1 Corinthians 10:13, commentary and pictures

No temptation that takes hold is strange or unique, but only what is common to mankind, and God in faithfulness will not allow anyone to be tried beyond what he is able to bear, but with the trial will make a way through it so it can be endured. Each trial is weighed and measured in light of a person's strength and circumstances, with grace and strength given according to the day so the burden never becomes unbearable. Jesus was tempted in all points as men are yet without sin, meeting the strongest force of the tempter on the ground where Adam and Israel failed and overcoming, and his victory secures the limit and the way of escape for all who rely on him. Temptation itself is not sin and never compels to sin, so no pressure however severe leaves an excuse for yielding, yet the promise does not cover those who willfully walk into danger and invite temptation. The escape is received by committing wholly to God, looking away from self to Jesus, coming in earnest prayer and faith and cooperating with divine aid, with angels and the Holy Spirit guarding and strengthening those who hold fast with good courage to the end.

Wording and Israel Setting

No temptation that takes hold is strange, uncommon, or unique to the one who faces it, but is common to man and shared by all humans, though it comes to each one in a different way. The trials believers face are human trials, ordinary human experience, not beyond what can be endured with God's help.

The verse stands in the warning drawn from Israel's wilderness history and failures, which happened for ensamples and was recorded and written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come. The experience of God's peculiar, separated people in these last days is much like the travels of ancient Israel and is compared to Israel's wilderness journey. Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall, guarding against self-confidence and presuming to stand securely. This requires fleeing from idolatry and remaining separate from the world under the unchanged Head of the church.

The sins not to repeat are lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication and licentiousness, tempting or provoking Christ, and murmuring. They were punished by destruction by serpents and by the destroyer. Israel's trial at Rephidim and the history at Baal-peor warn against meeting difficulty and hardship with unbelief, doubt, despondency, murmuring, complaint, and self-confidence, instead of waiting patiently, recalling God's goodness and works, and trusting Him.

God himself leads His people into trying places like Rephidim and into difficulties, adversity, sickness, disappointment, and trial to test loyalty, faith and fidelity. His purpose is to cure self-sufficiency, to make them realize helplessness and need, to teach them to call upon Him for aid in childlike faith, and to manifest Himself and reveal abundant supplies, even causing cooling streams to flow from flinty rock. An emergency thus becomes an opportunity to trust Him and receive His help, rather than concluding that suffering means God has abandoned or failed them. Trial is no cause for discouragement but brings hidden traits of character to light to test whether people will remain faithful and trust in power beyond themselves, giving an experience of value for future work.

God's Faithful Limit

God is faithful and will not allow anyone to be tempted or tried beyond what he is able to bear, but with every temptation and trial makes also a way of escape and a way through it, so that it can be borne and endured. No temptation that takes hold is strange or unique to the one who faces it, but is common to man and shared by all humans, coming to each in a different way yet never as something unusual. This assurance stands joined to the warning to take heed lest he fall who thinks he stands, to flee from idolatry and remain separate from the world, and not to repeat lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring; it guards against despair in danger and against self-confidence, boastfulness, and neglect of watchfulness and prayer that lead to grievous sin. Israel's wilderness travels, rebellions, and punishments were recorded as ensamples for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, whose experience is much like Israel's, and Israel's trial at Rephidim warns against meeting difficulty with unbelief, murmuring, and complaint, calling instead for remembering past goodness, waiting patiently, and letting emergency become opportunity to trust and receive help.

Every trial is weighed, measured, and proportioned by Jesus Christ before He permits it, in light of each person's circumstances, strength, and ability to stand under proving and test, for He knows what each can bear and remembers that man is dust. With each trial He gives abundant grace and strength according to the day, so burdens never become unbearable and sufferers through patient endurance in His strength can bear more than they once thought possible and come through apparent darkness with firmer faith and richer experience. Being easily jostled or stumbling proves strength is small, while resisting temptation is not itself sin nor evidence of displeasure, but reveals reliance on God and develops Christian character. If a soul is overborne and overpowered the blame never lies with God for failing to give strength in grace, but with the tempted one for not being vigilant and prayerful and not appropriating by faith the abundant provision, whereas the believer who claims the promise and meets the foe in the Lord's name will know nothing like failure.

Day by day a holy Watcher tries every man's work, and each day's character stands revealed in heaven as in books, as a polished plate reveals a natural image, known by its fruits. Even so God gives the light essential to resist temptation, unless a person by choice refuses to discern truth because he does not wish to know and chooses darkness to maintain self-dignity and his own way rather than God's way, and then God leaves him to his own choice. Satan's access is limited by the line God sets, for he was not permitted to tempt Adam and Eve continually but could approach them only at the tree of knowledge, where obedience kept them safe and separation put them in greater danger, and he is not permitted to go beyond what is set even toward those whom God has forgiven, for whom divine strength and grace enable resistance and escape while trials reveal trust and obedience. God is acquainted with every phase of tempted professing believers whom Satan uses to bring confusion, accuse the brethren, and speak against appointed servants, and He bears long with them, bestowing favors and entreating them to turn because He bought them with blood and is not willing that any should perish; if they turn He gives clear evidence that He is the only true and living God and makes a way of escape from Satan's control, but if they wilfully refuse covenant and choose to perish in their own devising He permits them to follow their own way to destruction and removes His covenant-keeping power, so that cause is followed by effect.

Christ Secures the Escape

Jesus himself had trials and was tempted in all points like people are, yet without sin and without taint of sin, touched with the feeling of human infirmities, and himself suffering being tempted. Walking in the path of obedience does not remove trials, because the enemy works to hinder everyone seeking heaven, yet no temptation is uncommon but is common to all people. He understands every device the enemy prepares for the unwary, knows by painful experience the strength of Satan's devices, what it means to come into conflict with the arch-deceiver, the anguish of the human heart, and what man will meet in resisting evil, suffering himself in resisting temptation. He therefore understands the tried better than they understand themselves, knows how to sympathize with every human being, was made perfect through suffering and though a son learned obedience by the things he suffered, and is able to succor all who are tempted. The promise means that God will not allow those who trust in him as Saviour to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear, but with every temptation has made a way of escape so they can endure it, and one betrayed into sin should not despair or mourn in hopeless unbelief but take the case at once to Jesus, lay the soul burden upon him, come to him and believe on him, and stand in faith strong in God instead of pouring complaints and doubts into human ears.

As man's representative Christ stood the closest test and proving of God, met the strongest force of Satan, and tested and conquered his most wily temptations on behalf of man. Every temptation that afflicts man in daily life and seems difficult to resist was brought to bear upon the Son of God in far greater degree in proportion to his superior excellence of character over fallen man. He passed over the ground where Adam failed and where Israel failed and redeemed that failure, overcoming in man's behalf where Adam and Israel failed and making it possible for fallen man to bear and overcome temptation. Temptation works chiefly through appetite and corrupt passions, and Satan used the same appeal to overthrow Adam and Eve in Eden, the inhabitants of the Old World, the Israelites, Moses, David and Solomon, so that nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness and man in fallen degeneracy bore only a faint resemblance to Adam. Christ took human nature with the weaknesses and degeneracy of the race as it existed at his advent, met those same temptations while fasting forty days in the wilderness harassed by a powerful foe, meeting appetite weakened by a forty-day fast and conquering though weakened where the first parents fell by indulgence. His victory secures the limit on temptation for those who rely on him and trust in him as the infinite Conqueror, so that no one who relies on Jesus is tempted beyond what he is able to bear, and proves that men may overcome as he overcame, overcoming temptation as a man through divine power from heaven.

God would not let Christ be tempted beyond the strength given him to endure, and Christ would come through the test victorious if he bore it patiently. Christ trusted his Father to give him strength and bring him through the trial if he patiently preserved his integrity, knowing an angel would relieve him if no other help was possible and no other way remained. Though God had temporarily allowed Satan power over him, Christ had not placed himself in danger by his own choice and had not deliberately put himself in danger. This confidence did not justify creating a peril and demanding that God rescue him. Having taken human natural infirmities he knows how to help those who are tempted, and having held communion with heaven during his own forty-day fast he understands any fast his followers may be called to endure.

The way of escape is made possible by Jesus laying aside his royal crown and clothing divinity with humanity, enduring a test greater than any to be endured and through his suffering and triumph making that way for us. It was made possible through Christ dying a humiliating death bearing the sins of the whole world and paying ransom with his own blood, which makes a second probation possible with trial and test for every human being. Of themselves sinners cannot bear their sins or atone for errors and man cannot overcome in his own strength, but in Christ there is perfect help, pardon, and regeneration, with open access to the Father, continuing intercession and the Holy Spirit, and transformation into his likeness. The great provision enables through faith escape from the corruption in the world through lust and partaking of the divine nature, because Christ took human nature to show how to form character after the divine similitude, and those who accept the provision are regenerated and transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ's character and elevated so that the Father loves them as he loves his own Son who suffered the penalty of the law, revealing the value of the human soul. The escape is proved and assured by Christ, who began redemption where ruin began by meeting Satan on appetite, the point where Adam failed and where Satan has overcome much of the race, and conquered though weakened by a forty-day fast, remaining with nothing of Satan in him and showing no case is hopeless. The escape works when human effort cooperates with Christ, with divine power joining human effort to bring victory through a living Saviour ready and willing to aid, and it does not save those who refuse effort and declare they cannot break appetite; only those who overcome as Christ overcame will enter through the gates into the city, for God has made provision for everyone to gain heaven and no one has an excuse for losing eternal life.

Temptation Never Excuses Sin

Temptation itself is not sin, and no one stands beyond its reach, yet no pressure, however strong, severe, sudden, prolonged, or almost irresistible, forces anyone to sin or excuses transgression. Satan attacks at the weakest points and at the most unexpected moments, but transgression remains a person's own act requiring consent, and it is not in the power of earth or hell to compel anyone to do evil. Even the very great trials borne by Moses, with provocation, pressure, and burden, prove that the strongest temptation and the most severe assault upon weak points cannot make yielding a necessity, so those who rely on God's strength and the help He has provided need not be overcome but may conquer and endure. God is faithful to provide a way to resist and endure, and trusting Jesus brings help from the power that has conquered Satan, while self-confidence and self-righteousness leave people vulnerable to falling. All who profess godliness are under most sacred obligation to guard the spirit and exercise self-control even under great provocation, bringing every thought and impulse under the Spirit's control, meeting the gospel's requirements by faith and prayer, following Jesus who endured temptation without sin as example, and using the Spirit's word as a weapon against Satan's attacks, for God knows the strength of the heart's natural inclinations and helps in every time of temptation.

God did not make man a mere automaton but created him a free moral agent, and to deprive him of freedom of choice would rob him of his prerogative as an intelligent being. Like the inhabitants of all other worlds, man must be subjected to the test of obedience, and God is not unjust in permitting trial even though He knew sin would bring misery and death. No temptation or trial is ever permitted to come which man is unable to resist, and he is never brought into such a position that yielding to evil becomes a matter of necessity, because God made such ample provision that man need never be defeated in the conflict with Satan. The Son of God in humanity wrestled with the very same fierce, apparently overwhelming temptations that assail men — indulgence of appetite, presumptuous venturing where God has not led, and worship of the god of this world to sacrifice eternal bliss for the pleasures of this life — and the human family have all the help Christ had, may receive all the help Christ received, with angelic agencies ready to aid the tried soul, so they need not be overcome but may be more than conquerors through Him who loved them and gave His life for them. The cross of Calvary stands as a pledge that abundant help is provided for every soul and not one need be lost, with heaven to win and hell to shun, and Christ's humiliating death bearing the sins of the whole world and paying ransom with His own blood makes a second probation with trial and test possible, in which believers in Him as personal Saviour are kept from temptation beyond what they are able to bear. That great provision enables escape from the corruption in the world through lust by partaking of the divine nature, because Christ took human nature to show how to form character after the divine similitude, and those who accept it are regenerated and transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ's character and so elevated that the Father loves them as He loves His own Son who suffered the penalty of the law, revealing the value of the human soul. God does not force anyone to obey, but He has made provision for everyone to gain heaven, it was left to each one's own choice who should be prince, Christ or Satan, whether to conquer satanic agencies or join the powers that counterwork God, so that when all are judged for contempt of God and disobedience not one will have an excuse for losing eternal life.

The promise guards against despair in temptation or danger and shows that a trial God brings may serve a good purpose, but it does not excuse boastfulness or neglect of watchfulness and prayer, which can lead to grievous sin and bring God's wrath. It is not to be rashly claimed by those who recklessly rush into danger, violate nature's laws, and disregard prudence and the judgment God has given, for it does not cover those who willfully place themselves under temptation's power, walk into it, invite it, or presume on God by going unbidden into temptation. Following the example of Jesus led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, those assailed should not lose courage or give up to despondency but trust Him and call upon Him for deliverance, while refusing to create peril and demand rescue. Those in the way of duty may be sure God will preserve them and send angels to rescue them, as with the three Hebrews in the furnace, but those who deliberately seek temptation or let go of God's hold cannot claim sustaining aid and will fall sooner or later. The human part requires cooperating with God by remembering divine help, avoiding influences and practices that lead toward sin, not placing feet needlessly in the path of temptation through pleasure with worldlings, conformity to worldly practices, or union of interests with unbelievers, and keeping away from corrupting influences and strongly entrenched places of the enemy, while still going with a timely message to unbelievers when living near to God.

Receiving the Promised Escape

The way through is received by committing wholly to God and trusting Jesus rather than self, looking away from self to him, coming to him in earnest prayer and faith with the whole heart, claiming his promises, cooperating with him, keeping the soul in his love, exercising self-control, and depending on Christ rather than on self-reliance. Depending constantly on his sufficiency teaches by experience and gives an inward witness and actual knowledge that Christ is all-sufficient, faithful, and powerful, and troubles are to be taken to him in faith instead of pouring complaints and doubts into human ears, standing strong in God under every temptation. This includes using the Word to learn the reason temptation must be resisted, maintaining fixed principles, guarding the spirit, avoiding corrupting influences and needless companionship that imperils the soul, and asking faithful people to stay near and pray, for the promise does not license needlessly entering tempting situations. Cherishing unbelief, carelessness, self-seeking, self-indulgence, self-esteem, and impatience breaks connection with heaven, brings captivity, sin, stumbling, and dishonor, and forfeits ready peace and rest and joy, just as unbelief kept all the adult Israelites from entering the inheritance designed for them and left them to perish in the wilderness. The temptations faced are human temptations, and vigilance against evil is required rather than presuming to stand.

Those assailed are not to lose courage, despair, despond, murmur, or mourn in hopeless unbelief, but to take the case at once to Jesus, lay the soul burden upon him, hold fast with good courage, and keep faith and trust because temptation need not end in defeat. Perseverance is to continue through recurring temptation even where there was failure before and through testing to the end of mortal life, maintaining integrity without giving up or murmuring, with Scripture promises giving strength when temptation is severe. Man's necessity is God's opportunity, for Jesus comes very near in greatest need, sees the danger, never fails to send help, and gives victory to those who value truth and keep steadily to duty. This assurance guards against despair in temptation or danger yet does not excuse boastfulness or neglect of watchfulness and prayer, which can lead to grievous sin, nor does it justify deliberately entering danger or presuming on the promises.

Believers are not left to struggle alone against Satan's whole army and all opposing influences, for Jesus watches every single soul in the battles before them so none is tried beyond ability to bear. Heavenly angels guard like a fort all around them to restrain evil angels from disturbing them or gaining influence, and in severe conflict the Holy Spirit gives strength while Jesus is looked to as Helper, King, Saviour, and Prince of life who never loses interest, giving confidence, faith, peace, and happiness. God gives enough evidence to lean on, hears prayer to show pity and relieve long perplexity and embarrassment of mind, knows how to deliver the godly, and for the obedient soul who seeks his help will effectually restrain the enemy's power that comes through human agencies, the Word being an educating power to learn why temptation must be resisted and his promises being Yea and Amen in Christ. The soul who walks with God in humility and lives in simple confidence in wisdom from above cannot be disabled by all Satan's power, as seen when Peter's sifting went only as far as permitted and would not have been needed had he humbly watched unto prayer instead of trusting self. This guarding extends even to when orders go out to kill those who will not yield their peculiar faith and the Sabbath, for then angels provide food and water in solitary places and fight as men of war under Jesus' command, enabling hunger, thirst, and assaults to be borne until the faithful waiting ones are translated without seeing death.

Purposes and Life Applications

God brings trial for a purpose to accomplish good for those tried, preparing them to resist evil and gain final victory, giving deeper experience and greater spiritual strength as vigilance, patience, and fortitude are exercised through constant rebuffs and opposition, revealing helplessness and curing self-sufficiency to teach childlike trust, purifying and refining like gold without destroying, turning wanderers back with pardon, and testing whether hidden traits will remain faithful. The absence of temptation and trial is not most favorable for developing character, for where difficulties are fewest there is greatest danger of spiritual slothfulness. Relying on own strength leads to failure, while recognizing dependence leads to prayer for strength to resist and grace to overcome, so that trials endured strengthen for greater tests. Christianity promises no exemption from sorrow, yet faith in the faithful limit keeps trust unshaken under persecution and death, endures tribulation on the way into the kingdom, and looks to the highest honor and eternal weight of glory.

The promise reaches appetite, passion, strong drink, and habits that feel irresistible, including gambling and defects of character, and no temptation to indulge perverted appetite is beyond withstanding with the help provided, so excuses for yielding have no weight. Victory depends on trusting God and using the means He provides, sharing in the divine nature while human effort cooperates with divine power through a living Saviour ready and willing to aid, for man cannot overcome in his own strength yet open access to the Father is left. Christ proved and assured the escape by beginning redemption where ruin began, meeting Satan on appetite where Adam failed and where much of the race has been overcome, conquering though weakened by a forty-day fast with nothing of Satan in Him, so no case is hopeless except for those who refuse effort and declare they cannot break appetite. Those struggling to escape Satan's control and craving for strong drink should seek God's help and ask faithful people to stay near, keep promises before them, and pray and act in faith through repeated cravings, trusting God to bless the effort. Parents must train children in fidelity, self-denial, good habits, and pure tastes so they gain moral strength to resist temptation, resist wrong influences, and influence others for good, and the open door of liquor temptation must be closed, for only overcomers will enter through the gates into the city.

The same faithful measure holds in persecution and the last conflict, when commandment-keeping people doing their God-given duty will be sustained through its consequences without a burden greater than they can bear. In the grand work before the closing conflict, when the two armies stand distinct and separate, the faithful will be imprisoned, will flee for their lives from cities and towns, will be martyrs for Christ in defense of truth, and will be brought before kings and rulers and councils to meet false, absurd, and lying accusations, yet strength will be given as their days require to stand firm as a rock to principle in obedience to the express command of God, which Jesus bore and far more. When orders go out to kill those who will not yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day, the saints who calmly trust will be able to bear hunger and thirst and attacks by the wicked, remaining calm, receiving strength, calmness, and peace so burdens can be endured. Angels will provide food and water in solitary places, guard and fight for them as men of war under Jesus' command, protect them from attackers to honor God before the surrounding heathen, and the faithful waiting ones will finally be translated without seeing death.

The promise also covers bodily infirmity, sickness, weariness, sleeplessness, pain, affliction, and heavy burdens, including inherited suffering and disease, accidents, and cause and effect, for God dearly loves the afflicted and gives them special care and sufficient grace so trial never exceeds ability to endure and the sufferer becomes more than a conqueror through Christ. He watches the refining process, limits furnace heat to what love sees fit, sustains every hour, and gives reason for hope and good cheer as believers cling to Jesus and press closely to His bleeding side, knowing measured trial is evidence of His love. Teachers facing discouragement and bodily illness can therefore endure without forgetting goodness, mercy, and love, being drawn into deeper confidence and refined as gold while God watches ready to deliver those who trust Him. Even Paul's eyesight was kept for God's purpose, none are left to sink beneath the burden, and seeming misfortunes such as storms in encampments where no life was lost are overruled into blessings of providence and grace.

The assurance applies especially when working for God and seeking to form character in harmony with His Word, meeting temptation and opposition with a provided way through to endure. The tempter brings strong temptations as he did against Christ, yet for every one assaulted as Christ was assaulted in human nature there is a way of escape found in taking His yoke of submission and learning of Him who is meek and lowly in heart, which gives rest and makes the yoke easy and the burden light. Mothers receive help from the Creator to train children to be overcomers, leading them in His strength and through His name to overcome evil with good, resist even the strongest temptation, exert an elevating influence, and receive the overcomer's reward. No one is beyond the reach of temptation, for every character has weak points and even those with the best advantages for correct habits must meet it with fixed principle to be truthful and honest, resolving in God's strength, whether rich or poor, befriended or alone, that no influence shall lead to the least wrong act, since carelessness at the first step entangles as in a web and the prosperity of God's work depends in measure on each one individually. The inexperienced feet of youth are guided by a heavenly Father too wise to err as they bring every burden to Him, inexperienced youth and those with greatest responsibilities meet test upon test without going back to win the crown of life by daily humbling, and those in danger find hope by clinging to present truth, for provision has been made for every emergency so circumstances cannot excuse neglecting what can and must be done.