The Lord's Prayer in the Gospel of Matthew
The Lord's Prayer appears in Matthew 6:9-13, embedded within the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus instructs his disciples on authentic prayer. The prayer was given as a corrective to the "corruptions that had crept into this duty of prayer among the Jews," providing "a new directory for prayer" that would show "what must ordinarily be the matter and method of their prayer" [4]. Unlike the verbose repetitions of pagan prayers that Jesus had just criticized (Matthew 6:7-8), this model is marked by simplicity and comprehensiveness [3].
Structure and Content
The prayer opens with an address to God as Father, a form of intimacy that distinguished Jesus' teaching. Jews rarely addressed God this way, but Jesus did so in every prayer except his cry of dereliction from the cross [3]. The opening petition—"may your name be kept holy"—reflects Old Testament concerns about God's reputation being profaned by the sin of his people [3]. The prayer then moves through a series of petitions that encompass both divine priorities (the hallowing of God's name, the coming of his kingdom, the doing of his will) and human needs (daily bread, forgiveness, deliverance from evil).
The prayer's structure resembles a common Jewish prayer known as the qaddish, suggesting Jesus was working within familiar liturgical patterns while reshaping them [3]. One commentary describes it as compressing "an infinite variety of wants and requests" into "a few humble petitions," embodying "every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements" in the most condensed form [1].
Theological Characteristics
The prayer contains no explicit reference to Christ's atoning work or to the distinct offices of the Holy Spirit [2]. This absence reflects its placement in Jesus' earthly ministry, before the cross and Pentecost had fully revealed these realities. The prayer functions as "the comprehensive type of the simplest and most universal prayer," though Christian prayer more broadly is also shaped by Jesus' Gethsemane prayer and his high priestly prayer in John 17 [2].
The prayer's four major movements—adoration of God, submission to his will, petition for provision, and plea for moral deliverance—constitute "the very soul of religion" [1]. This architecture trains disciples to prioritize God's glory and kingdom before turning to their own needs, establishing a pattern that would characterize Christian prayer across subsequent centuries.
Textual Variations
A significant textual issue concerns the closing doxology ("For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever"). Luke's version of the prayer (11:2-4) omits this conclusion, as do many early manuscripts of Matthew, leading the Revised Version to exclude it from Matthew 6:13 [2]. This variation suggests the doxology may have been a liturgical addition that entered the manuscript tradition as the prayer became embedded in corporate worship.
Function in Matthew's Gospel
Within the Sermon on the Mount, the prayer serves as the positive counterpart to Jesus' critique of hypocritical piety. Where the hypocrites pray to be seen by others, this prayer directs attention wholly toward God. Where pagans multiply words, this prayer achieves comprehensiveness through economy. The prayer thus models the righteousness that "exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees" (Matthew 5:20), demonstrating what it means to pray with sincerity rather than display, with substance rather than verbosity.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Prayer — the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays."--Lange. "This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion,--sentiments which”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Lord's Prayer — The name given to the only form of prayer Christ taught his disciples (Matt. 6:9-13). The closing doxology of the prayer is omitted by Luke (11:2-4), also in the R.V. of Matt. 6:13. This prayer contains no allusion to the atonement of Christ, nor to the offices of the Holy Spirit. "All Christian prayer is based on the Lord's Prayer, but its spirit is also guided by that of His prayer in Gethsemane and of the prayer recorded John 17. The Lord's Prayer is the comprehensive type of the simplest and most universal prayer."”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 6:9: When Christ had condemned what was amiss, he directs to do better; for his are reproofs of instruction. Because we know not what to pray for as we ought, he here helps our infirmities, by putting words into our mouths; after this manner therefore pray ye, Mat 6:9. So many were the corruptions that had crept into this duty of prayer among the Jews, that Christ saw it needful to give a new directory for prayer, to show his disciples what must ordinarily be the matter and method of their prayer, which he gives in words that may very well be used as a form; as the sum”