It’s All About You, God!
“For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)
We are used to this phrase in the Lord’s Prayer. Surprisingly, it may not have been in the original manuscripts. Research Bible translations…only the KJV has this phrase in the text itself. Many others, like the RSV, NIV, et al. have a footnote and usually the footnote says: “some ancient manuscripts add”…‘For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ Why?
Doing a little research, I found that this phrase was absent in many of the early Greek manuscripts and from the early writings of theologians in church history through the 5th century. But the phrase was included in a 2nd century non-canonical writing called the Didache.
According to gotquestions.org, ‘whether ‘for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever’ was included in the Lord’s prayer is not easily answered, as there is data to support both perspectives. The earliest evidence of the Greek Bible manuscripts supports the exclusion of the phrase, while its widespread presence in later manuscripts means the phrase cannot be discarded lightly. The phrase may’ve been a doxology, kind of a hymnic addition to facilitate a worshipful reading of the passage.’
Now what? Do we pray it or not? Are we wrong to pray or sing it? Hardly. The phrase brings us to a heart of God-centered worship!
Everything we do, pray, and believe is really all about Him! I like Eugene Peterson’s translation: You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.
- When was the last time we truly prayed: God, my greatest desire is that I want You to be glorified through me?
- Do we praise Him every day that He is Lord and in charge, even in chaotic storms?
- When was the last time we were amazed by how beautiful, majestic, and glorious Jesus Christ is as our Savior and Friend?
- Do we allow the Holy Spirit to do whatever He wants in our lives?
Maybe this phrase wasn’t in every original manuscript, but I believe it expresses the Spirit’s desire for us to worship The Father. Any phrase that proclaims Jesus is Lord, and ‘I want Your kingdom to reign and rule in me, in others, in the world’ is Holy Spirit inspired, and worth praying, singing, and proclaiming every day!
Blessings,
Pastor Ross