The Disciples Prayer

Most people really call it, "The Lord's Prayer."  I labeled it as "The Disciples Prayer" because Jesus gave it to His disciples as an example of what should go into a prayer of petition between God and His children.

In Luke 11:1, the setting seems to be as follows ... we have a certain un-named place where Jesus, as He often did, is found praying either with His disciples or at least near enough to them that they heard how He prayed.

When He finished praying, one of His disciples said unto Him, "Lord, teach us to pray" ... meaning ... like You do.

The prayer related here by Luke is not precisely the same as related by Matthew.  I am going to look at Matthew's version, since it is the one most familiar and usually the one quoted in prayer.  It's found in Matthew 6:9-13 ...

This portion of scripture is a composition unequalled in expressing our need and worship as we petition our creator daily.  It has been said that some of the things Jesus petitions God for were taken from those in common use among the Jews of His day ... but not in the same beautiful combination He places them in for the disciples.

This prayer is given only as a "model."  It is designed to express the "manner" in which we are to pray, not necessarily the precise words or petitions we are to use.  I have no problem with those who "pray" this prayer as their own ... but since it is given as a teaching tool ... I personally never pray this way as I prefer to converse with my Savior and Lord with my own words.  But that's just me.

So, on to how Jesus taught the disciples to pray ...

Our Father ... The very first word is important.  Notice Jesus didn't teach them to say "My Father" but rather "Our Father."  You are not the only child of God.  We are part of a large family of believers.  God is not yours exclusively; but know this ... He deals with you and takes time for you as if you were.  Jesus was also numbering Himself, as a man with them.

One of the reasons Jesus came was to show us who God was.  Yes, God is Holy; but He's also a loving father.  Jesus prayed to His father; but He is telling us that God is also our father as well.  The word "Father," placed here at the beginning of this prayer serves as a foundation for all of our petitions.  Our "Father" ... that term should bring a strong confidence in God's love for us, such as fathers have for their children.

Which art in heaven ... This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 5:2 ... "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few."   

I find it interesting here in Matthew, that just before Jesus shares this short prayer with all His followers, He warns against praying with "vain repetitions and much speaking" as the heathens do.  This makes Solomon's words insightful, wouldn't you say?

God is in heaven ... which denotes a fixed place or position, and it presents the idea of elevation, the sky, called the heavens above ... implying eternity, power and might.  God's throne is in heaven, from which He looks down upon those who dwell upon His earth.  Isaiah 57:15 speaks of God as, "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy ..." 

So Jesus, knowing exactly who His father is continues with ...

Hallowed be thy name ... The word "hallowed" means to "pronounce holy."  God's name is holy, and the petition here is to esteem that name holy and to give it proper honor.  As God is holy, so His name is also holy.  Again ... God is in heaven, we are upon the earth.

Thy kingdom come ... The ancient Jews used to pray for the kingdom of the Messiah to come.  Jesus alters this expression and leaves out the part about the kingdom of the Messiah coming because He had come, and he was the Messiah who would set all men free.  So, we are still to pray for God's rule and reign to be over the whole earth.  It didn't happen with the first appearing of Jesus ... but someday it will.

Thy will be done in earth ... Jesus is saying, let the father's will be done.  And what is that?  It starts with Mark 12:30 ... "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."

And whatever else remains of His will for us, Micah 6:8 most likely will cover it ... "What doth the LORD require of thee?  To do justly ... To love mercy ... To walk humbly with thy God."

And the last part of this phrase ... "as it is in heaven."  I would say that in heaven the angels as well as the redeemed have no problem living and doing the will of God.  Here on earth so far ... that seems to be a problem.  But we should still pray to that end.  That's also His will.

Give us this day our daily bread.  This phrase has perplexed Bible commentators for years.  They seem to find the use of the words "day" and "daily" in the same petition a problem.  Personally, I have no problem with it.  Jesus is simply saying ... "Bestow, grant to us again today, our needed substance including the bread we eat."      

Notice the plural "us, our and we" throughout this prayer just as Jesus first used in "Our Father" in the beginning.  It's intended for all of us to use.

And forgive us our debts ...  The word "debts" is figuratively.  It does not mean that we are literally debtors to God, but that might as well be the case.  We have a sin debt that we cannot pay.  So we are saying ... "Lord forgive us.  We have nothing to pay.  We throw ourselves upon the mercy of the court."

But notice ... Jesus adds, "as we forgive our debtors."  This is the unchanging rule by which God dispenses pardon and forgiveness.  He that comes before the Lord for forgiveness ... must be willing to forgive others.  But then that puts the onus or burden back on us for our salvation rather than on Jesus and the grace of God.  This could become, if you are not careful ... "a type of works." 

So I find another thought here, perhaps more important than the previous one.  When Jesus said ... "as we forgive our debtors" ... could He have just been saying, it is a given, this is what Christians do ... that it is in our new nature to forgive others.  It's expected, it now becomes part of our nature for us to forgive.

And lead us not into temptation ... God temps no man.  But does this rule out a proving or a testing?  The word lead means to bring in, bring to a test or trial.  Many of the early church fathers understood this as ... "lead us not into trials which we cannot bear."   

But deliver us from evil ... Is referring to where God leads us, and there Lord ... "keep us" ... from the evil influence of man or Satan.

So why have we just petitioned God the Father for these things?  Because ...

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever ... for the kingdom is of thee, it's yours and You do reign, with power and strength, with apparent glory, honor and praise, forever ... in this world and the world to come.

Amen ...  Said with a firm, so be it.