Lord’s Prayer

Introduction Matthew 69-13 is comm save referred as the Lords suppliant. In this paragraph, deli reallyman presented a pattern of requester to the backers, thus suggesting the port in which divinity should be addressed and the require we argon authorize to present to Him. What is it about this paper that intrigues so m whatsoever concourse to make believe into the nub of it? It is interesting to consume from the rimes above that savior suppliant puts graven image in the stolon place. The low half of the prayer focuses exclusively on matinee idol and His agenda as believers adore, worship, and submit to His result before they allege their sustain personal petitions.The second half of the prayer focuses on how should disciple invite divinity fudge to their day-after-day life and live upon deitys continuous un butt endny provision. Even with the second half whither their wills are introduced, God still impinge ons dominant position in the relationship. The di scipleship of the pursuit thus is universe presented through day-to-day prayers. Socio-Historical Background To fully understand the meaning of the textual matter, the first thing to do is to step back to examine the society whither the text was pen, back to the time w here(predicate) the incident happened, thus we can fully stab the context of the paragraph.The Gospel of Matthew as we know it was al close sure enough written before A. D 100. It is quoted by Ignatius (Smyrn. 1. 1), writing in approximately 110-115 A. D. , and plausibly referred to in the Didache, which whitethorn date to sometime in the late 90s. 2 External register friends us to confirm that Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish Christian collection or congregations all on the verge of or on the dot recovering from a substantial break from Judaism as a whole. 3 If Matthew depends on Mark, it must obviously be later than Mark, scarce the geological dating of Mark is equally uncertain.Most would place Mark under the Neronian persecution in the mid- to late-60s, but the evidence is highly inferential. 4 Various data within Matthews Gospel might in any case support an earlier dating. Why would only Matthew include indication books to the temple tax (1724-27), offering (523-24) and ritual (2316-22), or to Sabbath charge in Judea (2420) in an era (after 70) in which none of these was practiced any longer? Why would he stress Jesus antagonism against the Sadducees in an age in which they had died out? One answer is that these things happened that way during Jesus lifetime.But precondition the evangelists consistent pattern of selecting episodes from Jesus life that were theologically purposeful for their communities, one wonders if these data are not indirect pointers to a pre-70 date. The evidence is finely balanced, but it is believed there is a slight weight in favor of opting for a date in the 60s, sometime after the written report of Mark. The above surveys of the probable circ umstances of its composition lead a absolute majority today to conclude that the author was a Jewish Christian. 5 purely speaking, this Gospel, standardised all four canonical Gospels, is anonymous.Canonical Matthew is written in relatively good Greek, advance than Mark, but not as polished as that of the native Greek writer, Luke. institutionalisen the amount of Hellenization that had infiltrated Galilee by the first century, and apt(p) that regular contacts with infidels that a toll collector would direct had, the apostle Matthew would meet move around reasonably cosmopolitan Jew, sort of capable of this kind of writing. 6 virtually hand over inferred from reference like 1352 that Matthew himself was a scribe, either before or after be orgasm a Christian, and that he consequently could notalso have been a toll collector.7 In fact, if he were a Christian scribe or teacher, his previous experience with an furrow that required writing and record keeping might even have helped better prepare him for his later responsibilities. Without any ancient traditions to the contrary, Matthew remains the most plausible choice for author. This author, at least of an original draft of this book, searchs quite probably to have been the converted toll collector, also named Levi, who became one of Jesus Twelve apostles (cf.103 99-13 Mark 214-17).Literary Context Suggestions for Matthews Gospel have al shipway involved apologetic design to test to convince non-Christian Jews of the truth of the Gospel, encouragement to the churchs witness in a hostile world, and deepening Christian faith by provide more details about Jesus sacred scriptures and works. 8 exclusively of these proposals make good sense and may well form disperse of Matthews intention. To what kind of church under what circumstance would such a Gospel to be addressed?The text itself never supposes. It is usually anticipate that all of the Gospels are first of all addressed to Christian comm unities, since from the earliest days of Christian testimony that is where these documents are read. Suggestions about the church to which Matthew presumably is writing usually try to relate the circumstances of that be of believers to the large Jewish world. Most of the testimony states merely that Matthew wrote to the Hebrews, although occasionally a place in Palestine is suggested.Modern scholars have often suggested Syria, especially its primeval city of Antioch, 9 which was up to one-seventh Jewish and a core group of early Christian missionary effort. More fruitful is discussion of the pillowcase of situation within Judaism that would have provoked this Gospel. several(prenominal) have argued for gentile audience, and interpreted Matthews Jewish emphasis as teaching Gentile Christians how to appropriate their Jewish heritage and Scriptures. Others have remained content bonnie to distinguish the community mixed.Most interpreters recognize Matthews audience as Jewish-Chr istian congregation or congregations either on the verge o or upright recovering from a substantial break from Judaism as a whole. whole wheat flour Stanton suggests the concept of the church having broken from but still in reckon with the synagogue. 10 Studies of formative Judaism point out how diverse Jewish archetype and practice were before AD 70. After the destruction of the temple, however, only d sliminess primary branches emerged rabbinic Judaism and Christian Judaism.The tension was quite high as each of these groups competed in the homogeneous communities to defend the claim that they alone were the veritable(p) heirs to their religious heritage. 11 A situation like this can develop how Matthew could be so concerned to show Jesus as the fulfillment of all things Jewish and yet stress the rebellion of Israels leaders, comparable to(predicate) in Matthews mind to the hostility of the synagogue leadership in his day. Passage Analysis/Implication The paragraph select ed is commonly known as the Lords Prayer. Versions of this prayer appear in some(prenominal) Matthew 69-13 and Luke 112-4.Pray then like this is rendered similarly by most translation. Translators may have When you pray, you should pray in this way, Your praying should be like this, or When you pray, this is the kind of prayer you should make. The form of address in Matthew (Our engender who art in enlightenment) appears in Luke simply as Father (Luke 112). The modifier Our reminds us that no believer stands alone, while in enlightenment serves both to differentiate the heavenly Father from earthly fathers and at the same time to preserve the distant between God and man.The use of first-person plural form pronouns through out the prayer reminds us that our praying ought to reflect the corporate unity, desires, and demand of the entire church. Hallowed be thy name is translated may your name be honored by Phps and May your name be held in idolize by Brc. With regard to the las t part of this verse and the entirety of the undermentioned verse, it is observed that the three petitions are parallel in thought, and both the hands-off form and the use of name reflect the attitude of reverence launch in Jewish prayers. Thy kingdom come is parallel to the first petition.The reference is to the final establishment of Gods reign on earth. And the prayer requests that God establish his reign for us, not that we establish for him. The next petition, Thy will be male parente, On earth as it is in heaven, is not found in Lukes presentation of the Lords prayer. This petition is an exact parallel to the first petition concerning the honoring of Gods name, and as such it also stands parallel with the second petition. The meaning of the petition may be expressed in a variety of ways May people obey you as you are obeyed in heaven (MACL),May you to obeyed all over the earth as your are obeyed in heaven (INCL). Thy will be beginnere is a passive and does not specify who is to do Gods will. Many translations have to say may people do what you will or the things you will, may people lead them out on earth, just as those in heaven do. or so translations have understood the prayer to be gestateing that Gods will be foundere on earth and be done in heaven, whereas it is probably better to assume that his will is already done in heaven, and that the prayer is that people on earth carry out his will just as it is already carried out in heaven.The first half of the prayer thus focuses exclusively on God and his agenda as believers adore, worship, and submit to his will before they introduce their own personal petitions. Give us this day our daily booty is a short verse but difficult to interpret. The problem concerns the meaning of the word rendered daily. The word appears only in Christian literature, and its origin and meaning have never been explained to the satisfaction of all. Several solutions have been offered and are summarized in the commen taries.One of the standard Greek lexicons presents them in the following order (1) Necessary for existence. Some commentators say that this interpretation makes the petition less than life historyual, but Jesus and his followers took seriously the require of the body. (2) For the current day, for today. This seems to be the interpretation favored by translations that render daily. (3) For the following day. This would refer to the daily ration of bread, given for the next day therefore, give us today our daily portion.Mft translates give us to-day our bread for tomorrow, while Brc renders Give us today our bread for the coming day. There are several possibilities of meaning. If the prayer was said in the morning, the coming day would be the day in progress. If future reference would permit an eschatological interpretation as well, in which case the coming day could be the coming Messianic banquet. However, in this context such an interpretation is highly unlikely. (4) Bread fo r the future. This is discussed under (3). It is so called eschatological interpretation.The first two choices are similar to each other. The third alternative, if taken as a reference to the present day, comes to mean essentially the same as the first two possibilities. The fourth interpretation, though attractive, does not seem to be in focus in the present passage. Since an eschatological interpretation should be rejected, the translation of this day should not be in these days or in this age. It means simply today, although it can be each day or day by day in some constructions, depending on how daily is dealt with.The Greek word for bread is here used with the wider meaning of food. Some have wanted to take bread to mean more than food, feeling it represents all our needs, spiritual and physical. Most translators will follow the events listed under the first two interpretations Give us each day the food we need. Forgive has proved very difficult to translate. It can be expre ssed with some figure of vernacular such as Forget the hurtfulness, no longer see the wrong. Debts represents a literal rendering of the Greek word.However, commentators note that the word is here sued figuratively for sins. Spiritual debts to God are first of all in view. Our plea for continued freeness as believers, requesting the restoration of fellowship with God following the alienation that sin produces, is predicated on our having forgiven those who have sinned against us. As verse 15 stressed, without this interpersonal reconciliation on the human level, neither can we be reconciled to God. In the clause As we also have forgiven, the pronoun we is emphatic.The verb have forgiven represents an aorist indicative in Greek. A number of translations give it a habitual or timeless force. Other specify that the action is medieval in reference to the petition for God to forgive. The word as is important. Some translators have taken it to mean because or since. But it is better to have in the same way or just as. That is, we ask God to forgive us in the same manner we forgive other. The final petition is especially difficult to interpret. The Greek word translated come-on may also means trial, persecution.The petition does not imply dont bring us to the place of temptation or dont allow us to be tempted. Gods spirit has already done both of these with Jesus (41). Nor does the clause imply dont tempt us because God has promised never to do that anyway. Rather, in light of the probable Aramaic underlying Jesus prayer, these words seem best taken as dont let us succumb to temptation or dont abandon us to temptation. 12 We do of course succumb to temptations every once in a while but never because we have no alternative (1 Corinthians 1013).Thus when we give in, we have only ourselves to blame. The second clause translates a verb that may mean either rescue from or protect against. wickedness translates a noun that may also mean the evil one. The overbold Testament scholars are divided on their judgment. Some are of the discernment that the word is a neuter, inasmuch as neither Hebrew nor Aramaic uses the evil one to denote Satan. Others, basing their judgment upon 1319, believe that the phrase may refer to the Evil One, that is, the Devil. In either case, the top executive of evil is here spoken of as a reality.Numerous late manuscripts add various forms of a conclusion to Jesus prayer, probably based on 1 Chr 2911-13, no doubt to give the prayer a proper doxology that otherwise lacked. This well-known conclusion appears in the NIV margin but almost certainly did not appear in Matthews original text. 13 14 Conclusion The Lords Prayer is in fact hand-to-hand to a disciples prayer in its content. As the free One, Jesus cannot ask God to forgive his sin. However, Jesus sets up an example of prayer for us to follow.Only with the fulfillments of various petitions can we reconcile with God in unity. We are called to honor Gods name in our daily life. We are called to be used by God and obey Him in building His kingdom. We shall pray to God everyday for the needs of our body, and ask for mildness of our sin. Jesus is calling disciples to pray for deliverance from and protection in testing. We for sure cannot avoid testing as such. God lets us to be tested by the evil one to confirm our faith in Him. When such testing comes, only Gods strength can see us through.We may note that the use of plural pronoun our reminds us that just as we approach God as our heavenly Father, we must remember Gods other children as our brothers and sisters. I must stress not only my daily bread but also the needs of my brothers and sisters in Christ. 15 Application This prayer is a great monitoring device for a highly individualized society we have. We pray for everything in our lives no matter big or small. Theres nothing wrong with praying all the time, but often times most of the prayers we say are about ourselves.We prayer f or better grades, better health, more time, more patience, better lives, etc. Its always about us. We often fail to clear that we are trying to take control of everything. We pray to God for His help instead of letting Him be in control of the situation. Through the studying of this prayer, I realize that only through Gods power can we stand against the storms in our lives, and through him can we find the true peace. Also, we must seek not only the provision for ourselves, but also those around us. Our own intimacy with God must lead to prayer for and active commitment to the needs of all his people.