Matthew 6:9-10
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The very first words, "Our Father," are a radical redefinition of how we can approach God. Jesus is introducing a new, intimate relationship where we are not distant subjects but beloved children, allowed to call God "Father." This isn't just a title; it's an invitation into a family dynamic, grounded in His love and our adoption.
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in contrast to the hypocritical practices of some religious leaders and the empty repetitions of pagans. He provides a model prayer that begins by focusing on God's glory before addressing human needs, emphasizing a relational approach to God as a loving Father. This prayer, recorded in Matthew, offers a framework for disciples' ongoing communication with God.
Imagine walking up to the most powerful king in the world. How would you address him? Jesus flips the script, inviting us into an intimate relationship with the Creator of the universe.
Jesus doesn't just give us words to say; he gives us a new way to relate to God. By beginning with "Our Father," Jesus shatters any notion of God as distant or unapproachable.
God as Father:
This intimate address isn't just about a feeling; it's a theological truth that grounds our confidence and shapes our prayers.
Before we ask for anything for ourselves, Jesus directs our hearts to something infinitely greater. What does it mean to 'hallow' God's name, and why is it the first petition?
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The very first request in Jesus' model prayer is "hallowed be your name." This isn't about making God holy – He already is! It's about acknowledging and revering His inherent holiness in our lives and in the world.
What it Means to Hallow God's Name:
When we pray for God's name to be hallowed, we align our desires with His, seeking His supreme honor above all else.
Understand the original words
hagiazō · Greek Verb
To hold as holy, set apart, or treat with utmost reverence; it signifies acknowledging and declaring God’s character as utterly distinct and glorious.
onoma · Greek Noun
The divine name represents God’s entire being, character, authority, and reputation as revealed to humanity.
basileia · Greek Noun
The sovereign reign and rule of God, encompassing both His present spiritual authority and His future, definitive establishment of His glory over all creation.
thelēma · Greek Noun
God's sovereign desire, purpose, and moral decree for His creation; it is the ultimate standard for human conduct and the unfolding of history.
This passage echoes the sentiment of hallowing God's name by acknowledging His unique holiness and sovereignty, setting Him apart from all others.
Psalm 99:3This verse emphasizes the 'great and awesome' nature of God's name, directly aligning with the petition for it to be hallowed and recognized as holy.
Isaiah 29:23This prophecy speaks of God sanctifying His name among His people, showing a future fulfillment of the desire expressed in the prayer.
Luke 11:2This parallel account of the Lord's Prayer includes the same initial petition, highlighting its fundamental importance in Jesus' teaching on prayer.
1 Peter 3:15Peter's instruction to 'sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts' connects the hallowing of God's name to a personal, internal reverence that should guide our actions and words.
barnesMatthew 6:9: "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
This passage contains the Lord's prayer, a composition unequalled for comprehensiveness and for beauty. It is supposed that some of these petitions were taken from those in common use among the Jews. Indeed some of them are still to be found in Jewish writings, but they did not exist in this beautiful combination. This prayer is given as a "model." It is designed to express the "manner" in…
pulpitMatthew 6:9: "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
Verses 9-13. - The pattern of prayer. Parallel passage: Luke 11:2-4. For most suggestive remarks on the Lord's Prayer, both generally and in its greater difficulties of detail, compare by all means Chase, 'The Lord's Prayer in the Early Church:' (Cambridge Texts and Studies). Observe: (1) If the prayer had already been given by the Lord in the sermon on the mount, "one of his disciples" wou…
The very first words, "Our Father," are a radical redefinition of how we can approach God. Jesus is introducing a new, intimate relationship where we are not distant subjects but beloved children, allowed to call God "Father." This isn't just a title; it's an invitation into a family dynamic, grounded in His love and our adoption.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in contrast to the hypocritical practices of some religious leaders and the empty repetitions of pagans. He provides a model prayer that begins by focusing on God's glory before addressing human needs, emphasizing a relational approach to God as a loving Father. This prayer, recorded in Matthew, offers a framework for disciples' ongoing communication with God.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in contrast to the hypocritical practices of some religious leaders and the empty repetitions of pagans. He provides a model prayer that begins by focusing on God's glory before addressing human needs, emphasizing a relational approach to God as a loving Father. This prayer, recorded in Matthew, offers a framework for disciples' ongoing communication with God.
"Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven." — The very first words, "Our Father," are a radical redefinition of how we can approach God. Jesus is introducing a new, intimate relationship where we are not distant subjects but beloved children, al…
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Last reviewed October 2026