Chapter VII.--The Sixth Clause.
It was suitable that, after contemplating the liberality of God, [8808] we should likewise address His clemency. For what will aliments [8809] profit us, if we are really consigned to them, as it were a bull destined for a victim? [8810] The Lord knew Himself to be the only guiltless One, and so He teaches that we beg "to have our debts remitted us." A petition for pardon is a full confession; because he who begs for pardon fully admits his guilt. Thus, too, penitence is demonstrated acceptable to God who desires it rather than the death of the sinner. [8811] Moreover, debt is, in the Scriptures, a figure of guilt; because it is equally due to the sentence of judgment, and is exacted by it: nor does it evade the justice of exaction, unless the exaction be remitted, just as the lord remitted to that slave in the parable his debt; [8812] for hither does the scope of the whole parable tend. For the fact withal, that the same servant, after liberated by his lord, does not equally spare his own debtor; and, being on that account impeached before his lord, is made over to the tormentor to pay the uttermost farthing--that is, every guilt, however small: corresponds with our profession that "we also remit to our debtors;" indeed elsewhere, too, in conformity with this Form of Prayer, He saith, "Remit, and it shall be remitted you." [8813] And when Peter had put the question whether remission were to be granted to a brother seven times, "Nay," saith He, "seventy-seven times;" [8814] in order to remould the Law for the better; because in Genesis vengeance was assigned "seven times" in the case of Cain, but in that of Lamech "seventy-seven times." [8815]
[8808] In the former petition, "Give us this day our daily bread."
[8809] Such as "daily bread."
[8810] That is, if we are just to be fed and fattened by them in body, as a bull which is destined for sacrifice is, and then, like him, slain--handed over to death?
[8811] Ex. xviii. 23, 32; xxxiii. 11.
[8812] Matt. xviii. 21-35.
[8813] Luke vi. 37.
[8814] Matt. xviii. 21-22.
[8815] Gen. iv. 15, 24.
Chapter VIII.--The Seventh or Final Clause.
For the completeness of so brief a prayer He added--in order that we should supplicate not touching the remitting merely, but touching the entire averting, of acts of guilt--"Lead us not into temptation:" that is, suffer us not to be led into it, by him (of course) who tempts; but far be the thought that the Lord should seem to tempt, [8816] as if He either were ignorant of the faith of any, or else were eager to overthrow it. Infirmity [8817] and malice [8818] are characteristics of the devil. For God had commanded even Abraham to make a sacrifice of his son, for the sake not of tempting, but proving, his faith; in order through him to make an example for that precept of His, whereby He was, by and by, to enjoin that he should hold no pledges of affection dearer than God. [8819] He Himself, when tempted by the devil, demonstrated who it is that presides over and is the originator of temptation. [8820] This passage He confirms by subsequent ones, saying, "Pray that ye be not tempted;" [8821] yet they were tempted, (as they showed) by deserting their Lord, because they had given way rather to sleep than prayer. [8822] The final clause, therefore, is consonant, and interprets the sense of "Lead us not into temptation;" for this sense is, "But convey us away from the Evil One."
[8816] See James i. 13.
[8817] Implied in the one hypothesis--ignorance.
[8818] Implied in the other--wishing to overthrow faith.
[8819] i.e. no children even. The reference is apparently to Matt. x. 37 and Luke xiv. 26, with which may be compared Deut. xiii. 6-10 and xxxiii. 9. If Oehler's reading, which I have followed, be correct, the precept, which is not verbally given till ages after Abraham, is made to have a retrospective force on him.
[8820] See Matt. iv. 10; Luke iv. 8.
[8821] Luke xxii. 40; Matt. xxvi. 41; Mark xiv. 31.
[8822] Routh refers us to De Bapt. c. 20, where Tertullian refers to the same event. [Note also his reference to De Fuga, cap. ii.]