Matthew 6:11 - Printer Friendly

This part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2) presents a model prayer. Jesus is using this as an example, to counter the faulty prayer methods He has just discussed (Matthew 6:5–8). He opened His prayer with the focus on God the Father and His holy name. The first request was for God's kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth as in heaven (Matthew 6:9–10).

Only after submitting His prayer to the will of God does Jesus introduce the first request. Some commentators in history have suggested that the "bread" mentioned here is supposed to mean the spiritual food of the Word of God. Most interpreters insist Jesus is, in fact, referring to physical food. Where "bread" is a shorthand, here, would be in reference to a person's most basic and important needs.

In the modern era, many people—especially in the west—resist eating bread in order to be healthy or lose weight. Focusing too much on wheat, loaves, and such makes it difficult to grasp the dependence expressed by this prayer. This is especially true for those who have never had to wonder if they would be able to feed themselves, or their families on the following day. Many in the world, unfortunately, face that very challenge. Most of Jesus listeners, even if they weren't desperately poor, knew what it was like to face uncertainty in their basic needs.

Ancient laborers, including many Jewish people, were paid daily in exchange for their efforts. They often earned just enough to cover basic survival for the following day. Being sick or otherwise missing a day's wages meant genuine danger for them and those dependent on them.

Jesus did not instruct His followers to pray for a one-time permanent solution to their daily needs. He did not tell believers to ask for enough money to forever guarantee they could feed their families for days or weeks or years. The point Jesus makes here is to pray in dependence on the Father; to ask Him to meet the needs of each day. In doing so, He destroyed any idea that believers should be mostly self-reliant, checking in with God only when faced with a critical need. Instead, Jesus showed clearly that every child of God must be God-reliant for every need on every day.

In fact, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, we are reliant on God for all things at all time. Every good gift we receive comes from Him and not from ourselves (James 1:17). The prayer for our daily bread is the humble expression that we understand that to be true.

This concept of "daily bread" provides important context when Jesus speaks about anxiety later in this chapter (Matthew 6:25–26). Parents often teach children the difference between "needs" and "wants." It's good to note the difference between survival and luxury. At the same time, dependence on God means realizing that what we "need" relates directly to His will, and His plans (Matthew 6:10). What we truly "need" is defined according to the purposes God has for us in that moment, as difficult as that can be to accept.

Matthew 6:7–16 follows Jesus' instruction about praying behind closed doors; He now teaches how to pray. Christ denounces the use of mindless repetition or meaningless jargon. God doesn't need filler words, and He doesn't need us to repeat ourselves in order to be heard. Jesus then models a simple, authentic prayer, now famously referred to as the Lord's Prayer. It is addressed to God the Father and begins by declaring His holiness and asking for His will to be accomplished on earth. This model prayer also makes personal requests for daily food, forgiveness of sin, and deliverance from temptation and evil. Jesus then underscores part of that prayer by saying those who want God's forgiveness must forgive others.

The Sermon on the Mount continues in chapter 6, which is entirely composed of the words of Christ. Jesus teaches that God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. He teaches a simple and authentic model prayer. Christ warns against stockpiling money and possessions on earth. Instead, believers should make choices that store up treasure in heaven. A person's top priority can either be God, or money, but cannot be both. Along with that, Jesus says believers should fight against anxiety about daily needs. The heavenly Father knows what we need. All we need to do is pursue His kingdom and righteousness; He will take care of our needs, one day at a time.

Chapter 5 began Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount. In that passage, Jesus pointed out that thoughts and attitudes are part of righteousness, just as much as actions. In Chapter 6, He explains how good deeds are only righteous when done out of sincere devotion to God, rather than for other people's approval. He also provides a model for prayer. Jesus explains how excessive worry, such as over money, interferes with faith in God. Knowing that God loves us should lead believers to trust Him, not to be anxious. Chapter 6 is one of the few chapters of the New Testament entirely composed of the words of Christ. In chapter 7 Jesus will introduce additional themes such as appropriate judgment, trust in God, and treatment of others.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.