by Philip Melanchthon
translated by Laura Glassel from the German edition (Supplementa Melanchthoniana, Werke Philipp Melanchthons Die Im Corpus Reformatorum Vermisst Werden) published by Verlag von Rudolf Haupt in 1915
John 16:23
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” (NKJV)
Our Father, who is in heaven.
This means: O, you almighty God, creator of all creatures, who is in heaven, who is around us and with us and desires to be our gracious and kind Father, for the sake of your dear Son Jesus Christ. You care sincerely for us and desire to hear us and help us.
The First Request. Hallowed be your name. This means: May your name be correctly acknowledged, through correct teaching and faith that you are the true God who has revealed himself. May you be truly called upon and correctly honored and separated from all idolatry.
The Second Request. Your kingdom come. This means: May you reign over us in your Holy Spirit. It is to be noted that the statements of this prayer are very well organized. The correct teaching and the correct acknowledgment of God must first be in us; the word and learning are truly the beginning. The heart also becomes strong and alive as the Holy Spirit takes part. It is extremely important that we ask that he would reign over us as it is commanded in Luke 11. How much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him for this.
The Third Request. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is speaking of offices. O Lord, work so that offices, preachers, teachers, kings, princes, judges, and fathers would exercise their offices rightly. May that happen which pleases you, just as the angels in heaven exercise their offices and do what pleases you.
The Fourth Request. Give us this day our daily bread. This means: Take care of our and our poor children’s weak bodies. Give us food, peace, health, understanding, fortune in our work, and other bodily cares. As you have graciously promised: Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all other goods will be given to you.
The Fifth Request. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. This request must accompany all appeals and all prayers: forgive us our debt. This special light of the gospel and this belief must always shine in our hearts, that God certainly desires to forgive us our sins for the sake of his Son as God has born witness with his oath.
The Sixth Request. And do not lead us into temptation. This means: Do not let us fall or depart from you, such that we would be tempted and challenged either in the body or in the spirit. For, the devil is the grim enemy of all of God’s servants. He seeks through all cunning means to blaspheme God and to ruin mankind. As St. Peter states: the devil prowls around like a roaring lion and without godly help we cannot alone resist him.
The Seventh Request. But deliver us from the evil one. This section speaks of the end, for while in the meantime this life is full of sorrow, there must eventually be a deliverance. Otherwise, we would be in fear and death eternally. Therefore, we finally ask that God would rescue us from this sorrow and from death and hell. We also ask that he would give us eternal righteousness and bliss. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill to mankind.
You can get all three parts of Melanchthon’s German Catechism in one Kindle book.
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