Knowing The Word in Luke 11:1-13, The Lord's Prayer

Luke is very interested in prayer and that followers of Jesus have the right attitude. He shows Jesus praying for himself and others throughout the Gospel, teaching on prayer, and waring against the wrong kind of prayer. He teaches his disciples to address God as “Father,” which is “abba” in Aramaic, the address of a child to its parent. Jews tended to say “our Father in heaven,” a more formal and distant address. This is one of the most unique teachings of Jesus in his ministry. A person’s name in antiquity summed up a person’s revealed and known character. The gist of saying “Father, hallowed be your name” means that God shall be God and man shall not reduce him to a manageable shape or size to understand. Italicized comments are included in the text below in regard to the sections of the Lord’s Prayer.

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come [looks for the bringing in of the kingdom that is constant in Jesus’ teaching, that our hearts and lives become subject to, and that comes to fulfillment in God’s perfect will]. 3 Give us each day our daily bread [the provision of our needs on a daily basis as we live in a continual state of dependence], 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. [An unforgiving heart cannot accept forgiveness from others. Our forgiveness by God is not conditional on our forgiveness of others, but reflects that the fact that we understand that sinful people like us forgive others and understand the need for forgiveness.] And lead us not into temptation.” [Even Pope Francis has weighed in on this phrase. This does not imply that God does sometimes cause us to be tempted. James (1:13) assures us he does not. Rather, Jesus is encouraging an attitude that flees from temptation. In this phrase Christians recognize and admit our weakness and the ease we have to be swayed into temptations, and it requests God to lead us in the opposite direction. In my personal understanding, it is our recognition of our continual need for God’s Spirit.

Jesus follows on with a humorous parable that drives the point home of the need for persistent prayer and that God is always ready to forgive. Then he draws out the conclusion to present his disciples with a basic prayer principle. God is not unwilling but ready to hear and to answer those who really want what they pray for in accordance with God’s perfect will. Prayer is always answered in the way God sees as best. Then the point is further made by examples from human conduct.]

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Prayer: Grant us grace, almighty Father, so to pray as to deserve to be heard.

Jane Austen, 1775-1817