And lead us not into temptation— And do not bring us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Doddridge. Abandon us not to temptation. Campbell. This might be translated, "And lead us not into temptation, but so as to deliver us from the evil; either by removing the temptation itself when it proves too hard for us, or by mitigating its force, or by increasing our strength to resist it, as God shall see most for his glory." The correction of the translation here proposed is built upon this argument,—that to pray for an absolute freedom from all solicitation or temptation to sin, is to seek a deliverance from the common lot of humanity; because trials and temptations are wisely appointed by God for the exercise and improvement of holiness and virtue in good men, and that others may be encouraged by the constancy and patience which they shew in affliction. Hence, instead of praying to be absolutely delivered from them, we are taught to rejoice, when, by divine appointment, we fall into temptations or trials. This petition teaches us to preserve a sense of our own inability to repel and overcome the solicitations of the world, and of the necessity of constant aid from above, both to regulate our passions, and to conquer the difficulties of a religious life. See Macknight. The petition, however, may be well understood agreeably to the common version of it,—Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us; for, as God is the only Potentate, the sole Governor of the world, so that nothing can possibly fall out but by his allowance or permission, it is upon that account not unusual, in the style of Scripture, to impute all things to him. Thus he is said to have sent Joseph into Egypt to preserve his life, though in fact his brethren, out of envy, had sold him thither. See Genesis 45:5-8. Job 1:21. And it is in this sense that God is said to lead into temptation, or expose to temptation; becauseall temptations come by his permission. The general intent, therefore, of these words, lead us not, &c. is, that, with just distrust of ourselves, and a humble sense of our weakness, we should deprecate such trials as may endanger our grace. But as some trials, that is, temptations, are necessary and inevitable, it is therefore added, but deliver us from evil. The Jews were wont to beg of God in their prayers, "That he would not deliver them into the hand of temptation;" whereby they did not desire that he would keep them from falling into temptation, but that he would not give them up to it, or suffer them to yield thereto. And indeed, to enter into temptation, ch. Matthew 26:41 is to be overcome by it. After all, God never suffers us to be tempted above what we are able. See James 1:13., compared with 1 Corinthians 10:13. We may remark in conclusion ofthese petitions, and as a proof of the perfection of this prayer, that the principal desire of a Christian's heart being the glory of God, ver, 9, 10., and all that he wants for himself or his brethren being the daily bread of soul and body, or the support of life, animal and spiritual; pardon of sin, and deliverance from sin, and from the power of the devil, Matthew 6:11-13., there is nothing beside for which a Christian can wish: therefore this prayer comprehends all his desires. Eternal life is the certain consequence, or rather the completion of holiness. See Beausobre and Lenfant, Heylin, &c.
For thine is the kingdom, &c.— III. These words contain the doxology or conclusion of the Lord's prayer. The Jews used it in their liturgies; and they derived that use most probably from 1 Chronicles 29:11. Bishop Hopkins, Mr. Blair, and other excellent writers, have well observed, that it admirably suits and enforces every petition. This doxology may be paraphrased thus: "Because the government of the universe is thine for ever, and thou alone possessest the power of creating and upholding all things; and because theglory of infinite perfections remains eternally with thee; therefore all men ought to hallow thy name, submit themselves to thy government, and perform thy will:in a humble sense of their dependence should they seek from thee the supply of their wants, the pardon of their sins, and the kind protection of thy grace and providence." For ever and ever is, in the Greek, εις τους αιωνας words which express the idea of a proper eternity, though often used for a finite duration, whether past or to come. They are always to be understood, both in the Hebrew and the Greek, according to the nature and circumstances of the things to which they are applied; and consequently in this place, where kingdom, power, and glory are ascribed to God for ever, they signify absolute eternity; eternity without beginning or end. The word amen is of Hebrew original, and frequently retained by the Evangelists. St. Luke has sometimes rendered it by a word signifying yes, and at other times truly. See Luke 9:27. When it is a sign of wishing, it then signifies so be it, as the LXX have rendered it; and when added to the conclusion of our prayers, it is intended to express the sincerity and earnestness with which we desire the blessing we ask, with some cheerfulness of hope as to the success of our petitions. See the note on Deuteronomy 27:15. It is observable that, though the doxology is three-fold, as well as the petitions, and directed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, distinctly, yet is the whole fully applicable to every person, and to the ever-blessed and undivided Trinity. See Macknight, Doddridge, and Heylin.