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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Considering then these things, we ought to show mercy to our debtors. For they are to us if we are wise the cause of our greatest pardon; and though we perform only a few things, we shall find many. For we owe many and great debts to the Lord, of which if the least part should be exacted from us, we should soon perish.
Basil of Caesarea
It does not however become us to seek by our prayers bodily afflictions. For Christ has universally commanded men every where to pray that they enter not into temptation. But when one has already entered, it is fitting to ask from the Lord the power of enduring, that we may have fulfilled in us those words, He that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Mat. 10:22.)
Gregory of Nyssa
Having taught us to take confidence through good works, He next teaches us to implore the remission of our offences, for it follows, And forgive us our sins.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
But what Matthew has placed at the end, But deliver us from evil, Luke has not mentioned, that we might understand it belongs to the former, which was spoken of temptation. He therefore says, But deliver us, not, "And deliverus," clearly proving this to be but one petition," Do not this, but this." But let every one know that he is therein delivered from evil, when he is not brought into temptation.
Gregory the Dialogist
But behold, our enemy has grievously sinned against us, inflicted losses, harmed those who helped, persecuted those who loved. These things would need to be retained if our own sins were not to be forgiven. For our Advocate has composed a prayer for us in our case; and he who is the Advocate is himself the Judge of that same case. Moreover, he inserted a condition into the prayer he composed, saying: Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. …
Bonaventure
Fourth, with respect to pardon from guilt, he adds: And forgive us our sins, and this with regard to the guilt of obligation: whence in Matthew 6 they are called debts. For sins make us debtors of those things which we cannot pay; whence in the Psalm: "The sinner shall borrow and shall not pay," etc. These are the debts, by which the Shunammite woman was bound, in 4 Kings 4, who could not pay until Elisha multiplied the oil. Through the oil of Christ's mercy our sins are paid and forgiven. …
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