Cyprian explains why the Lord's Prayer is shared prayer
About this date: The anchor follows the usual approximate placement of On the Lord's Prayer within Cyprian's episcopate; it is not a date for the origin of the prayer.
Cyprian draws attention to the plural language of the Lord's Prayer: believers ask for daily bread and forgiveness together. His exposition connects prayer with the unity of the community and responsibility toward others.
Historical context
A familiar prayer becomes the subject of sustained pastoral teaching. Cyprian moves from its wording to questions of concord, dependence on God, and the acknowledgment of sin.
Key points
- The prayer says our and us rather than limiting its petitions to a single speaker.
- Cyprian treats this common language as a lesson in praying for the whole people.
- The petition for forgiveness recalls the worshiper's own need for mercy.
People
- Cyprian of Carthage
Scripture
- Matthew 6:9-13 — Cyprian expounds the shared petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
Sources and further reading
- On the Lord's Prayer
Explains the prayer's communal language and its petitions for forgiveness and concord.