Essays on The Lord's Prayer

First Printing 1972

General Church Publication Committee

Bryn Athyn, Pa.

Reprinted 1999

Phoenix, Arizona

Edited by Ed Allen

Preface
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, and Luke 11:1-4)
Selected Readings for Services
Abbreviations – Reference
 
I.   The Meaning of Prayer
II.  Our Father
III. Hallowed be Thy Name
IV.  Thy Kingdom Come
V.   Thy Will be Done
VI.  Our Daily Bread
VII. Forgiveness
VIII.Temptation
IX.  Deliverance
X.   The Kingdom, Power, and the Glory

This little volume is prepared for private reading or for use in public worship.

The subject of the Lord's Prayer is not treated of consecutively in any one place in the Writings, but is often referred to in whole or in part, as is made clear in the Pott's Swedenborg Concordance under the heading "Lord's Prayer."

The outstanding importance of the Lord's Prayer is shown in statements such as these: "There are more things in the contents of that prayer than the universal heaven is capable of comprehending" (AC 6619). "Prayer, regarded in itself, is speech with God… If a man prays from love and faith, and concerning heavenly and spiritual things only, then there arises in the prayer something like a revelation which shows itself in his affection as hope, consolation and something of internal joy" (AC 2535). And certain angels stated, "We in heaven read that prayer daily" (TCR 113:6).

For the sake of completeness a copy of the two versions of the Lord's Prayer is included.

And in order to facilitate the use of these Scripture passages in worship, a selection of lessons from the threefold Word is also inserted on page iv.

I am indebted to Lennart Alfelt for preparing the manuscript for the press.

Hugo Lj. Odhner

Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

April 1972

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father, who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon the earth.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father who art in the heavens, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

[To First Chapter]