Posted on 05/15/2019 5:10:16 AM PDT by metmom
“‘Pray, then, in this way: “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]” For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions’” (Matthew 6:9–15).
In the words of this passage, Jesus provides a concise but comprehensive model outline of genuine prayer. First our Lord addresses God’s glory (vv. 9–10), then He speaks to humanity’s needs (vv. 11–13a). Three petitions make up each of the sections. The first three deal with God’s name, kingdom, and will; the second three appeal to the Father concerning daily bread, forgiveness, and protection from temptation.
Jesus says nothing specific about where we should pray. During His earthly ministry, He prayed in many different places and situations, both public and private. Paul instructed his readers to pray “in every place” (1 Tim. 2:8).
There is also nothing specific about a time to pray. Jesus prayed at many different hours, around the clock. Scripture pictures believers praying at every conceivable occasion—at regular, habitual prayer times; at times of special danger and special blessing; before and after meals; and when arriving at or leaving a certain location.
At any time and under any circumstance, prayer is appropriate. It should be a continual, comprehensive way of life—an open communion with God (Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:17).
Ask Yourself
As we embark on several days of devotional discussion concerning the Lord’s Prayer, try to articulate what this passage has meant to you through the years. What is in this pattern of prayer that has ministered to you in deep, unforgettable ways?
Studying God’s Word ping
I love its universality.
Yup, it covers anyone, any culture, any time.
I think it’s more of a template than something to be recited rote.
A chiasm is a literary form that has a structure that points to the middle of the piece, with is the most important article.
The Sermon on the Mount is a chiasm. (Some think that the entire book of Matthew is a chiasm. But like clouds, I think once you begin looking for a pattern you can find them anywhere!)
The middle of the sermon is the Lord's Prayer.
The middle of the Lord's Prayer is the crux of the entire sermon.
With the Lord's Prayer, the balance of verses shown by the 3 vs 3’, 2 vs 2’, etc.:
3: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name
2: Thy kingdom come
1: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
0: give us this day our daily bread
1’: and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
2’: and lead us not into temptation
3’ but deliver us from the evil one
Looking at the parallel pairings of the chiasmus structure of this prayer it is easily identifiable that the phase pairings are contrasting about the central phrase of give us this day our daily bread.
3 / 3’: Our Father / the evil one
2 / 2’: The age to come / the present age
1 / 1’: The Divine will / the human will
0: The “daily bread”
The entire Sermon on the Mount is about our relationship with others at the beginning, and I think it is our relationship with ourselves in the second half.
And the MAIN thing is our relationship (righteousness means “right relationship” with God/Jesus. “Give us this day our daily bread.”
THE daily bread - Jesus. (”I am the bread of life....Man shall not live by bread alone...”)
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