Daily Bread. Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,

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1 Daily Bread The prayer for daily bread is short. In terms of how we often or normally pray, this is particularly noticeable. For it does seem that we spend a great deal of time on the things we perceive we need. All of that he here addressed in seven words. The basis for God s bounty appears to be in the first three petitions concerning God s holiness, kingdom and will. When one lives live with a primary interest in these three, few words are needed to address the material needs of live. Very often before we even ask, God has provided. Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread, Bread is a synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole. The bread is the part; all our material needs is the whole. All are implied in this prayer. Up to this point our prayers have been directed to three great themes, 1) making God s name holy on earth (6:9), 2) the coming of God s kingdom on earth (6:10), 3) the doing of God s will on earth (6:10). Now the prayer becomes more personal to the petitioner. These first three petitions will take time to reach their fulfillment, but the bread is needed today. Give I ve heard it said that what you turn to in crises is in some sense your God. In our era today when crises appears in our life, there is almost a universal cry to the government to do something. And governments like it that way; they want to be god. But here Jesus instructs his followers to look to the Father in heaven to give what is needed for life. In doing this, you demonstrate who your God is. this day In the Sermon on the Mount, we see Jesus dealing with problems in practicing righteousness. The first problem was hypocrisy in giving (6:1-4). The second was hypocrisy in prayer (6:5-15). The third will deal with hypocrisy in fasting (6:16-18). Here Jesus discussion hypocrisy in prayer. Here Matthew inserts the Lord s Prayer, material that was particularly precious to him. In the prayer, Jesus gives us this comment about provision for this day. This is a particularly important subject as is seen by the expansion on this topic in Jesus soon discussions on laying up wealth (6:19-24) and his extended conclusion on anxiety (6:25-34). We need to see this petition for bread in the light of these coming discussions on worldly greed and earthly fear. In this insecure world, many people are anxious about the future and reasonably want to be prepared for whatever may come. We will discuss the implications of this request for daily bread in greater detail when we cover that material below. But, Matthew s comments there are a useful reminder now:

2 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25, ESV) Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:34, ESV) Two translations have been suggested for these words: daily bread: 1) bread for today and 2) bread for tomorrow. Both make perfect sense. In the morning, we pray for today s bread; in the evening, we pray for tomorrow s bread. Preparation in the Past Bread is prayed for daily. But bread takes months to prepare; soil has to be prepared, seed planted, grain harvested, processed into flour and then baked. This is how we all live in the world; this is how the world now works. We don t simply pull a loaf of bread off a tree that is in full bloom 12 months of the year as it will be one day! Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1 2, ESV) That will be a glorious day, but it is not today. Instead, the Bible teaches us diligence in what is necessary to provide for that daily bread. Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. (Proverbs 6:6 8, ESV) The hardworking son who labors in summer and autumn is praised. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. (Proverbs 10:5, ESV) The excellent wife of Proverbs 31 prepares to feed her household months, even years, before the meal is to be served. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. (Proverbs 31:16, ESV) The fields must, no doubt, be cultivated, labour must be bestowed on gathering the fruits of the earth, and every man must submit to the toil of his calling, in order to procure food. But all this does not hinder us from being fed by the undeserved kindness of God, without which men might waste their strength to no purpose. 1 So, to pray for daily bread is in fact to pray for the strength to work in order to obtain that bread. And those that won t work for daily bread should not eat daily bread. 1 John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (vol. 1; Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 325.

3 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10, ESV) Preparation for the Future Bread is also saved for the future as Joseph, that extraordinary man of God, noted. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. (Genesis 41:34 35, ESV) The sages in ancient Israel praised the benefit of increasing wealth for the future. Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (Proverbs 13:11, ESV) A good man leaves an inheritance to his children s children, but the sinner s wealth is laid up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22, ESV) Paul says some similar to Proverbs 13, noting the importance of saving and of capitalizing the next generation.. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. (2 Corinthians 12:14, ESV) So, as we consider the phrase give us this day or daily bread, we must also consider the broad picture in Scripture on how the distant past and distant future play into our faith not simply the immediate. Preparation for the Present The Bible is consistent; its messages do not conflict with each other. That being the case, it is clear that the command of diligence and saving in the past, and the command to lay up for our future do not, if properly understood, conflict. There are messages for the past, present and the future that differ slightly but harmonize completely. You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. (Psalm 128:2, ESV) The Provider As Jesus talked of bread, would the mind of his audience be far from that wilderness story in which God fed millions of Israelites their daily bread with angels food? and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. (Psalm 78:24, ESV) Soon other crowds will find themselves in need of daily bread as well and again God will provide.

4 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:21, ESV) Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 15:38, ESV) These are more than fascinating stories; they are lessons on trusting God. These stories of God s provision are to engender faith. The prayer of those that ask God for their daily bread is a prayer of faith by those that live by faith.. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, ESV) To trust God for food and all else is to live by faith. And in fact, crops do fail and savings are lost, so in faith we can and must pray, give us this day our daily bread. A False Message But there is another message more recent in Church history. It is a message by those that proclaim a prosperity gospel. For them prayer for bread is almost ludicrous, that is a given, they have far greater ambitions in obtaining the good things this life offers. It is a lesson easily forgotten when wealth multiplies and absolute self-sufficiency is portrayed as a virtue. 2 But praying for daily bread speaks to the fact that we realize we are not self-sufficient. Life is precarious and only God s omnipotent power can guarantee today s provisions. Forgiving Sin Matthew 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. and The first three petitions stand independently from one another. The last three, however, are linked in Greek by ands, almost as if to say that life sustained by food is not enough. We also need forgiveness of sin and deliverance from temptation. 3 What do the Perfect Need? Earlier we read: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48, ESV) Here the perfect are instructed to pray for forgiveness. Of necessity, it is clear that in 5:48 Jesus was not speaking of sinless perfection but of a life of obedience to the 2 Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 172). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 3 Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 172). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

5 righteous law of God. All that live on this earth sin, some willingly, some with deep regret; to the later, Jesus offers forgiveness. forgive 4 Jesus assumes that we will need to ask for forgiveness not on one or two rare occasions but very regularly. 5 However, as stated, those that perceive that they have reached the perfections of 5:48 will find no need to include this statement in their prayers. Those who dream of attaining such perfection in this world, as to be free from every spot and blemish, not only renounce their sins, but renounce Christ himself, from whose Church they banish themselves. For, when he commands all his disciples to betake themselves to him daily for the forgiveness of sins, everyone, who thinks that he has no need of such a remedy, is struck out of the number of the disciples. 6 debts 7 Luke s version makes clear what Matthew means by debts, and forgive us our sins. (Luke 11:4, ESV) any purely monetary understanding of debt is ruled out by the fact that it is debts to God for which forgiveness is asked. 8 Verses 6:14-15 make this clear with the use of trespasses substituting for debts. Debt is an image for sin in Matthew 18:23-35 and Luke 7: Both of these passages illustrate the point made here. Jesus uses the word debt because we owe to God our full obedience. When we do not pay it we are debtors to God, and only he can remit the debt 9 as we also have forgiven 10 our debtors or as we also are forgiving 11 our debtors I think the translation, as we also are forgiving our debtors, is to be preferred. This discussion on the forgiveness of sins references our day-by-day walk with God. It does not related to our conversion experience. Our conversion is not conditioned on previous good works. Our sanctification is. If we do not forgive, we are not forgiven; our walk with God is interrupted. This is not to say that the source of our whole understanding of forgiveness is not in the mercy of God (he is addressed as Father), but it is to say that failure to forgive closes the door to ongoing forgiveness (cf. Mt. 18:23 35) ἀφίημι let go, leave, leave alone, release, forgive liberation, forgiveness. Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990 ). Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans. 5 Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-15 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (vol. 1; Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), ὀφείλημα the moral debt incurred as the result of sin offense, sin, transgression, guilt. forgive us our sins Mt 6:12. Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (773). New York: United Bible Societies. 8 France, R. T. (2007). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 250). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co. 9 Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew (The Pillar New Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992), ἀφίημι To send forth or away, let go from oneself. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000). 11 Either the Minority Text, aorist active indicative have forgiven or better yet, the Majority Text, present active indicative are forgiving. 12 Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: A commentary on the Greek text. New International Greek Testament Commentary (291). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

6 Though God prefers the coinage of mercy, he will deal with us in the coinage with which we have chosen to deal with others. 13 Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offense against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely trifling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offenses of others, it proves that we have minimized our own. 14 The heart that will not open to forgive others will remain closed when God s own forgiveness is offered. 15 But, can we actually forgive sins? Can we tell someone I forgive you for murdering my daughter with the result that when that person stands before God, that sin does not now exist, it has been forgiven and God can no longer hold that person guilty of murder? If the answer is, no then in what sense do we then forgive sins? We cannot actually forgive sins; we have no power to do this. We can forgive their sin against us; we cannot forgive their sin against God. No forgiveness requested. But there is one other difficult question to be asked, are we here instructed to forgive people who have not asked to be forgiven? People who would find the thought of asking for forgiveness intolerable? And in considering an answer to that question, I think we need to ask, does God himself forgive sins when people have not repented and asked for forgiveness? He does not. Are we more holy than God is? No, of course not. Then what are we being asked to do here? The answer is found in God s own behavior. He stands willing to forgive when asked; we must as well. He will forgive when people ask; we must as well. He has a forgiving spirit; we must as well. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, (Luke 17:3, ESV) So, should we forgive arbitrarily when people do not ask? God does not; we must not. Should we be willing to forgive when asked? God does and we must as well. So, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors is conditioned by God s own example in forgiveness. That example is rooted in God s willingness to forgive when requested in repentance. That is what we are also called to do. But wait a minute; didn t Jesus forgive those who murdered him without them requesting forgiveness? And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments. (Luke 23:34, ESV) Jesus did not forgive them, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness. And in fact, that prayer was answered 50 days later at Pentecost and in the years that followed as they repented and asked for forgiveness. 13 Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: A commentary on the Greek text. New International Greek Testament Commentary (291). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. 14 Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp ). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 15 Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-15 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 60.

7 Do Not Lead Us into Temptation Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation [test, trial], but deliver us from evil. In verse 12, we are taught to pray, forgive us our debts or sins; here we are taught to pray, lead us not into temptation or sins. Verse 13 is an expansion on verse 12. We need forgiveness from sin; we need deliverance from sin. Before we go further, we need to ask why God would not lead us into testing or trial. From Adam (Genesis 2:17), to Job (Job 1:12), to Abraham (Genesis 22:1), to the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:2), to Jesus (Luke 22:42), testing and trial have been the normal course of life. From day one, it seems that it has been God s intent to test the mettle of his creation by means of trials. They in fact form our character. In the final analysis, only God, the sovereign of the universe, can be the cause of temptation. Without his permission, it does not happen. Yet in the Gospels we do see Jesus asking others to pray that they may not enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46) as he is instructing his disciples to pray here. Finally, why should one pray not to be led into peirasmos [temptation, trial, testing] when it is apparently God s will that we should suffer it, and when benefits become available through it? 16 Although temptation, trial or test, are possible translations in this verse, surely in the light of James the only options are trial or test. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:13 14, ESV) temptation [test, trial] 17 When God is the agent, peirasmós [temptation, test, trial] is for the purpose of proving someone, never for the purpose of causing him to fall. If it is the devil who tempts, then it is for the purpose of causing one to fall. 18 It seems that every trial by God is a temptation by Satan. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. (Matthew 4:1 3, ESV) For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18, ESV) 16 The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (electronic edition.; Garland, TX: Galaxie Software, 1998). 17 πειρασμός to make trial of, try, tempt. Trial, temptation, a putting to the test, spoken of persons only. Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. 18 Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

8 The Joy of Trials But before we go further, let s look at a comment by James, Jesus half-brother, and a commentator on the Sermon on the Mount. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, (James 1:2, ESV) So the first question might be, why would one pray that he not be lead into testing or trials if in fact the trials were all joy? Of course, I ve somewhat misquoted the passage in James. It actually says, count it all joy not that it is all joy. Count means to consider it to be so; it does not mean that it actually is so. But, let s also look at the phrase all joy. A better translation would be genuine joy. James does not, then, suggests that Christians facing trials will have no response other than joy, as if we were commanded never to be saddened by difficulties. His point, rather, is that trials should be an occasion for genuine rejoicing. 19 So, we are to consider the trials to be a cause for genuine rejoicing in the midst of the many other emotions that may also be present. And we do that, not because the testing itself is joyous, but because of the outcome of that testing is joyous. for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:3 4, ESV) So, when it comes, we consider the great benefit it provides, but in the mean time we still pray lead is not into temptation [trials, testing]. This brings us to an interesting point, in this prayer we are actually allowed to pray that we might not be tested, Jesus allows us to pray that testing might be minimized in our lives. Here is an important point, this is a privilege not granted to the lost. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41, ESV) then the Lord knows how to rescue [deliver] the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, (2 Peter 2:9, ESV) Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:10, ESV) We will not avoid all testing, but as children of God, unlike the world, we can pray that those tests be limited. But it does strike me that this sixth petition is a privilege dependent on the first five petitions in this prayer. If those are missed or minimized, one wonders why God would answer the sixth. James says, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7, ESV) And that is what the previous five prayer petitions are about, submitting to God. After the Christian has prayed, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done he then prays, lead us not into 19 Ralph E. Bass Jr., The Book of James (Living Hope Press, Greenville, SC, 2011).

9 temptation. This means that although the believer is to resist the devil although he is to fight against him he is able to do this successfully only after he has first of all submitted himself to God. 20 A test to produce a certain righteousness is not necessary if that righteousness has already been achieved. We can pray, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil with confidence, knowing that in the first five petitions, we have submitted ourselves to God and have therefore resisted the devil. In doing this, God delivers and Satan flees. deliver us 21 Deliver us could mean either, on the one hand, spare us from, preserve us against or, on the other hand, deliver us out of, save us from. 22 We find this word in two other interesting verses. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, I am the Son of God. (Matthew 27:43, ESV) Here in Matthew 27 Jesus is mocked because his father does not deliver him from the cross. We can ask for deliverance, because he refused deliverance! And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob ; (Romans 11:26, ESV) In Romans 11 Jesus is identified as the Deliverer. So, Jesus refused deliverance at the cross that he might become the Deliverer. Because he refused deliverance at Calvary, we can pray to him and ask the Deliverer to deliver us from evil. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (Colossians 1:13, ESV) The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18, ESV) But in what sense was Paul rescued or delivered from every evil deed? In fact, he was decapitated by Nero. For Paul the key element in rescue was not physical but spiritual and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. For Paul this was deliverance par excellence. from evil [or the evil one] 23 The gender of this word could be either masculine or neuter. If neuter, then the translation would be the evil thing or the generic sense of evil. If masculine, then the translation would be evil one. Most scholars favor the 20 James Montgomery Boice, The Sermon on the Mount: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), ῥύομαι to rescue from danger, with the implication that the danger in question is severe and acute to rescue, to deliver. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp ). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 23 πονηρός labor, sorrow, pain. Evil in a moral or spiritual sense, wicked, malicious, mischievous. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

10 neuter with the generic evil as the idea. Some prefer the masculine with Satan as the one addressed. The preposition used may be the key to deciding. Deliver us can take either the preposition ek ( from ) or apo ( from ), the former always introducing things from which to be delivered, the latter being used predominantly of persons. 24 In this context, the preparation used is apo and therefore from a person, Satan. In addition, the greater context would support this point as well, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness by Satan. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. (John 17:15, ESV) But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV) However, when all is said and done, not a lot of difference is found in the choice. The Last Three Petitions In all the strife of mortal life Our feet shall stand securely; Temptation s hour shall lose its power, For thou shalt guard us surely. O God, renew, with heavenly dew, Our body, soul, and spirit, Until we stand at thy right hand, Through Jesus saving merit. 25 Notice how the last three petitions compare with the Exodus experience. 1) There the children of Israel were freed from bondage, which would correspond here with the forgiveness of the bondage of sin. 2) In the wilderness their daily bread, manna, was provided. 3) Their also they were tested by God and tempted by Satan. God released his people from slavery and fed them with manna (Mt 6:11), and they, like Jesus, were tested in the wilderness (v. 13; also see 4:1 2). 26 What we are called to do now is to succeed in prayer where others less faithful failed. do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, (Hebrews 3:8, ESV) We might pray for deliverance from testing, and we may delivered from many test, but some must come and we must pass the test. The Benediction 24 D. A. Carson, Matthew, in The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (ed. Frank E. Gaebelein; vol. 8; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), James Montgomery Boice, The Sermon on the Mount: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), Craig S. Keener, Matthew (vol. 1; The IVP New Testament Commentary Series; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997), Mt 6:9.

11 [For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen] The doxology itself, of course, is theologically profound and contextually suitable and was no doubt judged especially suitable by those who saw in the last three petitions a veiled allusion to the Trinity: the Father s creation and providence provides our bread, the Son s atonement secures our forgiveness, and the Spirit s indwelling power assures our safety and triumph Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 174). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.