PRAISE AND PRAYER
THE DISCIPLES’ PRAYER
Part Eleven of Sixteen
THE DISCIPLES of our Lord were taught much concerning
prayer while He was with them on the earth. They felt their ignorance and
asked Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). In response He gave them what
is usually called “the Lord’s prayer,” but in reality it is the disciples’
petition. On other occasions He instructed them how to pray and what
to pray for. Usually all of this is taken as if it were intended for us,
so that the formula He gave to them is almost universally used in
christendom today as a model for our practice or imitation. And, indeed,
some of the gracious spirit that pervades His words is in harmony with
ours, yet it falls far short of that which should actuate us today. In
view of this popular misconception it will be wise to stress the contrast
with what is ours, rather than seek to apply it to the present.
It seems
that John the baptist had taught his followers to pray, so a certain one
of our Lord’s disciples, after He had ceased praying, requested and
said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Then He not only told them
what to say, but encouraged them to persevere, by the parable of the “importunate”
friend and a likeness in which He compared God to a father who gives good
gifts to His children. As these refer to certain parts of the prayer we
will consider them in connection with it. Our Lord gave the disciples the
prayer on two different occasions (Matt.6:9; Luke 11:2). The wording is
almost the same, but His accompanying remarks are very different, and
correspond to the character in which He is set forth, the King in Matthew,
and the Man in Luke. We will consider Luke’s account first. The prayer
is plainly divided into two parts. First we have God and His glory, and
then man and his misery. His glory here is that of Father, and this
name is to be held sacred, and is declared to be so by the disciple. This
is a marvelous commencement, and the principle should be followed in all
prayer. It first gives God His proper place, and then reveals the attitude
of the petitioner toward Him. As the prayer is for provision and pardon
and pity, how good it is to give God the place of Father! On earth
children look for these things from the one to whom they are related by
filial affection, not from strangers. And likewise, especially in the
Orient, the father demands and receives the highest consideration and
honor. His name is his most precious possession. In many eastern lands
there is nothing so jealously guarded and protected as the “face” or
reputation of the head of the house. All this the disciple transfers to
his Father in the heavens.
While this
prayer falls far short of what we have today, it also is far beyond of
what was known before. As has already been shown, God had not revealed
Himself to the nation of Israel as their Father, nor did He do so, even
when His Son was on earth. This prayer is not for the nation, but
for the disciples. There had always been two classes in Israel,
those on the side of Jehovah and those against Him, those who clung to His
worship and His temple, and those who served other gods and forsook
Jerusalem. But there never was the distinct cleavage which was brought
about by the presence of their Messiah among them in His humiliation. In
their spiritual relationship to God the disciples went far beyond the
nation as a whole. In figurative terms, this was expressed in the language
of the future, when Israel will be born “again.” They experienced an
individual new birth and could claim God as their Father in heaven.
This
expression “in heaven,” is very striking when compared with the past
and the future. In Israel their immediate fathers and their early
forefathers had a very prominent place in their religion. In a sense their
fathers on earth were essential to their whole religious outlook.
They inherited their promises and place as God’s priestly people from
their fathers, and would lose it all if they could not establish their
physical descent from them. The clause, “our Father who art in heaven,”
implied a great deal that we cannot well appreciate. It was no clean cut
with their earthly place and blessing. By no means did it even hint that
their place was in heaven, or that they would go there in the
resurrection. It is very striking to note that Paul, in writing to the
nations, never uses such a phrase, although we will rise to a place among
the celestials and are already seated there in spirit. Our blessings are
spiritual, with no earthly, physical allotment. We are in contact with God
everywhere in prayer. Our earthly fathers play no part, as such, in
spiritual relationship to God, so we need not add “in heaven” to our
prayers.
THE FATHER’S KINGDOM
The
kingdom of the Father, like the kingdom of God, expresses a much
wider and higher and more permanent conception than is generally
associated with the term “kingdom.” “The kingdom of the heavens”
seems to be strictly limited to the reign of Christ during the day of the
Lord, or Jehovah, in the millennium. Even at that time it seems that the
kingdom of the Father includes only those begotten by His spirit, the
faithful who recognize and appreciate His care and provision. During the
eons the kingdom of the Father embraces a continually increasing company
including those alone who seek to do His will. But at the end of the eons,
when death is abolished and all are reconciled to God, then it is that the
kingdom is given up to God, the Father, and all creatures will come
under His beneficent, paternal rule. The prayer our Lord taught His
disciples was not an appeal to place Israel in power over the nations, a
kingdom such as the unregenerate Pharisees desired, but for that higher
spiritual rule that will gradually grow until it embraces the whole race.
THY WILL BE DONE
The
kingdom consists essentially in doing His will. In fact, there is no need
of any rule where there is unanimity. That is how it should be in the case
of all who are led by God’s spirit. And that is how it will be, when all
sovereignty and authority and power are nullified at the consummation (1
Cor.15:23,24). The disciples were instructed to pray to that end. We might
ask, why should they pray for this, when God had already determined that
it should be so, and will certainly carry out His intention at the proper
time, but in the far future? Their prayer certainly was not “answered!”
Perhaps not, from their viewpoint. But it is being answered already in
their case, for their prayer itself, and the desires which it awakens in
their hearts, will lead them to do the Father’s will. And it will be
fully and perfectly fulfilled in their future experience in resurrection,
when they see the kingdom gradually expand to include all Israel, and all
mankind, and finally every spirit in the universe.
The phrase,
“as in heaven, on earth also,” presents a superficial difficulty. From
Job’s day (Job 1:6-12), until Satan is cast out of heaven with his
messengers (Rev.12:7-9), it would seem that God’s will is not
being done in heaven, hence there seems to be little point in asking for
the same on the earth. But this prayer was given at a time when the
kingdom had drawn near, and the proper outlook of those who accepted the
evangel of the kingdom was its coming without much delay. This very prayer
opens with this thought. So that the context supplies the proper
modification, that is, when the kingdom comes, then may thy will be
done, as in heaven, on earth also. This is in full accord with the facts.
After Satan and his messengers are ejected, before the kingdom is set up,
then we may assume that God’s will will be done in heaven. The prayer is
that this may be true of the earth also. And this will gradually be the
case, more and more, especially after Satan’s final insurrection, and
fully after the consummation.
THE DAILY DOLE
Some
of us may not relish the idea, but, as a matter of fact, we are all “on
the dole.” Apart from the ability given us by God, we could never earn
the food needed to sustain our bodies. No doubt this will be clearly
manifest in the kingdom, for then God will control the natural forces that
produce food, so that all will know Whom to thank for their fare, and
praise will go to Him for every good gift. The word here used, which we
render “dole,” is epiousion ON-BEING. The
A.V. translates it “daily,” but there is no hint of time in it.
Perhaps our idiom, that which is dealt out to anyone, will best
convey the idea. From the verb deal we get the noun dole,
which, in its wider usages, described a share or lot. It
seems especially fitting in this prayer, where the supplicant goes to the
eventual Giver of every good thing for his portion for the day.
This
petition was most fitting when used by our Lord’s disciples, especially
those who went about heralding the kingdom, as they lived from hand to
mouth, as it were. They were not even to carry the usual beggars’ bag
(Matt.10:10; Mark 6:8; Luke 9:3). Of course, even if our barns are full to
bursting, that is no guarantee that it will not all be destroyed before we
are able to enjoy it. In that sense there would be nothing out of place in
praying this prayer. But usually this formula is repeated thoughtlessly,
when the petitioner has plenty in the refrigerator and may have a supply
of preserved food for months, or the wherewithal to purchase it. Then its
use seems little short of irreverence and hypocrisy. There is no harm in thanking
God for such stores, but to beg for a day’s rations when we have a week’s
reserve laid aside cannot be very pleasing to Him. That is saying
your prayers, not praying them.
FEATURES OF FATHERHOOD
The
greatest gift that God can bestow is His holy spirit. In Matthew, with its
narrower outlook, our Lord mentions all good things, in place of this
essential one. Yet both agree, for all good is involved and included in
the holy spirit. Now that the disciples know God as their Father, our Lord
encourages them to act accordingly, in their prayers to Him. Even an
earthly father can be relied upon to give good things to his son. If a
child asks for bread, for food, he will not, instead, hand out a stone,
which will not nourish his body. For a fish he will not substitute a
serpent, which might bite and harm him, a scorpion, which could sting him
and cause excruciating pain, or even death. Wicked as mortals are
inherently, few are so lacking in natural affection as to do such things.
If, then, God establishes a like revelationship with the disciples, they
may rest assured that He will not take advantage of their requests to harm
them. He will not, instead of the dole of bread, supply them with food
lacking in nurture, or a dangerous or deadly diet (Luke 11:11-13).
THE FAILURE OF FRIENDSHIP
Our
Lord contrasts their heavenly Father with a mere friend who refuses
to be inconvenienced in order to do his friend a favor. Often this parable
is interpreted as though God were like this lukewarm friend, and the
conclusion drawn is, that we must keep on pestering Him if we want Him to
do as we wish. He will eventually do it to get rid of us. But this is just
the opposite of the prime object of prayer. God wants to commune
with us, but He does not want us to think Him niggardly and unkind,
unwilling to be put out to fulfill our wishes. The opposite is true, even
though it may not seem so sometimes. All should approach Him with
confidence that God will always give what they request. All shall find
what they seek. He will open to those who knock. But all in due time. The
saints will find every prayer fulfilled when they are vivified. And all
the rest will be satisfied when they are made alive at the consummation.
But even
with the Circumcision, it must be the prayer of faith. James, speaking to
the twelve tribes, the nation from the physical standpoint, says to them:
“You are requesting and not obtaining, because you are requesting
evilly, that you should be spending it on your gratifications” (James
4:3). The unbelieving nation of Israel has prayed fervently for nearly two
thousand years for the kingdom. They have tried to establish it by force,
even as they are doing today. They will succeed in setting up a
counterfeit kingdom by means of their wealth in Babylon. But such prayers
and such efforts of the apostate nation are based upon their desire for
power and pleasure, with a hypocritical and formal acknowledgment of
Jehovah. Such prayers will not be answered during the eons. Those who say
them will not be satisfied until the consummation. Let us note that the
prayer in the parable did not want anything for himself, but for another.
THE PARDON OF SINS
Pardon
is the proper word for the kingdom, for it is the prerogative of the
political power. But how far short it falls of justification! It is not
gratuitous by His grace, but deserving, based upon conduct. If the grace
which comes to us in Christ Jesus were measured by that which we show to
others, how restricted it would be! There could be no riches of
grace, or transcendent favor, for we are in no position to show
this to others. Few of the saints would even deserve pardon, for they are
not noted for this trait. And among the disciples of our Lord some did
fall away. Judas was the most notorious example. The epistle to the
Hebrews speaks of others. Let us never pray for a pardon conditioned upon
our own conduct! No matter how kind and gracious we may consider
ourselves, it is nothing compared to the fullness of favor which is ours
in Christ Jesus.
BRINGING INTO TRIAL
“Mayest
Thou not bring us into trial” is a strictly kingdom prayer. When it has
come, the evil eons will be past. Under Christ’s beneficent rule, good
will be the order of the day. Those who abide in Him need fear no evil.
But what a contrast is the experience of our apostle, Paul! He suffered much
indeed. Alexander displayed to him much evil. The Lord did not deliver him
from it. All he could do was to warn the saints to guard against him
because he had withstood Paul’s words. Paul does not say that he prayed
to be kept out of this severe trial. He suffered much weariness and blows
and flogging and stoning and fasting and thirst and famine and cold and
nakedness and in solicitude for all the ecclesias (2 Cor.11:23-28). When
he was given a splinter in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him,
he did entreat the Lord thrice, that it should withdraw from him. But the
answer was no! The Lord protested to him, “Sufficient for you is My grace,
for My power in infirmity is perfected.” He was a marvelous healer, even
at a distance (Acts 19:12). But, in this administration, he himself was
not healed!
RESCUE FROM THE WICKED
The
disciples will be rescued from the wicked in the kingdom. But we are
protected against spiritual forces of wickedness in quite another way.
Just as God uses evil for our good, so we are open to attack from
spiritual powers, and can shield ourselves only by means of the panoply of
truth and righteousness and peace, and must defend ourselves by faith and
God’s declarations (Eph.6:10-17). Yet we are confident that the evil
which does come to us by this means, like Paul’s splinter in the flesh,
will be used by God for our good, and is necessary in order to fit us for
our future mission among the celestials. Nevertheless, let us don all this
protective armor and stand, not merely to gain a name for ourselves, but
to bring glory and honor to Him under Whom we have enlisted.
PARDON FOR PARDON
The
one part of this prayer which should not be our petition under any
circumstances, is the prayer for pardon. It is conditioned on human
conduct, which is perfectly fitting in the adjudication of the earthly
kingdom, but is utterly contrary to the grace of God in this
administration, which imparts God’s righteousness to the believer,
and on the ground of the death and resurrection of Christ. Although I
pardon freely those who owe me aught, I would shudder to use that as a
ground of God’s pardoning me, or the measure in which God absolves me
from sin. The vain repetition of this part of the prayer may be the cause
of the fearful ignorance of God’s transcendent grace, and the almost
utter disappearance of the evangel of His righteousness and
reconciliation.
THE PARDONED NATION
When
applied to the whole nation of Israel, this principle was the underlying
cause of their apostasy. In the parable of the ten thousand talent debtor
(Matt.18:23) our Lord foretold the course of events in Israel. He prayed
for them on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they are not aware
what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). So, instead of destroying the nation
for the crucifixion of their Messiah, pardon is proclaimed once more on
the day of pentecost. But the Jews would not tolerate the extension of
this blessing to the nations. When Paul spoke to reverent proselytes in
Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13: 14-52), the Jews were filled with jealousy, and
contradicted him. Their accumulating debt, due to their rejection of
Jehovah and the murder of His Messiah, did not lead them to pardon the
much smaller sum owed by the nations for their apostasy from God.
Consequently, the pardon of Israel, as a nation, was withdrawn, and now
they are still suffering and paying installments on their enormous debt.
A striking
feature of this prayer is generally overlooked. Although given to His
disciples, it is all in the plural: Our Father...Give us our daily
dole...pardon us...for we, ourselves ...owing us...bring us not...rescue
us. They were still Israelites, still members of the favored nation,
and their prayer was not each for himself as an individual, but for their
whole nation. The kingdom did not come because only a few accepted
their Messiah. It will not arrive until the nation repents and
looks upon Him whom they pierced. No one can pray this prayer
intelligently on his own account, for the plural includes others. It is
very difficult for us, of the nations, to grasp this fully. If we should
pray that the kingdom should come, we would pray, not for us, but for Israel.
The kingdom will be given to them, not to us.
We can say
part of the “Lord’s” prayer today, but other parts of it are out of
place. “Our Father” is suitable at all times, when a child of God is
seeking paternal aid or communion. But we need not locate Him in the
heavens, for, in spirit, in which alone we find our blessings, He is with
us everywhere, “Hallowed be Thy name” may be said today, but we should
rather rise higher and bless Him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. “Thy kingdom come” is in tune with His purpose at all times,
but the particular application which the Circumcision disciples would have
in mind, the millennial kingdom on the earth, is not in accord with our
expectation, which is to be caught away from the earth and enjoy our
blessings among the celestials. “As in heaven” is not true now, but
will be when the kingdom on earth is established.
The second
part of the prayer, concerned with the disciples themselves, has far less
that is pertinent now. Few of us live day by day as they did, so need not
pray for our daily dole of bread. We do not pray for pardon of sins when
we have God’s righteousness. Nor do we base anything upon our treatment
of others. We pray for endurance to bear the trials God sends us, rather
than to be relieved of them. And we are equipped to stand and defend
ourselves from the spiritual forces of wickedness. How thankful we should
be that our prayer’s are so far beyond those of the disciples! As our
place in the heavens is high above the earth, so should the spirit of our
petitions transcend those of the favored nation. Glory be to God for the grace
which is ours in Christ Jesus!
A. E. Knoch
