Knowing The Word in Matthew 6:5-15

The Lord's Prayer

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [The essence of prayer is the communion of a disciple with his/her Father.]

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. [Gentile prayer depended on the content and the correct delivery, not upon the heart of the person praying.] 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: [this is a prayer for disciples alone who can call God “Father”]

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. [There is a desire to see God honored as God in the world today, and a longing for the future when all shall know him.]

10 Your kingdom come [an aspiration for the final establishment of God’s rule over all creation], your will be done [the focus is on God’s glory first before a disciple considers his own needs], on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread [material needs], 12 and forgive us our debts [Aramaic for sin which literally is money debt], as we also have forgiven our debtors. [There is not a time sequence here in mind but the thought of the insincerity of an unforgiving disciple.]

13 And lead us not into temptation [testing], but deliver us from evil. [A prayer for protection from future sin. Disciples are vulnerable and need to depend upon God for avoiding sin.]

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [This is an explanation of verse 12.]