Give us this day our daily bread.
Ver. 11. Give us this day] We have not a bit of bread of our own earning, but must get our living by begging. Peter himself was to obtain his very bread by humble petition, how much more his salvation? He that shall go to God, as the prodigal did, with, "Give me the portion that pertaineth to me," shall receive the wages of sin, which is eternal death, Romans 6:23. God "giveth meat in abundance," saith Elihu, Job 36:31; "That thou givest they gather," saith David, Psalms 104:28. And again, "Thou givest them their meat in due season." Now what more free than gift? Beggars also pay no debts, but acknowledge their insufficiency, and speak supplications in a low language, as broken men (non sum solvendo): so must we. Oh lie daily begging at the beautiful gate of heaven: look intently upon God, as he did, Acts 3:1,8, upon Peter and John, expecting to receive something. And because beggars must be no choosers, ask, as our Saviour here directs, (1.) for quality, bread only, not manchets a or juncates, b but downright household bread c (as the word imports), "the bread of carefulness or sorrows," Psalms 127:2, which the singing Psalms interpret "brown bread." Our Saviour gave thanks for barley bread; and his disciples were glad to make a sabbath day's dinner of a few ears of grain rubbed between their fingers. A very philosopher could say, He that can feed upon green herbs need not please Dionysius, need not flatter any man. And Epicurus himself would not doubt to content himself as well as he that hath most, might he have but a morsel of coarse meat and a draught of cold water. d The Israelites had soon enough of their quails: they had quaffs with a vengeance, because manna would not content them. They died with the meat in their mouths: and by a hasty testament, bequeathed a new name to the place of their burial, Kibrothhattaavah, the graves of lust: Cibus et potus sunt divitiae Christianorum, saith Jerome: Meat and drink are the Christian man's riches. Bread and cheese (saith another) with the gospel is good cheer. Nature is content with a little, grace with less, saith a third. A godly man, as he asketh but for bread, so (2.) for the quantity, but for daily bread, the bread of the day for the day, enough to bring him home with Jacob, so much only as will bear his charges, till he return again to his father's house. e He passeth through the world, as Israel through the wilderness, content with his omer by the day, with his statute measure, with his Father's allowance. As he journeyeth to the promised land, he bespeaks the world, as Israel did Edom through whose country they would have passed: "Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into the fields nor vineyards; neither will we drink of the water of thy wells; we will go by the king's highway, until we be past thy country," Numbers 21:21,22. And as a traveller when he cometh to his inn, if he can get a better room or lodging, he will; but if not, he is content, for he considereth it is but for a night. So the Christian pilgrim, if God send him in a plentiful estate, he gladly makes use of it; but if otherwise, he can live with a little: and if his means be not to his mind, he can bring his mind to his means, and live upon reversions. f Give him but necessaries, he stands not upon superfluities. Give him but daily bread, that is, bread for necessity, saith the Syriac, so much as will hold life and soul together, said Brentius. Sufficient to uphold and sustain nature, saith Beza (with the Greek scholar), that wherewith our nature and constitution may be content, and he is well paid and satisfied: g he cries out with Jacob, "I have enough;" and with David, "The lines are fallen unto me in a fair place." A little of the creature will serve turn to carry him through his pilgrimage; in his Father's house he knows is bread enough, Luke 16:21,22. And on the hope of that he goes on as merrily, and feeds as sweetly, as Samson did from his honey-comb, or Hunniades when he supped with the shepherds.
This day] Or, as St Luke hath it, by the day: h for who is sure of tomorrow? May not his soul this night be taken from him? We are εφημεροβιοι, as Diogenes was wont to say of himself: i and should (as Quintillian speaketh of the birds and beasts) in diem vivere, to live for the day, taking no further thought than for the present sustenance. The Turks never build anything sumptuously for their own private use, but contenting themselves with their simple cottages, how mean so ever, commonly say, that they be good enough for the time of their short pilgrimage.
a A small loaf or roll of the finest wheaten bread. Now only arch. or dial. The bread was moulded into small loaves, round and flattish, or into rolls, thicker in the middle than at the ends. ŒD
b Any dainty sweetmeat, cake, or confection; a sweet dish; a delicacy ŒD
c Τροφην, και ου τρυφην. Horat. Opponit panem libis et placentis, 1 eph 10.
d Epicurus dicebat se cum Iove etiam paratum esse de felicitate certare, si aquam haberet et offam.
e Ale me pane praescripti vel demensi mei, Proverbs 30:8 .
f Scite et breviter. Clem. Alex. Ολιγοδεης ο σπουδαιος, Socrates ab Archelao ad facultates ampliores accersitus, ει μη ικανα, inquit, τα οντα εμοι αλλ ' εγω τοιουτοις ικανος και ουτω κακεινα εμοι. Arian. ap. Stobaeum.
g Panem necessitatis. Syr. Vitae conservativum. Brent. In Annotat. Eum quo contenta esse possit natura et constitutio nostra. Camer.
h Επιουσιον, τουτ εστιν επι την ουσιαν ιπαρκουντα και αρμαζονται. Suid. καθ ημεραν, Luke 11:3; Luke 12:20 .
i Dioque erat ανεστιος, απολις, απατρος, αχρηματος, αστατος, εφημεροβιος