"...and lead us not into temptation..."

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IrenkaJMJ

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The Angelus thread got me to thinking about prayers and do I really understand what I’m saying. How would one explain this line of the Our Father? I think on some level I understand, but I can’t put it into words. Any insight would be appreciated!
:confused: Thank-you.
 
I do understand your question. The word “lead” does not seem to make sense since we would think God leads us to good.

Does any one else understand this? Is it Hebrew or Greek that doesn’t translate exactly?

Greg
 
I have heard it translated, “do not let us be put to the test.” The idea is that we are praying that our faith and our virtue will not be tested beyond our means to resist. Just my thoughts.

JimG
 
I think as God allows things to happen, He doesn’t ever make bad things happen, as God is all love and all good, this line in the Lord’s prayer means that, God don’t lead or allow into any temptation, but if it is your will for my good, the good of humanity, the world, for God and heaven that I be tempted in some way, then let that be, but please God keep me from it. As sometimes when we are tempted we grow in faith and love of God and each other, but the will is always to avoid temptation.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you. xxx
 
God tempts no one, and He is not tempted by evil.
But, he will allow temptation to come upon us, that by using our Free Will, we may choose Him rather than Sin.
However, He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, and He will also provide a way so we can stand up under it’s weight.
 
good question. this exact bit of prayer is what led me, upon reflection, to a new understanding of what prayer means, which i’ll share. 🙂

i have learned that prayer is, i think more than anything else, learning to agree with God. when you pray for someone, you’re agreeing with God that they should get well, or they should come closer to Him, or they should overcome their adversity. when you ask for His touch in your life, you’re agreeing with Him that He should touch you and make you more like Him.

and when you pray ‘lead us not into temptation’, you are, i think in essence, agreeing with Him, and saying ‘you don’t lead us into temptation’. He doesn’t, and we are agreeing with Him that He doesn’t.
 
“Lead us not into temptation” may mean that we are also asking God to give us the strength to resist temptation, and not allow us to fall into it.

Gerry 🙂
 
Frequently when I think of this line of the Our Father, I think of a country-western song from several years back. The hook line in the chorus was something like, “Lead me not into temptation; I already know the way.”

How many of us are our own worst temptors?

DaveBj
 
The Lord’s Prayer is a total prayer of Glorification of Our Father in Heaven, though the elements of petition are there it is in the context of acknowledging that Our Father provides …‘our daily bread’ doesn’t tempt us but can keep and save us from being tempted by evil…‘lead us not into temptation’ Go through the words from the point of glorification of our Father and you will see it is about Him and for Glory and Praise of Him.

God Bless you all and much love and peace to you all xxx
 
I think the confusion is about the word “lead”.

“protect” us from temptation would make more sense than “lead us not into” so that’s what I think the thread author was asking. Unless indeed JeffReedy’s is the only explanation.

We would not expect God to “lead” us into temptation to begin with, so why would we need to ask him not to?

Greg
 
Thanks very much to one and all. You were very helpful!

:clapping:
 
ya, like greg pointed out, it makes no sense, especially when you consider that the Bible makes it clear that God does NOT tempt us. i forgot to mention that bit.

peace - out.
 
“lead us not into temptation” is an incorrect translation. God does not temp us or lead us into temptation.

Most/all Catholic Bibles have been changed to “put us not to the test”.

By the way, it is my personal opinion that the passage from last Sundays Mass “You must hate your father and mother…” is also incorrect. It contradicts the fourth commandment to Honor your father and mother and implies Jesus hated his own mother. The parrell passage has the correct translation that you must"love less" your father and mother". There are also other mistranslations in the Bible.
 
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