Deliver Us From FearDeliver Us From Fear

The Lord’s Prayer – Part 6

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Petition

“Give us…” Petition to God For the community

“This day…” Not next year, not for retirement, but today

“Our daily bread.” Greek is unclear This is the traditional English interpretation

“Daily”

Occurs only in the Lord’s Prayer Epiousios Both Matthew and Luke

Nowhere else in Greek languageProbably an invention of the gospel writersWhat can it mean?

“Daily”

Possibilities Regards Time

• Today• Tomorrow

Regards Amount• Just enough to keep us alive• What we need for our well-being

Each of the four has supportWhich is right? Which is best?

“Bread”

Literal or Symbolic?OT ReferencesMatthew’s Use

“Bread”

Matthew References to Bread 4:3-4 - Temptation 6:11 - Lord's Prayer 7:7-11 - Analogy of father to God, asking and

receiving 12:1-8 - David and his men eating sacred bread 15:22-28 - Canaanite woman begging Jesus to heal

her daughter 15:32-39 - Feeding 5,000 16:5-12 - No bread; leaven of the Pharisees 26:26 - Last Supper

“Bread”

“In the East bread is primary, other articles of food merely accessory…”

“… As everything depended upon the wheat and barley harvest, ‘bread’ was in a peculiar sense ‘sacred.’”

“… Was regarded as peculiarly ‘a gift of God,’ a daily reminder of his continual and often undeserved care…”

“Bread”

“… A sign and symbol of hospitality and friendship the giving and receiving of bread is…”

“… A violation of the sacred law of hospitality, to decline it or to set it aside as unfit for use…”

“… The perpetual symbol among His disciples of the communion of saints.”

Back to “Daily”

Old Syriac Jesus spoke Aramaic Gospel writers translated Aramaic into Greek Old Syriac is close to Aramaic

“Amen bread today give to us” Amen: lasting, never-ceasing, never-ending,

perpetual“Give us today the bread that doesn’t run out”

Understanding “Daily”

TodayTomorrowEnough to sustain usEnough to free us from fear“Deliver us, O Lord, from the fear of not having

enough to eat. Give us bread for today and with it give us confidence that tomorrow we will have enough.” [Bailey]

O little town of Bethlehem,O little town of Bethlehem,How still we see thee lie!How still we see thee lie!

Above they deep Above they deep and dreamless sleepand dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shinethYet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting light;The everlasting light;

The hopes and fearsThe hopes and fearsOf all the yearsOf all the years

Are met in thee tonight.Are met in thee tonight.