THE LORD’S PRAYER (Part III)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Part III)
By Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite

The restoration and union of human nature is attested to by the words, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," for, when we forgive our enemies, we are united and no longer divided because of a difference of opinion and will. The distancing of sin far from us is disclosed by the words, "And lead us not into temptation," and by saying this we ask that we not enter into temptation proceeding from the law of sin. And the phrase, "But deliver us from the evil one," represents the destruction of the devil’s tyranny.

This teaching of our Lord is called a prayer because it encompasses all that man should ask from God, and all that is fitting for God to give to man. The Prayer is divided into three parts: (1) DOXOLOGY and PRAISE OF GOD; (2) THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR HIS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE BLESSINGS; AND (3) SUPPLICATION FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS AND FOR THE SINS OF OUR BRETHREN, AND VARIOUS OTHER SUPPLICATIONS. The Lord’s Prayer contains seven subjects, as we previously said, and is therefore also divided into seven parts. But why seven? This is because man has permission to ask and receive from God during this present, seventh age; while in the eighth age, that is, the future age, we will NOT be able to do this, for then it will no longer be time to work, but for the recompense for our actions.

We request God to "forgive us… as we" are to "forgive" others. By using the plural, Jesus directs each of us to pray for the Father’s forgiveness of all, and for all of us to forgive one another. Although God’s forgiveness is primary, Jesus clearly teaches that there is a reciprocal relationship between the Divine and human forgiveness. We request God to be to us as we are to our neighbors. "DEBTS" refer to spiritual debts: when we sin, we "owe" restitution to our offended neighbor and to God. We pray not only that our sins be forgiven, but that we not yield to "temptation." God tempts NO ONE (James 1:13); temptations are from THE EVIL ONE, THE DEVIL. They are aimed at the soul’s willful yielding to the sinful passions of the flesh (Romans 7:5). No one can live without at some time encountering TEMPTATION. But to yield to temptation and commit sin is blameworthy. Thus we pray that great temptations, TESTS BEYOND WHAT WE CAN BEAR (1 Corinthians 10:13), should NOT come our way.

Once again Jesus insists on MUTUAL FORGIVENESS between people as a precondition of God’s forgiveness. Those who do not "forgive" are NOT forgiven. This teaching is repeated by Jesus in the Parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35), which concludes with virtually the same words. The opinion that even unforgiving Christians are forgiven by God is contradicted by Jesus Himself. The moral action of the faithful, when they forgive others "their trespasses," is bound with the love of God: not to forgive others is willfully to alienate ourselves from the forgiveness of God.

From the earliest times, the Lord’s Prayer was taught to those preparing for Baptism (catechumens) and was also used in the Divine Liturgy. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem is the first to witness the use of the Lord’s Prayer in the Divine Liturgy and in preparing candidates for Baptism. It was also believed by some early authorities that the Prayer was used by the Holy Apostles to consecrate the offering in the Divine Eucharist.

The Lord’s Prayer has played a very important part in Chrisian worship and personal devotion. There are many Orthodox and many Christians in general for whom the Lord’s Prayer is the only form of personal praying they know and use in all circumstances. Tertulian calls the Lord’s Prayer "the epitome of the whole Gospel," and practically every Holy Father of the Church considers it as the source of all other prayers. It has been frequently expounded either as part of commentaries on the Gospels or in separate treatises. Notable among the most well known commentaries is that of Saint John Chrysostom.

____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + "

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George