1516 | Matthew 6:5
Prayer 6:9 – 13pp // Lk 11:2 – 4
5 “ And when you pray , do not be like the hyp o crites , for they love to pray standing c in the syn a gogues and on the street cor ners to be seen by oth ers . Tru ly I tell you , they have re ceived their re ward in full . 6 But when you pray , go into your room , close the door and pray to your Fa ther , d who is un seen . Then your Father , who sees what is done in se cret , will re ward you . 7 And when you pray , do not keep on bab bling e like pa gans , for they think they will be heard be cause of their many words . f 8 Do not be like them , for your Fa ther knows what you need g before you ask him . 9 “ This , then , is how you should pray :
“ ‘ Our Father in heaven , hallowed be your name ,
10 your kingdom h come , your will be done , i on earth as it is in heaven . 11 Give us today our daily bread . j
12 And forgive us our debts ,
6:5 c Mk 11:25 ; Lk 18:10-14
6:6 d 2Ki 4:33
6:7 e Ecc 5:2 f 1Ki 18:26-29
6:8 g ver 32
6:10 h Mt 3:2 i Mt 26:39
6:11 j Pr 30:8
6:12 k Mt 18:21-35
6:13 l Jas 1:13 m Mt 5:37
6:14 n Mt 18:21- 35 ; Mk 11:25 , 26 ; Eph 4:32 ; Col 3:13
6:15 o Mt 18:35 6:16 p Isa 58:5 6:18 q ver 4 , 6
Prayer as we also have forgiven our debtors . k
13 And lead us not into temptation , a l but deliver us from the evil one . b ’ m
14 For if you for give oth er peo ple when they sin against you , your heav en ly Father will also for give you . n 15 But if you do not for give oth ers their sins , your Fa ther will not for give your sins . o
Fasting
16 “ When you fast , do not look somber p as the hyp o crites do , for they disfig ure their fac es to show oth ers they are fast ing . Tru ly I tell you , they have re ceived their re ward in full . 17 But when you fast , put oil on your head and wash your face , 18 so that it will not be ob vi ous to oth ers that you are fast ing , but only to your Fa ther , who is un seen ; and your Fa ther , who sees what is done in se cret , will re ward you . q
a
13 The Greek for temptation can also mean testing . b
13 Or from evil ; some late manuscripts one , / for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever . Amen .
6:5 – 6 Prayer can be perverted into an act of hypocrisy when the external act masks an inner corrupt motive . Jesus directs his disciples to go to their inner “ room .” The focus is on intimacy with God in one ’ s heart , which is at the center of all prayer , whether it happens to be given publicly or privately . 6:7 – 8 Long , continued prayer is not improper , because Jesus himself prayed through whole nights . Prayer is much about changing us , our character , our will , and our values , even while we seek God ’ s response . 6:9 – 13 The way Jesus uses “ my Father ” to address his heavenly Father is exceptional because Jesus is the unique Son ( e . g ., 7:21 ; 12:50 ). But God is also “ our Father ” ( v . 9 ), expressing the relationship we have with one another as disciples and with Jesus as our brother . Through this relationship , the disciples have entered into a relationship with Jesus ’ Father . 6:9 Jesus ’ disciples will honor God ’ s name in their prayers , but especially as they submit to his power and authority . 6:10 This petition is reflected in a prayer expressed in the early church ’ s appeal , “ Come , Lord !” This is the oldest recorded Christian prayer ( 1Co 16:22 ). In that cry , Paul applies the divine title “ Lord ” to Jesus the Messiah . 6:10 God reigns in heaven absolutely , so all of heaven experiences his perfect will . Jesus prays that earth will experience that same rule of God . Jesus ’ disciples , those who have submitted to God ’ s will as Jesus did , are the living testimony to the world that God ’ s will can be experienced today . 6:11 In the same way that manna was only given one day at a time , disciples are to rely on God for
UNCORRECTED PROOF
daily provisions . This helps them develop a conscious , daily dependence on him . 6:12 Sin creates an obligation or debt to God that we cannot possibly repay . Jesus ’ disciples are not simply to relish their own state of forgiveness ; they are also to forgive others . Forgiveness of others is proof that the disciple ’ s sins are forgiven and that they possesses salvation . 6:13 This petition indicates that the disciples should pray either for relief from testing or for their testing not to become an occasion for temptation . Disciples must rely on God for victory in all of the spiritual battles of life . 6:14 – 15 Once disciples have received forgiveness and salvation , they are to forgive with the same forgiveness they have received . This is the evidence they are indeed forgiven . 6:16 – 18 Jesus assumes his disciples will fast because he says simply , “ When you fast ” ( v . 16 ). Disciples are to act as normal while fasting ; other people do not need to know of their religious discipline . The reward for fasting is the continued development of inner righteousness to which all disciples are to aspire .
6:1 – 18 Throughout church history , the spiritual disciplines have been a key to spiritual growth . These disciplines are viewed from different perspectives . However we might view them , the important point is to remember that the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven is an inside- out process . Jesus provides this orientation to counteract the hypocritical practice of operating only on the surface .
Personal transformation begins in the inner person through the work of the Spirit of God ,