GOSPEL STUDY: "Daily bread".
Pentecost 9, 7/25/10.
Prepared by Achile Bourquin
We are continuing our study of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6. In this week's lesson (Matthew 6:11), we consider "Give us this day our daily bread". Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible.
Matthew 6:11: Jesus is teaching us how to pray. We begin by calling God "Our Father", which is only possible if Jesus is our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier. Then we exalt God's sacred name, His kingdom, and His will, asking that God be honored by all people on earth as He is honored by all those in heaven. This is God-centered, God-focused worship, praying that God might truly be glorified in all. A definite shift is now made in the second half of the Prayer to express personal concerns for our and others temporal and spiritual well-being. Note the word "us" in the next three verses. The Ten Commandments are also divided into two sections, those dealing with God's glory and honor, and those dealing with life on earth (Exodus 20). This similarity is no accident. It is worship as it should be.
"Give us this day our daily bread" (vs. 11). Christians have understood "bread" in three different ways down through the centuries; (a) bread necessary for the body, (b) the visible hallowed bread of the sacrament of the Lord's body (Holy Communion), and (c) the invisible bread of the word of God (St Augustine, 4th century African bishop). Let's briefly consider "daily bread" as a prayer for spiritual food, without which we would perish eternally. Of the "bread" as sacrament Jesus said, "Take, eat; this is My body" (Matthew 26:25), and "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life" (John 6:54f). Of the "bread" as God's words Jesus said, "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life" (John 6:27), and "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Of the "bread" as Christ Himself, He said, "I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst" (John 6:35f). "Therefore we ask that our bread, that is Christ, may be given to us daily, that we who abide and live in Christ may not depart from His sanctification and body" (St Cyprian, 3rd century African bishop). "We understand the daily bread as spiritual, that is to say, divine precepts, which we ought daily to meditate and to labor after" (St Augustine). Truly, Christ is "our Bread" even as God is "our Father".
"Give us this day our daily bread". We are reminded of the manna, the daily bread that God provided His people as they wandered in the desert (Exodus 16:11f). There was also quail that flew into the camp (ibid), water from a rock (17:6), the promise of healing for their sick (15:26), a cloud for shade by day and fire to illumine the night (Psalm 105:39), protection from enemies (14:26), and clothes and shoes that did not wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). God was careful to provide His people with all their earthly necessities; not in luxury, nor in superabundance, but daily as they had need. "Daily bread includes everything needed for this life, such as food and clothing, home and property, work and income, a devoted family, and orderly community, good government, favorable weather, peace and health, a good name, and true friends and neighbors" (Luther's Catechism, 4th petition). "We ask not only that the hand of God may supply us with food, but that we may receive all that is necessary for the present life" (Calvin's Commentary). "We commit ourselves to His providence (His ruling over all things), that He may feed, foster, and preserve our lives" (Calvin's Institutes). This is the "bread of existence" (Theophylact, 11th century bishop of Bulgaria), meaning that which is absolutely necessary for daily life. "It must be emphasized, of course, that all we pray for must be absolute necessities" (Lloyd-Jones, "Sermon on the Mount"). We ask for this "daily bread", not that we might pursue our selfish ambitions, but that we might continually call God "Our Father" and live a life that hallows His name (vs. 9). Desiring wealth and luxuriant living is everywhere warned against in Scripture (I Timothy 6:7f), and is certainly not the example set for us by Christ.
However, we should consider that God gives all His creatures their "daily bread", even without their praying for it, out of His shear goodness and mercy. "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them" (Matthew 6:25f). "He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (5:45). "He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:24f). "He gives food to all flesh, for His loving kindness is everlasting" (Psalm 136:25, 104:24f, 145:14f).
If God gives daily food to all His creatures without prayer, why should the Christian pray? First, we are not heathen nor animals but Christians, and therefore we pray regarding all things. Secondly, we pray to express our faith. We believe God to be our loving Father, the source of all goodness and mercy, the One who cares for us. We believe God to be sovereign over all things, and well able to rule earthly circumstances in such a manner as to bring food to our table. The wild raves brought Elijah bread and meat morning and evening when he was without food (I Kings 17:6f). Thirdly, we pray as an expression of our thanksgiving. We believe as Christians that every morsel of food that comes to our table has been sent there specifically for us by the hand of God, no matter whose human hands He uses to bring it; and we give thanks to Him; "We acknowledge everything as God's gifts and thank Him for them" (Luther's Catechism, First Commandment). Fourthly, when burdened by need, we "cast all our cares upon Him, who cares for us" (I Peter 5:7), calling upon His name in prayer. And we will not be disappointed. As David said, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor His descendants begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). Fifthly, we pray as an expression of our love, not "my bread" but "our bread", praying that all who lack might be fully supplied.
Note especially the word "us", Give "us" this day our daily bread. "Us" speaks of obedient children of the Father. It is assumed in this prayer that we are living as godly people, being diligent to perform the labors assigned us in our particular station in life. Paul said, "If anyone is not willing to work, then he/she is not to eat, either" (II Thessalonians 3:10). Proverbs exhorts us to not be lazy, but observe the ant; she "prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest" that she might have food for the winter (Proverbs 6:6f). "The fields must be cultivated, labor must be bestowed on gathering the fruits of the earth, and every person must submit to the toil of their calling, in order to procure food" (Calvin's Commentary). This applies to all the necessities of life. Next week, Matthew 6:12.