祷文的范例
马太福音六章9至15节
9所以,你们祷告要这样说:我们在天上的父:愿人都尊你的名为圣。
10愿你的国降临;愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。
11我们日用的饮食,今日赐给我们。
12免我们的债,如同我们免了人的债。
13不叫我们遇见试探;救我们脱离凶恶(或作:脱离恶者)。因为国度、权柄、荣耀,全是你的,直到永远。阿们(有古卷没有因为……阿们等字)!
14你们饶恕人的过犯,你们的天父也必饶恕你们的过犯;
15你们不饶恕人的过犯,你们的天父也必不饶恕你们的过犯。
信息分享
请记着,我们开始研读「登山宝训」的时候曾经指出,基督这番讲论主要是面向门徒的(太五12),群众只是在旁聆听;因此,这篇祷文实在是「门徒的祷文」。
这篇祷文,可说是基督教导门徒祷告的范例。我们要细读每一句,再停下来反复思考,明了每句话对我们的含意。
例如,「我们在天上的父」这句话,可以理解为「亲爱的神,我很高兴能称你为父。你是至大威严的神,但同时却又是我的父。你虽然是在天上,但我却知道你在我的身边。」
此刻,让我们仔细思考祷文的每一句,再理解它对自己的意思,相信必能深得启发。这是一篇群体的祷文,留意当中经常用到「我们」这个复数代名词。我们相信,这是基督教导门徒祷告的祷文,祂却不会用这篇祷文祷告。因为祂虽然经常称神为父,可是祂却从来没有犯罪,当然不用求父神的赦免。
留意祷文是以「因你的国度…」这段认信作为结束,信徒在此承认基督的主权。在神的眼中,基督如今已是王;我们信徒当然应视祂为王。终有一天,整个世界都要承认祂的主权;信徒如今的责任,就是要在世人面前,见证活在祂主权之下的实际含意。
愿我们都一再细读这篇祷文,反复思考它的含意,并且像昔日的门徒一样,求基督教我们祷告。
THE MODEL PRAYER
Matthew 6:9-15
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Message
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'.

