Canon CXV. (Greek
cxvi.)
That in the Lord’s Prayer the Saints say for
themselves: “Forgive us our trespasses.”
It
has seemed good that whoever
should say that when in the Lord’s prayer, the saints say,
“forgive us our trespasses,” they say this not for
themselves, because they have no need of this petition, but for the
rest who are sinners of the people; and that
therefore no one of the saints can say,
“Forgive me my trespasses,” but “Forgive us our
trespasses;” so that the just is understood to seek this for
others rather than for himself; let him be anathema. For holy and
just was the Apostle James, when he said, “For in many things we
offend all.” For why was it added “all,” unless
that this sentence might agree also with the psalm, where we read,
“Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy
sight shall no man living be justified;” and in the prayer of the
most wise Solomon: “There is no man that sinneth
not;” and in the book of the holy Job: “He sealeth in
the hand of every man, that every man may know his own
infirmity;” wherefore even the holy and just Daniel when in
prayer said several times: “We have sinned, we have done
iniquity,” and other things which there truly and humbly he
confessed; nor let it be thought (as some have thought) that this was
said not of his own but rather of the people’s sins, for he said
further on: “When I shall pray and confess my sins and the
sins of my people to the Lord my God;” he did not wish to say our
sins, but he said the sins of his people and his own sins, since he as
a prophet foresaw that those who were to come would thus misunderstand
his words.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon
CXV.
Whoso expounds this, “forgive us our
trespasses” as speaking only of the multitude and not of
individuals let him be anathema: Since Daniel even he can behold
saying with the multitude “I confessed my sins and the sins of my
people.”
This is Canon vij. of Carthage,
a.d.
418.