The Lord's Prayer

“Wright’s careful exposition of the Lord’s Prayer effectively joins exegetical study to theological reflection and spiritual practice. Both detailed and accessible, this book presents the prayer within the contexts of Jewish Scripture and tradition as an example of ‘divine pedagogy.’ On nearly every page, I encountered fresh insights about how, through his prayer, Jesus teaches about God, himself, and disciples then and now. A must-read for all students of Scripture.”—Elizabeth E. Shively, St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews

“Hardly any other biblical text has as great a claim on Christians as the text of the prayer that Jesus taught us. William Wright’s excellent exposition stands in an illustrious tradition of commentary on this dense and remarkable prayer, yet it also brings new insights to the church’s gathered wisdom. For anyone wishing to access the treasures hidden in the Lord’s gift of a model prayer, this book will be a magnificent guide.”—Anthony Giambrone, OP, vice president and professor of New Testament, École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem

“Christians throughout the ages have considered the Lord’s Prayer a summary of the entire gospel. Wright’s close reading of this pivotal text gives us fresh eyes to see how this familiar prayer touches so many facets of the Christian faith. His lucid exposition of its main theological issues and his thoughtful reflections on its practical significance for the community of faith will surely benefit those who wish to embrace this prayer on their spiritual journeys.”—Te-Li Lau, associate professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“If you grew up as a Christian, you probably said the words of the Lord’s Prayer thousands of times. But what do they really mean? What would they have meant in the context of Jesus’s life and teaching? In this book, William Wright unlocks the meaning of each line of the one prayer Jesus is recorded as teaching to his disciples. The result is a wonderful window into the mystery of what St. Thomas Aquinas called ‘the most perfect of prayers’—a window that will transform the way you pray the Lord’s Prayer.”—Brant Pitre, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology; author of Introduction to the Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus