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The Concealed Word in The Lord’s Prayer


In their book A Prayer To Our Father, Nehemia Gordon (a translator on the Dead Sea Scrolls and researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts) and Keith Johnson, provide the following insights:

The Hebrew words behind “give us this day our daily bread” actually says “give us our bread tamid”  The word Tamid is rich with meaning - the closest approximation in English is “continually,” so it may be translated “give us our bread continually” or “give us our continual bread.” 

The Greek equivalent of tamid is epiousion.


Origen of Alexandria, a 2nd Century Christian scholar said that Yeshua taught the Avinu Prayer in Hebrew and it was later translated into Greek, and the translators struggled to find a word that could faithfully convey in Greek the meaning of Yeshua’s Hebrew prayer - they invented the Greek word epiousion to communicate the idea of “continual / daily” bread...when Yeshua wanted to communicate the idea of “continual / daily” bread, he used the Hebrew word tamid.


In ancient Hebrew, after each meal they would recite a traditional Jewish prayer blessing the Almighty “for
feeding us the food which you provide for us continually,”...they understood in a very real and tangible way that

their lives depended on God’s continual provision.

In Hebrew thought, “bread” is often a metaphor for the Word of God, which sustains the universe and nourishes

the human soul.

The prophet Isaiah used bread in a symbolic way “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and
he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without
price.” (Isaiah 55:1). 


Continued...