The earliest written version of the lords prayer can be found in the Didache
It translates as...
Our Father,the one in heaven,
your name be made holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be born upon earth as in heaven,
give us this day our loaf that is coming,
and forgive us our debt at the final judgement
as we likewise now forgive our debtors.
and do not lead us into the trial of the last days
but deliver us from that evil
because yours is the power and glory forever
Which contains the meaning...
Our Heavenly Father,
May your name be holy throughout the world
and your kingdom established among us,
so that the earth, like heaven, obeys your will.
may we soon be gathered in to your kingdom
and be forgiven at the final judgement,
as we have forgiven others.
but spare us on the day of trial
and from the evil of the last days.
because yours is the power and glory forever.
This is an attempt to give "the essence" of this Lords Prayer using the above translation, and some of the logic from the commentary of Aaron Milavec's book, as a guide to the sense.
“our heavenly father”makes clear which father;”May your name....”his name is already holy, this makes the wish clear for it to be so everywhere; “your kingdom...”makes clear the imperative for it to be established here;
“may we soon be gathered in to your kingdom “ is a reference to the thought that is given in the didache Eucharist, comparing the gathering of the grain into a loaf to the gathering of the people into the kingdom, and the desire that it should be soon.
I have left open “what” we are to be forgiven. As it is a reciprocal of what we forgive.
The second coming and the end of times was thought to be imminent.. “but spare us....” the trial and the evil of the last days are inevitable, except for the elect, who they hope to be amongst. All the petitions would seem to be eschatological and referring to one time events.
The prayer is a collective petition to God, by his people, for the establishment of his kingdom on earth. And for their successful place within it. When we repeat it as individuals we do so as one of many of the petitioners.