[firebrand]

It might be one of those jokey lines, like “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof,” and Jesus comparing his word with manure in one of the fig tree parables.

Surely God does not tempt man. Leave that to the FBI.

Message from the Lord to anyone who starts having doubts when things get rough: “I have never hurt you.”

[Verginius Rufus]

It seems rather arrogant for the Vicar of Christ to think he can improve on Christ's words. Of course we don't have Christ's words directly but the renditions of them by Matthew and Luke. If only we had the lost Aramaic of Matthew to see what it said in Aramaic.

The Greek word translated as "temptation," peirasmos, could also mean "trial," as in putting someone to the test. So perhaps it could be read as a request that God not put us to the test (so we don't have a chance of failing the test). If God had not told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they wouldn't have been kicked out of paradise.

[firebrand]

Another humorous line I have always loved:

“If it were not so, I would have told you.”