The Lord's Prayer, a Study
Setting the stage:
Matt 6:5-9 5 And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. 7 When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don't be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:
New Living Translation:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever
Amen.
A Look at The Lord’s Prayer:
Spirituality is not two dimensional like a painting. Rather, it is three dimensional like a statue. Our perception and understanding increase by looking at the subject from several angles or perspectives.
Jesus spoke Aramaic. His teachings were in Aramaic. There are subtle variances in the translations from Aramaic, to Greek, to Latin, or to English. Here the Lord’s Prayer is looked at from both the English and Aramaic perspective.
Our Father
Father in Greek is Pater. In Aramaic father is Ab (Abraham – father of a multitude, Abbot – father of a church.). Jesus uses the endearing term “Abba”. Abba is equivalent to the English ‘daddy’. This implies the incredible love and total trust a small toddler has for his or her father (or mother). And likewise the incredible love of the parent towards the toddler.
Matt 18:3 … Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Which art in Heaven
In Aramaic heaven also means sky, universe, and cosmos. In other words, heaven implies everywhere.
Which art everywhere
Hallowed be Thy Name
Hallowed is sacred and set apart from evil. Keep God’s name separate from lies and wrongful transactions.
This is a prayer we speak to God, giving honor to His name. In the Old Testament we were commanded not to use the Lord’s name in vain.
Ex 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Again, in the Old Testament the commandment came from the external. In the New Testament, honoring God’s name comes from our hearts to God.
Honoring His name:
Ps 145:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
Neh 9:5 Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Thy kingdom come
In English we think of a kingdom as a territory, a realm, a dominion, the area governed by a king. We vision King Arthur and his round table. Kingdom has the same meaning in Aramaic. It also has other meanings such as counselor or advisor. “Simply put, the kingdom represents God’s presence”.
Mark
Thy divine counsel come
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Will also means wish, desire, delight, pleasure, and harmony.
Eph
Abba Father’s will is that of a loving parent’s. May it be done on earth as it is and always has been throughout the universe.
Many are trying to live God’s will now. When all mankind lives God’s desire, then God’s will be done on earth as it is throughout the universe.
Give us this day our daily bread
Bread has a special meaning to the people of the East. It is called ‘the life giver’. Like so many words in Aramaic, bread has many meanings. Bread is a flat loaf which is baked daily and shared with travelers. It also represents food, ideas, prosperity, truth, teaching and understanding. So, “our daily bread” represents both spiritual and material needs.
Deut 8:3 …that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live
Ps 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matt 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
Forgive can mean free, untie or release. To forgive is to be free of both your and your neighbor’s errors. Think of ‘forgive’ as an active verb meaning to give forth. When we forgive, we give forth love.
Matt
Mark
Debt also means sin, error, guilt, fault, offense, mistake, and transgression. In asking God to forgive our debts we are promising to forgive our neighbors’.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
God doesn't tempt man with evil:
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished
Compare the KJV with the NLT and TLB:
Matt
New Living Translation
Matt
The Living Bible
Benjamin Franklin’s version of The Lord’s Prayer reads:
Keep us out of temptation and deliver us from evil.
James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
Man creates his own temptations. God, as a loving parent, does not lead His children into evil or temptation.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
This text is omitted in The Living Bible, New International Version, American Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, and Today’s English Version. The New American Standard Version surrounds the text with brackets. Some dispute whether or not this was in the original text. Many ofthe Aramaic translations do include it.
Kingdom, again, is the universe or cosmos. Power means might, energy, force, potency, or strength. Glory means praise, honor, and magnificence.
Ex
Ps 33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Isa 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Amen.
Amen means much more than just “So be it” or “So it is”. "When we say amen to our prayers, we declare that we will back up and stand by what we have just prayed. We will be faithful to our commitment in prayer.”
The Prayer To Our Father
(One of many translations of the Lord’s Prayer into Aramaic)
Jesus and His followers spoke Aramaic
"Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes,
who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
Your Heavenly Domain approaches.
Let Your will come true - in the universe (all that vibrates)
just as on earth (that is material and dense).
Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need,
detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma)
like we let go the guilt of others.
Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations),
but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose.
From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.
Amên.
Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
(I confirm with my entire being)
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