The Biblical "Our Father" prayer and Catholicism

  • Thread starter Thread starter followingtheway
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
F

followingtheway

Guest
To my understanding (correct me I’m wrong) Catholics and Protestants use a different form of the “Our Father”, they both use the first part “Our Father who art in Heaven” to “but deliver us from evil”. But this question is about the “For thine is the kingdom” part. It’s in the Bible (Matthew 6:13) and Protestant use it so why isn’t in the traditional Catholic version? Again, correct me if I’m wrong.
 
followingtheway said:
To my understanding (correct me I’m wrong) Catholics and Protestants use a different form of the “Our Father”, they both use the first part “Our Father who art in Heaven” to “but deliver us from evil”. But this question is about the “For thine is the kingdom” part. It’s in the Bible (Matthew 6:13) and Protestant use it so why isn’t in the traditional Catholic version? Again, correct me if I’m wrong.
Click to expand...
I did a quick check of a few of my bibles. The NAB, NJB, DRB, Navarre, and RSV-CE do NOT have “For thine is the kingdom” in verse 13 or elsewhere. These are all Catholic Bibles.

My NKJV and Gideon Bible do have it.

So, I guess that didn’t help answer your question much. :o
 
Matthew 6:13 doesn’t say “thine is the kingdom and power, etc.” It says…

***and do not subject us to the final test,
but deliver us from the evil one. **(NAB)

And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
(RSV)*

-Tim-
 
From the Wikipedia article on “Lord’s Prayer”:
The doxology of the prayer “For thine is the kingdom…”] is not contained in Luke’s version, nor is it present in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew, representative of the Alexandrian text, but is present in the manuscripts representative of the Byzantine text. It is thus absent in the oldest and best manuscripts of Matthew, and most scholars do not consider it part of the original text of Matthew. Modern translations generally omit it.
 
Todd_Easton said:
From the Wikipedia article on “Lord’s Prayer”:
The doxology of the prayer “For thine is the kingdom…”] is not contained in Luke’s version, nor is it present in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew, representative of the Alexandrian text, but is present in the manuscripts representative of the Byzantine text. It is thus absent in the oldest and best manuscripts of Matthew, and most scholars do not consider it part of the original text of Matthew. Modern translations generally omit it.
Click to expand...
This is very interesting.

I will let my ignorant post above stand and say thank you for posting this.

-Tim-
 
Very early on in the Catholic Liturgy, the Lord’s Prayer was concluded with a doxology (a prayer of praise), “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever”. This was not part of the original Greek Scriptural text and consequently is not included in many modern Bible translations.

However, there are other non-Scriptural writings which have been preserved from the early days of the Church. It was here, where the doxology was first found in the important document called the “Didache,” (written between 70-140 AD).

ourladyofsorrows.us/QotF/Doxology.htm
 
The words in question were taken from 1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Thine O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all” (KJV). The Didache, which shows that the early Greek liturgy was punctuated with this doxology many times, got the words from the Septuagint.

A monk, perhaps, inserted the words as a gloss (marginal note) at Matthew 6:13 in the manuscript used to translate the King James Version. The translator(s) erroneously included the words in the KJV text. It does not appear in the KJV at Luke 11:4. Since Protestants took the KJV to be the “inerrant word of God,” they, not knowing the origin, incorrectly learned the doxology as part of the “Lord’s Prayer.” Many Protestants accused Catholics of altering the Lord’s words. 😃 *

Truth is, it’s not “biblical” as the OP claims; that is, it isn’t part of the Our Father. Catholics say the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) as the Lord Himself taught it to His Apostles (translated into English).*
 

STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Fr. William Saunders​

Who Added The Doxology?
Recently a Protestant friend asked me why Catholics do not include, "For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever, " at the end of the Our Father. I really do not know. Can you help me?—A reader in Alexandria

When discussing prayer with His disciples, Our Lord said, "This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us. Subject us not to the trial but deliver us from the evil one’ " (Matthew 6:9-13). (The translation cited is from the New American Bible.) A similar version is found in Luke 11:2-4. Both versions do not include the ending sentence, “For thine…”

The “For thine…” is technically termed a doxology. In the Bible, we find the practice of concluding prayers with a short, hymn-like verse which exalts the glory of God. An example similar to the doxology in question is found in David’s prayer located in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 of the Old Testament. The Jews frequently used these doxologies to conclude prayers at the time of Our Lord.

In the early Church, the Christians living in the eastern half of the Roman Empire added the doxology “for thine…” to the Gospel text of the Our Father when reciting the prayer at Mass. Evidence of this practice is also found in the “Didache” (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), a first century manual of morals, worship and doctrine of the Church. Also, when copying the Scriptures, Greek scribes sometimes appended the doxology onto the original Gospel text of the Our Father, however, most texts today would omit this inclusion, relegate it to a footnote, or note that it was a later addition to the Gospel. Official “Catholic” Bibles including the Vulgate, the Douay-Rheims, the Confraternity Edition, and the New American have never included this doxology.

In the western half of the Roman Empire and in the Latin rite, we see the importance of the Our Father at Mass. St. Jerome (d. 420) attested to the usage of the Our Father in the Mass, and St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) placed the recitation of the Our Father after the Canon and before the Fraction. The Commentary on the Sacrament of St. Ambrose (d.397) meditates on the meaning of “daily bread” in the context of the Holy Eucharist. In this same vein, St. Augustine, (d. 430) saw the Our Father as a beautiful connection of the Holy Eucharist with the forgiveness of sins. In all instances, the Church saw this perfect prayer which our Lord gave to us as a proper means of preparing for holy Communion. However, none of this evidence includes the doxology.

Interestingly, the English wording of the Our Father that we use today reflects the version mandated for use by Henry VIII (while still in communion with the Catholic Church), which was based on the English version of the Bible produced by Tyndale (1525). Later in 1541 (after his official separation from the Holy Father), Henry VIII issued an edict saying, " His Grace perceiving now the great diversity of the translations (of the Pater noster etc.) hath caused an uniform translation of the said Pater Noster, Ave, Creed, etc., to be set forth, willing all his loving subjects to learn and use the same and straitly (sic) commanding all parsons, vicars and curates to read and teach the same to their parishioners." This English version without the doxology of the Our Father became accepted throughout the English speaking world, even though the later English translations of the Bible, including the Catholic Douay-Rheims (1610) and Protestant King James versions (16] 1), had different renderings of prayers as found in the Gospel of St. Matthew.

Later, the Catholic Church made slight modifications in the English: "who art replaced “which art,” and “on earth” replaced “in earth.” During the reign of Edward VI, the Book of Common Prayer (1549 and 1552 editions) of the Church of England did not change the wording of the Our Father nor add the doxology. However, during the reign of Elizabeth I and a resurgence to rid the Church of England from any Catholic vestiges, the Lord’s Prayer was changed to include the doxology.

The irony of this answer is that some Protestants sometimes accuse Catholics of not being “literally” faithful to Sacred Scripture and depending too much on tradition. In this case, we see that the Catholic Church has been faithful to the Gospel text of the Our Father, while Protestant Churches have added something of tradition to the word of Jesus.
 
The doxology is essentially a response to the prayer. Nothing wrong with it (obviously, since we say it at Mass) but no, it was not the concluding line of what Jesus taught to the Apostles.
 
It obviously has it’s roots with apostolic times…the Didache’s version of the prayer concludes with the doxology which was written around 95-120CE…earlier than some of the gospels…not all Protestant Bibles include it other than a foot-note that it is part of an early tradition and some manuscripts…to say it’s “Protestant” is a strange thing…especially since Catholics claim the Didache is a Catholic document.🙂
 
You can see this doxology in action in the Eastern liturgies:

Priest, in a low voice: *O God and Father of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord whose name is exalted, the blessed nature, the unstinted goodness, the God and Master of all, the One who Exists, blessed to the ages of ages, who sits upon the cherubim, and are glorified by the Seraphim, before whom stand thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand armies of angels and archangels, accept as sweet fragrance the gifts, offerings and fruits here presented to you, by the grace of your Christ and the visitation of your all-holy Spirit.

Sanctify also, Master, our souls and bodies and spirits and touch our minds and search out our consciences, and cast out from us every evil thought, every impure idea, every base desire and memory, every unseemly word, all envy, pride and hypocrisy, every lie, every deceit, every worldly temptation, all greed, all vainglory, all wickedness, all wrath, all anger, all malice, all blasphemy, and all sloth, every motion of flesh and spirit that is alien to the will of your holiness,* (aloud) and make us worthy, Master, Lord who loves mankind, with confidence and without condemnation, with a pure heart, enlightened soul, face unashamed, lips that are sanctified, to dare to call upon you, the holy heavenly God, ‘Father,’ and to say:

People: Our Father, who art in heaven…

Priest, in a low voice: “And do not lead us into temptation” that we cannot endure, Lord, Lord of powers, who know our weakness, but “deliver us from the evil one” and from his works, and from all his influence and guile, for the sake of your holy name, that has been invoked upon our lowliness, (aloud) for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

- Divine Liturgy of Saint James

Priest, in a low voice: *Our God, the God who saves, you teach us justly to thank you for the good things which you have done and still do for us. You are our God who has accepted these Gifts. Cleanse us from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and teach us how to live in holiness by your fear, so that receiving the portion of your holy Gifts with a clear conscience we may be united with the holy Body and Blood of your Christ. Having received them worthily, may we have Christ dwelling in our hearts, and may we become the temple of your Holy Spirit.

Yes, our God, let none of us be guilty before these, your awesome and heavenly Mysteries, nor be infirm in body and soul by partaking of them unworthily. But enable us, even up to our last breath, to receive a portion of your holy Gifts worthily, as provision for eternal life and as an acceptable defense at the awesome judgment seat of your Christ. So that we also, together with all the saints who through the ages have pleased you, may become partakers of your eternal good things, which you, Lord, have prepared for those who love you,* (aloud) and make us worthy, Master, with confidence and without fear of condemnation, to dare call you, the heavenly God, ‘Father,’ and to say:

People: Our Father, who art in heaven…

Priest: For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.
  • Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil
Priest, in a low voice: We entrust to you, loving Master, our whole life and hope, and we ask, pray, and entreat: make us worthy to partake of your heavenly and awesome Mysteries from this holy and spiritual Table with a clear conscience; for the remission of sins, forgiveness of transgressions, communion of the Holy Spirit, inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, confidence before you, and not in judgment or condemnation, (aloud) and make us worthy, Master, with confidence and without fear of condemnation, to dare call you, the heavenly God, ‘Father,’ and to say:

People: Our Father, who art in heaven…

Priest: For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.
  • Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom
 
Priest, in a low voice: God of truth and Father of mercy, we thank you, who have exalted our nature, condemned as we were, above that of the blessed patriarchs; for you were called God to them, whereas in compassion you have been pleased to be named Father to us. And now, O Lord, we beseech you, make the grace of so new and precious a naming of yourself shine forth and flourish day by day in your holy Church, (aloud) and grant us to open our mouths with cry of bold voice, to call upon you, O heavenly Father, to sing and say:

Choir: Our Father, who art in heaven…

Priest, in a low voice: Lord of lords, God of gods, King eternal, Creator of all creatures, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, give us not over for trial, but deliver us from evil and save us from temptation, (aloud) for yours is the kingdom and the power and glory to the ages, Amen.

- Armenian Badarak

Priest: O Master, Lord our God, the great and the eternal, who are wondrous in glory; who keeps His covenant and His mercy to them who love Him with all their heart; who has given to us redemption from sins through His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, the life of everyone, the help of those who flee to Him, the hope of those who cry to Him. Before whom stand thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands of holy angels and archangels, the cherubim and the seraphim and all the innumerable host of the heavenly powers.
O God, who has sanctified these gifts which are set fourth, through the coming down upon them of your Holy Spirit, you have purified them. Purify us also, our Master, from our sins, the hidden and manifest; and every thought which is not pleasing to your goodness, God who loves mankind, may it be far from us. Purify our souls, our bodies, our spirits, our hearts, our eyes, our understanding, our thoughts and our consciences, so that with a pure heart, and enlightened soul, and unashamed face, a faith unfeigned, a perfect love, and firm hope, we may dare with boldness without fear to pray to you, O God the holy Father who are in the heavens and say: Our Father…

People: Our Father who art in heaven…but deliver us from evil.
In Christ Jesus our Lord.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Priest, in a low voice: Yes, we ask you, O good Father, who loves goodness, lead us not into temptation, nor let any iniquity get the rule over us but deliver us from worthless works and form the thoughts, motions, sights and touch thereof. Destroy the tempter and drive him away. Rebuke also his movements implanted in us, and cut off from us all impulses which drag us into sin. And deliver us by your holy power, in Christ Jesus, our Lord, through whom the glory, the honour, the dominion, and adoration are due unto you, with Him and the Holy Spirit the Lifegiver, who is of one essence with you now, and at all times, and to the age of all ages. Amen.
  • Coptic Liturgy of St. Basil
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top