St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

In our "Questions to the clergy" slot, John will try to answer any query you throw at him, without deviation or repetition.

Our daily bread?

Q. Why is the line “give us this day our daily bread” different in different versions of the Lord’s Prayer, and what did Jesus really mean we should be praying for when he taught these words?

A. The Lord’s Prayer is around in several different versions nowadays mainly because it comes in two different versions in the bible. That’s probably because Jesus taught the prayer in Aramaic (the local language of Palestine), but the New Testament is written in Greek so the writers had to translate what he said. And that’s where theologians start arguing about what he meant, and why different versions have grown up.

Churches nowadays mostly use the version from Matthew 6:9-13, except we also add a bit at the end which dates from about 300 years later than Jesus. There was an International Commission on English Texts (ICET) which agreed the words for common prayers across denominations, and mostly we stick to that. The version in Luke 11:2-4 is shorter and isn’t much used in prayer books nowadays.

The prayer has an address (“Our Father”) and seven requests, and the phrase about daily bread is unlike the others in two ways:

First, it’s the only one which doesn’t start with the verb - literally it runs “our daily bread give us today” - which means the word “today” is emphasised. Jesus wanted us to ask God to meet our needs when we need them, just like a father will come running if his child is in danger. So it’s no accident that in Luke’s gospel the prayer comes right next to Jesus’ teaching us that we can ask for things just like a child would ask daddy.

Second, the word for “daily” is a rare word - in fact, it only comes in these two places in the whole of early Greek literature. One early Christian writer claimed that the Gospel writers had invented it. As well as “daily”, it might mean “for tomorrow” or it might mean “for subsistence” - either way, Jesus is telling us to ask for the things we urgently need. Or it might possibly mean “of the Great Tomorrow” - that’s to say, of the Last Day, the Day of Judgement - so Jesus might be saying “Give us today what we need for salvation” (in line with “I am the Bread of Life”).

Trust theologians to make it complicated! It means we can ask God for what we need just like a child asks daddy. It means spiritual bread as well as bread. And it means now, when we need it.

John Hartley

	*St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link* magazine** The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period. August 2006, Page 2.
Home Page. Index of articles: by subject, by date. In this issue: (August 2006) Vicar's letter, Question, Foundations, Marriage, Song. Other questions to the clergy.	In our "Questions to the clergy" slot, John will try to answer any query you throw at him, without deviation or repetition. Our daily bread? Q. Why is the line “give us this day our daily bread” different in different versions of the Lord’s Prayer, and what did Jesus really mean we should be praying for when he taught these words? A. The Lord’s Prayer is around in several different versions nowadays mainly because it comes in two different versions in the bible. That’s probably because Jesus taught the prayer in Aramaic (the local language of Palestine), but the New Testament is written in Greek so the writers had to translate what he said. And that’s where theologians start arguing about what he meant, and why different versions have grown up. Churches nowadays mostly use the version from Matthew 6:9-13, except we also add a bit at the end which dates from about 300 years later than Jesus. There was an International Commission on English Texts (ICET) which agreed the words for common prayers across denominations, and mostly we stick to that. The version in Luke 11:2-4 is shorter and isn’t much used in prayer books nowadays. The prayer has an address (“Our Father”) and seven requests, and the phrase about daily bread is unlike the others in two ways: First, it’s the only one which doesn’t start with the verb - literally it runs “our daily bread give us today” - which means the word “today” is emphasised. Jesus wanted us to ask God to meet our needs when we need them, just like a father will come running if his child is in danger. So it’s no accident that in Luke’s gospel the prayer comes right next to Jesus’ teaching us that we can ask for things just like a child would ask daddy. Second, the word for “daily” is a rare word - in fact, it only comes in these two places in the whole of early Greek literature. One early Christian writer claimed that the Gospel writers had invented it. As well as “daily”, it might mean “for tomorrow” or it might mean “for subsistence” - either way, Jesus is telling us to ask for the things we urgently need. Or it might possibly mean “of the Great Tomorrow” - that’s to say, of the Last Day, the Day of Judgement - so Jesus might be saying “Give us today what we need for salvation” (in line with “I am the Bread of Life”). Trust theologians to make it complicated! It means we can ask God for what we need just like a child asks daddy. It means spiritual bread as well as bread. And it means now, when we need it. John Hartley
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