The account in our text taken from Luke. Parallel material in Matthew shows that Jehovah God is concerned to give his new sons all sorts of good gifts. Yet, as Luke implies, no gift is greater than that of the Holy Spirit, because then the believer has, always, everything she needs.
The Lord's Prayer is given in both Matthew and Luke, though Luke's version is the more compact, leading some scholars to think that Matthew's writer amplified Luke's rendition.. The shorter version, they believe, may be what the Lord actually said. Though this suggestion may well be correct, we must also concede that Jesus could have taught about this prayer on more than one occasion.
In any case, the best manuscripts of Luke give the model prayer in what to us looks like abbreviated form. The matter in square braces is what appears in Matthew but not in the early Luke manuscripts. The matter in curly braces is my commentary.
The Lord's Prayer is given in both Matthew and Luke, though Luke's version is the more compact, leading some scholars to think that Matthew's writer amplified Luke's rendition.. The shorter version, they believe, may be what the Lord actually said. Though this suggestion may well be correct, we must also concede that Jesus could have taught about this prayer on more than one occasion.
In any case, the best manuscripts of Luke give the model prayer in what to us looks like abbreviated form. The matter in square braces is what appears in Matthew but not in the early Luke manuscripts. The matter in curly braces is my commentary.
Luke 11:2-4
2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:
[Our] Father [in heaven], hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. [Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us {literally, in Greek, "is indebted to us"}. And lead us not into temptation [but deliver us from the evil one]."
There are various conjectures as to why what seems to be the original
Luke version (not found in the King James version and other Bible translations) is a
slimmed down version of what appears in Matthew. Of course, nearly everyone
knows that the last verse in Matthew's version of the prayer is very likely a pious addition,
perhaps a bit of a hymn.
My take is not that two different versions were known, but that Matthew added explanatory matter to make clear the intended meaning. He did not feel obliged to give a verbatim report on what he found in Q or some other source. He was giving what he considered to be a fair representation of what Jesus told his disciples. Matthew wanted to make sure his account related to first century Jews. But he, or a scribal editor prior to the third century, also thought it important to put Jesus' spare words into context. This is very similar to the way in which a modern newspaper reporter paraphrases someone's words in order to make the meaning clear to the reader. We must remember that there was no convention of placing verbatim words within quotation marks.
Our Father
A Matthean editor or writer doubtless wanted to make crystal clear to newcomers that Father = God, and not some mortal human. And we have the probability that the prayer was amplified for purposes of group recitation. Whose Father? Our Father. This is a WE church.
Now though it is evident that Jesus was looking forward to the day, not far off, when his disciples would be born again in spirit and in truth and become true sons of God, we should not think un-Jewish those who regarded God as a Father. Consider that OT Scripture calls him a Father to the fatherless.
Indeed The composer of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount may have been thinking of the verse from Psalm 68.
My take is not that two different versions were known, but that Matthew added explanatory matter to make clear the intended meaning. He did not feel obliged to give a verbatim report on what he found in Q or some other source. He was giving what he considered to be a fair representation of what Jesus told his disciples. Matthew wanted to make sure his account related to first century Jews. But he, or a scribal editor prior to the third century, also thought it important to put Jesus' spare words into context. This is very similar to the way in which a modern newspaper reporter paraphrases someone's words in order to make the meaning clear to the reader. We must remember that there was no convention of placing verbatim words within quotation marks.
Our Father
A Matthean editor or writer doubtless wanted to make crystal clear to newcomers that Father = God, and not some mortal human. And we have the probability that the prayer was amplified for purposes of group recitation. Whose Father? Our Father. This is a WE church.
Now though it is evident that Jesus was looking forward to the day, not far off, when his disciples would be born again in spirit and in truth and become true sons of God, we should not think un-Jewish those who regarded God as a Father. Consider that OT Scripture calls him a Father to the fatherless.
Indeed The composer of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount may have been thinking of the verse from Psalm 68.
PS 68:5-6
5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
Father in heaven
I conjecture that Jesus did not usually qualify "Father" with the modifier "heavenly" or "in heaven." That modifier looks like something the writer or an editor decided upon in order to distinguish between God as father and one's earthly father. But, in any case, as the writer of John would have been quick to note, only those who have been born again (or, possibly, who are destined to be born again) can rightly call God our Father. And once he becomes our Father, that is it! He is the Father. One's earthly father may deserve respect, but he is father of the old, unregenerate man. The new man has only one father, God.
Though fashioned in the image of God, we soon, as a result of growing up in this world, died to God. By Christ's sacrifice, the original image of God in us – hopefully – has been and is being restored. This is an important point. God chose us in advance for salvation, for restoration. In a sense, we were always sons of God. But that relationship (which tends to elude our memories) was destroyed by sin. Now it is restored, better than ever. By this reasoning, we can draw a parallel with the idea that Jesus was always the son of God, but events in his human life correspond to a renewal of that sonship.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Matthew has added this thought, I suggest, in order to make plain that the unfolding of the divine kingdom implies that God's will is to be done in the here and now. Again, we can see this in the context of the born-again believers. God's kingdom has come into their hearts and minds through trust in Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So these folks are much more inclined to do God's will, although most still have battles to fight against the flesh. When the kingdom arrives in its full splendor, those battles against the flesh will presumably be at an end and only the will of God will be done.
But deliver us from the evil one1
I suggest these words were included in order to bolster the faith and understanding of new believers. These words are certainly implied by the previous words: "Lead us not into temptation." The Matthean composer of the Sermon on the Mount wished to assure the readers that Jesus really saves.
Do not lead us to temptation
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous,2 from the disordered condition that has overcome him.
Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" remains on him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
I conjecture that Jesus did not usually qualify "Father" with the modifier "heavenly" or "in heaven." That modifier looks like something the writer or an editor decided upon in order to distinguish between God as father and one's earthly father. But, in any case, as the writer of John would have been quick to note, only those who have been born again (or, possibly, who are destined to be born again) can rightly call God our Father. And once he becomes our Father, that is it! He is the Father. One's earthly father may deserve respect, but he is father of the old, unregenerate man. The new man has only one father, God.
Though fashioned in the image of God, we soon, as a result of growing up in this world, died to God. By Christ's sacrifice, the original image of God in us – hopefully – has been and is being restored. This is an important point. God chose us in advance for salvation, for restoration. In a sense, we were always sons of God. But that relationship (which tends to elude our memories) was destroyed by sin. Now it is restored, better than ever. By this reasoning, we can draw a parallel with the idea that Jesus was always the son of God, but events in his human life correspond to a renewal of that sonship.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Matthew has added this thought, I suggest, in order to make plain that the unfolding of the divine kingdom implies that God's will is to be done in the here and now. Again, we can see this in the context of the born-again believers. God's kingdom has come into their hearts and minds through trust in Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So these folks are much more inclined to do God's will, although most still have battles to fight against the flesh. When the kingdom arrives in its full splendor, those battles against the flesh will presumably be at an end and only the will of God will be done.
But deliver us from the evil one1
I suggest these words were included in order to bolster the faith and understanding of new believers. These words are certainly implied by the previous words: "Lead us not into temptation." The Matthean composer of the Sermon on the Mount wished to assure the readers that Jesus really saves.
Do not lead us to temptation
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous,2 from the disordered condition that has overcome him.
Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" remains on him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
Matthew's version of the model prayer is discussed further below:
Matthew 6:9-13
9 Pray like this:
Our heavenly Father, may your name be revered.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our portion of bread.
12 Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.)
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if you do not forgive their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.
We have come to
what is called "the Lord's prayer" or "the model
prayer" – with an addendum in verses 14 and 15. Though customarily the prayer is repeated
verbatim, I suggest that the point here is to provide a guide for
the essentials of Christian faith, and was not imposed by Jesus as a mandatory recital.
(Usually rendered 'Hallowed be your name.')
Whatever name we use to refer to God, we should hold God in very great respect in our thoughts, words and actions. He should be the focus of our being. We should be ever mindful of him. This is not so easy for the natural, unregenerate person. But for those born of the Spirit, the love of God strongly tends to be realized. When Jesus gave his followers this prayer, he no doubt was looking forward to the day, after his resurrection, when the Spirit would empower people to truly hold God's name in awe and respect.
Verse 10: Your kingdom come
That kingdom is breaking through under Christ's ministry, but is not consummated until the end of the age. While first century Jews tended to look forward to the Messianic kingdom, the readers of Matthew not only look forward, but also perceive that the kingdom has already broken through, as the sun's rays peek over the horizon near dawn, and pray for its extension as well as for its unqualified manifestation. Won't it be wonderful when no one needs to preach about salvation, because everyone knows Christ! In the meantime, there is a big harvest of souls awaiting the few laborers for Christ. Ask God to send more workers! (Matthew 9:37-38)
Verse 11: Give us today our ration of bread
As Jesus points out in other verses, we should not be overly concerned about food and other material needs. Yet, there is value in reminding ourselves of that dependence by asking God to provide our bread for the day.
Bread was up until very recently known as the staff of life. If nothing else was available, healthy, non-processed bread would keep a person going physically. Of course, then as now, "bread" was a metaphor for sustenance.
The poor were really poor in former times as they were right up until the past two or three centuries in the New World. "Jehovah jireh" = the Lord will provide... for the needs of those who put their faith and trust in him. Yet, we should not take God's provision too lightly. There is value in focusing on the fact that he is the one helping us, especially those of us who are disciples (=students).
But, in any case, why think about what we are going to put on the table Friday if today is Monday? With Jesus, we may take one day at a time.
We are to ask Father to meet our basic needs for the day, not because he doesn't already know our needs, but to keep us in a right relationship with him. We are ever-reminded that we do not "earn" our daily strength. God provides that. Consider the Israelites who worked overtime to "earn" more manna for their larders. They labored in vain, because the manna would only keep a short time. God provided for them daily, and they did not work hard to receive that sustenance.
Let us not forget that Jesus is the bread of life. So we need his grace with us one day at a time. Just for today. Tomorrow's troubles are not worth the bother of hashing over. Let them go for now. Let us consume the bread of life, which is to "eat up" Jesus and everything about him, especially his will, which is the Father's will. We are to live and breathe Jesus, which we will do if we try to avoid quenching the Spirit (I THESS 5:19). Recall that Jesus' food is to do God's will (John 4:34).
You can do nothing without Jesus, and hence the Father.
Verse 9: Our heavenly Father
We, as sons (or children) of God now have a right to call the formerly unknown God by the intimate name "Father." Once having this intimate relationship, we really ought realize how holy God is, how much we should desire to do his will. We are both to pray that God's kingdom come here on earth and realize that it is already among the born-again Christians. (Granted, Jesus' disciples had not yet been born again when he gave this talk, but some were already chosen for rebirth in the Spirit once Jesus was resurrected.)
If you have never met your dad, thinking of him as your Father is difficult. Without the help of Jesus, we don't know the Father. Yes, he is our father in the sense that he created us. But we don't relate to him as a member of his intimate family. Only when we have put our faith in his son, Jesus, are we treated as true members of the family – as sons of God, in fact.
Jesus is also specifying that God alone is to be our Father, for our human fathers are now not to rule us, assuming we are of age. More importantly, we are to look to our divine Father for guidance more so than we do our human father, and if necessary, to turn away from our human father.2a
We, as sons (or children) of God now have a right to call the formerly unknown God by the intimate name "Father." Once having this intimate relationship, we really ought realize how holy God is, how much we should desire to do his will. We are both to pray that God's kingdom come here on earth and realize that it is already among the born-again Christians. (Granted, Jesus' disciples had not yet been born again when he gave this talk, but some were already chosen for rebirth in the Spirit once Jesus was resurrected.)
If you have never met your dad, thinking of him as your Father is difficult. Without the help of Jesus, we don't know the Father. Yes, he is our father in the sense that he created us. But we don't relate to him as a member of his intimate family. Only when we have put our faith in his son, Jesus, are we treated as true members of the family – as sons of God, in fact.
Jesus is also specifying that God alone is to be our Father, for our human fathers are now not to rule us, assuming we are of age. More importantly, we are to look to our divine Father for guidance more so than we do our human father, and if necessary, to turn away from our human father.2a
Matthew 23:9
Verse 9: May your name be reveredCall no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
(Usually rendered 'Hallowed be your name.')
Whatever name we use to refer to God, we should hold God in very great respect in our thoughts, words and actions. He should be the focus of our being. We should be ever mindful of him. This is not so easy for the natural, unregenerate person. But for those born of the Spirit, the love of God strongly tends to be realized. When Jesus gave his followers this prayer, he no doubt was looking forward to the day, after his resurrection, when the Spirit would empower people to truly hold God's name in awe and respect.
Verse 10: Your kingdom come
That kingdom is breaking through under Christ's ministry, but is not consummated until the end of the age. While first century Jews tended to look forward to the Messianic kingdom, the readers of Matthew not only look forward, but also perceive that the kingdom has already broken through, as the sun's rays peek over the horizon near dawn, and pray for its extension as well as for its unqualified manifestation. Won't it be wonderful when no one needs to preach about salvation, because everyone knows Christ! In the meantime, there is a big harvest of souls awaiting the few laborers for Christ. Ask God to send more workers! (Matthew 9:37-38)
Verse 11: Give us today our ration of bread
As Jesus points out in other verses, we should not be overly concerned about food and other material needs. Yet, there is value in reminding ourselves of that dependence by asking God to provide our bread for the day.
Bread was up until very recently known as the staff of life. If nothing else was available, healthy, non-processed bread would keep a person going physically. Of course, then as now, "bread" was a metaphor for sustenance.
The poor were really poor in former times as they were right up until the past two or three centuries in the New World. "Jehovah jireh" = the Lord will provide... for the needs of those who put their faith and trust in him. Yet, we should not take God's provision too lightly. There is value in focusing on the fact that he is the one helping us, especially those of us who are disciples (=students).
But, in any case, why think about what we are going to put on the table Friday if today is Monday? With Jesus, we may take one day at a time.
We are to ask Father to meet our basic needs for the day, not because he doesn't already know our needs, but to keep us in a right relationship with him. We are ever-reminded that we do not "earn" our daily strength. God provides that. Consider the Israelites who worked overtime to "earn" more manna for their larders. They labored in vain, because the manna would only keep a short time. God provided for them daily, and they did not work hard to receive that sustenance.
Let us not forget that Jesus is the bread of life. So we need his grace with us one day at a time. Just for today. Tomorrow's troubles are not worth the bother of hashing over. Let them go for now. Let us consume the bread of life, which is to "eat up" Jesus and everything about him, especially his will, which is the Father's will. We are to live and breathe Jesus, which we will do if we try to avoid quenching the Spirit (I THESS 5:19). Recall that Jesus' food is to do God's will (John 4:34).
You can do nothing without Jesus, and hence the Father.
John 15:5
I am the vine, you [as sons of God] are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, yields much fruit. For without me you can do nothing.
Even for mundane matters, none of us, whether born again or not, can
do anything without Jesus giving consent.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power in heaven and earth is given to me.
So even when people are led into temptation, fall and commit criminal
acts against their fellow humans and God, Jesus and our Father are
involved, one way or another.
Verse 12: Forgive us our sins as we forgive...
According to scholars, the word "debts" plainly means "sins." A person who sins against someone else injures him and so, by ancient custom, the injured person had a right to seek revenge, or at least some kind of payment (like lawsuits of today). But why should we sue for redress of a grievance? God, through the sacrifice of his son, forgives our sins.
At this point, we may think of Jesus' story about the oppressive servant who hounded others to pay him back what they could ill afford, despite his having been forgiven all the debt he owed to a king. When the king heard about the servant's cruelty, he reimposed all the debt that that servant owed him (Matthew 18:23-35). How can we not bask in God's graciousness and release our resentments, forgiving others who have wronged us? Isn't our destiny the wonder of eternal life? How can we complain? So then, should we not also forgive people who owe us money? Why demand repayment? God will provide our true needs. Why not let that go? Clinging to the need to get money back is like clinging to Mammon. Wrong direction. Turn around, and get God good.
Forgiving the debts owed us by others is not the easiest thing for many of us. But the oft-heard assertion, "I will never forgive that," carries a grave danger to the speaker. Jesus has already warned earlier in the Sermon, as he does elsewhere in the gospels, that forgiveness is an imperative component of the Christian walk.
In fact this particular admonition is placed immediately after the model prayer:
Verse 12: Forgive us our sins as we forgive...
According to scholars, the word "debts" plainly means "sins." A person who sins against someone else injures him and so, by ancient custom, the injured person had a right to seek revenge, or at least some kind of payment (like lawsuits of today). But why should we sue for redress of a grievance? God, through the sacrifice of his son, forgives our sins.
At this point, we may think of Jesus' story about the oppressive servant who hounded others to pay him back what they could ill afford, despite his having been forgiven all the debt he owed to a king. When the king heard about the servant's cruelty, he reimposed all the debt that that servant owed him (Matthew 18:23-35). How can we not bask in God's graciousness and release our resentments, forgiving others who have wronged us? Isn't our destiny the wonder of eternal life? How can we complain? So then, should we not also forgive people who owe us money? Why demand repayment? God will provide our true needs. Why not let that go? Clinging to the need to get money back is like clinging to Mammon. Wrong direction. Turn around, and get God good.
Forgiving the debts owed us by others is not the easiest thing for many of us. But the oft-heard assertion, "I will never forgive that," carries a grave danger to the speaker. Jesus has already warned earlier in the Sermon, as he does elsewhere in the gospels, that forgiveness is an imperative component of the Christian walk.
In fact this particular admonition is placed immediately after the model prayer:
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if you do not forgive their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.
Verse 13: Temptation
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous4, from the disordered condition that has overcome him. Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" rests over him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
1. The ancient Greek makes no distinction between evil and the evil one.
2. Though Alcoholics Anonymous describes itself as a spiritual program, AA takes no position on religious doctrines.
1a. I assume that the descriptive, "the baptist," is an early editorial insertion. It seems unlikely that Jesus would have actually used that term, though it is not impossible.
2a. Bow only to Jesus or the Father, not to any human.
Consider the faith of Abraham.
The Sacrifice Averted
3. This idea probably was stimulated by the story of Elijah being taken up alive into heaven, thus implying that he would return in similar manner.
The prayer that Jesus taught his followers lays out a simple, but comprehensive road map for belief.
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous4, from the disordered condition that has overcome him. Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" rests over him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
John 3:36
He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.
Yet even a born-again Christian will make mistakes, sometimes major
blunders. So a new son of God is wise to ask the Father
not to let him go astray, to ask that, should he veer off the right path, that
God guide him back to where he belongs. Please don't let me follow a
false light, Oh Lord – because, without your help, I am very likely to do just that!
As we have said, a most important part of the Christian walk is to overlook the wrongs done to us by others. Jesus explains this point in Matthew 6:13-14 and in a number of other places in the gospels. But danger is lurking for Christians and even more so for those who are near, but who have not come, to Christ. They need help averting a nasty fall. MT's addition of "but deliver us from evil" serves to remind the hearer that a hard test (=temptation) is sent by Hell in order to block the potential believer from coming to Christ as well as to hinder the born-again believer from succeeding in his walk with the Lord. Some of these temptations were indeed very difficult, as when governmental and religious oppressors gave Christians a choice between denying Jesus and death.
Was not Judas led into temptation by Jesus and his Father, even though Judas was unwittingly doing the devil's work? Jesus, at the instance of his Father, at some point chose Judas as a devil (i.e., a tare or weed). When Jesus' final hour arrived, he directed Judas to hurry and do what he had to do (John 13:27). God was not doing evil to Judas. Judas had already worked his way into this role, as he was money-hungry. God authorizes everything, including the works of Satan. When we are children, we learn to avoid, say, the evil of a hot stove. The stove is fine in Mom's universe, but we are to steer clear of it.
In addition, there is no "right" to receive God's grace. Grace is unmerited favor from God. We should be mindful of these blessings, and try not to take his grace for granted (though the sons will, to some extent, tend to take the Father's provision for granted). If God withheld his grace from you, you would soon be led astray. In current times, God sends his rain on the just and the unjust, on the saved and the not-yet saved. Though the unsaved benefit much less from God's grace than the saved, at least they get some reflected light, and there is hope for them.
Once the final judgment has occurred, those who have rejected Jesus after many opportunities will finally get their way. No more Jesus at all. No Savior. No light of the world. No sense of God. Hell. Hell is what you get when the Savior is not present.
It is too bad anyone must endure this, as Jesus already endured such a torment when, having taken our place, he cried out in anguish, "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me!?" (Matthew 27:46)
Why would God lead anyone into temptation and into the hands of the evil one?
Well, consider the instance in which Paul ordered – through spiritual means – the destruction of a man's body.
As we have said, a most important part of the Christian walk is to overlook the wrongs done to us by others. Jesus explains this point in Matthew 6:13-14 and in a number of other places in the gospels. But danger is lurking for Christians and even more so for those who are near, but who have not come, to Christ. They need help averting a nasty fall. MT's addition of "but deliver us from evil" serves to remind the hearer that a hard test (=temptation) is sent by Hell in order to block the potential believer from coming to Christ as well as to hinder the born-again believer from succeeding in his walk with the Lord. Some of these temptations were indeed very difficult, as when governmental and religious oppressors gave Christians a choice between denying Jesus and death.
Was not Judas led into temptation by Jesus and his Father, even though Judas was unwittingly doing the devil's work? Jesus, at the instance of his Father, at some point chose Judas as a devil (i.e., a tare or weed). When Jesus' final hour arrived, he directed Judas to hurry and do what he had to do (John 13:27). God was not doing evil to Judas. Judas had already worked his way into this role, as he was money-hungry. God authorizes everything, including the works of Satan. When we are children, we learn to avoid, say, the evil of a hot stove. The stove is fine in Mom's universe, but we are to steer clear of it.
In addition, there is no "right" to receive God's grace. Grace is unmerited favor from God. We should be mindful of these blessings, and try not to take his grace for granted (though the sons will, to some extent, tend to take the Father's provision for granted). If God withheld his grace from you, you would soon be led astray. In current times, God sends his rain on the just and the unjust, on the saved and the not-yet saved. Though the unsaved benefit much less from God's grace than the saved, at least they get some reflected light, and there is hope for them.
Once the final judgment has occurred, those who have rejected Jesus after many opportunities will finally get their way. No more Jesus at all. No Savior. No light of the world. No sense of God. Hell. Hell is what you get when the Savior is not present.
It is too bad anyone must endure this, as Jesus already endured such a torment when, having taken our place, he cried out in anguish, "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me!?" (Matthew 27:46)
Why would God lead anyone into temptation and into the hands of the evil one?
Well, consider the instance in which Paul ordered – through spiritual means – the destruction of a man's body.
1 COR 5:1-5
5 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Paul used his Holy Spirit power from a distance to cause the destruction of the weak believer's body – not for punishment, but for an emergency amputation. The man had to be disconnected, via some harsh physical illness, from the powerful sinning body in order for him to be released and saved. But, because he was born again, the true man was in the spirit and not the body. An unregenerate man who dies in his sin still has a dead spirit after death of the body, as he did during his physical lifetime.
In this particular case, we cannot say that the man was led into temptation, but he was certainly led to Paul, who took drastic spiritual action in order to assure the brother's eternal life, as well as to bolster the young church at Corinth.
Verse 13: The doxology: Kingdom, power and glory
These words appear to have been added to Matthew for liturgical reasons by the early church. One commentator thinks the words are meant to "seal" the prayer, a practice found, he says, among ancient Jews. Certainly it is beneficial to be reminded that God is totally in charge! It is unthinkable that Jesus would have objected to this "comment." In any case, it is certainly possible that Jesus said something close to this during his earthly ministry and that a Matthean editor or copyist incorporated that saying. But it is also possible the redactor wanted to underscore the meaning of "your kingdom come." True servants of God will obey God, though learning to do so well is a lifelong process. As we saw from the foregoing discourse, the way God would like for us to act – the "heavenly" way – is what we are to aspire to here on earth.
In this particular case, we cannot say that the man was led into temptation, but he was certainly led to Paul, who took drastic spiritual action in order to assure the brother's eternal life, as well as to bolster the young church at Corinth.
Verse 13: The doxology: Kingdom, power and glory
These words appear to have been added to Matthew for liturgical reasons by the early church. One commentator thinks the words are meant to "seal" the prayer, a practice found, he says, among ancient Jews. Certainly it is beneficial to be reminded that God is totally in charge! It is unthinkable that Jesus would have objected to this "comment." In any case, it is certainly possible that Jesus said something close to this during his earthly ministry and that a Matthean editor or copyist incorporated that saying. But it is also possible the redactor wanted to underscore the meaning of "your kingdom come." True servants of God will obey God, though learning to do so well is a lifelong process. As we saw from the foregoing discourse, the way God would like for us to act – the "heavenly" way – is what we are to aspire to here on earth.
From the days of John until now
For a bit more insight into the idea of the heavenly realm, consider
Here we may speculate that perhaps Matthew's principle author did not yet have a full comprehension – though still very good – of what Jesus was driving at in his earthly ministry. I interpret 11:11-15 to mean that John was the greatest prophet born in a natural way. In fact, he was so great that he fulfilled the role of Elijah,3 who was thought by many to be someone who would return to pave the way for God's saving reign on earth. Yet, John was not born again. Those who have been born by the Spirit from above are much, much more fortunate than someone who remains in the natural state, born only in the natural way.
Verse 12, while praising John, also seems to imply a conflation of ideas. How could John's ministry set off a wild scramble to get into heaven's kingdom, and yet John himself be excluded?
Two, not necessarily mutually exclusive, possibilities come to mind:
For a bit more insight into the idea of the heavenly realm, consider
Matthew 11:11-15
John made the hearts of the common
people ready to receive the message of salvation; they rushed eagerly
to obtain that salvation, which could be fulfilled once Jesus was
crucified and resurrected. Though Jesus had not yet sent them the Holy
Spirit, many of these believers were as good as "in." They would receive the
Spirit in return for putting trust in Jesus. Of course, we must assume
that the belief of many who had stormed into the kingdom faltered when
Jesus died, as did the belief of the inner circle of disciples. But
just as the resurrected Jesus restored the belief of the inner circle,
so he would have revived the hope of the many others – no doubt via
the proclamation by the reinvigorated disciples.
11 I mean it when I tell you, among those born of women, there has not arisen anyone greater than John [the Baptist]1a. Even so, he that is least in heaven's kingdom is greater than he.
12 From the days of John [the Baptist] until now, people have been beating on the gates of heaven's kingdom and storming in.
13 All the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you can accept it, he is Elijah, who was to come.
15 He who has ears to hear, listen up!
Here we may speculate that perhaps Matthew's principle author did not yet have a full comprehension – though still very good – of what Jesus was driving at in his earthly ministry. I interpret 11:11-15 to mean that John was the greatest prophet born in a natural way. In fact, he was so great that he fulfilled the role of Elijah,3 who was thought by many to be someone who would return to pave the way for God's saving reign on earth. Yet, John was not born again. Those who have been born by the Spirit from above are much, much more fortunate than someone who remains in the natural state, born only in the natural way.
Verse 12, while praising John, also seems to imply a conflation of ideas. How could John's ministry set off a wild scramble to get into heaven's kingdom, and yet John himself be excluded?
Two, not necessarily mutually exclusive, possibilities come to mind:
i. At this stage the main author of Matthew was – in some sense properly – implying that the people who had rushed out to obtain John's baptism for repentance of sin had begun to enter God's kingdom, which Jesus would reign over. But this leaves a question about John's inferiority.
ii. John's role was to pave the way for the Messianic kingdom. It was necessary that his role as a natural man cease, to be replaced by the realm of supernatural men (the born again). We may also read into this the end and fulfillment of Israel's "natural man" path, now to be replaced by the New Israel.
By the words of Matthew 11:11-15, Jesus was indirectly announcing that he was the expected
Messiah, as he did in previous verses in which he pointed out the
works of wonder to the puzzled John.
1. The ancient Greek makes no distinction between evil and the evil one.
2. Though Alcoholics Anonymous describes itself as a spiritual program, AA takes no position on religious doctrines.
1a. I assume that the descriptive, "the baptist," is an early editorial insertion. It seems unlikely that Jesus would have actually used that term, though it is not impossible.
2a. Bow only to Jesus or the Father, not to any human.
Luke 14:26
By the Greek word rendered hate Jesus does not mean implacable animosity. He means that what Jesus says for you to do is what counts, not what humans around you want.
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Consider the faith of Abraham.
The Sacrifice Averted
GEN 22: 9-14
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
3. This idea probably was stimulated by the story of Elijah being taken up alive into heaven, thus implying that he would return in similar manner.
Pray like this:
Our heavenly Father, may your name be revered.Jesus added,
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today our portion of bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.)For if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if you do not forgive their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.
We have come to
what is called "the Lord's prayer" or "the model
prayer" -- with an addendum in the last two sentences. Though customarily the prayer is repeated
verbatim, I suggest that the point here is to provide a guide for
the essentials of Christian faith, and was not imposed by Jesus as a mandatory recital.
Our heavenly Father
We, as sons (or children) of God now have a right to call the formerly unknown God by the intimate name "Father." Once having this intimate relationship, we really ought realize how holy God is, how much we should desire to do his will. We are both to pray that God's kingdom come here on earth and realize that it is already among the born-again Christians. (Granted, Jesus' disciples had not yet been born again when he gave this talk, but some were already chosen for rebirth in the Spirit once Jesus was resurrected.)
If you have never met your dad, thinking of him as your Father is difficult. Without the help of Jesus, we don't know the Father. Yes, he is our father in the sense that he created us. But we don't relate to him as a member of his intimate family. Only when we have put our faith in his son, Jesus, are we treated as true members of the family -- as sons of God, in fact.
Jesus is also specifying that God alone is to be our Father, for our human fathers are now not to rule us, assuming we are of age. More importantly, we are to look to our divine Father for guidance more so than we do our human father, and if necessary, to turn away from our human father.
Elsewhere, Jesus taught, "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."
May your name be revered
(Usually rendered 'Hallowed be your name.')
Whatever name we use to refer to God, we should hold God in very great respect in our thoughts, words and actions. He should be the focus of our being. We should be ever mindful of him. This is not so easy for the natural, unregenerate person. But for those born of the Spirit, the love of God strongly tends to be realized. When Jesus gave his followers this prayer, he no doubt was looking forward to the day, after his resurrection, when the Spirit would empower people to truly hold God's name in awe and respect.
Your kingdom come
That kingdom is breaking through under Christ's ministry, but is not consummated until the end of the age. While first century Jews tended to look forward to the Messianic kingdom, the readers of MT not only look forward, but also perceive that the kingdom has already broken through, as the sun's rays peek over the horizon near dawn, and pray for its extension as well as for its unqualified manifestation. Won't it be wonderful when no one needs to preach about salvation, because everyone knows Christ! In the meantime, there is a big harvest of souls awaiting the few laborers for Christ. Ask God to send more workers! (MT 9:37-38)
Give us today our ration of bread
As Jesus points out elsewhere, we should not be overly concerned about food and other material needs. Yet, there is value in reminding ourselves of that dependence by asking God to provide our bread for the day.
Bread was up until very recently known as the staff of life. If nothing else was available, healthy, non-processed bread would keep a person going physically. Of course, then as now, "bread" was a metaphor for sustenance.
The poor were really poor in former times as they were right up until the past two or three centuries in the New World. "Jehovah jireh" = the Lord will provide... for the needs of those who put their faith and trust in him. Yet, we should not take God's provision too lightly. There is value in focusing on the fact that he is the one helping us, especially those of us who are disciples (=students).
But, in any case, why think about what we are going to put on the table Friday if today is Monday? With Jesus, we may take one day at a time.
We are to ask Father to meet our basic needs for the day, not because he doesn't already know our needs, but to keep us in a right relationship with him. We are ever-reminded that we do not "earn" our daily strength. God provides that. Consider the Israelites who worked overtime to "earn" more manna for their larders. They labored in vain, because the manna would only keep a short time. God provided for them daily, and they did not work hard to receive that sustenance.
Let us not forget that Jesus is the bread of life. So we need his grace with us one day at a time. Just for today. Tomorrow's troubles are not worth the bother of hashing over. Let them go for now. Let us consume the bread of life, which is to "eat up" Jesus and everything about him, especially his will, which is the Father's will. We are to live and breathe Jesus, which we will do if we try to avoid quenching the Spirit. Recall that Jesus' food is the doing of God's will.
You can do nothing without Jesus, and hence the Father.
Consider these teachings of Jesus:
Forgive us our sins as we forgive...
According to scholars, the word "debts" plainly means "sins." A person who sins against someone else injures him and so, by ancient custom, the injured person had a right to seek revenge, or at least some kind of payment (like lawsuits of today). But why should we sue for redress of a grievance? God, through the sacrifice of his son, forgives our sins.
At this point, we may think of Jesus' story about the oppressive servant who hounded others to pay him back what they could ill afford, despite his having been forgiven all the debt he owed to a king. When the king heard about the servant's cruelty, he reimposed all the debt that that servant owed him (MT 18:23-35). How can we not bask in God's graciousness and release our resentments, forgiving others who have wronged us? Isn't our destiny the wonder of eternal life? How can we complain? So then, should we not also forgive people who owe us money? Why demand repayment? God will provide our true needs. Why not let that go? Clinging to the need to get money back is like clinging to Mammon. Wrong direction. Turn around, and get God good.
Forgiving the debts owed us by others is not the easiest thing for many of us. But the oft-heard assertion, "I will never forgive that," carries a grave danger to the speaker. Jesus has already warned earlier in the Sermon, as he does elsewhere in the gospels, that forgiveness is an imperative component of the Christian walk.
Temptation
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous4, from the disordered condition that has overcome him. Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" rests over him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
As the writer of John says, "He who believes on the son has everlasting life but he that doesn't won't see life but the wrath of God [that is, the penalty of spiritual death] abides on him."
Yet even a born-again Christian will make mistakes, sometimes major blunders. So a new son of God is wise to ask the Father not to let him go astray, to ask that, should he veer off the right path, that God guide him back to where he belongs. Please don't let me follow a false light, Oh Lord -- because, without your help, I am very likely to do just that!
As we have said, a most important part of the Christian walk is to overlook the wrongs done to us by others. Jesus explains this point in MT 6:13-14 and in a number of other places in the gospels. But danger is lurking for Christians and even more so for those who are near, but who have not come, to Christ. They need help averting a nasty fall. MT's addition of "but deliver us from evil" serves to remind the hearer that a hard test (=temptation) is sent by Hell in order to block the potential believer from coming to Christ as well as to hinder the born-again believer from succeeding in his walk with the Lord. Some of these temptations were indeed very difficult, as when governmental and religious oppressors gave Christians a choice between denying Jesus and death.
Was not Judah led into temptation by Jesus and his Father, even though Judah was unwittingly doing the devil's work? Jesus, at the instance of his Father, at some point chose Judah as a devil (i.e., a tare or weed). When Jesus' final hour arrived, he directed Judah to hurry and do what he had to do. God was not doing evil to Judah. Judah had already worked his way into this role, as he was money-hungry. God authorizes everything, including the works of Satan. When we are children, we learn to avoid, say, the evil of a hot stove. The stove is fine in Mom's universe, but we are to steer clear of it.
Moreover, there is no "right" to receive God's grace. Grace is unmerited favor from God. We should be mindful of these blessings, and try not to take his grace for granted (though the sons will, to some extent, tend to take the Father's provision for granted). If God withheld his grace from you, you would soon be led astray. In current times, God sends his rain on the just and the unjust, on the saved and the not-yet saved. Though the unsaved benefit much less from God's grace than the saved, at least they get some reflected light, and there is hope for them.
Once the final judgment has occurred, those who have rejected Jesus after many opportunities will finally get their way. No more Jesus at all. No Savior. No light of the world. No sense of God. Hell. Hell is what you get when the Savior is not present.
It is too bad anyone must endure this, as Jesus already endured such a torment when, having taken our place, he cried out in anguish, "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me!?"
Why would God lead anyone into temptation and into the hands of the evil one?
Well, consider the instance in which Paul ordered -- through spiritual means -- the destruction of a man's body, handing the man over "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
Paul used his Holy Spirit power from a distance to cause the destruction of the weak believer's body -- not for punishment, but for an emergency amputation. The man had to be disconnected, via some harsh physical illness, from the powerful sinning body in order for him to be released and saved. But, because that man had been born again, the true man was in the spirit and not the body. An unregenerate man who dies in his sin still has a dead spirit after death of the body, as he did during his physical lifetime.
In this particular case, we cannot say that the man was led into temptation, but he was certainly led to Paul, who took drastic spiritual action in order to assure the brother's eternal life, as well as to bolster the young church at Corinth.
The doxology: Kingdom, power and glory
These words appear to have been added to Matthew for liturgical reasons by the early church. One commentator thinks the words are meant to "seal" the prayer, a practice found, he says, among ancient Jews. Certainly it is beneficial to be reminded that God is totally in charge! It is unthinkable that Jesus would have objected to this "comment." In any case, it is certainly possible that Jesus said something close to this during his earthly ministry and that an editor incorporated that saying. But it is also possible the redactor wanted to underscore the meaning of "your kingdom come." True servants of God will obey God, though learning to do so well is a lifelong process. As we saw from the foregoing discourse, the way God would like for us to act -- the "heavenly" way -- is what we are to aspire to here on earth.
Our heavenly Father
We, as sons (or children) of God now have a right to call the formerly unknown God by the intimate name "Father." Once having this intimate relationship, we really ought realize how holy God is, how much we should desire to do his will. We are both to pray that God's kingdom come here on earth and realize that it is already among the born-again Christians. (Granted, Jesus' disciples had not yet been born again when he gave this talk, but some were already chosen for rebirth in the Spirit once Jesus was resurrected.)
If you have never met your dad, thinking of him as your Father is difficult. Without the help of Jesus, we don't know the Father. Yes, he is our father in the sense that he created us. But we don't relate to him as a member of his intimate family. Only when we have put our faith in his son, Jesus, are we treated as true members of the family -- as sons of God, in fact.
Jesus is also specifying that God alone is to be our Father, for our human fathers are now not to rule us, assuming we are of age. More importantly, we are to look to our divine Father for guidance more so than we do our human father, and if necessary, to turn away from our human father.
Elsewhere, Jesus taught, "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."
May your name be revered
(Usually rendered 'Hallowed be your name.')
Whatever name we use to refer to God, we should hold God in very great respect in our thoughts, words and actions. He should be the focus of our being. We should be ever mindful of him. This is not so easy for the natural, unregenerate person. But for those born of the Spirit, the love of God strongly tends to be realized. When Jesus gave his followers this prayer, he no doubt was looking forward to the day, after his resurrection, when the Spirit would empower people to truly hold God's name in awe and respect.
Your kingdom come
That kingdom is breaking through under Christ's ministry, but is not consummated until the end of the age. While first century Jews tended to look forward to the Messianic kingdom, the readers of MT not only look forward, but also perceive that the kingdom has already broken through, as the sun's rays peek over the horizon near dawn, and pray for its extension as well as for its unqualified manifestation. Won't it be wonderful when no one needs to preach about salvation, because everyone knows Christ! In the meantime, there is a big harvest of souls awaiting the few laborers for Christ. Ask God to send more workers! (MT 9:37-38)
Give us today our ration of bread
As Jesus points out elsewhere, we should not be overly concerned about food and other material needs. Yet, there is value in reminding ourselves of that dependence by asking God to provide our bread for the day.
Bread was up until very recently known as the staff of life. If nothing else was available, healthy, non-processed bread would keep a person going physically. Of course, then as now, "bread" was a metaphor for sustenance.
The poor were really poor in former times as they were right up until the past two or three centuries in the New World. "Jehovah jireh" = the Lord will provide... for the needs of those who put their faith and trust in him. Yet, we should not take God's provision too lightly. There is value in focusing on the fact that he is the one helping us, especially those of us who are disciples (=students).
But, in any case, why think about what we are going to put on the table Friday if today is Monday? With Jesus, we may take one day at a time.
We are to ask Father to meet our basic needs for the day, not because he doesn't already know our needs, but to keep us in a right relationship with him. We are ever-reminded that we do not "earn" our daily strength. God provides that. Consider the Israelites who worked overtime to "earn" more manna for their larders. They labored in vain, because the manna would only keep a short time. God provided for them daily, and they did not work hard to receive that sustenance.
Let us not forget that Jesus is the bread of life. So we need his grace with us one day at a time. Just for today. Tomorrow's troubles are not worth the bother of hashing over. Let them go for now. Let us consume the bread of life, which is to "eat up" Jesus and everything about him, especially his will, which is the Father's will. We are to live and breathe Jesus, which we will do if we try to avoid quenching the Spirit. Recall that Jesus' food is the doing of God's will.
You can do nothing without Jesus, and hence the Father.
Consider these teachings of Jesus:
I am the vine, you [as sons of God] are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, yields much fruit. For without me you can do nothing.So even when people are led into temptation, fall and commit criminal acts against their fellow humans and God, Jesus and our Father are involved, one way or another.
All power in heaven and earth is given to me.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive...
According to scholars, the word "debts" plainly means "sins." A person who sins against someone else injures him and so, by ancient custom, the injured person had a right to seek revenge, or at least some kind of payment (like lawsuits of today). But why should we sue for redress of a grievance? God, through the sacrifice of his son, forgives our sins.
At this point, we may think of Jesus' story about the oppressive servant who hounded others to pay him back what they could ill afford, despite his having been forgiven all the debt he owed to a king. When the king heard about the servant's cruelty, he reimposed all the debt that that servant owed him (MT 18:23-35). How can we not bask in God's graciousness and release our resentments, forgiving others who have wronged us? Isn't our destiny the wonder of eternal life? How can we complain? So then, should we not also forgive people who owe us money? Why demand repayment? God will provide our true needs. Why not let that go? Clinging to the need to get money back is like clinging to Mammon. Wrong direction. Turn around, and get God good.
Forgiving the debts owed us by others is not the easiest thing for many of us. But the oft-heard assertion, "I will never forgive that," carries a grave danger to the speaker. Jesus has already warned earlier in the Sermon, as he does elsewhere in the gospels, that forgiveness is an imperative component of the Christian walk.
Temptation
During refining, metal is tested to see what needs yet to be done, to assure that it is purged of nonessential weak material so that only the durable matter is left. When your faith is tested, God is helping you to see where you are in your spiritual progress, so that you learn to cast off the inessential. Its purpose is somewhat like the goal of Marine Corps boot camp or Army basic training.
Further, how can you learn to rely on God without being placed in situations where you have little wiggle room?
If a person indulges in much self-will, perhaps God will lead him to learn a hard lesson, in order that he become more modest and humble toward God, which is for his own good, since those who primarily serve themselves serve Satan, the evil one. For example, observe that the alcoholic or drug addict has followed a path that leads him into the hands of the evil one. If he is fortunate, he turns to God and recovers, perhaps through Alcoholics Anonymous4, from the disordered condition that has overcome him. Though God did not wish that person to go down that road, even so he ordained that difficult path for that person. That person was "led into temptation" on account of the poor choices he made. Of course, this principle doesn't only apply to alcoholics and addicts. It is a consequence of our blindness in this fallen world.
Such a fall certainly doesn't mean that God is angry with people who have fallen into the devil's snares. After all, God sent his son to deliver us from the evil one. Yet, as long as a person refuses to turn to Jesus, the "wrath of God" rests over him. God is not personally angry. But by refusing to turn to the light, the balky person is keeping the disorderly state of mind, and the pain, of this fallen world.
As the writer of John says, "He who believes on the son has everlasting life but he that doesn't won't see life but the wrath of God [that is, the penalty of spiritual death] abides on him."
Yet even a born-again Christian will make mistakes, sometimes major blunders. So a new son of God is wise to ask the Father not to let him go astray, to ask that, should he veer off the right path, that God guide him back to where he belongs. Please don't let me follow a false light, Oh Lord -- because, without your help, I am very likely to do just that!
As we have said, a most important part of the Christian walk is to overlook the wrongs done to us by others. Jesus explains this point in MT 6:13-14 and in a number of other places in the gospels. But danger is lurking for Christians and even more so for those who are near, but who have not come, to Christ. They need help averting a nasty fall. MT's addition of "but deliver us from evil" serves to remind the hearer that a hard test (=temptation) is sent by Hell in order to block the potential believer from coming to Christ as well as to hinder the born-again believer from succeeding in his walk with the Lord. Some of these temptations were indeed very difficult, as when governmental and religious oppressors gave Christians a choice between denying Jesus and death.
Was not Judah led into temptation by Jesus and his Father, even though Judah was unwittingly doing the devil's work? Jesus, at the instance of his Father, at some point chose Judah as a devil (i.e., a tare or weed). When Jesus' final hour arrived, he directed Judah to hurry and do what he had to do. God was not doing evil to Judah. Judah had already worked his way into this role, as he was money-hungry. God authorizes everything, including the works of Satan. When we are children, we learn to avoid, say, the evil of a hot stove. The stove is fine in Mom's universe, but we are to steer clear of it.
Moreover, there is no "right" to receive God's grace. Grace is unmerited favor from God. We should be mindful of these blessings, and try not to take his grace for granted (though the sons will, to some extent, tend to take the Father's provision for granted). If God withheld his grace from you, you would soon be led astray. In current times, God sends his rain on the just and the unjust, on the saved and the not-yet saved. Though the unsaved benefit much less from God's grace than the saved, at least they get some reflected light, and there is hope for them.
Once the final judgment has occurred, those who have rejected Jesus after many opportunities will finally get their way. No more Jesus at all. No Savior. No light of the world. No sense of God. Hell. Hell is what you get when the Savior is not present.
It is too bad anyone must endure this, as Jesus already endured such a torment when, having taken our place, he cried out in anguish, "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me!?"
Why would God lead anyone into temptation and into the hands of the evil one?
Well, consider the instance in which Paul ordered -- through spiritual means -- the destruction of a man's body, handing the man over "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
Paul used his Holy Spirit power from a distance to cause the destruction of the weak believer's body -- not for punishment, but for an emergency amputation. The man had to be disconnected, via some harsh physical illness, from the powerful sinning body in order for him to be released and saved. But, because that man had been born again, the true man was in the spirit and not the body. An unregenerate man who dies in his sin still has a dead spirit after death of the body, as he did during his physical lifetime.
In this particular case, we cannot say that the man was led into temptation, but he was certainly led to Paul, who took drastic spiritual action in order to assure the brother's eternal life, as well as to bolster the young church at Corinth.
The doxology: Kingdom, power and glory
These words appear to have been added to Matthew for liturgical reasons by the early church. One commentator thinks the words are meant to "seal" the prayer, a practice found, he says, among ancient Jews. Certainly it is beneficial to be reminded that God is totally in charge! It is unthinkable that Jesus would have objected to this "comment." In any case, it is certainly possible that Jesus said something close to this during his earthly ministry and that an editor incorporated that saying. But it is also possible the redactor wanted to underscore the meaning of "your kingdom come." True servants of God will obey God, though learning to do so well is a lifelong process. As we saw from the foregoing discourse, the way God would like for us to act -- the "heavenly" way -- is what we are to aspire to here on earth.
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