The Lord’s Prayer—sometimes called the “Our Father”—is one of Jesus’ most famous teachings. Its influence is global and unparalleled.

“Our Father in heaven…”
“Pater noster qui in caelis…”
“Unser Vater im Himmel…”
“Notre Père qui es aux cieux…”

But why did he teach it, and how often did he expect his followers to say it?

The Prayer appears in Matthew 6:9-13 as a part of the Sermon on the Mount, probably the most famous teaching ever. A short version also appears in Luke 12:2-4. The one most people are familiar with is based on Matthew 6. 

Within Christianity, some people think that Jesus only intended to give us a pattern of prayer, not exact words. He was giving a general style of prayer, they argue, but didn’t expect his followers to use his exact words. Some of these groups tend to look down upon standardized forms of prayer. “A read prayer is a dead prayer,” as they sometimes say.

However, this is to neglect both Jesus’ own practice and, I think, his direct instruction.

First, Jesus himself said daily prayers that were always the same. As a devout Jew in the first century, he would have repeated the Shema every morning and evening (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Amidah (also called the 18 Benedictions) in the afternoon. Standardized, repetitive prayers were a part of his daily life.

Did this mean that he only prayed by using standardized repetitive prayers? No, it doesn’t. He would also pray off-the-cuff or as the situation required. For example, there are times when he went off by himself to pray (Luke 6:12). He said a unique prayer when observing his final Passover in Jerusalem with his disciples (John 17). Another famous example is from the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his torture and crucifixion: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). There were also times when he prayed by using the psalms, as he did from the cross when he quoted Psalm 22:1. My point is that Jesus used a variety of different formats when he prayed.

Second, let’s look at the prayer itself. I think it contains an indication that he expected his followers to say it every day. 

We find this detail in Matthew 6:11: “Give us this day our daily bread.” The wording presumes that his disciples would be asking God to provide for their needs on that particular day. I think this suggests a one-day-at-a-time mentality. This way of thinking aligns perfectly with what Jesus says a little later in verse 34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

So, if Jesus’ expectation was that his followers would pray this prayer every single day, as I am here arguing, what other detail does it include?

First, it asks that God keep his name holy in our midst—“hallowed be your name”—which is not unrelated to the third commandment to not take God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7). God’s name is special and should be treated as such.

Next, it asks for God’s kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

In addition to daily bread, it then asks God to forgive us for our sins (a word sometimes also translated as “trespasses” or “debts”). The wording presumes that we have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. This is a warning against hypocrisy. Can we truly ask God to forgive us if we haven’t already forgiven others?

Finally, it asks God to lead us not into temptation, and to deliver us from evil. The phrase “from evil,” may more accurately be translated “from the evil one.” In Greek, there is a definite article (“the”) before the word evil. In this situation, “the evil one” makes more sense.[i]

All of this is asked of a God who is “Our Father in heaven.” It is sometimes said that no one called God “Father” before Jesus. This claim isn’t totally accurate. We see the title used in Psalm 89:26 which predates The Lord’s Prayer by roughly a thousand years. However, even though we see it occasionally, it was not incredibly common. What made Jesus distinctive in this way was how he used it so deliberately and consistently. Its repeated usage reminds us that our Lord is a caring Father who has adopted us into his household. We become heirs of his covenant promises and are treated as royal children!

English scholar N.T. Wright says: “The Lord’s prayer clears away the paranoia and gets us down to business.”[ii] That’s a great perspective. I personally consider The Lord’s Prayer not only to be a prayer, but a mission statement. It is concerned with both the big picture and daily life, and how we might integrate the two.

Given all this, I think Jesus’ expectation was that his disciples would pray his prayer on a daily basis. Is this a direct command? No. But I think it’s implied. My take on things is that he wanted (and wants) us to call out to our God on a daily basis as a loving Father, and to ask that he keep his name sanctified in our midst; that he provide for our daily needs; that he bring his kingdom and will on earth as it is in heaven; that he forgive us our sins; that he lead us away from temptation; and that he deliver us from Satan.

If you’re like me, you probably memorized The Lord’s Prayer when you were quite young. You were saying it before you even knew what it meant. Over time, we can start to say it by rote. When that happens, it’s a good idea to course-correct and remind ourselves that Jesus has specifically given us this particular prayer. I also sometimes slow down when I’m saying it to ensure I’m being deliberate and that my heart and mind are in the right place.

Hopefully, this short reflection has made you think again about the powerful prayer Jesus gave you and me—on purpose.

“The Lord’s prayer clears away the paranoia and gets us down to business”—each and every day.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

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[i] The translation team of the NET Study Bible offer this comment: “It is most likely personified since it is articular (tou ponerou). Cf. also “the evildoer” in Mat 5:39, which is the same construction.”

[ii] N.T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman’s, 2014), 61.