Texts in Conversation
Matthew 6:11 is notoriously difficult to translate, especially the meaning of its key term for “daily.” When read alongside Proverbs 30:8, which asks for a portion of bread that avoids both excess and lack, the verse may gain clarity as a plea for sufficiency rather than abundance.
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Proverbs 30:8
Hebrew Bible
7 Two things I have asked from you; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches; feed me with my allotted portion of bread, 9 lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Matthew 6:11
New Testament
9 So pray this way: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, 10 may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Date: 70-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Exodus 16 is not alone in emphasizing God’s sovereignty regarding his provision. Other texts include Psalm 107:4–9; 146:5–7; and Proverbs 30:7–9. Proverbs 30:8–9 is an especially important text ... As Yamauchi, “Daily Bread Motif,” 154, points out, the prayer is not only a request for a sufficient amount, but also an affirmation that the sufficient amount is exactly what God will provide. See also Garland, “Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Matthew,” 222–223 ..."
Ridlehoover, Charles Nathan
The Sermon's Prayer: An Examination of the Intended Purpose of the Matthean Model Prayer
(p. 230) University of Bristol, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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