THE PRAYER TAUGHT BY JESUS CHRIST

 

Regarding the prayer taught by Jesus Christ, the Bible says: " ... one of his disciples said 'Lord teach us to pray...' (Luke 11:1), In reply to this the most renowned and holy prayer came out from the mouth of Jesus. The prayer indicates: " ... Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, since we also forgive all who are indebted to us. ....." These two verses from the prayer taught by the Lord appears to have been misinterpreted. Since this prayer is taught to the disciples, "our daily bread"  cannot be their food to eat. Since they were  constantly going to the people who did not know Jesus, they were to get the matter to feed those people. These matters or knowledge were to be sought from the Lord, to feed the large number of people through His Holy Spirit. This is to be seen as their daily bread. This is further confirmed by the next verse. 

The prayer continues. "And forgive us our sins, since we also forgive all who are indebted to us." We have a misconception about forgiveness of sins. When someone hurt us and say sorry for it, we acknowledge it by saying it's alright. We think this is forgiveness. Absolutely not. Jesus Christ has well explained the forgiveness of sins in the case of the paralytic man brought to Jesus by four men. Since big crowd was there they lowered the man through the roof of the house. Having seen their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic man, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." Speaking this way of forgiveness of sin the scribes present there accused the Lord of blaspheming. Having read their minds Jesus said to them, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'your since are forgiven you'  or to say, 'Rise up, take up your stretcher and walk?'  And Jesus said to the man, "I say to you, rise up, take up your stretcher, and go into your house. And immediately he got up and lifting up his stretcher, he went away in the sight of them all ..." (Ref Luke 2:4-12)

This is the forgiveness of sin shown by Jesus in front of all. Sin is the negative forces from our ancestors inherited in us and added by us in our lives. The impact of the negative forces always felt by us mentally or physically. It may appear in us in the form of disease, disability, poverty, failure, debt etc. All that takes away our peace and give us pain and sorrow. And finally these take away our lives.

We may get rid off all these impacts of sin by forgiveness. Forgiveness takes place when someone take away the negative energy from us and take the punishment on him on behalf of us. This is exactly what Jesus Christ did and taught the disciples. Christ did no sin in His life in this world. However in the form of forgiveness He took the sins on to His body and relieved the sinner from all its impacts. Therefore, He was to suffer on their behalf and die on the cross. All His disciples who relieved many people from the impacts of their sins had to undergo similar sufferings and death of their Master.

From these it can be very well understood that the prayer, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ... , the power and the glory, for ever and ever, Amen", taught by Jesus is not meant for all. It is for those who are meant to forgive the sins of others.

Hence Lord Jesus Christ has not taught any prayer for the people. On the other hand Jesus advised us how to pray. "But you, when you pray, enter into your room and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret,  will repay you." (Mathew 6:6). Jesus Christ has given each one of us the freedom to pray our Creator, the Father in heaven.

Contrary to the teaching of Lord Jesus Christ, different sects of Christianity has printed out thousands and thousands of prayers and distribute among the people and ask them to pray the way they ask. In fact it happens so that Christ and Christianity are teaching differently.

(This article is not meant to correct anyone or to suggest anything. I only wish to express my apprehension.)

K V George