Jesus Teaches Men How to Pray

Matthew 6:5-6. Among the Jews, when praying, it was the custom to stand, face Jerusalem, cover one's head, and cast one's eyes downward. Certain hours of the day were set aside for prayers, and those desiring to make an ostentatious show of piety would arrange to be in the streets and public places at these hours. Those desiring to make a show of devoutness would also say their own prayers out loud during the synagogue services. This type of conduct, symbolical of all hypocrisy in prayer, was what Jesus condemned.

Matthew 6:7-8; 7-8. Pagan and heathen peoples commonly pray by repetitiously chanting their petitions. (1 Kings 18:26-29; Acts 19:34.) Among some Christians, hypocrites (as the Inspired Version renders the passage) do the same. There are those worshipers who recite certain set prayers over and over again.

Matthew 6:9-13; 9-13. Lord's Prayer] This is not the final word in prayer, nor is it designed for verbatim repetition by the saints in their private or public prayers. Rather the disciples were receiving from Jesus instruction in prayer in the same way that revelation comes in all fields; it was coming line upon line, precept upon precept, with the assurance that greater understanding and direction would be given as rapidly as the spiritual progression of the saints permitted. The Lord's Prayer, for instance, does not conclude in the name of Christ, as all complete and proper prayers should. Later Jesus was to command his disciples to pray in his name (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23), explaining that though they had "hitherto asked nothing" in his name, yet that should be the order from thenceforth. (John 16:24.)

Matthew 6:9-13; But this prayer was given as a sample or illustration of how Deity might appropriately be addressed in prayer, of the praise and adoration that should be extended to him, and of the type and kind of petitions men should make to him. As far as it goes it is one of the most concise, expressive, and beautiful statements found in the scriptures. It does not, however, reach the heights of one of Jesus' later prayers among the Jews, the great Intercessory Prayer (John 17), nor does it compare with some of the prayers he uttered among the Nephites. (3 Ne. 19.)

Matthew 6:9; 9. Our Father which art in heaven] The common sectarian concept that none but a Christian who has put on Christ and been adopted as a son of God (Romans 8: 14-17) can rightly use the Lord's Prayer is a fantastic heresy. (Dummelow, p. 646; Jamieson, pp. 25-26.) Rather, within the meaning of this prayer, all men are the children of Deity. God is literally the Father of the spirits of all men. He begat them in pre-existence, and he invites them all, Christian and pagan alike, to address him as their Father, to hallow his holy name, to come unto him, keep his commandments and receive of his Spirit.

Matthew 6:9; Hallowed be thy name] Deity's name identifies him for what he is. To hallow and revere that name is to accept him as God and to worship him in spirit and in truth.

Matthew 6:10; 10. Thy kingdom come] Already the kingdom of God on earth, meaning the Church, had been set up by Jesus. This petition relative to the coming of a future kingdom has reference to the millennial or political kingdom which shall be established at the Second Coming. Similarly the ecclesiastical kingdom of God on earth, the Church, has been restored in this day, but the saints still pray for the coming of a future kingdom, the kingdom which shall prevail when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. (Revelation 11:15.)

Matthew 6:10; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven] When that triumphant Messianic kingdom is finally set up in all its glory and perfection, then the will of Deity shall prevail in all things on earth. War, tumult, and dissension shall cease; wickedness, worldliness, and crime shall end; all things shall return to a state of perfect peace and harmony; and Christ shall reign personally upon the earth.

Matthew 6:11; 11. Give us this day our daily bread] Pray for temporal need—over your crops and herds, for sufficient of this world's goods to meet your needs and have a surplus to use in doing good and in furthering the programs and interests of the Lord's earthly kingdom.

Matthew 6:12; 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors] Debts, sins, trespasses, offenses, evils, and the like, for which we are accountable, will upon our repentance, be forgiven us, provided we forgive our fellow men who have similarly offended us. Forgive and be forgiven; forgive not and the burdens of our own trespasses remain.

Matthew 6:13; 13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil] God does not lead men into temptation except in the sense that he has placed them here on earth where temptation is found so they can be tried and tested in accordance with the terms and provisions of the eternal plan of salvation. Rather, this is a plea to be able to avoid greater temptation than we can successfully withstand. It is a request to be delivered from enticements and seductions which are so great as to overcome the normal powers of resistance. Obviously it would be nothing short of hypocrisy to utter this prayer and then go out where sin and lust and evil are found. Implicit in the prayer to avoid being led into temptation is the promise on the petitioner's part to avoid the places where sin and evil are found.

Matthew 6:13; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever] These words, called the doxology, are erroneously believed by many scholars to have been added in later years to the prayer originally uttered by Jesus. That our Lord actually said them, however, is evident from the fact that they are in the Book of Mormon record, and that they were added, in substance, to Luke's account in the Inspired Version. The words themselves bear record of the glory, might, omnipotence, and eternal fulness that dwells in the Almighty.

Matthew 6:13; Amen] So let it be; that is, with this single word the suppliant endorses, approves, and solemnly attests his agreement with the whole prayer.

Luke 11:15-8; I. V. Luke 11:5. From this parable we learn that the Father will give us whatever we ask of him in faith. Need we think that a loving Father will reject our pleas, when we know that a churlish and uncooperative friend will not do so?