Matthew 6:11

‘Give us this day our tomorrow's (epiousion) bread.'

How the significance of this petition depends very much on the meaning of ‘epiousion'. The problem is that this word is otherwise unknown to us prior to the date of this Sermon, and is rarely found, if at all in secular literature, certainly not as meaning ‘daily'. Nor are we helped much by Luke's present imperative followed by ‘kath hemeron', ‘Give us day by day our daily/tomorrow's (epiousion) bread'. We may well ask in this case, why, if Jesus meant physical food, He did not simply repeat the idea of ‘today', or why in fact the translater into Greek did not make it clear? In Luke especially ‘daily' would have been so easy to say.

This is further accentuated by the fact that Jerome (c. 342-420 AD) tells us that in the lost Aramaic Gospel of the Nazarenes the term mahar, which means ‘tomorrow', appears at this place in the Lord's prayer, which suggests therefore that the reference is to bread “for tomorrow”. The Gospel of the Nazarenes was not, of course, as old as our first three Gospels. Rather it depended on our Gospel of Matthew. But the Aramaic wording of the Lord's Prayer in the Gospel of the Nazarenes (“bread for tomorrow”) must surely be seen as representing the ancient form of the prayer in Aramaic, and therefore in that regard as older than the Gospel of the Nazarenes itself, and older even than our Gospels. For in first-century Palestine the Lord's Prayer would almost certainly have been prayed constantly by Aramaic-speaking Christians in an uninterrupted Aramaic form, right from the time when the words were first taught by Jesus, so that a person translating the gospel of Matthew into Aramaic would undoubtedly translate the Lord's Prayer in terms of the original Aramaic which they knew to be the Lord's words, especially if there was any ambiguity or doubt as to the meaning of the Greek word. Thus when the translator of Matthew into Aramaic came to Matthew 6:9, he would naturally write the prayer down in the way that he knew that it was prayed day by day by Aramaic-speaking Christians, as it had been through the years. In other words, the Aramaic-speaking Jewish-Christians, among whom the Lord's Prayer lived on in its original Aramaic wording in unbroken usage from the days of Jesus first giving of the prayer, prayed, “Our bread for tomorrow give us today.”

Jerome also tells us that, “In the so-called Gospel according to the Hebrews --- I found mahar, which means ‘for tomorrow,' so that the sense is, ‘Our bread for tomorrow that is, our future bread -- give us today.' ”

It has therefore been suggested that in mind here is the provision in Exodus 16:22; Exodus 16:29 where on the sixth day they were given not only sufficient for the sixth day but also bread ‘for the morrow', that is, ‘for the Sabbath', with the Sabbath then seen, as it often is, as the coming (and now come in Jesus) Messianic age. This provision of ‘bread from Heaven' by Moses was probably expected to be repeated by the Messiah (see John 6:30). And to this Jesus replied that His Father was giving them the true bread from Heaven in the giving of Himself.

So the best explanation for this reference to “tomorrow” is probably that it refers to the great ‘Tomorrow' as anticipated by the Jews, the bread that they would eat at Messiah's table at the Messianic Banquet at the coming great Sabbath rest. That would not exclude the idea of their receiving their physical ‘bread' from their heavenly Father as well as their spiritual bread, for such Messianic provision was also expected, but it would seem to encourage the idea that, either way, they are to be seen as receiving not just physical food but God's Messianic provision of blessing in every way. And this is brought out even more emphatically in Luke where the prayer is preceded by Jesus receiving food at the house of Martha and Mary, at which point He specifically directs Martha's attention to the greater importance of spiritual food by listening to His words (Luke 10:38), and is followed by a parable which uses ‘bread' as a picture of the need to pray for the ‘good things' that their heavenly Father has for his children, including the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:5). And this is especially so in view of the fact that in the sermon Jesus will shortly stress that their eyes are to be Heavenward rather than earthward (Matthew 6:20).

Three facts very much favour this interpretation. The first is the emphasis that Jesus has laid on their Father already knowing their physical needs (Matthew 6:8). This brings out the fact that they are therefore not to be anxious about food and clothing (Matthew 6:5), because God is the great Provider, providing such things to His creatures without any need for prayer. And this is then underlined by the fact that that is precisely the kind of things that the Gentiles do seek when they pray (Matthew 6:32), an example which they are not to follow (Matthew 6:31). It would seem strange then if physical bread were to be made their first request in the Lord's prayer. While if this prayer was for Messianic provision, including both physical and spiritual, it is perfectly explicable. Such provision would be seen as a special promise of God (e.g. Isaiah 25:6) and would only be available for those who are His.

The second is that what they are rather to be ‘anxious about' is the Kingly Rule of God and His righteous deliverance (Matthew 6:33). It is those things which they are to seek. And while this idea may certainly be seen as in mind in their being forgiven and in their being kept from evil, we see at once that there is no request in the second part of the prayer concerning their need for positive strengthening or positive righteousness. Was Jesus really saying that apart from food, all that they needed was forgiveness and protection from evil? That is a very negative way of seeing the Christian life.

The third is that there can be no question but that Jesus does constantly very much emphasise their positive need for spiritual bread, in contrast with physical bread. In His temptation in Matthew 4:4 He had declared that ‘man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Given Luke's clear connection of the Lord's prayer with spiritual bread in Matthew 10:38 to Matthew 11:13 (even putting it in a bread sandwich) that must surely be seen as significant. Furthermore He then asks in Matthew 7:9 what father will give a stone to a son who asks for bread, and refers it to the ‘good things' of the Messianic age which will be given to them by their heavenly Father (compare in Luke where the good things specifically refer to ‘the Holy Spirit' (Luke 11:13). Note especially how on both occasions when He gives the prayer to His disciples He follows it up with this need to ask for spiritual benefits (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:5), spiritual benefits which are not actually otherwise included in His model prayer, and yet are spoken of in terms of bread. It strongly suggests therefore that the bread that He has in mind in the prayer refers to the blessings of the Messianic age into which they have now entered so that they can enjoy ‘Tomorrow's bread', that is the blessings seen by Israel as coming in the great Tomorrow.

References to the spiritual significance of bread can be multiplied. In Matthew 15:26 the ‘bread' for the children signifies Scriptural truth, in Matthew 16:5; Matthew 16:7; Matthew 16:11 where the disciples make the mistake of thinking that Jesus is speaking of physical bread He points out that He means ‘the leaven (teaching) of the Scribes and Pharisees. And finally in Matthew 26:26, while there is certainly physical bread in mind, it is as a picture of the Lord's body which will be given for them. So in all such cases where He speaks of bread He has in mind spiritual bread.

And greater weight can be added to this argument when we consider Jesus' teaching in Luke and John. Indeed in the very context of their not seeking physical bread (Luke 12:22) Jesus immediately describes how when He comes again He will sit His disciples down to eat meat and He will serve them (Matthew 12:37). But the idea is not really of a great party where Jesus will act as servant and indulge their appetites. It is rather a promise of the great blessings that He will pour on them in that Day, and as a lesson in humility. In all His provision for us God is acting as our Servant, for the point is that He not only makes the gifts, but also applies them Himself. And the portion of food that the unfaithful servant was supposed to give to his fellow-servants, and failed to give (Matthew 12:42), was surely more than just bread. The point behind the descriptions was that the servants appointed by God had failed to provide His people with what they needed in their spiritual lives. Furthermore the Pharisee who said, ‘Blessed is he who will eat bread in the Kingly Rule of God' (Matthew 14:15) is unquestionably thinking of Messianic blessings, and Jesus follows it up with the parable of the Great Supper, which surely has in mind more than just physical bread, as in fact does the feeding of the five thousand (and the four thousand) which while it involved physical bread was pointing to something greater (John 6:35). The Kingly Rule of God might often be depicted in terms of bread, but surely more than that was regularly intended. And while the husks, bread and dainties of the parable of the prodigal son were very real (if fiction can be real) what they really represented in the interpretation of the parable was spiritual food. So the disciples were aware that when Jesus spoke of bread they must regularly recognise that He meant spiritual bread. And when we come to John we have the well known picture of Jesus as the bread of life, which will take away the hunger (and thirst) of men and women (John 6:35). For the one who eats of that bread will live for ever, for it is His flesh which He will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). And He then goes on to point out that they must therefore feed on Him. More could be added but we think that we have said enough.

But it may be asked, if that was the meaning why did Jesus not make it clearer? Why have Christians down the ages seen it as referring to physical bread? One answer to that is in fact that it is not true. In the early church that we do know about it was seen as referring to spiritual bread, and in fact mainly to the bread at the Lord's Supper. Indeed the whole prayer was probably reserved for use within the fellowship, especially at the Lord's Table, and not expected to be used by those who were not accepted members of their spiritual community. Interpreting it of the Lord's Supper is probably too narrow an interpretation, unless widely expanded on, although it was certainly understandable. It is the ideas behind the Lord's Supper that are in mind. However, in fairness it should be pointed out that the more enlightened preachers did make clear that the Lord's Supper was a picture of great spiritual blessing available to His people. Thus the bread indicates the fullness of the blessings of Christ. It may be seen as rather the later pedantic interpreters who turned it into a request solely for physical bread, and that because the Lord's prayer became the common lot of men who only thought in terms of physical benefit, although it was also possibly as a reaction against the misuse of the bread and wine by the mediaeval church.

What it does seem rather to signify is all the blessings, both physical and spiritual, which were to come to them because they belonged to the Messiah. It signified the full provisioning of both body and soul as Messiah's people, both the Messianic banquet and the Messianic blessing. It is ‘Tomorrow's bread' available ‘today' for those who are His. So what they are to pray is, ‘Father in Heaven, we are Messiah's people, grant us Messianic provision.' Compare Isaiah 25:6; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 49:10; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 23:4; Jeremiah 50:19; Ezekiel 34:13; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 36:29; Micah 5:4; Psalms 23:2; Psalms 23:5.

So yes it does include a promise that God will provide His people, as Messiah's people, with what they physically need, and that they can therefore ask Him for it with confidence, but it is not in the way in which the world asks for it. It is asked of Him by Messiah's people, and expected by them to be provided for them by their Father, because they are within His favour, and as part of a far more abundant provision in spiritual power and blessing. It signifies all that they need which can be found in Him, food for body and soul, and not just physical bread, which for most people should in fact be the last thought on their minds (Matthew 6:33). It is praying, ‘Father, feed us body and soul with all the Messianic blessedness', with Your word that is better than bread (Matthew 4:4), with the righteousness which You will pour down from above (Isaiah 45:8; Isaiah 44:1; Isaiah 32:15) for which we are to hunger and thirst (Matthew 5:6), and we may possibly add, especially with what is expressed in the beatitudes.