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The Lord's Prayer
Gathered for an online Chat on July 29, 2009
Most Catholic and Protestant churches recite the Matthew version of the Lord's Prayer often, sometimes every week, and members are often encouraged to recite it every day or many times a day. We know it. We're familiar with it. Luke's version, by comparison, seems truncated, bare bones. In the table below you can see the differences in the NIV translation of each version of the Prayer:
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Luke 11:2-4 |
Matthew 6:9-13
|
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Father, |
Our Father in heaven, |
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hallowed be your name, |
hallowed be your name, |
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your kingdom come. |
your kingdom come, |
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Give us each day our daily bread. |
Give us today our daily bread. |
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Forgive us our sins, |
Forgive us our debts, |
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And lead us not into temptation. |
And lead us not into temptation, |
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[for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] |
Of course, the doxology, traditionally said by Protestants at the end of the Matthew version, is generally acknowledged not to be Jesus' original words, but an adaptation of the Prayer "for liturgical use in the early church."[1] With that exception, however, you'll notice that all the same elements are found in each prayer. In Matthew's version they are fuller. The meaning isn't different, they're just fuller. Luke's version, however, seems spare.
Why the two versions? Scholars have spent much ink and paper debating which was the original. I think they've missed the point. I contend that both prayers are original, just given on different occasions. The Luke version may have been an earlier version that Jesus used the first few times he gave this teaching. Matthew's version may be the more mature version that he used in later teachings. Or perhaps it was the other way around.
excerpted from http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/11_1-4.htm
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Book of Public Worship for the use of The New Church signified by The New Jerusalem in the Revelation.
revised by a committee of the General Convention
Chicago
Published for the Committee 1853
Order of Worship - Page 25
Our Father, who art in Heavens, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. They will be done, as in heaven, so also upon the earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also 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.
Page no 23
Most adorable and ever blessed Lord Jesus Christ, thou who art our Creator, our Redeemer and Regenerator, our Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace; help us, we humbly pray thee, to acknowledge and reverence thy holy name, and to worship thee in thy works, and in thy word, and above all, in thy Divine Humanity. In thy holy word reveal to us thy truth, enlighten us in they way, and reign in us by thy wisdom, till we become thine image. Wamr our hearts with tyh love, fill our affections with the spirit of thy goodness, till all our inner being is made into thy likeness,. Help us. O Lord, to bring forth thy will and wisdom into our daily life; may they speak in what we say, and act in what we do; and may our earthly nature become in all things subject to thy heavenly influences. May our souls be daily fed from the table of thy love with that spiritual food best suited to our states; and enable us to look to thee for all that is good, and all that is true. Help us to receive most gratefully, and use with all diligence and care, thy many mercies, that we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge
of thy truth. We confess our sins before thee, and earnestly entreat thee to forgive us. O Lord, remember not iniquity against us; but in thy mercy and compassion help us also to become merciful and compassionate, until we are enabled to forgive those that trespass against us, and receive entire forgiveness from thyself. Mercifully preserve us in all temptations and trials of soul, through which it may be our lot to pass; suffer us not to be tempted above what we are able to bear; may all the afflictions, either of soul or body, incident to our progress in the regenerate life, in the denying of self, and taking up the cross, and following thee, be but the means in thy merciful hands, of loosening the hold of evil upon us, and delivering us from it.
Our Heavenly Father, whatsoever things we have asked for ourselves, we would also ask for others; for our rulers and governors, for our nation and all nations, and for thy Church and people throughout the world. Especially would we ask them for all who acknowledge thee in thy Divine Humaniity, as the only God of heaven and earrth.* For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen
* This prayer is designed as a paraphrase upong the Lord's Prayer, and to be used alone: but if the Lord's Prayer is used in connection, it should be inserted before the closing sentence.
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