And lead us not into temptation …
Summary: The word “temptation” is another word with multiple meanings. If we forget that, we may find ourselves misunderstanding what God has said.
Like many other words used in the Bible, the word “temptation” is often misunderstood and misused. In James 1:13 we read:
“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…” (NIV)
And then we turn to Genesis 22:1 in the King James Version and read:
“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.”
What gives?
How can the Bible say God does not tempt anyone and then we open up a Bible and read that God is tempting someone?
Like so many linguistic challenges, the answer is in the translation.
The word, “temptation” is used for two separate concepts. The first is like gravity pulling an apple to the ground, the second is like checking the ripeness of a pineapple.
These are two very different uses of the word. The way the word is used in Matthew 6:13 is a kind of hybrid of both definitions.
So how are we to understand this?
The word “tempt” or “temptation” covers a range of situations. On one end is the pineapple and on the other is the apple.
How do you know if a pineapple is ripe? The answer is quite simple if you know the tests to use. First, smell the bottom of the fruit where the stem was. If there is no smell, the pineapple is not yet ripe. If it smells sweet and fruity, the pineapple is ready to eat. The second test is at the other end of the pineapple.
At the top of the pineapple are a bunch of green leaves called the “crown.” Tug on one of the upper leaves. If it doesn’t come off, the pineapple is not ripe. If it pops out with a gentle tug, the pineapple is ripe.
If the pineapple were a person, we might “tempt” Mr. Pineapple by tugging on his crown. Mr. Pineapple can respond by letting go of his crown or hanging on to it. How he responds to the temptation to let go of it tells us something about Mr. Pineapple.
At the other end of the word scale for how “temptation” is used, we have the apple.
The apple is hanging from the tree waiting to be picked and eaten. He knows that if he falls to the ground he will be bruised and maybe broken. Apples that are dirty, bruised, and broken rot faster and rarely get picked to be eaten. Our apple wants to hang on to the tree as long as possible.
Gravity is pulling on the apple. As the apple grows larger, the pull of gravity is more and more distracting. Gravity is “tempting” the apple to let go of the tree. The heavier the apple is, the harder it is to hang on to its branch. Eventually, if nobody comes by to pick the apple, something will happen to loosen the apple’s grip and ….it falls.
Evil pulls on us the same way that gravity pulls on the apple. There are a million or more interesting things that Evil uses to distract us from our Lord. Evil constantly pulls at us always wanting us to fail at doing good. James is right; God has nothing to do with evil and so no one can say God wants us to fall into Evil’s grasp. On the other hand, God sometimes tests people like he tested Abraham.
When God tests people, it is not so God can see what we are made of. He knows. The tests that God provides for us are designed to help us see if we are ready to do his will. They help us cling tighter to our Lord and strengthen our resolve to be men and women of God. So when God tests Abraham in Genesis 22, we see Abraham and Isaac both obeying God and discovering something about God and themselves. We also see God providing us with a story about faith that helps every believer to understand him better.
Application: Learn to tell the difference between testing and tempting.
Food for Thought: Why is it important to understand the difference between tempting and testing?
Well done devotion. It is important to know the difference between being tempted it tested. If we are tempted by the evil one it is for the result of sin and separation in our walk with God. If we are tested or tried by God, it is for the purpose of maturing us in the faith (James 1: 2 – 4). They have opposite goals. I think understanding this difference allows us the encouragement to persevere. It also helps us see God as our ally in hardship as opposed to being against us and losing hope.
Thank you, brother!
It is a tricky topic! The James 1:2-4 passage is very appropriate:
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01-12-2022, Why is it important to understand the difference between tempting and testing?
Jesus’ instruction regarding prayer is one portion of His sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7.
In chapter 6, Jesus is teaching how those blessed with the ability to speak eloquently should do so focused on the message rather than the approval of men. All with material wealth are to avoid using this gift for the approval of men, but to humbly, quietly act with kindness as they share with the poor.
In 5:5-8, Jesus addresses humility in our prayers, avoid seeking the praise of men with loud eloquent words, or conforming our prayers to groups with meaningless words spoken repeatedly, when our Father knows what we need before we pray.
In 5:9-13, Jesus in words which have stood for 2,000 years, very carefully, clearly and deliberately tells us how to pray. In Verse 6, He tells us to pray in private.
In Verse 13, He closes with we should ask our Father, to not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil! ”
Could it be, Jesus is simply saying, don’t ask God to give us more than we effectively handle, because He won’t. and we will be disappointed, But do give us what we need to be delivered from evil, which is what we need.
Ron,
I love your point about learning to trust God more. It is soooo important! 🙂
Yes, It could be I am mentally geared for becoming a great Evangelist in my prayer, and God knows He will prepare me for one on one ministry. Asking to not be led into temptation, is admitting my goal may be over my head, and acknowledging He has the power to deliver me from my prideful opinions of how He has determined He will use me.
Wow. You have touched on a subject that is very personal for many of us. How do we keep our ego in check while we represent the highest power in the universe. Sharing God’s Word can be intoxicating.
I looked at the pineapple in my house but couldn’t find the crown…is it inside the can? 😉
I feel like a test is build on a promise; God isn’t offering us something that He hasn’t already promised us, just something we have not fully accepted or understand. God has already laid out in scripture everything He wants for us. The tests come to help us realize where we are at with our relationship with Him. Tests are a blessing because they can help us grow closer to God.
Psalms 26:2 Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
I feel like a temptation is built on a lie. We are being offered something that tantalizes us, excites us, feeds into our pride, and makes us believe we are something we are not, or we CAN do something we should not. Ultimately though, we discover the truth; our choice brought destruction.
I know you quoted James 1:13 in the devotion, but I like verses 14-15 as well:
“but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
Chris H. Are you trying to start a rabbit trail down a study of sin leading to death? Now is that a death after we have been born again?
Howdy T! Good question!
Now is that a death after we have been born again?
I context death as separation from God. As one who was born again when I was young, yet didn’t walk with God for many years in my adult life, I can say that my sin brought the death of my hope. My salvation was not in question, but my walk had flatlined. Believe or non-believer, follower or non-follower, our hope is restored through Christ’s sacrifice for our sin.
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Chris,
I really like your distinction between tests and temptations. Very solid reasoning!