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Is The Lord’s Prayer, Praying The 10 Commandments?
Is the Lord’s Prayer Praying the 10 Commandments?
Why did Jesus say, ““Therefore, you should pray like this” and then recite what commonly is called, “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13)?
I want to suggest the possibility Jesus is giving us, in prayer form, a variation of the 10 Commandments. If Jesus is rephrasing and reapplying the 10 commandments in this prayer, we should not be surprised.
• One reason is, Jesus is speaking from a “mount” hence the name, “Sermon on the Mount”. Yahweh gave the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.
• Plus, looking at the 10 Commandments in both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, the Holy Spirit gives reasons or application for some of the 10 Commandments.
• Also, just look at chapter 5 in Matthew’s account and see how the 10 commandments fit there too:
1. Do not murder (5:21) – 6th of the 10 Commandments.
2. Do not commit adultery (5:27) – 7th of the 10.
3. Coveting or lusting another man’s wife was a cause of divorce (5:31-32). So while Jesus references Deuteronomy 24, this is related to the 7th and 10th Commandments.
4. Do not break an oath (5:33) is a variation the right and wrong use of the tongue, the 9th commandment
So.now let’s look at the Lord’s Prayer.
1. “Our Father in heaven” is rephrasing, “have no other gods before me”. This is a more personal form of the 1st of the 10 Commandments. This also is a redirection of 5he 5th command concerning honoring your father.
2. “Your name be honored as holy” is “”Do not misuse/take the LORD’S name in vain.” That is the 3rd of the 10 Commandments. I think this is the most obvious connection and what started this thought experiment.
3. The next statement is, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Does that fit this connection? I suggest two ways. First, the repetition of heaven/heavens and earth is from the 4th of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:11). Second, God already made images of Himself – people (Genesis 1:26). So making idols, “in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth” is a devaluation of God and God’s plan to make God’s kingdom come on earth by having people be is image in His kingdom as originally planned (Genesis 1:26ff). This is the 2nd of the 10 Commandments.
4. “Give us today our daily bread” is reminiscent of God providing manna daily. Except, God provided for the Sabbath day on Friday so his people would rest. That’s the 4th of the 10 Commandments.
5. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”. How does this apply? Remember how Jesus already spoke about not letting anger turn into murder? Forgiveness helps head off anger and murder. That’s number 6 of the 10 Commandments.
6. “And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” can sum up any sin such as not honoring your parents, adultery, stealing, lying, or coveting. Coveting is being greedy. According to Paul,
“Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.” (CSB’17 Colossians 3:5)
Depending on how you punctuate, “which is idolatry” can refer solely to greed (the 10th of the 10 Commandments), or all the specific sins are succumbing to our earthly nature. Therefore idolatry (the 2nd of the 10
Commandments) morphs from making idols to becoming idols of ourselves through sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed. Therefore when Jesus says, “do not lead/bring us to temptation”, He is asking us to pray concerning all the sins in the 10 Commandments.
7. Jesus closes this prayer with, “For Yours is the kingdom, power, and glory forever, amen.”
I think this fits well with the opening preface of the 10 Commandments,
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.” (CSB Exodus 20:2)
Admittedly, connecting the Lord’s Prayer to the 10 Commandments is not a obvious fit. In my defense:
1. Remember that Moses expands on these in what follows in the Law, totally according to Jewish reckoning, 615 commands.
2. Likewise, Jesus summarizes all commandments, which include the 10 and 615, under the two great commandments: Love God (1-4), and Love your neighbor (5-10).
3. So if the 10 Commandments are summarizing the 615; and if the Two Great Commands summarize everything, then we should be able to connect the Lord’s Prayer to.the 10 Commandments.
So in conclusion, what is the point of this exercise connecting the Lord’s Prayer to the 10 Commandments?
1. It helps us go beyond just obeying specific words, and helps us see deeper meanings.
2. It helps us go beyond the letter and see the spirit..
3. It helps us worship in truth and spirit whole worshiping He who is the Truth, and the Spirit.
4. It encourages us to grow beyond, “Tell.me where it says I can’t” and progress to “and things such as these” (Galatians 5:21).
5. It helps us to pray the Bible such as seen in my Prayer Commentary on 1 Thessalonians.
6. It helps us go beyond obeying just what we hear explained from the pulpit and start going and growing deeper. After all, isn’t that what Jesus is doing when he says, “You have head it said, but I say to you” (Matthew 5:21,22,27,28,31,32,33,34,38,39,43,44)?
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