總共有兩卷福音書記載了這篇「主禱文」。按照路加福音的記載，基督是回應門徒的要求：「求主教導我們禱告」，而說出這篇禱文，藉此教導門徒如何禱告。一位作者曾經說過：「就我們所知，門徒只求過主教導他們禱告，除此之外便沒有再求甚麼了。他們沒有求主教他們行神蹟或組織教會。究其原因，可能是因為他們見過耶穌祈禱之後，他們就明白只要他們學會禱告，其他一切事情就能迎刃而解。」

請記著，我們開始研讀「登山寶訓」的時候曾經指出，基督這番講論主要是面向門徒的(太五12)，群眾只是在旁聆聽；因此，這篇禱文實在是「門徒的禱文」。

這篇禱文，可說是基督教導門徒禱告的範例。我們要細讀每一句，再停下來反覆思考，明瞭每句話對我們的含意。

例如，「我們在天上的父」這句話，可以理解為「親愛的神，我很高興能稱你為父。你是至大威嚴的神，但同時卻又是我的父。你雖然是在天上，但我卻知道你在我的身邊。」

此刻，讓我們仔細思考禱文的每一句，再理解它對自己的意思，相信必能深得啟發。這是一篇群體的禱文，留意當中經常用到「我們」這個複數代名詞。我們相信，這是基督教導門徒禱告的禱文，祂卻不會用這篇禱文禱告。因為祂雖然經常稱神為父，可是祂卻從來沒有犯罪，當然不用求父神的赦免。

留意禱文是以「因你的國度…」這段認信作為結束，信徒在此承認基督的主權。在神的眼中，基督如今已是王；我們信徒當然應視祂為王。終有一天，整個世界都要承認祂的主權；信徒如今的責任，就是要在世人面前，見證活在祂主權之下的實際含意。

願我們都一再細讀這篇禱文，反覆思考它的含意，並且像昔日的門徒一樣，求基督教我們禱告。

The Lord's prayer is recorded twice in the gospels. In Luke it was given to the disciples in answer to their request 'Lord teach us to pray'. One writer has said 'As far as we know this was the only thing the disciples ever asked the Lord to teach them. They never asked him how to perform miracles or how to organise churches. After they had seen Jesus praying, they realised that once they learned how to pray, all of these other things would come!

Remember what we said when we started our readings in this Sermon on the Mount-Christ was speaking to the disciples first of all (Matthew 5:1-2) with the crowd listening in. So this was really the disciples' prayer.

Christ gave them these words as a model for their prayer life. Stop and think about each phrase. Read them over slowly and then try and put each thought into your own words.

For example 'Our Father which art in heaven' could be put this way 'Dear God, I am glad I can call you my Father. You are a great God but you are also my Father. I know your name is in heaven but I also know you are here with me right now.'

Take each phrase and pray it over in your own words. Each one can be the text for a sermon or for a personal message for yourself. This is a family prayer. Notice how many times the word 'our' is used. Christ did not include himself here for several reasons. He always spoke of the Father as 'My Father'. Then he could never have said 'Forgive us our trespasses' because he never sinned and never needed forgiveness.

Notice the closing words 'Thine is the kingdom ...'. Here we recognise the Lordship of Christ. He is king now in God's sight and should be the same for us. One day all the world will recognise his Lordship. We can show the world just what this means.

Spend time on this prayer. Think it through. Ask Christ to help you. Pray the disciples' petition again 'Lord teach me to pray'.