For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:13b
My favorite commentary on the New Testament (Baker’s New Testament Commentary, by Hendriksen & Kistemaker) begins its remarks on this concluding sentence of the Lord’s Prayer with these words:
It is commonly held that, since these words are absent from the leading manuscripts, the rules of textual evidence do not favor their inclusion in the Lord's Prayer. Without disputing the correctness of this view it is but fair to point out, however, that, in one form or another, the doxology is found in some rather ancient versions.
So we will offer some devotional thoughts on the last line of the Lord’s Prayer, acknowledging that some believe this was not in the original, but added.
First, when a passage is of questionable origin, we must ask if it says anything that is as odds with the rest of the Bible. The answer regarding this passage is a definite No. This sentence, whether in the original or not, is perfectly consistent with the rest of scripture.
That said, this concluding doxology—or expression of praise to God—is biblical in nature. It reminds us to whom the prayer is addressed at the beginning (v.9). It is addressed to God. When a prayer is addressed to anyone or anything other than God, it is not a biblical prayer. Period!
That we are speaking to God reminds us that God alone has the authority (as King), the power (as Almighty God), and the glory (that belongs to God alone), to hear and answer our prayers. In other words, let us never think of prayer as “self-talk! We are addressing and petitioning GOD! We can rest, therefore, that God will only answer our prayers according to His perfect will. Prayer does not change God’s mind or will. Rather, prayer is a means of us asking Him to do His will, even if our prayers are not perfectly aligned with His will. In that sense, prayer changes us, not Him!
The last word, “Amen,” does not mean we are done praying, although in public or group prayer, it does usually signify that the one praying is finished. Literally, the word Amen means “truly,” or “so be it.” When we say “Amen” at the end of our prayers, we are not only praying according to the pattern giving at the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, we can be confident that God will hear and answer our prayers according to His will.