"... wie im Himmel so auf Erden". Die räumlichen Implikationen der Vergebungsbitte des matthäischen Vaterunsers

The question of the connection between human and divine forgiveness in the fifth petition of the Matthean version of the Lord's Prayer has been widely discussed. The specific structuring function of this petition, however, has not yet been taken seriously into consideration. This study attempts to remedy this interpretative deficiency. It will be shown that this petition extends the prayer for an alignment of earthly and heavenly reality in Mt 6:10. Because in Mt 6:12 the praying person ascribes to himself the preceding act of forgiveness, he takes responsibility for the realization of this process of alignment "on earth as it is in heaven."