The Lukan Lord’s Prayer

What is it about?

The Lord’s Prayer is familiar to Christians around the world and recited regularly in services and masses. Two versions of the prayer exist: one in Matthew’s Gospel and the other in Luke’s. Because Matthew’s text is used liturgically, Luke’s version is often neglected. It is one-third shorter as well as situated differently in the context of Jesus’ ministry. The article discusses the prominent tautology in the fourth petition: ‘Give us this day our daily bread’. It also discusses the translation of the Greek word epiousios, used only here in Scripture and a linguistic challenge first noted by the church father Origen in his treatise on prayer. The translation ‘necessary’ is preferred, and bread is shown to be represent more than just material things but also spiritual blessings. Using the parable, metaphors, and analogies that follow the Lord’s Prayer in Luke, the article concludes that the evangelist is purposely building to the exhortation that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to his covenant children if they ask. A pneumatological reading of the Lukan Lord’s Prayer is therefore warranted.

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