Catena Aurea on Matthew
Lecture 10
13. “But deliver us from evil. Amen.”
Aug. We ought to pray not only that we may not be led into evil from which we are at present free; but further that we may be set free from that into which we have already been led. Therefore it follows, “Deliver us from evil.”
Or here he calls the devil evil because of his excess of malice, which is not from nature but from choice. And because he carries on an implacable war with us, he said “Deliver us from evil.”
Cyprian, Tr. vii. 18 After all these preceding petitions, at the conclusion of the prayer comes a sentence, comprising shortly and collectively the whole of our petitions and desires. For there remains nothing beyond for us to ask for, after petition made for God’s protection from evil; for that gained, we stand secure and safe against all things that the Devil and the world work against us. What fear hath he from this life, who has God through life for his guardian?
Aug., Epist., 130, 11 This petition with which the Lord’s Prayer concludes is of such extent, that a Christian man in whatever tribulation cast, will in this petition utter groans, in this shed tears, here begin and here end his prayer. And therefore follows “Amen,” by which is expressed the strong desire of him that prays.
Jerome “Amen,” which appears here at the close, is the seal of the Lord’s Prayer. Aquila rendered ‘faithfully’—we may perhaps ‘truly.’
Cyprian We need not wonder, dearest brethren, that this is God’s prayer, seeing how His instruction comprises all our petitioning, in one saving sentence. This had already been prophesied by Isaiah the Prophet, “A short word will God make in the whole earth.” (Isa 10:22) For when our Lord Jesus Christ came unto all, and gathered together the learned alike and the unlearned, did to every sex and age set forth the precepts of salvation, He made a full compendium of His instructions, that the memory of the scholars might not labor in the heavenly discipline, but accept with readiness whatsoever was necessary into a simple faith.
Aug., Epist., 130, 12 And whatever other words we may use, either introductory to quicken the affections, or in conclusion to add to them, we say nothing more than is contained in the Lord’s Prayer if we pray rightly and connectedly. For he who says, “Glorify thyself in all nations, as thou art glorified among us,” what else does he say than, “Hallowed be thy name?” He who prays, “Show thy face and we shall be safe,” (Ps 80:3) what is it but to say, “Let thy kingdom come?” To say, “Direct my steps according to thy word,” (Ps 119:133) what is it more than, “Thy will be done?” To say, “Give me neither poverty nor riches,” (Prov 30:8) what else is it than, “Give us this day our daily bread?” “Lord, remember David and all his mercifulness!” (Ps 131:1) and, “If I have returned evil for evil,” (Ps 7:4) what else but, “Forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debtors?” He who says, “Remove far from me all greediness of belly,” what else does he say, but “Lead us not into temptation?” He who says, “Save me, O my God, from my enemies,” (Ps 59:1) what else does he say but “Deliver us from evil?” And if you thus go through all the words of the holy prayers, you will find nothing that is not contained in the Lord’s Prayer. Whoever then speaks such words as have no relation to this evangelic prayer, prays carnally; and such prayer I know not why we should not pronounce unlawful, seeing the Lord instructs those who are born again only to pray spiritually. But whoso in prayer says, Lord, increase my riches, add to my honours; and that from desire of such things, not with a view to doing men service after God’s will by such things; I think that he finds nothing in the Lord’s Prayer on which he may build such petitions. Let such a one then be withheld by shame from praying for, if not from desiring, such things. But if he have shame at the desire, yet desire overcomes, he will do better to pray for deliverance from the evil of desire to Him to whom we say, “Deliver us from evil.”
Aug., Serm. in Mont. ii. 11 This number of petitions seems to answer to the seven-fold number of the beatitudes. If it is the fear of God by which are made “blessed the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” let us ask that the name of God be hallowed among men, a reverent fear abiding for ever and ever. If it be piety by which “the meek are blessed,” let us pray that His kingdom may come, that we may become meek, and not resist Him. If it be knowledge by which “they that mourn are blessed,” let us pray that His will may be done as in heaven so in earth; for if the body consent with the spirit as does earth with heaven, we shall not mourn. If fortitude be that by which “they that hunger are blessed,” let us pray that our daily bread be this day given us, by which we may come to full saturity. If it is counsel by which “blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” let us forgive debts, that our debts may be forgiven us. If it be understanding by which they of “pure heart are blessed,” let us pray that we be not led into temptation, lest we have a double heart in the pursuit of temporal and earthly things which are for our probation. If it be wisdom by which “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,” let us pray to be delivered from evil; for that very deliverance will make us free as sons of God.
Chrys. Having made us anxious by the mention of our enemy, in this that He has said, “Deliver us from evil,” He again restores confidence by that which is added in some copies, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,” since if His be the kingdom, none need fear, since even he who fights against us, must be His subject. But since His power and glory are infinite, He can not only deliver from evil, but also make glorious.
Pseudo-Chrys. This is also connected with the foregoing. “Thine is the kingdom” has reference to “Thy kingdom come,” that none should therefore say, “God has no kingdom on earth. The power,” answers to “Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth,” that none should say thereon that God cannot perform whatever He would. “And the glory,” answers to all that follows, in which God’s glory is shown forth.