The Lord’s Prayer in Luke

The first thing you will notice about the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11 is that he has left out many of the words. Well, that is if you compare it to the version we generally recite in Church. That version comes from Matthew’s Gospel. Even Matthew doesn’t have the last couple of lines we recite, someone added those later. Looking at the two Biblical versions, Luke seems to state the prayer in the most basic terms and Matthew seems to fill it out, but essentially they are quite clearly the same prayer.

In Luke’s Gospel the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples. Each teacher would frame a prayer which expressed what was central to their relationship with God. This is effectively a summary of what was key to Jesus purpose. Because he was teaching them to pray, he was also encouraging them (and us) to have the same relationship and purpose. Jesus saw God as his Father, his Dad.

While his shows this as a close relationship, he dose not want us to forget that God is also holy and deserves our utmost respect. The Kingdom of God is the centre of Jesus mission, so he prays that it will come. He also recognises God as the provider in both physical and spiritual ways. God forgives and protects us. Because we are followers of Jesus his prayer becomes our prayer. This is the model for our prayers.

The parable that follows the prayer is told to assure the disciples that God is absolutely hospitable and will respond to the prayer. Even though a friend might look for an reasonable excuse not to respond to a request, God will not. Therefore we should not stop praying when the answer seems delayed, but consistently and persistently pray on. Luke underlines the point by encouraging us to ask, seek and knock because an answer will come.

Now Jesus compares the gifts of a human father with the actions of God. If a child asked for something good, a father would not substitute something negative or frightening. “How much more would God give… “. The logical conclusion to this sentence is, “good things to those who ask”. That is how Matthew reports it. Luke has a different conclusion. He finishes the sentence with, “the Holy Spirit to those who ask.”

Luke wants us to understand that the primary gift that God gives and the proper focus of our prayer is our need of the Holy Spirit. It is by the Holy Spirit that our relationship with God exists and it is by the Holy Spirit that God’s purpose is fulfilled. it is through the holy spirit that we understand and receive forgiveness, and it is in the power of the Holy Spirit that we offer it. It is also by the Holy Spirit that we resist evil. So the primary prayer which God promises to answer is our prayer for the Holy Spirit, and then all our other prayers fit into place.

Adrian