Chapter XXI.
Of our supersubstantial or daily bread.
Next
: “Give us this day
our bread which is
ἐπιούσιον
,”
i.e., “supersubstantial,” which another Evangelist calls
“daily.”
1614
The former
indicates the quality of its nobility and substance, in virtue of which
it is above all
substances
and the loftiness of its grandeur and holiness exceeds all creatures,
while the latter intimates the purpose of its use and value. For where
it says “daily” it shows that without it we cannot live a
spiritual life for a single day. Where it says “today” it
shows that it must be received daily and that yesterday’s supply
of it is not enough, but at it must be given to us today also in like
manner. And our daily need of it suggests to us that we ought at all
times to offer up this prayer, because there is no day on which we have
no need to strengthen the heart of our inner man, by eating and
receiving it, although the expression used, “today” may be
taken to apply to his present life, i.e., while we are living in this
world supply us with this bread. For we know that it will be given to
those who deserve it by Thee hereafter, but we ask that Thou wouldest
grant it to us today, because unless it has been vouchsafed to a man to
receive it in this life he will never be partaker of it in
that.
1614
Here Cassian is
relying entirely on Jerome’s revised text of the Latin, which has
supersubstantialis
in S.
Matt. vi. 11
, as the rendering of
ἐπιούσιος
but translates the same word by
quotidianum
in the
parallel passage in S.
Luke xi. 3
. It is curious that Cassian should have
been thus misled, with his knowledge of Greek, as well as his
acquaintance with the old Latin version which has
quotidianum
in
both gospels. Cf. Bishop Lightfoot “On a Fresh Revision of the
New Testament,” p. 219.