However, it’s worth remembering that it doesn’t just appear in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and that Luke also mentions it too, in a briefer form. The term ‘paternoster’ was also applied to lifts or elevators consisting of a set of linked doorless compartments which move continuously on an endless belt, because of the rosary beads used when reciting the Lord’s Prayer.īut it’s important to bear in mind the context in which the Lord’s Prayer appears, and Jesus’ emphasis on the simplicity and humility of worship. Saying ‘paternoster’ really quickly gave rise to the word ‘patter’, which is still used today (e.g., in reference to a salesperson’s rapid sales pitch). The way to earn God’s love and a place in heaven is through being humble and placing oneself under the higher power of God.ĭespite this warning, however, it has long been customary for worshippers to repeat the Lord’s Prayer at speed, especially the opening words – which, in Latin, are ‘pater noster’ (i.e., Our Father). It reflects Jesus’ teachings, which – particularly in the Sermon on the Mount itself – emphasise the need for modesty, humility, and poverty, and the rejection of ostentation, hypocrisy, or wealth. This explains why the Lord’s Prayer is short, direct, and relatively straightforward in its language. God already knows what you’re going to ask of him, so be brief and to the point, Jesus says.
The context in which the fullest and most famous version of the Lord’s Prayer appears in the Bible is in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where he specifically cautions against using pointless repetitions in prayer, just for the sake of making lots of words and noises for God.
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