Summary
JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. More presents his disciples with a model for prayer that balances waiting on the actions of God with presenting the needs of humanity.
Analysis
Though the use of “father” language for God has become second nature to many Christians, its occurrence in the Lord’s Prayer is part of a distinctly New Testament theme. The Old Testament contains many different metaphors for describing God, including father, but the New Testament takes this as the most fitting descriptor, emphasizing it beyond all of the others. On the other hand, the call to sanctify God’s name hearkens back to the sanctity of God’s name within Israelite religion, reflecting the concerns of the ten commandments: “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7).
Though sometimes labeled subversive, the petitions regarding God’s kingdom and will are better understood as an outright rejection of the claims of the Roman EmpireThe region we today call Palestine and Israel was under Roman rule during the time of Jesus and the early church. The Roman Empire was in its ascendancy during the first century, making it the most powerful political and military force on earth. More. Both petitions urge God to replace Roman colonial power with heavenly rule.
The phrase “on earth as it is in heaven” (6:10) marks a transition in both the subject matter and the tone of the prayer. The first part of the prayer addresses God’s majesty with indirect language, as indicated by the antiquated English phrasing that the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV) has retained. The second part of the prayer turns toward the needs of the disciples, and is expressed in direct requests: “Give,” “forgive,” “rescue.”
The adjective translated “daily” appears nowhere else in Greek and interpreters differ as to what it means. Many prefer “daily,” but others argue that it should be understood not as subsistence, but abundance, i.e., give us more bread than we need just to survive.
The use of “debt” imagery in the prayer is characteristic of Matthew’s Gospel, where debt and money is often used in the parables as a metaphor for humanity’s relationship to God (ParableA parable is a brief story with a setting, an action, and a result. A prominent aspect of Jesus' teaching was telling parables to illustrate something about the kingdom, or reign, of God. More of the Unforgiving Servant, the Parable of the Talents, etc.).
Though many liturgical versions of the Lord’s Prayer refer to a generic “deliver us from evil,” the NRSV is correct in translating this line as “rescue us from the evil one.” “The Evil One” is a common way that New Testament authors refer to Satan.
