nothing against us except God shall have previously permitted it; so that all our fear, and devotion, and obedience may be turned towards God since in our temptations nothing is permitted to evil unless power is given from Him. This is proved by divine Scripture, which says, ‘Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it, and the Lord delivered it into his hand’ (2 Kings 24:11). But power is given to evil against us according to our sins, as it is written, ‘Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to those who make a prey of Him? Did not the Lord, against whom they sinned, and would not walk in His ways, nor hear His law? And He has brought upon them the anger of His wrath’ (Isa. 13:24). And again, when Solomon sinned, and departed from the Lord’s commandments and ways, it is recorded, ‘Now the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon’ (1 Kings 11:14). Now power is given against us in two modes: either for punishment when we sin, or for glory when we are proved, as we see was done concerning Job; as God Himself sets forth, saying, ‘Behold, all that he has I give unto your hands; but be careful not to touch himself’ (Job 1:12). And the Lord in His Gospel says, in the time of His passion, ‘You could have no power against me unless it were given you from above’ (John 19:11). But when we ask that we may not come into temptation, we are reminded of our infirmity and weakness in that we thus ask, lest any should insolently vaunt himself, lest any should proudly and arrogantly assume anything to himself, lest any should take to himself the glory either of confession or of suffering as his own, when the Lord Himself, teaching humility, said, ‘Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak’ (Mark. 14:38).”²³⁵

He also says, “And when we say, ‘Deliver us from evil,’ there remains nothing further which ought to be asked. When we have once asked for God’s protection against evil, and have obtained it, then against everything which the devil and the world work against us we stand secure and safe. For what fear is there in this life, to the man whose guardian in this life is God?”²³⁶