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Explanation for:
Matthew
6
:
12
And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
15
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Cyprian of Carthage","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a7d3432c6dd4136a433_Cyprian%20of%20Carthage.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":3,"exegesis-text":"After requesting nourishment, there follows a plea for the forgiveness of sins, allowing humanity, sustained by God, to flourish in His presence and to focus not only on earthly existence but also on eternal life, attainable through the absolution of sins, which the Lord refers to as debts in His Gospel, stating, “All your debt is forgiven to you, because you have begged Me” (Matthew 18:32). It is imperative, both enlightening and beneficial, that we are reminded to seek pardon for our transgressions, awakening greater awareness within our spirits. This reminder is essential to counteract our complacency, as if we were blameless, and to guard against the peril of pride that could lead to our downfall. We are instructed to pray daily for the forgiveness of our sins, reinforcing that we are indeed sinners in need of repentance. In his epistle, John echoes this sentiment, declaring, “If we say, ‘We have no sin,’ we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just, that He may put away our sins” (1 John 1:8-9). John affirms that we must ask for forgiveness and assures us that we will receive it upon our request. He describes the Lord as faithful, emphasizing His commitment to fulfill His promises, including the assurance of the Father’s mercy and the forgiveness that follows our petitions.\\n\\nThe Lord further stipulates a requirement in His teachings, instructing us to forgive others as we desire forgiveness for ourselves, emphasizing that we cannot expect our sins to be remitted unless we extend the same grace to our debtors. This principle is encapsulated in His saying, “In this measure ye measure, it shall be measured unto you” (Matthew 7:2). The parable of the servant who refused to forgive his fellow servant despite receiving complete pardon illustrates the severity of this expectation; he faced imprisonment for failing to show compassion (Matthew 18:27-34). The Lord underscores this teaching with intensified admonition in His commandments. He states, “And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive your trespasses; but if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 11:25-26). Judgment is rendered to us based on our own actions, and the treatment we show others reflects how we ourselves will be treated.\\n\\nGod desires that only those who are peaceable, harmonious, and united should dwell in His presence. He seeks that those regenerated by the Spirit maintain the state of grace bestowed upon them, inviting those who are children of God to remain in divine peace. He calls for us, united in spirit, to also be one in heart and purpose. Offerings from those in conflict are not accepted; God commands reconciliation before presenting gifts at the altar, so that we may approach Him with sincere supplications rooted in peace. The ultimate offering to God is our unity and mutual harmony, comprising a community bound together by the oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the narratives of Abel and Cain, God evaluated their hearts rather than their gifts, confirming that true acceptance comes from a heart aligned with His will. Righteous Abel, through his innocent sacrifice, served as a model for those approaching the altar, emphasizing the need for reverence, sincerity, and righteous intent. In this disposition, he himself became a living offering unto God, embodying the Lord’s righteousness and tranquility. Abel was the first martyr, foreshadowing Christ's own passion through the glory of his blood, and such individuals will ultimately receive crowns from the Lord and reign with Him in the final judgment.\\n\\nConversely, those harboring animosity and discord, lacking reconciliation with their brothers, despite suffering death for Christ’s sake, remain culpable of enmity among brethren (1 Cor. 13:3). The Scripture warns that anyone who harbors hatred toward a brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15), and such a murderer cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven or dwell with God. Those opting to emulate Judas rather than Christ cannot share in His presence. What transgression can possibly remain unatoned by the blood of martyrdom? What offense cannot be erased by sacrifice?"},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Jerusalem","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a9af397fcf9d613728f_Cyrill%20of%20Jerusalem.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"We all have numerous transgressions. We fall short in our speech and our thoughts and commit actions deserving of judgment. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, as stated by John. Thus, we enter into an agreement with God, beseeching Him to pardon our wrongdoings as we extend forgiveness to those indebted to us. Accordingly, considering what we have received, let us not hesitate or procrastinate in granting forgiveness to one another. The wrongs directed at us may be minor, manageable, and forgivable; however, the offenses we commit against God are severe and can only be addressed through His grace. Therefore, be vigilant that you do not allow minor offenses against you to hinder God’s forgiveness of your more serious sins."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Moreover, since sin can occur even after the waters of rebirth, the Savior demonstrates His immense compassion by instructing us to approach the merciful God with a petition for the forgiveness of our sins, saying: \\"Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.\\" Do you perceive the profound depths of God’s mercy? Despite the eradication of numerous evils and the immeasurable gift of justification, He continues to extend forgiveness to those who err. That this supplication is intended for the faithful is evident, both from the teachings of the Church and from the very opening of the Lord’s Prayer. Only those enlightened by faith are able to address God as Father. Thus, if the Lord's Prayer is meant for believers and urges them to seek forgiveness for their transgressions, it follows that the beneficial practice of repentance remains valid even after baptism. Had Christ not intended to convey this truth, He wouldn't have prescribed prayer in such a manner. By acknowledging our sins and teaching us how to request their remission, He facilitates our ability to attain this forgiveness. He provided this directive for prayer because He fully understood and aimed to instill in us the notion that sins can indeed be absolved even post-baptism. By reminding us of our transgressions, He fosters humility within us; by commanding us to forgive others, He eradicates our desire for vengeance; and by assuring us of forgiveness, He instills hope and encourages us to reflect on the unfathomable mercy of God. It is particularly significant that in each of these requests, He encompasses all virtues, and in this final plea, He specifically addresses the matter of vengeance. The hallowing of God's name through our actions is a clear indicator of a life lived righteously; similarly, the fulfillment of His will and our calling Him Father signify a life free of blame. This already implies that we must relinquish any resentment towards those who wrong us; yet the Savior desires more than mere absence of anger. To highlight His earnest care for the elimination of vindictiveness, He speaks directly about it; after the prayer, He emphasizes the command of forgiveness, asserting, \\"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you\\" (Matt. 6:14). Thus, this forgiveness is contingent on us, granting us the power to pass judgment upon ourselves. In order that none who have suffered a minor or severe injustice might justly protest against God’s judgment, the Savior positions you, the offender, as your own judge, expressing that the judgment you render upon yourself will mirror what He will render upon you. If you forgive your fellow man, you too will receive similar grace from Me, which is of far greater significance than the first. You offer forgiveness to others because you stand in need of it yourself; however, God forgives without any such necessity. You may forgive the minor wrongs of others, but God forgives far greater faults; while you bear countless sins, God remains without sin. Conversely, the Lord exemplifies His humanity by acknowledging that though He could absolve all your sins unconditionally, He seeks to honor you by providing opportunities and incentives for kindness and mercy. He aims to eliminate brutishness from your nature, quell your anger, and foster harmony with your fellow believers in every possible manner. What do you have to say about this? If you have endured injustice from your neighbor, then indeed your neighbor has wronged you; yet if your suffering is just, it is not constituted as sin on their part. Yet, you approach God desiring forgiveness for sins that may pale in comparison to theirs. Even before receiving absolution, have you not already benefited, having been taught to harbor humanity within your heart and instructed in gentleness? What’s more, a great reward awaits you in the life to come, where no account of your sins will be demanded of you. Therefore, what punishment do we deserve if we disregard our salvation after being bestowed such privileges? Will the Lord listen to our requests if we do not hold ourselves accountable where we possess the ability to do so? When we pray, \\"Give us this day our daily bread,\\" He teaches us to cultivate a deep sense of humility, entrusting our burdens to God, confident in His care for us while recognizing that it is impossible for mortals like us not to falter. The Lord also guides us to include in our prayer, \\"and forgive us our debts...\\" With these words, He conveys several benefits: He imparts humility even to those who have reached the pinnacle of virtue and encourages them not to rely solely on their accomplishments, but to maintain a sense of awareness about their past sins, much like the apostle Paul who, despite his many achievements, declared, \\"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first\\" (1 Tim. 1:15). He did not claim he \\"was\\" a sinner but rather \\"am,\\" indicating his persistent recognition of sin. In this way, the Lord provides assurance in humility to those who have achieved great virtue, while to those who have faltered post-baptism, He offers hope for salvation, directing them to seek the repairing balm of forgiveness from the Healer of souls. Additionally, these words advocate for kindness, urging us to be compassionate towards the guilty, to dispense mercy to those who sin against us, and to obtain our own forgiveness through granting it to them. We seek the same measure of mercy for ourselves that we extend to others and request the same forgiveness for ourselves that we offer our debtors."},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"What is the expectation of someone who prays while holding resentment against a neighbor who may have wronged him? Just as he misleads himself by claiming, “I forgive,” when he actually has not, he similarly seeks God’s forgiveness even while remaining unforgiven. Thus, the one who, despite being wronged, refuses to pardon his transgressor prays without purpose. Consider how he prays who not only has not been wronged by anyone but actively wrongs and burdens others. Many individuals, reluctant to extend forgiveness to those who have sinned against them, turn away from this prayer. How foolish! For those who do not pray in accordance with Christ’s teachings cannot rightly claim to be His followers. Moreover, the Father does not heed with favor the prayer not given by the Son. The Father discerns the words and intentions of His Son and accepts not what human arrogance has devised but what has been revealed through Christ’s understanding. Therefore, while you may express your prayers, you cannot confound or deceive God. Unless you first extend forgiveness, you will not receive forgiveness yourself."},{"author-name":"Isidore of Pelusium","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d94130e668938c9ae9d_Isidore%20of%20Pelusium.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"I believe that the boundaries of arrogance are utterly surpassed by one who, despite being unreachable and harsh, still claims, “Leave us our debts.” This individual is filled with vengeance and profound bitterness, yet asserts, “As we also leave our debtors our debts.” Thus, to request the forgiveness of one’s debts inherently belongs to those who pardon those who have wronged them."},{"author-name":"Council of Carthage 419","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"It is also established that if anyone claims, like the saints in the Lord's Prayer, \\"Forgive us our debts,\\" not for themselves, since they no longer require this supplication, but rather for the transgressions of other sinners within their community, and if none of the saints articulates specifically, \\"Forgive me my debts, but forgive us our debts,\\" so that this request by a righteous individual is understood to refer to others more than oneself, let him be condemned. Holy and righteous was James the apostle when he declared, \\"We all stumble in many ways\\" (James 3:2). What is the significance of the term \\"all,\\" if not to align with the Psalm, which states, \\"Enter not into judgment with Your servant, for no one living is righteous before You\\" (Psalm 142:2). Similarly, in the prayer of wise Solomon, we find: \\"There is no man who does not sin\\" (1 Kings 8:46), and Job states: \\"In the hand of every man is a sign, that every man may know his weakness\\" (Job 37:7). Thus, the holy and righteous Daniel the prophet, in his prayers, continually confessed, \\"We have sinned; we have committed iniquity\\" (Dan. 9:5), along with other sincere confessions. To avoid any misunderstanding that he was referring only to the sins of his people and not his own, he explicitly stated, \\"I prayed and confessed my sins and the sins of my people to the Lord my God\\" (Dan. 9:20). He did not merely say, \\"Our sins,\\" but included \\"their sins\\" as well, foreseeing that there could arise people who would misinterpret these matters. It is also affirmed that if anyone believes that the very words of the Lord’s Prayer, in which we say, \\"Forgive us our debts,\\" are uttered by the saints in humility rather than in truth, let him be condemned. For who could endure one who prays, not to men, but to the Lord Himself, claiming with his lips a desire for forgiveness while harboring in his heart the notion that he has no sins requiring absolution?"},{"author-name":"Barsanuphius the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88987273231d0b86ede87_Barsanuphius%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":6,"exegesis-text":"It appears to me that the Lord's Prayer is particularly suited for those who sin, as it is characteristic of sinners to plead: Forgive us our debts. What obligations do those who are perfected and have become children of the heavenly Father possess?"},{"author-name":"Maximus the Confessor","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8951a1dea23713695271e_Maximus%20the%20Confessor.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":7,"exegesis-text":"Who, as interpreted from the earlier expression of the Prayer, in this present time, represented by the term ‘today,’ receives through Prayer the eternal Bread of wisdom, which was lost to us due to the initial disobedience to the commandment; who knows only one joy, which is the pursuit of the Divine, bestowed by God by His very nature, and safeguarded by the free will of the recipient; who experiences a single sorrow - the shortcoming of this success, instigated by the adversary, and perpetuated by any individual who, through the weakening of will, grows weary of the Divine and fails to cherish this treasure, held within the soul through a loving disposition of will; who consciously withdraws from material desires and thus remains unaffected by the physical trials he encounters - such a person truly offers forgiveness to those who offend him with indifference. For the goodness that he cherishes and maintains within himself cannot be taken away by anyone, as it is intrinsically inalienable, as affirmed by faith. He stands before God as a model of virtue, calling upon the Incomparable to emulate him, saying, \\"Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors;\\" imploring God to act towards him as he has acted towards others. For if he desires that God forgive him in the same manner he has forgiven the transgressions of others, then, as God forgives without malice, so too does he forgive those who have wronged him, remaining unaffected by their actions, and thus he refrains from allowing memories of past anguish to cloud his mind, demonstrating that he does not isolate himself from humanity, nor sever the unity of human nature. When the will aligns with the logos of nature in this way, the reconciliation between God and human nature typically follows, for a nature that willingly rebels against itself finds it impossible to accept the unfathomable grace of the Divine. Certainly, the Lord desires our reconciliation not merely to teach us to forgive those who have erred against us or to make amends for grievous offenses, but to cleanse us from our passions and reveal the strong connection between our state of mind and divine grace. It is evident that when the will aligns with the logos of nature, the free wills of those who abide by it will no longer oppose God. For there is no irrationality in the logos of nature, which embodies both natural and divine law, integrating the movement of will in harmony with it. If the logos of nature possesses no irrationality, it naturally follows that the will, moving in accordance with it, acts in alignment with God in all things. This represents the active disposition of the soul, enabled by the grace of God, who is inherently good, fostering the emergence of virtue. He who seeks the spiritual Bread in Prayer embodies this soul disposition, and likewise, the same disposition will be adopted by one who, constrained by bodily needs, requests merely daily sustenance. Acknowledging his mortality, he forgives the debts owed to him, and daily, in light of the uncertainty surrounding the hour of death, he remains prepared for the inevitable, heeding nature with his will, becoming, in a sense, a self-determined dead man to the world, aligning with the words of the Psalmist: \\"For your sake we are killed all day long; we are considered as sheep for the slaughter” (Psalm 43:23). As a result, he reconciles with all, so that upon entering into everlasting life, he may not carry with him the marks of the present age's decay, receiving from the Judge and Savior of all the due recompense for what he has borrowed during his earthly life. For a compassionate attitude towards those in distress is essential for their own benefit."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Recognizing that we continue to sin even after our baptism, we appeal to God for His forgiveness, asking that He grant us mercy in the same manner that we extend mercy to others. If we harbor resentment, we cannot expect His forgiveness. God uses me as a reflection, treating me in accordance with how I treat others."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Understanding the inclination of our human nature towards sin, and knowing that we may fall into sin again even after our baptism, He instructs us to seek forgiveness for our transgressions, which He refers to as debts. Sin can be likened to a debt, as it renders a person guilty, akin to financial obligations. When we earnestly ask for forgiveness, we are reminded of our shortcomings and experience a humbling of our spirit. He also guides us on how to submit to God; that is, we are called to forgive those who have wronged us—these are our debtors. This is what He teaches us to prioritize in our prayers, as it is through this act of mercy that we can find true liberation. Thus, after completing His teaching on prayer, He reiterates this message and connects it to our communication with God, emphasizing that we must forgive those who have sinned against us. This is crucial to avoid the guilt of speaking insincerely before God."},{"author-name":"Symeon of Thessalonica","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c897e26d8de9e2f4f210fd_Symeon%20of%20Thessalonica.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":15,"exegesis-text":"This appeal encapsulates the entire import and essence of the holy Gospel: the Word of God entered into the world to release us from our transgressions and sins. By taking on human form, He fulfilled His mission, poured out His blood, instituted the sacraments for the forgiveness of sins, and established these principles. \\"Let it go and it will be let off to you,\\" it is proclaimed (Luke 6:37). When Peter inquires how many times one should forgive a sinner in a day, the response is: \\"up to seventy times seven,\\" signifying an unending forgiveness (Matthew 18:22). Furthermore, this teaches about the efficacy of prayer itself, affirming that if the individual praying forgives, they too will be forgiven, and that the degree of forgiveness they grant will correspond to the forgiveness they receive (Luke 6:36-38) — particularly concerning sins against one another and our Creator, as the Lord desires. We are all fundamentally equal and collectively bound, all of us having sinned; we offer little in comparison to what we receive. By extending forgiveness to others, we ourselves obtain mercy from God."},{"author-name":"Peter of Kiev","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896ddde144a394c69d270_Peter%20of%20Kiev.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":17,"exegesis-text":"What is the fifth petition? \\"And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.\\" What does this petition imply? First, we implore God to pardon our transgressions, particularly those we have committed since our holy Baptism, whether they be grave or minor, through which we have wronged God or those around us, whether in thought, inclination to sin, word, or action. Secondly, in stating, \\"And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,\\" we commit ourselves to offer forgiveness to our adversaries. Therefore, anyone who fails to pardon their neighbor for any offense acts in vain when making this request; their sins remain unforgiven, and furthermore, their very prayer becomes an offense, as stated, \\"And his prayer shall be counted as sin\\" (Ps. 108:7). This principle holds true. If we are reluctant to forgive our brethren for the minor wrongs they may do against us, how can we expect God, whom we continually offend in various ways, to forgive us our far greater transgressions against Him?"},{"author-name":"Wladimir (Bogojawlenski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c898de9753dde91f8ba29f_Wladimir%20(Bogojawlenski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer is closely connected to the fourth, which we discussed last week. This relationship is entirely appropriate; it represents our daily needs. Each day, we require both the provision of our daily sustenance for our physical existence and the pardon of our sins to nurture the vitality and purpose of our eternal spirit. What benefit is there to a person who gains the world but forfeits their soul? Or what can one offer in exchange for their soul? (Matthew 16:26). When we approach the fifth petition, \\"forgive us our debts,\\" with a sincere and unblemished conscience, we perceive God's voice resonating deep within us, questioning: what right do you have to make such a request to Me, your Father? And how can you hope for a favorable response, knowing the gravity and frequency of your sins against Me, the disdain shown towards My paternal authority and your duties as My child? We acknowledge this truth, Father, and we recognize it profoundly. Our transgressions are vast and severe; we feel unworthy to bear the title of Your children and we fear that these sins might create a barrier between You and us, obscuring Your divine countenance. Yet, with contrite hearts, we approach You, pleading from the depths of our being: do not judge us, Your unworthy children; do not hide Your face from us; remove all that distances us from You and prevents us from seeing You. In Your immense mercy, come to our aid and forgive our transgressions. Our Church interprets this petition in this manner and no other; when asked what we seek in this fifth petition, she responds that we implore our Heavenly Father to forgo our sins, to show no anger because of them, and not to deny our requests on account of them. In our own merit, we lack the worthiness for this, as we continuously commit grievous sins deserving only of punishment. However, it is out of His mercy that He is able and willing to grant us this forgiveness. This petition is founded upon the humble acknowledgment and confession of our great sinfulness before God, affirming that we are deserving solely of punishment. In contrast, a Pharisee who justifies himself fails to acknowledge his debts, relying instead on his good deeds to settle accounts with God, even claiming a surplus and making demands of God as though owed compensation. The fifth petition reflects the state of the publican, who, fully aware of his multitude of sins, recognizes that his only hope for salvation lies in God's grace: \\"O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!\\" How many reasons do we have to focus intently on the word \\"ours\\" and seek God's forgiveness for our sins! These sins burden us all; not only our personal transgressions but also those of our brothers and sisters. They not only demonstrate our own need for grace and absolution, urging us to plead on behalf of others, but also contribute collectively to the weight we bear before God, intensifying our accountability and guilt at the Last Judgment. No one lives or sins in isolation. We cannot amend our wrongs, nor can we repay what we owe to God, as each day only accumulates our debts, making us ever more culpable before His judgment. Only God can act as our advocate, releasing us from our debts using His supreme authority to pardon, declaring, \\"It is forgiven, it is no longer charged!\\" For, beyond this, He cannot rectify the evil we have done nor erase it; this is the singular, holy limitation He has placed on His omnipotence. The most serious and dire truth about sin is that with His infinite power, God has no means to absolve us from our sins other than through forgiveness, which entails leaving them unpunished. Thus, in this prayer, we request that He does not hold our sins against us, that He overlooks them in His great mercy, and that He considers the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, who taught us to pray: \\"Forgive us our debts,\\" and who offered Himself as our Redeemer. May we come to know through our own experiences the profound truth that where sin abounds, grace overflows (Romans 5:20). If our Heavenly Father truly grants such grace, listening to your prayers, friend, and soothing your soul with the assurance of forgiveness, then draw nearer to your heart and appropriately reflect upon the words taught by the Master to His disciples in this fifth petition: \\"Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.\\" What do these words convey, and how should we interpret them? We do not mean to suggest that we offer our willingness to forgive others as leverage for God to forgive us. Nor do we imply that our Heavenly Father should forgive us only to the degree that we forgive those who have wronged us. In making such a calculation, we would be woefully misguided, requesting merely a penny from our debtors while we owe our Father an insurmountable debt. Instead, we express our sincere willingness, as an act of gratitude for His forgiveness, to likewise forgive those who have offended us. Thus, in the words of the fifth petition, \\"as we also forgive our debtors,\\" our Lord compels us to extend mercy and grace to those who have wronged us. Yet, how revealing it is, dear brethren, that as we say the Lord's Prayer, we must explicitly declare our readiness to be merciful to others at the command of the Lord. Such a promise is not confined to this petition alone but encompasses every petition within this prayer. For instance, when we pray, \\"Give us this day our daily bread,\\" we imply a similar promise of readiness to share this bread with others in need. However, the Savior does not necessitate that we articulate this promise in any particular way; He trusts us to recognize it in our own prayers. Only in this fifth petition does He require us to state it expressly and clearly. He understands that it can be challenging for a person to share, even a small fraction of the abundant blessings received from their Heavenly Father, but it is far more difficult to forgive the wrongs of others with genuine grace, even in light of all the bountiful favors that God has bestowed upon us. O Merciful Father! How often do we sin grievously against You by our unwillingness to forgive our debtors, failing to embody Your love for our enemies. Please bear with us; do not bring us to judgment as Your servants. Along with our previous debts, forgive us the new ones we accumulate daily, including the severe debt stemming from our callous and unyielding hearts. Through Your boundless mercy and love, comfort us with the assurance of daily forgiveness, and warm our cold hearts with the flames of Your love. Amen."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Our transgressions. By transgressions, we refer to all our offenses before God, encompassing our sins and violations of His commandments. Humanity is inherently sinful and remains an insurmountable debtor to God, unable to cease sinning or provide restitution for those sins, as only God can extend forgiveness, much like a lender relinquishing a debt. This debt is lifted through faith in our Savior, who bore the weight of humanity's sins and granted us the ability to seek God's mercy in His name. As we extend forgiveness. This is a vital prerequisite for receiving God's pardon for our own wrongdoings (see Matthew 6:14). Our debtors include all those who have wronged us in any manner, whether through words or actions, whether deliberately or inadvertently. “By the remembrance of our sins He fosters in us a spirit of humility, through the command to forgive others He eradicates any desire for revenge within us, and by the assurance of forgiveness for these things also granted to us, He instills in us a sense of hope” (Chrysostom)."},{"author-name":"Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896ffb7a2ebaf99e46539_Philaret%20of%20Moscow%20(Drosdow).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"WHAT DO WE MEAN BY OUR DEBTS? In the Lord's Prayer, the term \\"debts\\" signifies our transgressions. We refer to sins as debts because everything we possess comes from God, and we are called to return it to Him by aligning with His will and commandments; failing to do so leaves us in obligation to His justice. WHO ARE OUR DEBTORS? Our debtors are those who have withheld what they ought to have given us as dictated by God's law, for instance, when they express hostility instead of love. HOW CAN WE EXPECT FORGIVENESS OF OUR DEBTS? In divine judgment, we can have hope for the remission of our debts through the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. ‘One God, one and only, and the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all’ (1 Tim. 2:5-6). WHAT CAN PREVENT US FROM RECEIVING FORGIVENESS FOR OUR DEBTS? If we seek God’s pardon for our sins while failing to forgive others, we will not receive absolution. ‘If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’ (Matthew 6:14-15). WHY DOES GOD WITHHOLD FORGIVENESS IF WE DO NOT PARDON OUR DEBTORS? God does not extend forgiveness to us if we refuse to forgive others because we become corrupt and eliminate God’s goodness and mercy from our lives. WHAT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED WHEN PRAYING THE PHRASE REGARDING ‘OUR DEBTOR’? The petition in the Lord's Prayer, ‘as we also forsake our debtor,’ implies that the one praying should harbor no animosity or resentment but rather embrace peace and love towards all. ‘If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath anything against thee: leave thy gift there before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and bring thy gift’ (Matthew 5:23-24). WHAT SHOULD WE DO IF SOMEONE REFUSES RECONCILIATION? If the individual who holds something against us cannot be reached promptly or is unwilling to reconcile, it suffices to seek reconciliation in our hearts before the omniscient God. ‘If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all men’ (Rom. 12:18)."}]}
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