Smith's Bible Dictionary
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Lord's Prayer
the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. Mt 6:9-13; Lu 11:2-4 "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays." --Lange. "This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion, --sentiments which are the germs of all holy deeds in all worlds. (1) Filial reverence: God is addressed not as the great unknown, not as the unsearchable governor, but as a father, the most intelligible, attractive and transforming name. It is a form of address almost unknown to the old covenant, now an then hinted at as reminding the children of their rebellion. Isa 1:2; Mali 1:6
or mentioned as a last resource of the orphan and desolate creature, Isa 63:16 but never brought out in its fullness, as indeed it could not be, till he was come by whom we have received the adoption of sons." --Alford. (2) "Divine loyalty: 'Thy kingdom come.' (3) Conscious dependence: 'Give us this day,' etc. (4) Unbounded confidence: 'For thine is the power,' etc." --Dr. Thomas' Genius of the Gospels. The doxology, "For thine is the kingdom" etc., is wanting in many manuscripts. It is omitted in the Revised Version; but it nevertheless has the authority of some manuscripts, and is truly biblical, almost every word being found in 1Ch 29:11 and is a true and fitting ending for prayer.
Bibliography Information
Smith, William, Dr "Meaning and Definition for 'lord's prayer' in Smiths Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Smith's; 1901.
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