“That Ye Enter Not Into Temptation”
John A. Tvedtnes

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”
(Matthew 26:41; see also Mark 13:33, 48; Luke 21:36).

Thus Jesus spoke to the apostles Peter, James, and John, in Jerusalem, as he went to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. I have often thought that the Savior must have considered this, his last admonition in mortality, to be one of the more important messages he could leave to his disciples. This belief has been reinforced by the fact that this commandment is also found in the Book of Mormon (Alma 13:28; 15:17; 34:39; 3 Nephi 18:15, 18; Moroni 6:4) and to the prophet Joseph Smith.

Peter took the Lord’s words to heart and later wrote to the saints, “Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7). His fellow apostle Paul, after admonishing the Ephesians to gird themselves with the armor of God for protection against evil, added, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18). He also advised the Colossians to “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

With the restoration of the Church in Joseph Smith’s day, it became the duty of home teachers to “visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties (D&C 20:47; see also verse 51), thus following in the footsteps of the Nephites of Moroni’s day.  The same section of the Doctrine and Covenants explains: “But there is a possibility that man may fall from grace and depart from the living God; Therefore let the church take heed and pray always, lest they fall into temptation; Yea, and even let those who are sanctified take heed also” (D&C 20:32-34).

The importance of prayer in avoiding temptation had earlier been stressed by Jesus when he taught his disciples to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). When he uttered what has come to be known as “the Lord’s prayer,” Jesus undoubtedly had in mind the temptations he had encountered in the wilderness after his baptism. 

The words “give us this daily bread” reflect the temptation to change stones to bread (Matthew 4:3).  The devil had offered him the kingdoms of the world in return for his worship (Matthew 4:9).  But Jesus, recognizing God as sovereign, prayed, “thy kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:10)  Satan had wanted Christ to prove that he was the Son of God by casting himself from the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:6).  But Jesus, seeking not his own glory, prayed, “thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9)

It was with these same words that he approached the Father during his final temptation in Gethsemane.  It was no longer Satan who tempted him to resist fulfilling his destiny.  Rather, it was his own will to live that caused him to shrink from the bitter cup.  But, having fortified himself in prayer, he uttered the undying words, “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)

In preparation for his desert ordeal, the Savior supplemented his prayers with fasting and scriptural preparation. The Deuteronomy passages he cited in response to Satan’s demands (Matthew 4:1-11) had originally been used in reference to the temptations placed before the ancient Israelites during their 40-year period of wandering. [1] When tempted to change stones to bread, he quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, which refers to the manna provided to Israel in the desert. Tempted to cast himself down to show how God would protect him, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16, which speaks of how the Israelites sought to “tempt” or prove God at Massah. To Satan’s promise to give him the kingdoms of the world if he would worship him, Jesus paraphrased the most frequently repeated commandment in Deuteronomy (6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13, 22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6, 16, 20), that one must love and serve only the Lord.

This advance preparation for trials to come is what Jesus meant when he said to “watch and pray.” The King James word “watch” means to “take care” or “take precautions.” By “watching,” we can determine our course of action in the face of temptation. Joseph was ready with his answer when faced with temptation in Egypt (Genesis 39:7-12). He didn’t have to think it over to make a decision. When the Lord offered to destroy all Israel and give its blessings to Moses, the prophet reminded the Lord of his earlier promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 32:7-14). Because he knew what was right and because he knew the scriptures, Moses, like Jesus, had a ready answer.

The two trials of Jesus illustrate the kinds of temptations we face in life. Not all temptations are from the devil; some result from our own human will to live and to have our needs fulfilled.  Because of Jesus’ faithfulness in the face of temptation, the Father sent angels to comfort him, both in the wilderness (Matthew 4:11) and in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43). We, too, if we are faithful, can receive spiritual comfort.