Matthew 6:12 - Homilies By P.c. Barker

The fifth petition.

It is to be pointed out that the Gospel version of the Lord's Prayer uses here in this petition the words "debts" and "debtors;" while, in what may be regarded as a parallel passage ( Luke 11:4 ), the prayer reads, "Forgive us our sins , as we forgive our debtors" It might, possibly, and not altogether unplausibly, be held that this last form of the words designs to avoid bringing into near comparison the dread reality we call sin against God, with our sins (though still justly so called) against one another. At any rate, the version may suggest profitably the thought. Vast also and indeed immeasurable the difference between what we owe to God and what any one can owe to us; still these facts more naturally both fall under the description of "debts." Again, though the words "debts" and "debtors" are virtually commented upon by the "trespasses" of Matthew 6:14 , it is not impossible that they suggest the sequence of this petition upon the one preceding it. We have just prayed, "Give us this day," etc. What debts, indeed, God's daily innumerable givings, as Creator to all creation, as Father to all his family, entail upon them! These are not less to be thought of because they partake so much of a moral character, and are so analogous to those which children owe to their earthly parents. Though parents must give for the sake of the life of those to whom they give, their claim upon the gratitude, obedience, devotion, of their offspring is indefeasible, and the high, solemn sanctions of that claim in Scripture are second to none. Dwell on the consideration of—

I. THE EXISTENCE OF THIS GREAT THING , THIS GREAT FACT , IN THE WORLD —" FORGIVENESS :" WHAT DOES IT MARK ?

1 . It is a convincing proof of a moral element present in the world's social structure.

2 . It is a convincing proof that that moral element is not of the nature of a level, stern, logical justice by itself, without elasticity, without any possible method of compensation, without any provision of remedy, in the event of incursions of error, accident, fault.

3 . The outward practice of forgiveness (leaving out of question any cultivating of the spirit of forgiving)is found an absolute necessity for carrying on the community of social life.

4 . The three foregoing particulars may be viewed as a strong supporting argument of the species of analogy, justifying the article of the apostolic Creed, that says, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins." And they may be viewed so yet the more in the light of the second clause of the petition now before us, "as we forgive our debtors."

II. THE WIDE RANGE THROUGH WHICH PRAYERS FOR GOD 'S FORGIVENESS NEED TO BE OFFERED .

1 . For debts in the matter of mercies innumerable and priceless, of which so little account has been made, and for which so little fruitful return has been shown.

2 . For our debts in the matter of innumerable faults—faults of omission and of carelessness.

3 . For our debts in the solemn matter of what can be described as nothing less than sin against God; and which we must know to be such by reason, by conscience, by education, by the education further of his revealed Word, and by the most explicit and most tender revelation of his love in Christ Jesus.

4 . For all the debts of all that vast family of which we are a part, and for which our "prayers and intercessions" are permitted and invited.

III. THE EXCEEDINGLY SOLEMN FORM UNDER WHICH WE ARE TAUGHT TO ENTREAT GOD 'S FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS , VIZ . " AFTER THE MANNER " OF OUR OWN FORGIVENESS OF OUR BROTHER . The thrilling suggestions of warning that lie plain to every gaze in these words of prayer fitted to our lips by Jesus, emphasized in Matthew 6:14 , Matthew 6:15 , and so often repeated by us, are only equalled by the matchless condescension of them.—B.

Matthew 6:13 (first part)

The sixth petition.

Point out that the word "lead" is not an exactly correct rendering, and but for long use would be pretty certainly a somewhat misleading one. The plain meaning of the petition is that we may be spared the conflict and the danger and the pain of temptation, so far as may be accordant with Divine wisdom and the Divine will. Hence a very old version renders " carry ," and the Revised Version renders "bring;" and for this may be substituted such other words as "put," or "place." Though indeed circumstances, as we call them (and God certainly uses not unfrequently the ministry of circumstance), may be largely described as partaking of the nature of leading , yet the last intended implication of the petition is that God would, by unconscious leading , betray us into temptation, so that we should be more liable to fall by it. Consider—

I. THE NATURE OF THE THING CALLED TEMPTATION .

1 . It is not the word rightly used, unless the person is free to choose, to do, or to refuse to do.

2 . It is not the word rightly used, unless the thing that tempts is for some reason evil —evil not necessarily in itself, but for us at the time being.

3 . It involves our facing what is either intrinsically evil, or in this sense evil; wishing or being inclined to wish or liable to wish it; and finally either mastering and banishing the wish, or yielding to it , and turning it into action.

II. THE OBJECTS OF TEMPTATION .

1 . To reveal to the nature of an inquiring, intelligent being what forces there are without him, for good or for bad, in this world.

2 . To reveal to that nature the forces that are within it also; and to waken its knowledge as much of their difference in kind as of their existence.

III. THE USES OF TEMPTATION .

1 . To challenge, determine, fix the tone and direction of the character of any and every person.

2 . To strengthen greatly, by decision and by exercise, goodness, if temptation is resisted and mastered; or if the opposite, at any rate to acquaint the sufferer with what is going on in his life.

IV. THE JUSTIFICATION OF PRAYING AGAINST THE ORDEAL OF TEMPTATION .

1 . Such praying expresses a very permissible, just, modest distrust of self. It expresses the opposite of self-confidence.

2 . It expresses a just and natural dread of being worsted of our worst enemy.

3 . It expresses a justifiable shrinking from the conflict, and the pain of being tempted, even if we are not victims to the danger of it. That "the cup may pass away" we know is a lawful and even hallowed prayer, if coupled with submission still to the Divine will, and with the resolute drinking of it if it be still held to our lips. Such praying may be regarded as the fit response also to the most gracious utterances of all the ages; e.g. "Like as a father pitieth his children … for he knoweth our frame, and remembereth that we are dust."—B.

Matthew 6:13 (latter part)

The seventh petition.

This latter clause of what might be viewed almost as one petition, though expressed in the shape of two antithetic parts, confirms what may be called the common-sense interpretation of the words, "Lead us not into temptation." All the matter of temptation is evil. The evil that is without, its material; the evil that is within, its occasion and fearful purchase. The attraction of what is good, and any readiness within us to yield to that attraction, we do not designate temptation. But now the petition, "Lead us not into temptation," all the material of which is evil, is pronouncedly followed by this other," But deliver us," i.e. draw us away, rescue us, save us, "from evil," or from the evil one, in every form and in every degree. The petition is, therefore, certainly not mere repetition of the former, nor the former put in somewhat different shape, but it is substantial addition to it. Notice, then, that the prayer—

I. BREATHES THE EARNEST DESIRE TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE WHOLE BODY OF EVIL . That which was ever round us; that which is ever too likely to he within us, though dormant, perhaps; that which might still invade our peace and safety. We need to be set free from that which has in past time, and perhaps long, dominated us.

II. EXPRESSES THE CONVICTION THAT THE FINAL , COMPREHENSIVE THING TO BE DESIRED IS TO BE DRAWN BY DIVINE POWER FROM EVIL . We need to be both

III. RECOGNIZES AND RECORDS OUR CREED THAT EVIL HAS ITS MASTER ; AND THAT WE KNOW WHO THAT MASTER ALONE IS ; OUR DEPENDENCE ON HIM , AND OUR INDEBTEDNESS TO HIM . To him we rightly carry our solemn, suffering, last appeal against it, whether the fault of it be more or less chargeable on ourselves. A short life, which nevertheless dragged even its very briefness, its "days few and evil," as though tedious time needed to be "killed," may have witnessed a careless indifference to evil on our part; again, an utter misestimate of its nature, malignity, mass of resistance; again, a mere defiant attitude towards it; again, a self-confident assurance of our own power over it, when only we should choose to rise to the occasion, and put forth that supposed power; and once again, after many a shameful fall, as the natural reaction, a crouching, craven, crushed, despairing dread of it! The humbling tale of these self-condemning transformations, and of the innumerable by-victories of evil, own to one safe outcome, one only! It is this—put into our lips by Jesus himself—the sad, intensely earnest, all-trusting, last appeal against it, addressed to that Master of it, before whom itself has ever quailed, "Deliver us from evil."—B.