Jesus sat on the side of a mountain teaching his disciples how they should pray. We commonly call it “The Lord’s Prayer.” Myriads of people have learned it, memorized it, and can likely repeat it without even thinking about the words coming from their mouths—much like the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jesus prefaced the prayer with “This, then, is how you should pray” (Matthew 6:9). The Greek word for how means “like this…; in this manner, in this way (fashion), in accordance with this description (i.e. corresponding to what follows); in keeping with, along this line.” [1]
As one commentator observed, Jesus didn’t mean “to pin down his disciples to these express words…but [it was] a pattern of prayer…as to brevity, order, and matter.” [2] He and others also point out that we never find the disciples praying these exact words.
Teachers know that when a student can explain a concept or passage accurately in his own words, he grasps its meaning. I think God invites us to pray in our own words, but we have the responsibility to seek his intent so we don’t stray from his heart.
Lately I’ve been focused on one particular verse in Jesus’ prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). I know the words; I pray those words; I think I know what they mean. But maybe there is more to learn.
“Your kingdom come”
A kingdom is the realm over which a king rules. The kingdom Jesus referred to is the kingdom of God, with Jesus himself as the king. His kingdom had been foretold by the Old Testament prophets. When Jesus came to earth, God’s kingdom came to earth.
John the Baptist, the messenger sent to proclaim Christ’s coming, said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus said to a crowd, “the kingdom of God has come to you” (Luke 11:20). To the Pharisees, he said, “the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21). In both latter declarations, Jesus spoke of himself.
Many did not understand this because they looked for a coming king to rule physically over a geographic area and triumph over their enemies. However, the Greek word translated kingdom “is constantly used in connection with the rule of Christ in the hearts of believers.” [1] Jesus refers to the “moral and spiritual kingdom which God…is setting up in this fallen world…This kingdom existed ever since there were men who ‘walked with God’ (Genesis 5:24)…[But] when Messiah himself appeared, it was, as a visible kingdom ‘at hand.’” [3]
Then why did Jesus tell his disciples to pray for the kingdom to come if it had already come in him?
The only way for his spiritual kingdom to expand throughout the world is for people to accept him as their Lord and serve him as their king. As hearts are offered to him, his glory spreads through the earth and more of Satan’s kingdom is destroyed. When we pray “your kingdom come,” we are declaring that the kingdom of God will dwell in the hearts of more and more people. It is an ongoing process until Jesus returns to earth to set up his physical kingdom.
Concerning that time, Paul tells us, “24Then the end will come, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:24-25). At that time, we will be “welcomed into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11), and our prayers for his kingdom to come will be fully realized.
But until then, we pray “Your kingdom come.”
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
God’s will being done speaks of “commands, decisions, purposes, requests, etc. to be done, executed.” [4] In heaven, there is no evil, no sin. God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2) is carried out there without a hint of opposition. God wants his divine purposes to be executed on earth in the same manner.
Although Jesus instructs us to pray for God’s will to be done, he doesn’t say God is to do it. [5] God’s plan has always been to work on earth through his people. Our prayers help to accomplish his will. This particular prayer “assumes that even the will of God is in part dependent on our wills, that it will not be done unless we so pray.” [6]
Our prayers, however, are not passive. We don’t pray, then sit and wait for God’s kingdom to magically appear around us. Inherent in this prayer is our participation.
First of all, we need to know what God’s will is that he wants executed on earth. The Bible is full of windows into God’s heart, but here are a few of his clearly stated desires:
“The Lord is…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God wants everyone to know him. He doesn’t want anyone to be eternally separated from him.
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). God wants people to be holy. That means “the believer being progressively transformed by the Lord into His likeness.” [1]
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). When we are thankful to God in every situation, it reveals a heart yielded to him, trusting that he is in control, and honoring him as Lord. It displays God’s kingdom to the world.
“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). God is good, so all he does is good. He wants us to do good as he does, thereby spreading his glory through the earth.
Then, we also need to obey God’s will. Knowing his will is not enough to bring his kingdom to earth. We do God’s will “when our wills are resigned to his.” [2] Jesus is our perfect example.
Matthew 26:36-46 tells of Jesus’ agonizing prayer with his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane before his impending crucifixion. He was actually praying this prayer—for his Father’s will to be done on earth as it was in heaven. He knew his Father’s will that he, Jesus, be the sacrificial Lamb. But, being man also, he had his own will to contend with. Both his struggle and his resignation of his will to his Father’s will are clear when he says, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus’ prayer and obedience to his Father’s will opened the way for God’s glory—his kingdom—to spread throughout the world.
When we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are praying for people to know God, to mature in him, to do good. We are praying that their wills will come into harmony with his. We are praying for his kingdom to advance through the earth in the hearts of people and conquer the darkness of Satan’s kingdom. We are praying against the evil and corruption in this world.
And we are praying for God to change us, to use us, to align our heart with his, to show us his will and empower us to carry it out.
It is truly a life-changing and a world-changing prayer.
[1] HELPS Word-studies
[2] Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
[3] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
[4] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
[5] Benson Commentary
[6] Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
Scripture quotations are from NIV.
Greek definitions and commentary notes are from Bible Hub. See Resources.
Feature photo courtesy of Lumo Project Films
What interesting insight into a well-known prayer. Yes, definately “life-changing” and “world-changing”, wow!
Thank you, Brenda. I am amazed at how much truth and teaching is packed into one small statement from Jesus!
Thank you for the insights into the Lord’s Prayer. Thought provoking!
You are so welcome, Marilyn. Thank you.