Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 6:9-15

"After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one.] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." — Matthew 6:9-15 (ASV)

Therefore, this is how you shall pray. Above, the Lord taught the manner of praying: namely, that we avoid both the vanity of hypocrites and the many words of the Gentiles. Here He teaches what we ought to ask in prayer, and concerning this He does two things: first, the title of the prayer is related, and second, the prayer is put forth. Now He continues what was previously said, as follows: ‘I said, “When you are praying, do not speak much,” etc.; therefore, so that you may speak with few words, this is how you shall pray.’

And observe that the Lord does not say, ‘You shall pray,’ but, this is how you shall pray, for He does not forbid us to pray with other words, but rather He is teaching the manner of praying. And as Augustine says in his Letter to Proba concerning prayer, no one prays as he ought unless he asks for one of those things that are contained in the Lord’s Prayer. Now it is fitting that we pray in these words because, as Cyprian says in his book, On the Lord’s Prayer, “It is a loving and friendly prayer to beseech God with His own words,” and he gives an example that this is customary with lawyers who put words into the mouths of people which they ought to say in court.

Therefore, this prayer is most trustworthy, as they are words formulated by our Advocate, who is most wise: “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Therefore, Cyprian says, “And since we have Him as an advocate with the Father for our sins, let us, when as sinners we petition on behalf of our sins, put forward the words of our advocate”; “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just” (1 John 2:1). For this reason it is said, “Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace,” etc. (Hebrews 4:16), and, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6).

And this prayer has three qualities: brevity, perfection, and efficacy. It is brief for two reasons. First, it is brief so that all, both the great and the lowly, may easily learn it, because “The same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him” (Romans 10:12), and, “The Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, and an abridgment in the midst of all the land” (Isaiah 10:23). Second, it is brief so that it may give confidence of more easily obtaining the object of one’s prayer.

It is also perfect; therefore, as Augustine says, whatever can be contained in other prayers, all is contained in this one. Hence, he says, “If we pray rightly, and as befits our needs, we say nothing but what is already contained in the Lord’s Prayer”; “The works of God are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

It is efficacious because, according to Damascene, prayer is “to ask fitting things of God”; “You ask and receive not: because you ask amiss” (James 4:3). Now, to know what ought to be asked is very difficult, as is also knowing what is to be desired: “For, we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings” (Romans 8:26). And because God taught this prayer, it follows that it is most efficacious, and so it is said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Now the Lord does two things in this prayer. First, He sets forth the prayer, and second, He provides an explanation, where it is said, For if you forgive men their offences.

It should be known that in every speech, even of rhetoricians, benevolence is won before a petition. Therefore, as it happens in a speech (oratio) that is made to men, so likewise it ought to be done in a prayer (oratio) that is made to God, but the intention differs: for in man, benevolence is won insofar as we bend his soul, but in God, it is won insofar as we lift up our soul to Him.

Therefore, the Lord sets forth two phrases for winning benevolence, which are necessary for the one praying. For it is necessary that he believe Him from whom he asks, and that He from whom he asks is willing and able to give. And therefore He presents the words, Father, and, who are in heaven.

Now the fact that He says Father serves five purposes. First, it serves for instruction regarding the Faith, for faith is necessary for the one praying.

Now there were three errors by which prayer was excluded: the first two were nearly destroying prayer, and the third was giving to prayer more than was due to it; and they are excluded by the fact that He says, Our Father. For some men said that God does not care about human affairs: “The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not” (Ezekiel 9:9). Therefore, according to this error, it is futile for anything to be asked of God. Others said that God does not have providence, but that providence itself imposes a necessity upon things. The third error was giving more to prayer than was due to it, because it asserted that God disposes all things by His providence, but that by prayer the Divine disposition is changed.

Now, He eliminates all these errors when He says, Our Father who are in heaven, because if He is our Father, then He has providence: “But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves” . Likewise, the second error is eliminated, for a man is called a father in relation to his son, and a man is called a master in relation to his servant. Thus, by the fact that we say, Father, we call ourselves His children. For we scarcely ever find in Sacred Scripture that God is called the father of inanimate creatures, though there is an exception where it is said, “Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?” (Job 38:28). Therefore, He is called a father in relation to His sons, and by this fact we call ourselves His children. For a son has the notion of liberty; therefore, necessity is not imposed upon us.

By the fact that He says, in heaven, a changeable disposition [in God] is excluded. Now prayer is effective for this, as we may believe that God so disposes all things according to what befits the natures of things. For it is from His providence that man by his actions obtains his end; therefore, prayer neither changes providence nor is outside of providence, but falls within it. First, this prayer is effective for the instruction of our faith.

Second, it is effective for the support of our hope. For if He is a Father, then He wishes to give, because, as it is written below, “If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?” (7:11).

Third, it is effective for stirring up charity. For it is natural that a father loves his son and vice versa. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as most dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). Therefore, by this word we are prompted to imitate Him. For a son ought to imitate his father as much as he can: “Thou shalt call me father and shalt not cease to walk after me” (Jeremiah 3:19).

Fourth, by this word we are prompted to humility: “If then I be a father, where is my honour?” (Malachi 1:6).

Fifth, by this word our affections are directed to our neighbor, since if there is one Father of all men, one ought not to scorn his neighbor by reason of his race: “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then doth every one of us despise his brother?” (Malachi 2:10).

But why do we not say, ‘My father’? The reason is twofold. First, it is because Christ wanted to reserve this expression for Himself, because He is His Son by nature, but we are sons through adoption, which is common to all men: “I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God” (John 20:17), because in one way He is Mine, and in another way He is yours. Second, it is because, according to Chrysostom, the Lord teaches us not to make private prayers but to pray corporately for all the people, which prayer is, in fact, more acceptable to God. Therefore, Chrysostom says, “Necessity binds us to pray for ourselves, fraternal charity urges us to pray for others: and the prayer that fraternal charity offers is sweeter to God than that which is the outcome of necessity,” etc. “Pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much,” etc. (James 5:16).

A second phrase that pertains to winning benevolence is, Who are in heaven. This phrase can be explained in two ways. First, it can be explained literally, so that we understand heaven to be the physical heavens; but we do not understand that He is contained there, because it is written, “Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?” (Jeremiah 23:24). But Who are in heaven is said on account of the eminence of this creation, according to what is written, “Heaven is my throne” (Isaiah 66:1).

Likewise, by this phrase those who are unable to be elevated above physical things are instructed. Thus, Augustine says that this is the reason why we worship towards the East, because from the East the heavens arise; and just as heaven is above our body, so God is above our spirit. Therefore, it is to be understood that our spirit ought to be turned towards God Himself, just as our body is turned towards that part of heaven when praying. Now He says, Who are in heaven, to lift up your intention from earthly things: “Unto an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Or, by the heavens, the saints are understood, according to what is said, “Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken” (Isaiah 1:2), and, “But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel” (Psalms 21:4). And He says this for greater confidence of obtaining what is asked, because He is not far from us: “But thou, O Lord, art among us, and thy name is called upon by us, forsake us not” (Jeremiah 14:9).

Hallowed be your name. Here, having won benevolence, the petitions are presented, and let us discuss them first in general, and afterward in detail. In these petitions we ought to consider three things:

1. A petition serves a desire, for we ask for those things which we wish to have. Now in this prayer is contained everything whatsoever that we can desire.
2. The order in which we ought to desire is contained.
3. These petitions correspond to the gifts and the beatitudes.

Now, it should be known that man naturally desires two things: namely, to obtain what is good and avoid what is evil. Four goods are set forth here to be desired. A desire tends to the end before tending to those things that are ordained to the end. Now, the ultimate end of all things is God. Therefore, the first thing to be desired is God: “Do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). And we ask for this here: Hallowed be your name.

Among those things that pertain to us, the last end is eternal life; and we ask for this when we say, Your kingdom come. The third thing which we ought to ask concerns those things that are ordained to the end: namely, that we have virtue and good works, and this is where it is said, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And what we ask regarding the virtues is nothing other than this. Therefore, our beatitude is ordained to God, and our virtues are ordained to our beatitude. But it is necessary to have help, whether temporal or spiritual, such as the sacraments of the Church, and we ask for this where it is said, Give us this day our supersubstantial bread, meaning our external or sacramental bread. In these four things every good is contained.

Man avoids evil insofar as it is an impediment to good. Now the first good, namely, Divine honor, cannot be impeded, because if justice occurs then God is honored, and if evil occurs, God is likewise honored insofar as He punishes it, although He would not be honored regarding the evil in the one sinning. Now sin impedes beatitude, and thus He first eliminates this when He says, And forgive us our debts. Temptation is contrary to the good of the virtues, and therefore we ask, And lead us not into temptation. Any deficiency is contrary to the needs of life, and so it is said, But deliver us from evil. Therefore, it is evident that whatever things are desired, the Lord’s Prayer contains them all.

And it should be known that the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be associated with these petitions, but in different ways, because they can be associated by ascending and descending, such that the first petition is associated with fear, which produces poverty of spirit and makes one seek God’s honor, and therefore we say, Hallowed be your name (by descending, so that we may say that the last gift, namely, wisdom which makes us sons of God, may be associated with this petition. But this should be seen [when it will be treated] concerning this petition, Hallowed be your name).

Now this word, hallowed, seems to be unfitting, for God’s name is always holy; why, therefore, do we request it? And it should be known that this word is explained by the Saints in multiple ways. First, it is explained by Augustine as follows, and I believe that his explanation is more literal.

Hallowed be your name means may the name which is always holy appear holy among men. And this is to honor God. For as a result of this, glory does not increase for God, but the knowledge of that glory increases for us: “For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou shalt be magnified among them in our presence,” etc. . And it is quite appropriate that after, Our Father who are in heaven, He says, Hallowed be your name, because nothing else so proves that we are sons of God. For a good son shows his father’s honor.

According to Chrysostom, it is said, Hallowed be your name, meaning through our works, as though we were to say, ‘Make us live in such a way that from our works Your name may appear holy’: “Sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15). Or, according to Cyprian, when it is said, Hallowed be your name, the meaning is, ‘Sanctify us in Your name’: “And he shall be a sanctification to you” (Isaiah 8:14).

And it should be known that Hallowed is understood as follows:

1. First, that those who are not holy become holy. For this prayer is made for all mankind.
2. Second, that they may persevere in holiness.
3. Third, that if something is mixed into our holiness, it may be removed. For we are in need of holiness every day on account of our daily sins.

Your kingdom come. This petition corresponds either to the gift of understanding, which cleanses the heart, or to the gift of piety. Your kingdom come. According to Chrysostom and Augustine, the kingdom of God is eternal life, and I believe that this is the literal explanation; therefore we ask that God’s kingdom come, that is to say, make us arrive at and share in eternal beatitude: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (25:34), and, “And I dispose to you, as my Father hath disposed to me, a kingdom” (Luke 22:29).

Or it may be explained otherwise, also according to Augustine. Your kingdom come. He began to reign from the time when He redeemed the world: “Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself” (John 12:31–32), and, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Therefore, Your kingdom come means, ‘May the consummation of Your kingdom come.’ And this will be when He puts all His enemies under His feet.

Therefore, come means, ‘Lord, may You come to judgment so that Your kingdom may appear’: “But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand,” etc. (Luke 21:28). And the Saints desire Christ’s coming, because then they will possess perfect glory: “There is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming” (2 Timothy 4:8).

But on the contrary, it is said, “Woe to them that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light” (Amos 5:18), because it belongs only, according to Jerome, to the secure conscience not to fear the Judge.

Or, Your kingdom come means may the kingdom of sin be destroyed, and You, O Lord, reign over us. For when we serve justice, God reigns; when, however, we serve sin, the devil reigns: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body” (Romans 6:12), and, “For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7).

And observe that they were very justly asking Your kingdom come, who had proven themselves to be sons by saying, Our Father, etc. For an inheritance is due to sons; but this kingdom is in heaven, therefore, you cannot go there unless you are made heavenly. And therefore He afterward adds, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, that is to say, ‘Make us imitators of heavenly things’: “Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:49).

And observe that He does not say, Your will be done, as if He were to say, ‘May God do our will.’ But it is as if He were to say, ‘May God fulfill His will through us,’ which is, “Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and, “Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy good spirit shall lead me into the right land” (Psalms 142:10). Therefore, we ask that God’s will be executed by us; and this would be frustrated, unless it were from God. And therefore it is said: Your will be done, because God works in us. In these words the error of Pelagius is destroyed, who said that we do not need Divine help.

As it is in heaven. These words are explained by Augustine in multiple ways. First, it is as follows. As it is in heaven means, ‘As the Angels in heaven do Your will, so may we fulfill Your will on earth’; concerning the Angels it is said, “Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts: you ministers of his that do his will” (Psalms 102:21). In these words the error of Origen is destroyed, who asserted that an angel is able to sin.

Or it may be explained otherwise. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven means as it is done in Christ, so may it be done in the Church. For the earth is fertilized by heaven. Therefore, the pagans were also saying that the gods of the heavens were male and the gods of the earth were female: “I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38).

Or, by the heavens is understood the saints, whose “conversation is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Now as the relationship is of heaven to earth, so the relationship is of saints to sinners. It is as if it were said, ‘Lord, convert sinners to doing Your will.’

Or, Your will be done, etc. For as heaven is compared in the world to the earth, so the spirit is compared to the flesh in man; the spirit, in and of itself, does God’s will, but the flesh resists God’s will: “But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind and captivating me in the law of sin that is in my members” (Romans 7:23), and, “Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels” (Psalms 50:12). All these petitions are partly begun now, but will be fulfilled in the life to come.

Chrysostom, however, says that these words, namely, as it is in heaven, refer to all the preceding words. Hence, Your kingdom come, as it is in heaven and in like manner as regards the other petitions. Likewise, according to Chrysostom, observe that He did not say, ‘let us hallow,’ nor ‘sanctify,’ but spoke in a middle form of speech. Nor did He say, ‘let us go to the kingdom,’ but Your kingdom come. So in all the forms of speech He held the middle place, and He did this because two things are required for our salvation: God’s grace and free will. Hence, if He had said, ‘hallow,’ there would have been no place for free will; on the other hand, if He had said, ‘let us do Your will,’ He would have given all place to free will, but He spoke in a middle form of speech and so here it is said, Your will be done, and so forth.

Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. After He taught to ask for God’s glory, eternal life, and the practice of the virtue by which we merit eternal life, here He teaches all the things that are necessary for the present life. Now these words, Give us this day our supersubstantial bread, can be explained in four ways. In the first way, it is explained concerning the bread which is Christ: “I am the bread of life,” etc. (John 6:35, 48), who is especially the bread according to which He is contained in the Sacrament of the altar: “The bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world” (John 6:52), and again in the same place it is said, “For my flesh is meat indeed” (John 6:56).

And He says, Our, because it does not belong to anyone at all but to the faithful: “For a child is given to us” (Isaiah 9:6). For from the fact that someone becomes a member of Christ in Baptism, he can share this bread. And therefore in no way ought it to be given to unbaptized infidels.

Supersubstantial bread. Jerome says that in Greek the word is epiousion (ἐπιούσιον), and Symmachus translates this word as ‘chief’ or ‘excellent.’ The old translation, however, has the word daily. Now what would be supersubstantial, meaning above all substances, is clear: “Which he wrought in Christ… setting him on his right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20). He says daily because it ought to be received daily, but not by everyone. Hence, it is said in the book De Ecclesiasticis Dogmatibus, “I neither praise nor blame [daily reception of the Eucharist].”

But the Eucharist ought to be received daily in the Church; or it ought to be spiritually received by the faithful daily by faith. In the Eastern Church, however, it is not received daily in the Church, because Mass is not celebrated daily; in fact, it is only celebrated once a week. But because the Church permits this, it suffices that they receive spiritually and not sacramentally.

Give us. If this bread is ours, why does He say, Give us? Cyprian replies, Give us, meaning make us so live that we can receive this bread for our profit. Hence, he who asks this, asks for nothing other than for perseverance in good, that is to say, so that there may be nothing opposed to sanctity in him: “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself,” etc. (1 Corinthians 11:29).

Here Augustine objects that this prayer is said at any hour of the day, even at the last hour of the day; therefore are we asking that He give us this bread then, at that time? But I reply, saying that this day is taken in two ways. For sometimes it signifies a determinate day, and other times it signifies the whole present life; “Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith: To-day if you shall hear his voice” (Hebrews 3:7) is referring to a determinate day. Hence, the meaning is, ‘Give us that in the present life we may be able to partake of this bread.’

And He says with reason, Give us this day our supersubstantial bread, because this sacramental bread is very necessary in this life. For when we will see Him as He is, we will not need sacraments and signs. Hence, this unique and special bread is very necessary in the present life; and now we receive it at certain times, but then continually. Secondly, by bread, God is understood, more precisely His divinity: “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15), and, “Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them provisions in abundance” (Psalms 77:25). Therefore, Give us this day our supersubstantial bread, namely, so that according to the manner of the present life we can enjoy Him. Thirdly, by bread can be understood God’s precepts, which are the bread of wisdom: “Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence” (Proverbs 9:5–6). For he eats bread, who keeps the precepts of wisdom: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” (John 4:34). These divine precepts are now bread, because they are ground with a certain difficulty by considering and working, but afterwards they will be a drink, because they will refresh without difficulty. Fourthly, by bread, corporeal bread is literally understood. For the Lord had said, Your will be done, and He wanted us to be heavenly in fulfilling the Divine will; but mindful of our fragility, He teaches us to ask also for temporal things which are necessary for our livelihood. Hence, He does not teach us to ask for magnificent or superfluous things, but for necessary things: “But having food and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content” (1 Timothy 6:8). So also Jacob asked for necessary things: “And he made a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and shall keep me in the way, by which I walk, and shall give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and I shall return prosperously to my father’s house: the Lord shall be my God” (Genesis 28:20–21).

Now He says Our for two reasons. He says that no one may appropriate temporal things for himself, according to Chrysostom, first, because no one ought to eat bread from robbery, but from one’s own labor; second, because we so ought to receive temporal goods, which are given on account of necessity, that we share them with others: “If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof” (Job 31:17).

But what is the reason that He says, Supersubstantial? And Augustine says, that from the fact that bread is excellent and principal among all the various things that we need for our support, it follows that bread signifies the whole of these things. For bread is the most necessary thing for man: “The chief thing for man’s life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame” . And for this reason it is called, supersubstantial, because it principally pertains to necessary things.

Now if you say, Daily, then it has a twofold meaning, according to Cyprian. First, it means that you ought not to seek temporal things for a long time, because otherwise you would contradict yourself. For you said, Your kingdom come, and by asking for a long life, you contradict yourself. Or He says daily against prodigal men, who spend excessively and do not use daily bread, which suffices for the sustenance of one day.

But if the bread is ours, why does He say, Give us? It is on account of two reasons, according to Chrysostom. First, it is because temporal goods are given to the good and the wicked, but in a different way respectively. For they are given to the good for their benefit, but to the wicked for their harm, because they use them badly; hence, temporal goods are not given to the wicked because they abuse them, and this happens not by God but by the devil. And he says something similar, namely, that it is as if someone offers bread to a priest so that he may bless it and afterwards asks for it back. He could say, ‘Give me the bread that is mine by ownership,’ or ‘Give me the bread as a blessing.’

He says, This day, because He does not want us to ask for bread for a long time. But Augustine raises a question, that the Lord afterwards teaches us not to have solicitude for temporal things: “Be not solicitous therefore, saying: What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed, etc.?” (Matthew 6:31). Therefore, it seems that we ought not to pray for temporal things. Here, however, He teaches us to ask for them. And he replies that we can lawfully pray for every desirable thing, because we expect to receive desirable things from God, and so we can ask for what we expect to receive from God; and this is true not only in extreme necessity but also when we ask for what is befitting to one’s state, because many more things are necessary for a king than for a servant: hence, it is lawful to ask for these things. Now it is one thing to desire, and it is another thing to be solicitous about something as though it were one’s last end, because the Lord forbids this as it will be said below.

But again it is inquired about these words, Give us this day, because it seems that we ought not to desire except for one day; therefore all who desire otherwise sin, and then human life will perish because no one will gather the harvest in the summer so that he may eat in the winter. And I reply, saying that the Lord does not intend to forbid that someone would think of the future, but He forbids solicitude because one ought not to usurp solicitude to oneself in advance. For if now solicitude is a duty then one ought to exercise this solicitude, but one ought not to exercise in advance that solicitude about what might become a duty.

And forgive us our debts. Here He begins to set forth the petitions which pertain to the removal of evil, and first, He sets forth that petition by which the principal evil is removed, namely, the evil of guilt. Hence, He says, And forgive us our debts. It is repugnant that man who lives from God’s things would live opposed to God. Debts are sins, because for our sins we are made liable to God by a debt: for if you receive something unjustly from another, you are bound to restitution. And because when you sin you usurp what belongs to God, since it belongs to God that every will be regulated according to God’s will, therefore you take away what is God’s and you are bound to restitution.

Now you pay back for sin when you endure something against your will according to God’s will: “I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me” (Matthew 18:32). Therefore, Forgive us our debts means our sins: “O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more” (Psalms 38:14).

From these words two heresies are confuted, namely, the heresies of Pelagius and of Novatian. Pelagius said that some perfect men in this life were able to live without sin and to fulfill that which is written, “That he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). But if there were so, then we would not say, Forgive us our debts; “A just man shall fall seven times” (Proverbs 24:16), and, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Novatian said that a man who sins mortally after Baptism cannot do penance. But if this were so, then in vain would we say, Forgive us our debts; “But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name” (John 1:12), namely, by being adopted through grace, which would not come about unless sins were forgiven.

As we also forgive our debtors. Now men can be debtors in two ways, either because they sinned against us, or because they owe us money. Now He does not advise us that we forgive this second kind of debt, but any sin whatsoever, and also in regard to the taking away of our temporal goods. For it would be unworthy to ask pardon from God and not to grant pardon to a fellow servant: “Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God?” , and, “Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest” .

But what ought to be said about those who do not wish to forgive and yet they say the Our Father? It seems that they never ought to say it, because they are lying. Hence, it is said that certain men were omitting this clause, As we also forgive our debtors. But this is disproved by Chrysostom in two ways: first, because they do not keep the form of the Church in praying, and second, because their prayer is not accepted by God since that which Christ dictated they do not keep. Hence, it ought to be said that one does not sin by saying the Our Father, no matter how much one may be in rancor and in grave sin, because such men ought to do whatever good they can, as for example, almsdeeds, prayers and suchlike things, which are dispositive for recuperating grace.

Nor does one lie, because this prayer is not founded on one’s own person but belongs to the whole Church, and it is evident that the Church forgives debts to all who are in the Church. Now such men lose the fruit [of this prayer] because only they who forgive obtain the fruit.

On the contrary, it seems that not only they who forgive offenses obtain the fruit. But it ought to be known that Augustine, in fact, resolves this objection insofar as it pertains to the present life, because it was said above concerning the love of one’s enemies that God, as a condition, wants us to forgive offenses, whereupon He forgives us our faults. Now He does not forgive anyone except those who ask for pardon. And therefore, whoever is so disposed that he is prepared to ask pardon, this man does not lose the fruit as long as in general he does not hate anyone, as it was said above.

And lead us not into temptation. Here He sets forth another petition [which pertains to the removal of evil]. A second reading has, ‘And bring (inferas) us not,’ and another has, ‘And permit (sinas) us not,’ and the latter is the explanation of the former. For God tempts no one, although He permits us to be tempted. And He does not say, ‘Do not let us be tempted,’ because temptation is useful, and one is tempted so that what is known to God may be known to oneself and to others: “What doth he know, that hath not been tried?” . But instead He says, And lead us not, meaning ‘Do not allow us to succumb to temptation,’ as though someone were to say, ‘I want to be warmed by the fire, but not burned’: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

In this narration the error of Pelagius is refuted as to two things. For he said that man is able to persevere by his free will without God’s help, which is nothing other than not to succumb to temptation. Likewise, he said that it does not pertain to God to change men’s wills. But it is in His power to change or not to change the will: “For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will” (Philippians 2:13).

But deliver us from evil. This is the last petition. Deliver us from past, present, and future evil: of guilt, of punishment, and from every evil. Augustine says, every Christian in whatever necessity pours out his tears and makes his groans into these words: “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from them that rise up against me” (Psalms 58:2), and, “I myself will comfort you: who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a mortal man” (Isaiah 51:12).

Amen, meaning ‘So be it done’ in Hebrew. Out of reverence, no one has wanted to translate this word, since the Lord used it frequently. In this word surety of obtaining what is asked is given, as long as the things that have been said are kept.

It ought to be known that in the Greek three words are added, which Chrysostom explains. The first is, “For Thine is the kingdom,” and afterwards, “And the power and the glory. Amen.” And they seem to correspond to three previous petitions. “Thine is the kingdom” corresponds to Your kingdom come; “the power” corresponds to Your will be done; “the glory” corresponds with Our Father and to all the other things which are for God’s glory. Or it is otherwise. ‘You are able to do these other things because You are a king, and therefore no one else can do them’; ‘Thine is the power,’ and thus You can give the kingdom; and ‘Thine is the glory,’ wherefore it is said, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory” (Psalms 113:9).

For if you will forgive men their offences. The Lord had put a certain condition in this prayer, namely, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Now, as this condition said there might seem to someone to be hard, wherefore He shows its reason, and about this He does two things. First, He shows that this condition is useful, and second, He shows that it is necessary. It is useful, because by it we obtain the remission of our sins, and this is where it is said, For if you will forgive men their offences, which they sinned against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences, which you sinned against Him: “Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest” .

But observe that He says, For if you will forgive men, for men, as long as they are innocent, are gods; when however they sin, they fall into the human condition: “I have said: You are gods and all of you the sons of the most High,” etc. (Psalms 81:6), and afterwards it is said, “But you like men shall die, etc.,” (Psalms 81:7). Therefore, you who are gods and are spiritual, forgive men, that is to say, sinners.

Likewise, observe that He says, Your heavenly Father, etc. For offenses which happen in relation to men, happen on account of something earthly. On the other hand, heavenly men who have a Father in heaven ought to have nothing to do with discord on account of earthly things: “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

This condition is also necessary, because without it no remission of sin occurs, and hence it is said, But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences. And it is not surprising, because a sin is never forgiven without charity: “Charity covereth all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). For he who has hatred towards one man is not in charity, and therefore his sin is not forgiven him: “Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God?” , and, “For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy” (James 2:13).

But someone might suppose that from the fact that it is so that sins ought to be forgiven, therefore the Church sins when she does not forgive. I answer that if a sinner asks pardon, one would sin if he would not forgive; if, however, the sinner does not ask pardon, then one does not forgive, either on account of hatred, and in such a way one sins, or on account of the good of the sinner or of others, namely, so that the evil would not be done often, and in such a way one does not sin.