Understanding The Lord's Prayer

Explanation and Implications of The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

Introduction

Matthew 6:9 - “This then is how you should pray…” (Jesus)

• Jesus doesn’t say this is “what” you should pray, but rather this is “how” you should pray. Jesus is giving us a model for prayer.

• The topics and themes expressed in this prayer are close to the heart of God.

• The purpose of memorizing this prayer is to understand each part of it so we can use it as a guide for our own prayers, and learn to pray it with understanding and sincerity when we do pray it verbatim.

Our Father

“Our” - There are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural, including the opening address to “our” Father.

• Implication: When we pray, it’s good to remember that we are not alone; we are a part of a global family. When we are praying for God’s will, the answer will bless not just us, but all of God’s people.

“Father” - The word here for Father is the Aramaic word “Abba” which is a profoundly personal and intimate word similar to “Daddy.” 

• Implication: When we pray to our “Abba” father, we are invited to come to Him in a posture of reliance and trust, knowing that He is a perfect father who will take care of us. He’s also a father who loves, forgives, and knows how to give good gifts to His children.

Who art in Heaven

While God is close and personal with us (“Abba”, daddy), He is also set apart, residing in heaven. 

• Implication: This is a reminder to us that we can address Him personally, but also should address him respectfully and understand that His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts.

Hallowed be Thy Name

“Hallow” means “to honor as holy.” 

• Implication: God is already holy. The idea here is that we would honor the name of God by treating God as holy, and live holy lives that would bring honor to His name. 

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven

Praying for His kingdom to come and His will to be done is asking for His will and His ways to reign on earth above the will and ways of other kingdoms.  His perfect will is already happening in heaven, so we are asking for Him to bring that perfect will to earth, which is filled with the wills of rebellious people.

• Implication: It’s important here to ask ourselves if we are praying out of our own selfish desires (and still rebelling against God), or if we are submitting to whatever He wills for us and the world around us.

• Implication: It’s important to ask the Lord here how He wants us to bring His Kingdom and justice to earth through the gifts and resources He’s given us.

Give us today our daily bread

“Bread” here refers to daily needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Most people in Jesus day lived hand to mouth. 

• Implication: Jesus is inviting us here to ask Him to provide our daily basic needs and to trust that He will provide them. A good question to ask yourself if you’re anxious is “Am I worried about today’s bread or my future bread?”

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us

Sin here is referred to as a debt that can only be paid by God, not us.

• Implication: Just as Jesus freely canceled the debt we owe Him, we also should cancel the debts others owe us. We can forgive because we’ve been forgiven. When it’s hard to forgive, we pray what Jesus prayed on the cross, asking the Father to forgive: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:24)

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

God does not tempt us; this is a prayer that He would help us to overcome through Jesus when we are tempted.  We are invited here to trust that God, the only one with the power to defeat Satan, can deliver us from any evil.

• Implication: When we are tempted, a great verse to pray is 1 Corinthians 10:13 - “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever

This statement doesn’t appear in Matthew’s text. It comes from 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 and was added to the Lord’s prayer by the early church as a conclusion to the Lord’s prayer.  The main idea is that we are concluding by bringing our minds and hearts back to the thought that it’s God’s kingdom we are building (not our own), through His power (not our own), and for His glory (not our own).

• Implication: This conclusion is a powerful reminder that all our work for God should be done to build His kingdom, through His power, and for His glory. If we notice our hearts are not aligned with that idea, it’s good to repent and ask Him to realign our hearts with the intent of this final statement.

*The following resources were used in the creation of this handout: Wiersbe, Warren - The Bible Exposition Commentary; Barker, Kenneth & Kohlenberger III, Expositor's Bible Commentary; and The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary Volume VII.