Luke 11:2
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
When a disciple asked to be taught to pray, Jesus gave words to offer to the heavenly Father that call upon Him as Father, honor His name, and ask for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven, a prayer first spoken to the multitude and then repeated because its depth was not yet understood. Its opening makes His Father their Father, welcoming believers as brothers and sisters into God's family with childlike trust and affection, teaching that all are one human family so prayer must embrace others as well as self, and pointing to a sovereign Father in heaven in whom the fearful can safely rest. To hallow His name is to begin with reverence for His presence and holy character, and to ask for His kingdom and will is to desire joyful, perfect obedience like that of heaven, which the rebellious cannot sincerely pray while refusing to submit, yet which is the life-work of all who belong to Him. It was given as a model for prayer rather than a form to be repeated exactly, simple enough for a child yet too deep for the greatest mind to exhaust, teaching thankfulness, confession, expression of daily need, and asking for mercy according to promise in direct, brief, comprehensive words. As a pattern it calls for short, pointed petitions in public and family worship rather than long, wandering displays, reserves the full outpouring of the heart for private prayer, and is to be offered daily, studied, lived out, and answered in good works through the renewing of mind and heart.
Setting and Meaning
The prayer was given when a disciple asked to be taught to pray, providing a prayer to offer to the heavenly Father that addresses God as Father, hallows His name, and asks for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven. It had first been given to the multitude in the Sermon on the Mount, and its repetition for the disciples shows its meaning was deeper than they had yet understood. It belongs to the instruction on prayer in Luke 11:1-13 whose promise is Ask and ye shall receive.
Its opening words make Jesus' Father their Father, welcoming believers as His brothers and sisters and assuring them of relationship and place in God's family. "Our" expresses human brotherhood and "Father" expresses childlike trust with tenderness and affection, and praying from the heart in this way is true worship that turns the suppliant from earthly people to God, whose judgment is unerring and whose character is compassionate, merciful, pure, and holy. Calling God "our Father" recognizes all His children as brothers and sisters in one human family, so prayer must include neighbors as well as self, and a prayer seeking blessing only for oneself is not right. Addressing God as Father in heaven points to His sovereignty in doing whatever He pleases and to His care as a safe place to rest, so that when afraid believers can trust in Him.
Prayer begins by honoring God with reverence and recognizing His presence and knowledge of all His creatures do. It asks for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven, where love makes service joyful and His will is perfectly obeyed. Because earth is marked by rebellion, those who refuse to submit their wills cannot sincerely or intelligently pray for God's will to be done, and every true follower should ask God to bring everything in the world under His will. "Thy kingdom come" is the desire and prayer of every pure soul, and a special time of mourning and prayer for the saints is still to come. Doing God's will on earth as it is done in heaven is the life-work of those who belong to His kingdom. The prayer taught by Christ embraces everything for the inhabitants of the earth.
Model and Practice
The prayer is a model for prayer, not a form to be repeated exactly. It teaches that prayer should be simple, earnest, and comprehensive. Its words are so plain that even a child can use them, yet their meaning is too deep for the greatest minds to exhaust. It teaches thankfulness, expression of needs, confession of sins, and asking for mercy according to promise. It begins by addressing God as Father and honoring His name, then asks for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven, for God's way and will must be done.
The model prayer uses simple, direct words rather than high-flown or elevated language. It is brief yet comprehensive and speaks directly to the soul's necessities and daily needs. Each person may also bring particular needs and give thanks for daily blessings. As a pattern for public prayer, it shows that petitions in worship meetings should be brief, simple, and right to the point. They should ask God's blessing on those assembled and tell Him just what is needed in sore need, trusting the heavenly Father as a child trusts earthly parents.
Public prayer should not wander all over the world, grow long and tedious, make oratorical display, lecture God, or preach a sermon to Him. Such praying dishonors Him and kills interest and makes meetings tedious. In family worship, long prayers about distant matters are likewise out of place because they make prayer wearisome rather than a privilege and blessing. Long prayers that lay before God the whole burden of the heart belong in private prayer alone in the closet.
The prayer is to be offered daily and then lived out during the day. It should be added to every prayer, studied throughout the day, and answered through good works. Practicing its principles is the whole duty of man and lies at the foundation of all right action. Carrying out every phase of these principles makes men sensible, with minds that God Himself can control and guide. As they strive to live by that prayer, the Holy Spirit renews mind and heart and gives strength to carry out high and holy purposes.