Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The word "daily" here is incredibly unusual, possibly even coined by Jesus himself, and most scholars agree it likely means "bread for the coming day." This isn't just about physical sustenance; it's a profound call to trust God for our immediate needs and to live without anxious worry about the future, relying on His provision each day as it comes.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, providing a model prayer that covers everything from honoring God to asking for daily needs. This specific petition for "daily bread" comes right after asking for God's kingdom to be established, suggesting a balance between spiritual and physical provision, and it's followed by requests for forgiveness and protection. The wording of "daily bread" is unique, and scholars debate whether it refers to simple sustenance for the day, or a deeper spiritual nourishment needed for existence.
The word 'daily' in this prayer is a bit of a puzzle, a word not found anywhere else in ancient Greek literature! What makes this simple request so unique?
This special word, 'epiousion' in Greek, has scholars scratching their heads, with over thirty different explanations! While many understand it as simply the food we need for each day – what's 'sufficient for our subsistence' – others see a deeper spiritual layer.
Think about Jesus' own words: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' When He taught us to pray for our 'daily bread,' could He have been pointing us to a deeper sustenance? Many early believers thought so, seeing it as a prayer for the grace we need each day to live our spiritual lives. It's asking for both our physical needs to be met and for the divine strength and nourishment our souls require to thrive.
We ask God to 'give us' our daily bread. What does this simple phrase tell us about where our provision truly comes from?
This petition is a humble acknowledgment that everything we have, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, is a gift from God. We don't deserve it, and we can't earn it – it's pure grace.
It also highlights our constant dependence on Him. We aren't meant to hoard or rely on our own strength, but to trust that God will provide each day. The prayer is for 'this day,' reminding us to live with a daily reliance on His providence, striking a blow against anxious care for the future and the sin of covetousness.
Jesus didn't just say 'give me my daily bread,' but 'give us our daily bread.' Why is the plural so important here?
The use of 'us' and 'our' isn't accidental. This prayer is meant to be prayed not just as individuals, but as part of a community – whether that's a family, a church, or all of God's people.
It reminds us that our needs are shared, and so is our dependence on God's provision. It calls us to look beyond ourselves and consider the needs of others. While families might be the most natural group to pray this 'daily,' the spirit of the prayer is for the whole body of Christ to depend on God together for what is needed each day.
Understand the original words
artos · Greek Noun
Referring to the provision of physical sustenance necessary for survival and life. In a biblical context, it acknowledges God as the ultimate provider for both physical and spiritual needs.
This verse reminds us that true sustenance comes not just from physical food, but from every word that comes from God's mouth, echoing the deeper meaning of 'daily bread' as spiritual nourishment.
Proverbs 30:8Agur's prayer for 'food convenient for me' perfectly captures the spirit of asking God for what is truly necessary for our daily needs, a core concept in Jesus' petition for daily bread.
John 6:35Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,' directly connecting the concept of bread to Himself as the ultimate spiritual sustenance our souls crave daily.
1 Corinthians 10:31This passage encourages us to do everything for the glory of God, suggesting that even our daily needs, when prayed for and received, can be a way to honor Him and depend on His provision.
Philippians 4:6The command to 'not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God' provides the perfect attitude for bringing our request for daily bread to our Heavenly Father.
clarkeMatthew 6:11: "Give us this day our daily bread."
Give us this day our daily bread - The word επιουσιαν has greatly perplexed critics and commentators. I find upwards of thirty different explanations of it. It is found in no Greek writer before the evangelists, and Origen says expressly, that it was formed by them, αλλ' εοικε πεπλασθαι υπο των ευαγγελιστων. The interpretation of Theophylact, one of the best of the Greek fathers, has ever appeared to me to be the most correct, Αρτος επι τη ουσια…
barnesMatthew 6:11: "Give us this day our daily bread."
Give us this day ... - The word "bread," here, denotes doubtless everything necessary to sustain life. See the notes at Matthew 4:4 . Compare Deuteronomy 8:3 . This petition implies our dependence on God for the supply of our wants. As we are dependent on him one day as much as another, it was evidently the intention of the Saviour that prayer should be offered every day. The petition, moreover, is expressed in the plural number - give us - and…
The word "daily" here is incredibly unusual, possibly even coined by Jesus himself, and most scholars agree it likely means "bread for the coming day." This isn't just about physical sustenance; it's a profound call to trust God for our immediate needs and to live without anxious worry about the future, relying on His provision each day as it comes.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, providing a model prayer that covers everything from honoring God to asking for daily needs. This specific petition for "daily bread" comes right after asking for God's kingdom to be established, suggesting a balance between spiritual and physical provision, and it's followed by requests for forgiveness and protection. The wording of "daily bread" is unique, and scholars debate whether it refers to simple sustenance for the day, or a deeper spiritual nourishment needed for existence.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, providing a model prayer that covers everything from honoring God to asking for daily needs. This specific petition for "daily bread" comes right after asking for God's kingdom to be established, suggesting a balance between spiritual and physical provision, and it's followed by requests for forgiveness and protection. The wording of "daily bread" is unique, and scholars debate whether it refers to simple sustenance for the day, or a deeper spiritual nourishment needed for existence.
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"Give us this day our daily bread," — The word "daily" here is incredibly unusual, possibly even coined by Jesus himself, and most scholars agree it likely means "bread for the coming day." This isn't just about physical sustenance; it's…