ἐπιούσιος (e-pe-ü'-se-os): “Give us this day our epiousion bread”—Part I: Matthew 6 & The Living Bread of the Future Kingdom

[Reading Time 8 minutes]

ἐπιούσιος (e-pe-ü'-se-os)

From ἐπι + οὐσία (the feminine, nominative present participle of εἶμι, “to be”)

Lit. That which is over or above (ἐπι) being (οὐσία).

Classical Greek

Synthesis

There are no occurrences of epiousios in Greek writings; however the root word, ousia, became a philosophical concept representing both essence and substance

As there are no actual uses of epiousios in Greek literature or philosophy, we will only be able to look at the way the root word, ousia, was used. Its form, being the present participle of “to be”, designates the philosophical concepts of essence or substance. In Latin it was translated as essentia (essence) or substantia (substance). With this in mind, we will limit ourselves to two brief examples so as to give insight into its relation first to created entities (substance) then in relation to uncreated, eternal realities (essence). As we will see, both of these may form a sort of background to the Lord’s Prayer; however, in it the word will be refocused, developed then massively expanded.

The first example comes in Book 13 of Aristotle’s Metaphysics, where ousia refers to that which has a physical form of being, with its translation being “substance.”

[1076α] [8], “We have stated what is the substance (οὐσίας) of sensible things (τῆς τῶν αἰσθητῶν), dealing in the treatise on physics with matter, and later with the substance which has actual existence (ἐνέργειαν [energia]). Now since our inquiry is whether there is or is not besides the sensible substances (αἰσθητὰς οὐσίας) any which is immovable and eternal, and, if there is, what it is, we must first consider what is said by others...

Aristotle’s usage highlights finite substances of the created order, which are open to analysis. In Book 2 of Epictetus‘ Discourses, ousia moves beyond the confines of created substances into the realm of eternal realities. In the section, “What is the nature (ἡ οὐσία) of the Good?”, ousia extends to the character of the Eternal God Himself with that reality present in us.

Much more can be said if we were to follow the development of ousia through Greek philosophy…but as our goal is its NT understanding we will simply summarize its root meaning with ousia as combining the realities of essence and substance.

New Testament

Synthesis

The combination of ousia with epi forms a completely novel word, whose meaning can only be understood through its uses in the NT

The novelty of the NT word is its combination of such a meaning of ousia with the preposition epi in a way that takes us far beyond human philosophy. As mentioned above, there are absolutely no instances of such a combination in any documents in the Greek language. The first and only two occurrences come in the Lord’s Prayer as presented in Matthew then in Luke. Origen (c. 184 – c. 253) testifies to this fact (De Oratione (“On Prayer”), XVII, p. 46), affirming that “the word epiousion is not found in any Greek writer whether in philosophy or in common usage, but seems to have been formed by the evangelists.”

[We will come back to his commentary in the later section on Patristics as it occurs early in the history of Christian thought and offers us a real degree of insight from a theologian exceedingly well-trained in classical philosophy.] 

Now that we have an etymologic and historical background to this word, we will examine its NT meaning, based primarily on its situation within the particular contexts of the each Gospel. As the NT occurrences are limited to two occurrences alone, we will then briefly look at how it was understood by a selection of the Church Fathers.

Matthew

Summary Synthesis

Occurring in the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, epiousion must be understood within its placement in the tripartite synthesis of the Christian Life (works of mercy, prayer and fasting) that is situated as the central section of the Sermon on the Mount. The driving emphasis of this Prayer within Jesus’ summary of the Christian Life is the Eternal Kingdom of God breaking into the present moment of false religion in This Fallen Age so as to transform, renew and recreate it. “Give us this day our epiousion bread” is the means by which the Living Bread of the Eternal Kingdom begins this process in us.

Detailed Analysis

The first instance of epiousios [epiousios, being the nominative form; epiousion being the accusative cases which is found in the Lord’s Prayer] occurs in the middle section of Jesus’ tripartite synopsis of the Christian life. In each of the three cases, He begins in the negative then moves to the positive, revealing in the process the dividing line between this Fallen Age and the Eternal Kingdom of God; between fallen man and those redeemed into New Creational Life.

“Be attentive to this (Προσέχετε) that you do not your acts of mercy (ἐλεημοσύνην) in the sight of men (ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων) to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward (μισθὸν) from your Father Who is in the heavens” (ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Mt 6:1, cf. Mt 6:9). In further explicating this opening imperative, Jesus goes on to tell his disciples not to draw any attention to themselves when doing a merciful act (μὴ σαλπίσῃς ἔμπροσθέν σου). For this is the mark of the hypocrite (ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ), whose primary goal is not the worship of the Living God, but “that they may have glory from men” (ὅπως δοξασθῶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, 6:2a). “Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (6:2b). Their reward, according to Christ, is simply being seen as a virtuous person (which, we might add recent research has demonstrated as being counter-productive).

To such self-seeking of the fallen man who uses religion as a means of “glorifying” himself, Jesus offers a stark contrast. “But you (σοῦ δὲ) as you’re doing a merciful act (ποιοῦντος ἐλεημοσύνην), do not let your left hand know (μὴ γνώτω) what your right hand is doing” (6:3).

And why is that the case?

“That (ὅπως) your merciful act may be in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ); And your Father who sees in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ) will Himself give back (ἀποδώσει) to you” (6:4). This is the pathway of the Christian life—a life marked by hiddenness, whose virtue is not primarily known by men, but by God Himself, Who is the One “Who sees.”

The second vital element of the Christian life is prayer. And again, Jesus starts in the negative with the way false religion manipulates and distorts this vital discipline for their own fallen ends. “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites (ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί, 6:5a).

Why? What are they like?

“For they love (φιλοῦσιν) standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets to pray (προσεύχεσθαι)—that (ὅπως) they may shine forth (φανῶσιν; from the base of φῶς—light) unto men (τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, 6:5b).

Christ again offers His assessment of this parade of religiosity before men:

“Verily, I say to you, they have their reward” (6:5c). Their prayers effect no change in the divine and human realms. They serve only to secure praise for themselves in the present moment.

Then He offers the contrast to this self-centered show of human religiosity:

“But you (σὺ δὲ), when you pray, go into your inner room (ταμεῖόν) and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in the secret place (τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ);

“And your Father Who sees in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ) will give back to you (ἀποδώσει σοι, 6:6, cf. 6:4).

With the secret nature of the hidden life of a believer reinforced, Jesus then addresses the manner of true prayer, beginning again with the counter-example. “And when you pray, do not prate on with idle words”(βατταλογήσητε, From Βάττος [Battus]+ λόγος [word], possibly the words of Battus “an author of tedious and wordy poems” [Thayer’s entry]). That is to say, Do not go on and on with flowery, religious words for this is exactly “as the nations do” (ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί); For they think that in their much speaking (ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ), they shall be heard” (6:7).

The contrast is then reinforced with a categorical imperative—“Do not, therefore (μὴ οὖν) be like them (ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς).

And why?

”For He knows (οἶδεν), your Father what you have need of (ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε) before you ask Him” (6:8). God already knows exactly what we need. Speaking endlessly with religious language does not aid us in our cause. God sees us; God hears; God knows.

Then Jesus gives us the true example of real prayer:

“In this manner, therefore, pray.”

Without going into major detail on the ensuing verses of the Lord’s Prayer, we will only note that the focus of this prayer is the Eternal Kingdom of God breaking into This Fallen Age.

“Our Father” Who is “In the Heavens may your name be hallowed” (ἁγιασθήτω), this opening petition stands as the very means by which Heaven and Earth meet, where God’s Eternal Kingdom comes into the present moment (second petition) enacting the Will of the Lord here and now through the Messianic King (third petition) such that it can be truly said, “as it is in the Heavens” (ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ) so let it now be on earth (καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς).

Then comes the fourth petition, “Give us this day our epiousion bread” (τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον). The focus of this early portion of the Gospel of Matthew, within the central section of the Sermon on the Mount is this Prayer that draws us from earth up into the Eternal Heavens in a way that brings the Eternal Heavens down to earth.

Our Father “knows what we have need of” (6:8). Even further, He instructs us not to worry (μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε, From μέριμνα which is derived from μερίζω with the idea of not being “divided” by all the anxieties that crowd our mind), “saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?” (6:31).

The reason we are not to anxiously worry and request all these things that are deemed necessary for daily life is that:

1) This is exactly how the fallen mind operates—“For after all these things the nations seek” (ἔθνη ἐπιζητοῦσιν, 6:32a); but more importantly,

2) “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (6:32b). The heart of our prayer, then, it that we “seek first (ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον) the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness” (6:33a). And the outcome of this desire translated into prayer will be that “all these things shall be added to you” (6:33b).

From here, we will examine its only other occurrence part II with the focus on Luke 11 with further insights from the Church Fathers that, we hope, will enable to form an accurate synthesis of the meaning of this totally new word.