Our Father in heaven

‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

‘Pray then in this way:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,

but rescue us from the evil one.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

- Matthew 6:7-15

The instructions on prayer in this passage are in the verses missing from yesterday's passage, so it's important to read all of these verses together. In yesterday's reading, Jesus elaborated on the relationship we have to God, and how we are to practice prayer, alms and fasting and to develop that relationship. Most particularly, he taught against hypocrisy. In this section on prayer, Jesus gives us a specific example of prayer, and teaches us about cultivating this central worshipful relationship.

Hypocrites miss the spirit of prayer, which involves an intimate, personal relationship with God. Jesus taught that we are to pray "in secret," we are to pray sincerely (not with "empty phrases" as it is translated here). We should be humble: God knows all about us, knows what we need before we ask, and we must bear this in mind when we pray. Jesus gives us a prayer in order to teach us how to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

We address our Father, and establish a right relationship to begin with. As we recall from yesterday's commentary, God is "Our Father" by adoption: by virtue of this relationship we nurture, through Spirit. "Your name" is an essential phrase to understand; acting in the name of someone such as the emperor or king meant one acted in the authority and will of the person. A representative acting "in the name" is seen as an extension of the person. We seek to become a part of this kingdom, and it is crucial to understand the idea of participation "in the name" and in the kingdom. So we address Our Father with a proper awareness: not only is this an intimate relationship of Fatherhood by spiritual adoption, but Our Father's kingdom and his name are "hallowed" - holy, set apart, sacred. We wish this hallowed kingdom "in his name" to come into the world, and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

This phrase has been misunderstood because the word "daily" is misleading in translation. The actual Greek word here means "supersubstantial" - it does not mean merely bread for today, for food, but as my study bible phrases it, "it is bread for the eternal day of the Kingdom of God, for sustenance of our immortal life." This word in Greek, epiousios, means literally "above the essence" - living, "superessential" bread. We are asking for spiritual food to sustain our natures created by God for compatibility in this kingdom, and for eternal life. So, we begin by noting God's holy nature and name, his kingdom and holy will which we wish extended into the world, and asking for the spiritual food that will sustain us as members of that kingdom and help us to grow into it.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Membership in the kingdom requires action, choices, and involves reward, reciprocal energies in some sense. Again, in yesterday's passage which incorporates these teachings of today's, Jesus spoke repeatedly about reward: how our intentions shape our reward. Here it is again, this reciprocal action. We must forgive. It is an elaboration on the teachings in the Sermon against violence and sinful anger - we are not to practice revenge but to seek peace. This is not a denial of justice, but it is a way in which we handle injustice. We receive that which we give.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,

but rescue us from the evil one.

"The time of trial" is a time of temptation. It's important that this is coupled just after the section on forgiveness. To act on anger (for example) sinfully in a destructive or violent way, through vengeance, is a form of giving in to temptation. We ask here that our natures tempered by discernment. The words "the evil one" are a proper translation of the Greek: it is an intimation that temptations which may be overwhelmingly difficult for us do not come from God but from that which is opposed to God's will and nature; something outside of this kingdom.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is an interesting, poetic understanding of reciprocity and relationship. We have the choice to reciprocate evil for evil, or to share in relationship with God the Father in which we reciprocate forgiveness. We choose which reciprocal relationship we are to have. According to Jesus' words quoted here, there is no blurring of lines. We choose one or the other - just as in yesterday's passage Jesus makes it explicitly clear there is no crossing of lines in our relationship with "the world" in seeking the "praise of men" or our good image, or a choice for the intimate relationship with God the Father, "in secret."

We make our choices for relationship: image among others or our Father "in secret." Relationship is reciprocal: what we do that is hidden is rewarded by this depth of relationship we cultivate with the Father. If we choose instead the relationship to "the world," to image in the eyes of others, that itself will be our reward. Reciprocity defines relationship and relatedness. We practice forgiveness as members of this kingdom in which we cultivate a relationship with the Father, we become citizens of a heavenly kingdom in his name. We cultivate that membership and relationship through our choices in how we deal with temptation and relate to others, but first we remember that in that relatedness we rely on the strength and help and love to do so, and to grow by grace in spiritual understanding of that will. We pray. We recall Jesus' first great commandment. We pray and act "in secret" - in relationship to this kingdom and the Father from whom all else comes.