The Lord’s Prayer: Conclusion

In this final lesson, we return to our starting point. In the immediate context of the Lord’s prayer, we began by adoring God (in the preface). Then, we focused on things that pertain to God directly (i.e., his name, kingdom, and will), followed by the things that pertain to us (i.e., our daily bread, forgiveness of sins, and deliverance from temptation). Here, in the conclusion, we come full circle by returning to God again. Prayer is an ordained means for advancing God’s glory from beginning to end.

In the broader context of the Westminster Shorter Catechism as a whole, we also see that there is a symmetry in the overall structure. The catechism began with the glory of God (i.e., Man’s chief end is the glorify God and to enjoy him forever), and returns to it in the conclusion (i.e., For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen). Not only is it our chief end to glorify God, but it is God’s chief end to glorify himself. For this reason, Reformed theology seeks to maximize God’s glory in every sphere of existence.¹“The Reformed person does not rest until he has traced all things retrospectively to the divine decree, tracking down the ‘wherefore’ of all things, and has prospectively made all things subservient to the glory of God.” Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 1: Prolegomena. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 177.

“The central fact of Calvinism is the vision of God. Its determining principle is zeal for the Divine honor. What it sets itself to do is to render to God his rights in every sphere of life activity. In this it begins, and centers, and ends.”²Williamson, G.I. The Westminster Shorter Catechism: for Study Classes. P & R Pub., 2003, p. 365.

This means that true theology (the study of God) leads to doxology (the glorification of God).

Acknowledging a Textual Problem

Before we delve into the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer in detail, we need to mention a well-known textual problem. Admittedly, many people have questioned the authenticity of the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer as found in Matthew, chapter 6, verse 13.³The Greek scholar, Erasmus, for example, criticized, “the rashness of those who do not hesitate to append their own trifles to a divine prayer. For I am fully entitled to give the name of trifles to everything relating to inspired doctrine which proceeds from men; particularly if what is added by men be attributed to Christ as its author.” Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, pp. 370-371. The Reformed theologian-pastor, J.G. Vos, seriously questioned whether the conclusion was part of the genuine text. Citing Henry Alford, the Greek scholar, he felt that the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer “must on every ground of sound criticism be omitted. Had it formed part of the original text, it is absolutely inconceivable that all the ancient authorities should with one consent have omitted it… We find absolutely no trace of it in early times, in any family of manuscripts or in any expositions.” Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, pp. 587-588. G.I. Williamson, another Reformed theologian-pastor, also takes a similar view. “For it happens that the concluding words of the Lord’s Prayer, as we find them here… are not found in many of the ancient manuscripts of the Bible… Only a rather small minority have the words as we find them here… Since our ultimate standard of truth is the Bible in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), we must not accept anything as authentic that does not have the support of ‘many witnesses’ among these ancient manuscripts. It is for this reason that we do not regard these words as an original part of the Gospel according to Matthew.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism: for Study Classes. P & R Pub., 2003, p. 362. Some have speculated that the conclusion was actually introduced at a later date to accommodate church liturgy (especially among the Greek churches), but absent from the original form. Common reasons raised in doubt of the authenticity of the conclusion include the fact that it is missing from some of the oldest manuscripts;⁴It is absent from some of the oldest Greek copies (as Beza also observed) and nearly all Latin copies. it is conspicuously absent in the Gospel according to Luke (11:2-4); and it was not known by many of the early church fathers when they quoted the Lord’s prayer.⁵For example, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine do not seem to be aware of the conclusion, even in their explanations of the Lord’s prayer. Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 371.

Affirming the Content of the Conclusion

Even so, there are still good reason for us to affirm the content of the conclusion, despite the aforementioned objections.⁶Although some church fathers were unaware of the conclusion, it is possible that it is because they relied on the later Latin translations of the New Testament (the Vulgate) rather than the older Greek manuscripts. Witsius described the older Greek manuscripts as more reliable fountains, and the subsequent Latin editions as dependent streams. Chrysostom, who had access to the Greek manuscripts, wrote on the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer: “After having roused us to the struggle by the consideration of the enemy, and entirely removed every apology for slothfulness, he again confirms and strengthens our mind by reminding us of the King, whom we faithfully serve, and by showing that he is more powerful than all. ‘Thine,’ he says, ‘is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.’ If the kingdom is his, we have nothing to fear, there being none that can oppose it, or wrest from him the government. When he says, ‘Thine is the kingdom,’ he shows that our antagonist is also subject to him, although so far as God permits, he makes opposition. For he [Satan] is one of the number of God’s servants, though he belongs to the guilty and wicked; and he will not venture, in a single instance, to attack a fellow-servant, till he has received power to do so from the Lord of all.” From the Homily on the sixth chapter of Matthew by Chrysostom, as quoted by Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 374. Regardless of whether the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer was originally present, we can say with confidence that the words expressed in the conclusion are completely scriptural. We can point to similar doxologies recorded in other parts of the Bible. For example, David’s prayer in thanksgiving for the temple expresses the same elements as the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victoryand the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all” (2 Chron. 29:11-12). Likewise, the Apostle Paul (1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16) and Jude (Jude 25) modeled the same type of prayer as well. Accordingly, the Reformed have traditionally retained the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer for this reason, as presented in the Westminster Shorter Catechism (question 107) and the Heidelberg Catechism (questions 128 and 129). 

God’s Kingdom, Power, and Glory

The conclusion of the Lord’s prayer reinforces everything that was asked before (i.e., petitions 1 through 6), by pleading with God to accomplish all these things for his own sake and for his own glory. Importantly, the basis of our appeal must be grounded in who God is rather than in ourselves (e.g., Dan. 9:4, 7-9, 16-19). 

“Our arguments should not be based on ourselves, our own character, earnestness, faith, good works, good intentions, or anything else whatsoever about ourselves or other creatures, but on God, his love and mercy, his covenant and promises, his mighty deeds for his people in past times, the honor of his name in the world, etc.”⁷Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 588.

Moreover, in our prayers, we are to add praise and thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6; 1 Chron. 29:10-13).

“We should join praises with our petitions, ascribing glory to God, because praise is an essential element in prayer. God is supremely worthy to be praised. Man can fulfill no higher or nobler purpose than to praise God. As Augustine said in the beginning of his Confessions, ‘Thou awakes us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it reposes in Thee.’”⁸Ibid.

First, God’s kingdom is everlasting. Unlike the kings, presidents, and prime ministers of this world who must turnover every several years—at most holding onto their seats for a mere few decades—God sits enthroned in heaven forever.⁹Consider the contrast given in Isaiah 6. In the year that King Uzziah (Azariah) died, there was likely political uncertainty about what would happen next in Judah. While he followed God early-on in life (2 Ki. 15:3-4; 2 Chr. 26:4-5), he became proud over time (2 Chr. 26:16-23), and struck with leprosy (2 Ki. 15:1-7; 2 Chr. 26:19-23). Unlike the human king who was subject to change, God remained steady and lifted up upon his throne (Isa. 6:1), unfazed by the affairs of men (cf. Ps. 2:1-4). Earthly kingdoms, power, and glory are fleeting; these can rise and fall without warning (e.g., Babylon fell in one night; Dan. 5:25-28, 30). God’s kingdom, on the other hand, is invincible and perpetual (cf. Dan. 7:27), and can never be reduced. In recognition of God’s present rule as King over all, the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer speaks of God’s kingdom in the present tense (i.e., For thine is the kingdom), in contrast to the second petition where it was addressed in future terms (i.e., Thy kingdom come).¹⁰In proclaiming God’s kingdom, we are referring to his universal kingdom where God has dominion over all things (Ps. 103:19), the kingdom of grace where he particularly rules over his redeemed (Jn. 15:19), and the kingdom of glory where God’s people are delivered from all their enemies, sin has been removed, and his people are made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God for all eternity (Heb. 12:23).

“Formerly, we prayed that thy kingdom may come, and properly, for in many ways it is yet to be revealed and enlarged. Now we acknowledge that the kingdom is thine, and in so doing we also act properly, for rightfully and truly thou possessest, and wilt possess throughout eternity, all royal dignity and power [Ps. 93:1-2].”¹¹Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 377.

Second, we proclaim God’s power. God subdues and conquers all his enemies (Ps. 68:1; 21, 28), while at the same time, preserving his people and making all things work out for their good and salvation (Ps. 89:13, 17). For this reason, we can confidently pray, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory” (Eph. 3:20-21a).

Finally, we declare God’s glory. There is none like him (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 89:6-8). He alone is worthy of all worship and adoration from all creation in heaven, earth, and sea, from the highest to the lowest, and from everlasting to everlasting (Rev. 4:11). Moreover, God is glorified by his great work of salvation in the deliverance of his people (2 Thess. 2:10). 

“This Doxology instructs us what ought to be the end [i.e., goal] of all our petitions—not our own advantage, but the manifestation of the Kingdom, Power, and Glory of God. We must begin with the glory of God. We must end with the glory of God. The love of the Divine glory ought to be the first principle from which our desires and prayers flow… The purpose of the soul to promote the glory of God is the most important part of prayer, and gives it all its value. After the consummation of all things, we shall be so completely satisfied in heaven with the abundance of good things, that nothing farther will remain to be desired. This single prayer will still continue to be offered [i.e., even in heaven]. ‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ [Rev. 5:13].”¹²Ibid, pp. 381-382.

To this point, the catechism reminds us that we should be directing all our affections, praise, and worship to God because he alone is worthy. There is no one on earth or heaven that can satisfy us apart from God (Ps. 73:25-26). God is to be our sole delight (Ps. 16:11). Nothing else in the world can bring us true joy—not family, friends, money, entertainment, or achievements. Therefore, the essence of glorifying God is to be completely satisfied in him and to display him to those around us.¹³God is the center of our existence whether we want to acknowledge it or not. God does not passively wait to be exalted, but has taken initiative to glorify himself in every divine act (Rom. 11:36). Both the saved and the lost are instruments that display something of God’s glory. Even in his wrath, God makes his glory known (Rom. 9:22-23; Pro. 16:4).

Amen!

The prayer concludes with praise and encouragement. If we pray in accordance with God’s will, in Christ’s name, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can be assured that God will answer our prayers (2 Chron. 14:11; 20:6, 11). The final declaration, Amen, is connected with everything that comes before it. It is an expression of fervent desire and agreement. In Hebrew, the word means “firm,” “faithful,” and “truly” (1 Chr. 16:36; Neh. 8:6; Pss. 41:13; 72:19; 89:52; 106:48; cf. Isa. 65:16). The corresponding Greek word is frequently translated as “verily” or “truly” in the New Testament (e.g., Jn 3:3, 5; 5:19, 24, 25; 6:26, 32, 47, 53; Mt. 6:2, 5, 16; 18:3; Lk. 13:35).¹⁴“In the Greek New Testament the word occurs 150 times, of which the King James Version translates 50 by ‘amen’ and 100 by ‘verily.’ In the discourses of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, the word Verily or the expression ‘Verily, verily…’ occur frequently. In each case the Greek word is ‘Amen,’ meaning ‘truly.’” Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 589. The essence of the word is summed up by the Apostle John’s teaching, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 Jn. 5:14). In other words, Amen means, “So let it be.”¹⁵The Heidelberg Catechism’s answer to question 109 states it this way: “‘Amen’ signifies it shall truly and certainly be, for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God than I feel in my heart that I desire these things of Him.” By concluding our prayers this way, we express our sincere desire, solemn reverence, and strong confidence that God will hear and answer our prayers (1 Cor. 14:16; Rev. 22:20-21) because he is able and willing to help us (Eph. 3:20-21; Lk. 11:13).

Footnotes

• 1
  “The Reformed person does not rest until he has traced all things retrospectively to the divine decree, tracking down the ‘wherefore’ of all things, and has prospectively made all things subservient to the glory of God.” Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 1: Prolegomena. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 177.
• 2
  Williamson, G.I. The Westminster Shorter Catechism: for Study Classes. P & R Pub., 2003, p. 365.
• 3
  The Greek scholar, Erasmus, for example, criticized, “the rashness of those who do not hesitate to append their own trifles to a divine prayer. For I am fully entitled to give the name of trifles to everything relating to inspired doctrine which proceeds from men; particularly if what is added by men be attributed to Christ as its author.” Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, pp. 370-371. The Reformed theologian-pastor, J.G. Vos, seriously questioned whether the conclusion was part of the genuine text. Citing Henry Alford, the Greek scholar, he felt that the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer “must on every ground of sound criticism be omitted. Had it formed part of the original text, it is absolutely inconceivable that all the ancient authorities should with one consent have omitted it… We find absolutely no trace of it in early times, in any family of manuscripts or in any expositions.” Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, pp. 587-588. G.I. Williamson, another Reformed theologian-pastor, also takes a similar view. “For it happens that the concluding words of the Lord’s Prayer, as we find them here… are not found in many of the ancient manuscripts of the Bible… Only a rather small minority have the words as we find them here… Since our ultimate standard of truth is the Bible in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), we must not accept anything as authentic that does not have the support of ‘many witnesses’ among these ancient manuscripts. It is for this reason that we do not regard these words as an original part of the Gospel according to Matthew.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism: for Study Classes. P & R Pub., 2003, p. 362.
• 4
  It is absent from some of the oldest Greek copies (as Beza also observed) and nearly all Latin copies.
• 5
  For example, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine do not seem to be aware of the conclusion, even in their explanations of the Lord’s prayer. Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 371.
• 6
  Although some church fathers were unaware of the conclusion, it is possible that it is because they relied on the later Latin translations of the New Testament (the Vulgate) rather than the older Greek manuscripts. Witsius described the older Greek manuscripts as more reliable fountains, and the subsequent Latin editions as dependent streams. Chrysostom, who had access to the Greek manuscripts, wrote on the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer: “After having roused us to the struggle by the consideration of the enemy, and entirely removed every apology for slothfulness, he again confirms and strengthens our mind by reminding us of the King, whom we faithfully serve, and by showing that he is more powerful than all. ‘Thine,’ he says, ‘is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.’ If the kingdom is his, we have nothing to fear, there being none that can oppose it, or wrest from him the government. When he says, ‘Thine is the kingdom,’ he shows that our antagonist is also subject to him, although so far as God permits, he makes opposition. For he [Satan] is one of the number of God’s servants, though he belongs to the guilty and wicked; and he will not venture, in a single instance, to attack a fellow-servant, till he has received power to do so from the Lord of all.” From the Homily on the sixth chapter of Matthew by Chrysostom, as quoted by Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 374.
• 7
  Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 588.
• 8
  Ibid.
• 9
  Consider the contrast given in Isaiah 6. In the year that King Uzziah (Azariah) died, there was likely political uncertainty about what would happen next in Judah. While he followed God early-on in life (2 Ki. 15:3-4; 2 Chr. 26:4-5), he became proud over time (2 Chr. 26:16-23), and struck with leprosy (2 Ki. 15:1-7; 2 Chr. 26:19-23). Unlike the human king who was subject to change, God remained steady and lifted up upon his throne (Isa. 6:1), unfazed by the affairs of men (cf. Ps. 2:1-4).
• 10
  In proclaiming God’s kingdom, we are referring to his universal kingdom where God has dominion over all things (Ps. 103:19), the kingdom of grace where he particularly rules over his redeemed (Jn. 15:19), and the kingdom of glory where God’s people are delivered from all their enemies, sin has been removed, and his people are made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God for all eternity (Heb. 12:23).
• 11
  Witsius, Herman. Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer. Reformation Heritage Books, 2010, p. 377.
• 12
  Ibid, pp. 381-382.
• 13
  God is the center of our existence whether we want to acknowledge it or not. God does not passively wait to be exalted, but has taken initiative to glorify himself in every divine act (Rom. 11:36). Both the saved and the lost are instruments that display something of God’s glory. Even in his wrath, God makes his glory known (Rom. 9:22-23; Pro. 16:4).
• 14
  “In the Greek New Testament the word occurs 150 times, of which the King James Version translates 50 by ‘amen’ and 100 by ‘verily.’ In the discourses of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, the word Verily or the expression ‘Verily, verily…’ occur frequently. In each case the Greek word is ‘Amen,’ meaning ‘truly.’” Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 589.
• 15
  The Heidelberg Catechism’s answer to question 109 states it this way: “‘Amen’ signifies it shall truly and certainly be, for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God than I feel in my heart that I desire these things of Him.”