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<< Matthew 6:9   Matthew 6:11 >>


Matthew 6:9-13

Memorizing the Lord's Prayer—which is a bit of a misnomer; it should be "The Disciples' Prayer" or "The Model Prayer"—is a wonderful thing to do. Parents should make it their aim to teach it to their children. But unlike many in nominal Christianity, we need to go further and teach our children that the prayer is not one to be mindlessly repeated but a guideline for our personal, private prayers to "our Father in heaven." It maps out the general attitude and subjects of prayer that we should take to heart and cut deeply into our memories.

It is a wonder that so few who frequently use Matthew 6:9-13 both publically and privately know what Jesus says—no, commands—in the immediately preceding verses:

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:5-8)

Christ plainly says that public prayers made expressly to be seen by others is hypocritical, and prayers that are repeated vainly (meaning "carelessly," "uselessly," or "thoughtlessly") are heathen! Obviously, this does not mean that He forbids public prayer; there are many examples of proper public prayer in Scripture (see, for example, I Kings 8:22-53; Ezra 9:6-15; Nehemiah 9:5-38; John 17:1-26; etc.). Public prayer is a necessary part of opening and closing religious services. What Jesus denounces is making a show of praying to enhance one's reputation as a "religious" or "righteous" person, as well as repetitious, canned prayers and overlong, tedious prayers.

Overall, Jesus warns us against two mistakes when praying: making them about us and making them meaningless. Doing either (or both) will ruin their effectiveness and actually work at cross-purposes to spiritual growth. When we pray, we need to remember that it is a formal conversation with the divine Governor of the Universe. We have not entered His court for our own gratification and glory. We certainly do not want to bore Him by endlessly repeating the same five words or giving Him the expanded War and Peace version of our pitiful lives. To the contrary, we are before Him to praise Him, to thank Him, to beseech Him for help both for others and ourselves, and to praise and thank Him. I repeat myself for emphasis.

What would we think of a friend who came to the front door each morning, and upon opening it to admit him, we heard him say the exact same thing that he had said the past 532 straight mornings, droning on for half an hour without coming up for air? We might love him as a friend, but we would surely think he was a bit strange and wasting our time with his endless repetitions. We would soon tune out his robotic, one-sided conversation.

We are blessed that God is far more patient and understanding with us than we would be to such a bore. He listens to our petitions whether we are eloquent or mind-numbingly incoherent (see Romans 8:26). Yet, notice that Jesus tells the disciples—us—that the Father knows what we need before we ask Him. We are not springing anything on Him that He has not already figured out.

So there is no need for us to meander, be vague, or employ some kind of rhetorical device that is "guaranteed" to convince Him that He has to intervene right away. There is no need to try to impress Him with our knowledge or persuasiveness or righteousness. He wants us to be ourselves and to speak with Him as family members do—with, of course, the proper reverence for who He is.

What is most important—what He is looking for—is a "poor and . . . contrite spirit, and [one] who trembles at My word" (Isaiah 66:2). If the attitude is humble, focused on God's will and His plan for us, He will hear and respond. More importantly, we will be drawing closer to Him and taking on aspects of His character that are so essential to Christian life and the Kingdom of God.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh



Matthew 6:9-13

When I played Little League baseball in the Columbia, South Carolina, area, it was the practice of our league to gather one team around first base and the opposing team around third base. All the players and coaches would take a knee and reach forward to grab part of a bat that someone placed upright on the base or stack their hands on top of it. Once everyone was situated, the head coach would say, "Take off your caps and bow your heads," and we would all begin to recite the Lord's Prayer in a rapid-fire monotone, hoping to beat the other team to the end. Once done, the players and coaches scrambled back to their respective dugouts, and the umpire called, "Play ball!" God had been invoked and all was well.

Did anyone at the ballpark ever stop to consider if the Lord's Prayer—which is a misnomer; it should be "The Disciples' Prayer" or "The Model Prayer"—has anything to do with baseball? The word does not appear in Matthew 6:9-13 or, in fact, in the Bible. The prayer that Jesus gave His disciples to teach them to pray is about God the Father, His holiness, His name, His Kingdom, His will, His power, His glory, and His eternity, as well as requests for daily providence, forgiveness, guidance, and deliverance. Nary a word about curveballs, double plays, or stealing second base.

Memorizing the so-called Lord's Prayer is a wonderful thing to do. Parents should make it their aim to teach it to their children. But unlike many in nominal Christianity, we need to go further and teach our children that the prayer is not one to be mindlessly repeated but a guideline for our personal, private prayers to "our Father in heaven." It maps out the general attitude and subjects of prayer that we should take to heart and cut deeply into our memory.

It is a wonder that so few who frequently use Matthew 6:9-13 both publicly and privately know what Jesus says—no, commands—in the immediately preceding verses:

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:5-8)

Christ plainly says that public prayers made expressly to be seen by others are hypocritical, and prayers that are repeated vainly (meaning "carelessly," "uselessly," or "thoughtlessly") are heathen! Obviously, this does not mean that He forbids public prayer; there are many examples of proper public prayer in Scripture (see, for example, I Kings 8:22-53; Ezra 9:6-15; Nehemiah 9:5-38; John 17:1-26; etc.). Public prayer is a necessary part of opening and closing religious services. What Jesus denounces is making a show of praying to enhance one's reputation as a "religious" or "righteous" person, as well as repetitious, canned prayers and overlong, tedious prayers.

Overall, Jesus warns us against two mistakes when praying: making them about us and making them meaningless. Doing either (or both) will ruin their effectiveness and actually work at cross-purposes to spiritual growth. When we pray, we must remember it is a formal conversation with the divine Governor of the Universe. We have not entered His court for our own gratification and glory. We certainly do not want to bore Him by endlessly repeating the same five words or giving Him the expanded War and Peace version of our pitiful lives. To the contrary, we are before Him to praise Him, to thank Him, to beseech Him for help both for others and ourselves, and to praise and thank Him. I repeat myself for emphasis.

What would we think of a friend who came to the front door each morning, and upon opening it to admit him, he said the exact same thing that he had said the past 532 straight mornings, droning on for half an hour without coming up for air? We might love him as a friend, but we would surely think he was a bit strange and wasting our time with his endless repetitions. We would soon tune out his robotic, one-sided conversation.

We are blessed that God is far more patient and understanding with us than we would be to such a bore. He listens to our petitions whether we are eloquent or mind-numbingly incoherent (see Romans 8:26). Yet, notice that Jesus tells the disciples—us—that the Father knows what we need before we ask Him. We are not springing anything on Him that He has not already figured out. So there is no need for us to meander, be vague, or employ some kind of rhetorical device that is "guaranteed" to convince Him that He has to intervene immediately. There is no need to try to impress Him with our knowledge, persuasiveness, or righteousness. He wants us to be ourselves and to speak with Him as family members do—with, of course, the proper reverence for who He is.

What is most important—what He is looking for—is a "poor and . . . contrite spirit, and [one] who trembles at My word" (Isaiah 66:2). If the attitude is humble, focused on God's will and His plan for us, He will hear and respond. More importantly, we will be drawing closer to Him and taking on aspects of His character that are so essential to Christian life and the Kingdom of God.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Vain Repetitions



Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus Christ's Model Prayer begins with three petitions that comprise a set: “Our Father who is in heaven, [1] may your name be treated as holy. [2] May your kingdom come, [3] may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10, Lexham English Bible). In short, one who prays is to ask for God to receive due reverence, His plan to come to fruition, and His instructions to be followed. These three requests concern spiritual matters, indicating that such things should be top-of-mind for those who approach God's throne.

The third of these petitions, asking for the Father's will to be done on earth as in heaven, contrasts the obedience of God's heavenly servants with the general disobedience and rebellion among earthly humans. When God commands an angel to do something for Him, the angel responds immediately and carries out his task thoroughly (Daniel 9:20-23; 10:10-14).

However, in Romans 8:7, the apostle Paul describes human beings as at “enmity [hostile, hateful, having deep-seated ill-will] against God; for [the carnal mind] is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Through David, speaking of “the children of men,” God says, “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:2-3). The petition requests, not just help for the petitioner in obeying Him, but a sea-change in the attitude of humanity toward God and His instruction.

God's plan involves bringing all humanity into subjection to the Father (I Corinthians 15:23-28). Paul, quoting Isaiah 45:23, writes, “As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11). The prayer's third petition looks forward to this day while reminding the Christian that he must himself imitate the Father's angelic servants in carrying out God's will with enthusiasm and devotion.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Model Prayer (Part Five): Your Will Be Done



Matthew 6:9-13

It is interesting to note in this model prayer that sin is expressed through the image of debt, a true metaphor. Duty neglected, a debt to God, must be discharged by a penalty. All have sinned and the wages or penalty is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). We are all under a peculiar form of indebtedness which we cannot pay and still have hope!

John W. Ritenbaugh
Passover, Obligation, and Love



Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus' simple introduction, “In this manner, therefore, pray,” indicates that He intends the prayer to guide His disciples in their everyday prayers. (In fact, the verb “pray” is present tense, imperative mood in Greek, suggesting habitual performance.) It is a kind of outline or model on which they can hang their own words as their circumstances warrant.

Generally, the outline provides a primary focal point of prayer: the Father Himself. Praise and honor of God begins and ends the prayer, forcing us to acknowledge the Eternal God's holiness and power. We should never forget that the One listening to our words is the Almighty, Ever-living Sovereign of the universe and that we live and act by His grace.

After this, Jesus points to every Christian's goal: the Kingdom of God. It is God's goal, too, the height and culmination of His purpose for humanity. For millennia, the Father and Son have been working (John 5:17) to bring it to pass, first on earth during the Millennium and Great White Throne Judgment, then for eternity throughout the universe. It is God's will that we cooperate in making it happen, so we must ensure it is top of mind as we pray.

Christ places our personal needs in the middle of the prayer, covering daily needs, forgiveness, and help with trials and Satan's opposition. God realizes that we are still fleshly beings who need constant physical and spiritual maintenance and frequently fail to live up to His standards. We can take our needs to Him in prayer to receive the help we need, whether food for the table or a respite from the Devil's attacks.

Jesus never intended His model prayer to cover every situation or problem. For instance, He leaves out praying for the church or the healing of the sick. But it does give us our priorities: God Himself, His Kingdom, and doing His will. If we keep those things in mind, our prayers will grow in spiritual maturity, and our lives will better represent our Savior before the world.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Model Prayer (Part One): Introduction



Matthew 6:10

Because the word translated as "come" here is not in the Greek future tense, but in the "second aorist" tense, many modern Bible translations correctly render this as "Let your kingdom come" or "May your Kingdom come," giving the solid idea of a future certainty. God's Kingdom will come. Jesus knew that it would come, but He wants His brothers and sisters to pray relentlessly for its coming, that it will come as soon as possible!

Staff
Thy Kingdom Come! (Part Two)



Matthew 6:10

When a converted person prays, “Your kingdom come,” he confesses his hope to God, voicing his desire for God's direct rule, which he shares with the undisputed Lord over all things. In this way, he comes into a unity of purpose with Him and asks God to continue accomplishing His purpose, not only in him but also in others whom He will call and prepare for the same goal (see I Timothy 2:3-4; Romans 10:1). As the author of Hebrews suggests, this expression of solidarity with God's purpose is founded on the sure reality of His faithfulness (see I Corinthians 1:7-9).

This petition also requests that God move world events toward the return of Christ to establish His Kingdom on earth. In this way, the petitioner expresses his desire for the dissolution of this current, evil, anti-God system and the arrival of goodness and peace for all. This is the sense of the first-century Christian cry, “Maranatha!” an Aramaic term that means “O Lord, come!” (I Corinthians 16:22; see Revelation 22:20). It calls out for the end of humanity's sins and miseries and the beginning of a new world where God dwells with men and all the faithful have entered the joy of the Lord (see Revelation 21:3-5; Matthew 25:21, 23).

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Model Prayer (Part Four): Your Kingdom Come



Matthew 6:9-10

In the salutation to His Model Prayer, Jesus draws immediate attention to the Father's divine nature and holiness (Matthew 6:9). His intention is to fix the petitioner's mind on the preeminence and purity of Almighty God so that the individual realizes his place within the relationship. The person who prays to the Father is a lowly supplicant seeking favor and help from the most high and holy God.

Jesus' words in Matthew 6:10 continue this theme of God's superiority. In English, “Your kingdom come” sounds like a request or desire for a future, divine government to establish righteous rule over this world. While this prophetic interpretation is a correct view—and probably the most common one—it points to far more: God's ultimate sovereignty. His rule is not limited to the future Kingdom that Jesus Christ will bring with Him at His return but is a present reality, especially for those He has called into it in this age.

When added to the traits of divinity and holiness, God's sovereignty completes a powerful triad that both humbles and assures a petitioner before His throne. He has brought his requests before One who has the right, the character, and the authority to grant them, which sparks and sustains confidence—faith—that God will decide in his favor. Every prayer reminds the child of God that he can trust his divine Sovereign to act in his best interests.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Model Prayer (Part Four): Your Kingdom Come




Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Matthew 6:10:

Ecclesiastes 2:18-21
Matthew 6:5-8
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:9-10
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:9-13
Acts 1:7-8
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Revelation 20:1-3

 

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