Over and Underfamiliarity with Matthew 6:11 Hearing something repeatedly can diminish its significance. I suspectthat this is particularly true of Scripture. Overfamiliarity with abiblical passage can contribute to its misunderstanding. Sometimes itcan reduce a profound saying to nothing more than a clich.The Lord's Prayer (Mt. 6:9-13) ranks among the most popular passages inthe New Testament. Most people who regularly attend a church can reciteit from memory. It is a prayer that we have heard and said many times.One of the more memorable lines of the prayer is "Give us this day ourdaily bread" (Mt. 6:11). Let us pause for a moment and consider thisentreaty phrase by phrase.The line begins with the blunt imperative, "Give us!" This is a curiousmanner in which to address God. I have heard parents scold a spoiledchild for using similar language.*The middle phrase is "this day." I suppose that Jesus intended for hisdisciples to say this prayer each morning, as they looked forward toGod's provision throughout the day.**The third and final phrase is "our daily bread," which seems simply tomean the necessary portion of food that a disciple needed to sustain himor herself. Apparently, Jesus taught his disciples to expect that Godwould meet their fundamental needs day by day.For the majority of Christians who live in Western Europe, NorthAmerica, and other prosperous areas, "Give us this day our daily bread"has little relevance. As audacious as this assertion may be, it can beeasily verified: simply go to the nearest refrigerator and takeinventory of its contents. This line of the prayer is largely irrelevantfor me, too. My kitchen contains ample food for at least a week.Unfamiliarity with Jesus' social and religious environment can alsomuffle the significance of his words. "Give us this day our daily bread"makes excellent sense within the rich conceptual world of late SecondTemple-period Judaism. More specifically, this imperative aimed at G...
