“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”

Matthew 6:11 and John 19:23-24

March 17, 1999

23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

            In the Lord’s Prayer, the first three petitions deal with spiritual matters: the holy name of God, his kingdom, and his will.  Now Jesus directs us to ask the Father for an apparently less important request, “Give us this day our daily bread.” But is it? Consider how Jesus expressed concern for the material matters of human life. He turns water into wine, heals the sick, feeds 5,000 hungry people, gives sight to the blind, restores speech to the dumb, and hearing to the deaf? Are these things really what Jesus means by daily bread?

            A Broad “Bread”.  Luther believed that in this petition the Lord teaches us to pray for “everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body.”

            Throughout the Lenten account, the lack of contentment with their daily bread is evident both on the part of the disciples and those who plotted against Christ. Shortly after the Lord’s Supper was instituted, “A dispute arose among [the disciples] as to which of them was considered to be greatest” (Lk 22:24). Even the Jewish leaders, who already held high offices, could not tolerate the thought that someone else was more important than they: “Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (Jn 12:19). Even Pilate recognizes their jealousy: “For he knew it was out of envy that they handed Jesus over to him.” (Mt 27:18).

            The trail of envy can be traced throughout Scripture. Cain envies his brother, Abel, and becomes the first murderer. Joseph’s brothers despise his dreams of ruling over them, so they sell him as a slave and lie about his disappearance. St. John writes, “Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. … gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church” (3 Jn 9-10). Envy is a bridge that leads to evil.

            Content with Possessions.  While some are unhappy with their situation in life, others are not content with their possessions. Our Lord’s warning about covetousness is simple and profound: “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Lk 12:15). There are many kinds of greed. The Passion history spotlights Judas’ love of money but also mentions the soldiers beneath the cross gambling for the seamless garment Jesus wore. Jews wore five articles of clothing: sandals, turban, girdle, inner garment, and outer cloak. The four soldiers divided four of these among themselves but “cast lots” for the more expensive item (Jn 19:23-24). This custom of the soldiers “inheriting” a crucified man’s clothing was the final indignity for a dying criminal.

            The soldiers’ game was different from gambling today. They did not bet their own money with the hope of winning a greater sum. Nor was their livelihood threatened if they lost. Today, Americans spend as much money gambling as they do on movies, books, and theater and concert tickets combined. An estimated 100 million Americans bet $400 billion in 1995. Some 15 percent of pathological gamblers attempt suicide. Another 90 percent consider it. Gambling is no longer confined to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Reno, It’s right in our own backyard.

            One of the best commentaries on the dangers of enviously desiring material wealth is Paul’s letter to Timothy: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into man foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim 6:6-10). It is important to note that it is the love of money, not money itself, is “a root of all kinds of evil.” It is not wrong to be rich. A few sentences after the “love of money” warning, the apostle asks Timothy to counsel those who are rich to put their hope in God and be generous in sharing their wealth (1 Tim 6:17-19). Perhaps the wisest of all sayings in this regard comes from the sayings of Agur in the book of Proverbs 30: “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Mt 19:23-24).

            Involved in the Answer. As in the petition regarding forgiveness, God involves His people in the answer to this petition. Many people, including children, go to bed hungry each night even in our affluent country. The supply is there; the distribution is wanting. The words of St. John reminds us of God’s will in this matter, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn 3:17-18).

            We are the Lord’s helping hands. Through us, his people, he gives and distributes his goodness to others. And, like love, consider how much the heavenly Father gives to us. It is not just the soul that Christ died. He dies to redeem us, body and soul. God cares about our daily bodily existence so that we don’t have to worry about having something to eat, or drink, or put on. Jesus even says, “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” He has even taught us how to pray for them while at the same time seeking his kingdom and his righteousness. Therefore a promise is attached to the command to pray in this way, “give us this day our daily bread.” And this is the promise, “all these things will be given to you as well.” Amen.