Our Father
The term "Father" is translated from the Greek "Pater," which signifies a close, intimate relationship. In a historical context, addressing God as "Father" was revolutionary, as it denotes a personal and familial relationship rather than a distant deity. This reflects the Christian belief in being children of God, adopted into His family through faith in Jesus Christ. The use of "Our" emphasizes the communal aspect of the prayer, reminding believers of their shared identity and unity in Christ.

in heaven
The phrase "in heaven" acknowledges God's sovereignty and transcendence. The Greek word "ouranos" refers to the heavens or the sky, symbolizing God's exalted position above all creation. This recognition of God's heavenly dwelling underscores His majesty and authority, reminding believers of His omnipotence and the divine order of the universe. It also serves to elevate the prayer, directing the focus from earthly concerns to heavenly realities.

hallowed be Your name
"Hallowed" comes from the Greek "hagiazo," meaning to sanctify or make holy. This phrase is a declaration of reverence for God's name, which in biblical terms represents His character and essence. In ancient Jewish culture, names held significant meaning, and God's name was considered sacred and powerful. By praying for God's name to be hallowed, believers express a desire for His holiness to be recognized and revered throughout the world. This petition aligns with the biblical call to live lives that honor and reflect God's holiness, as seen in Leviticus 11:44, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Our Father.--It is clear that the very word "Abba" (father) uttered by our Lord here, as in Mark 14:36, so impressed itself on the minds of men that, like "Amen" and "Hallelujah" and "Hosanna," it was used in the prayers even of converts from heathenism and Hellenistic Judaism. From its special association with the work of the Spirit in Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, it would seem to have belonged to the class of utterances commonly described as the "tongues," in which apparently words from two or more languages were mingled together according as each best expressed the devout enthusiasm of the worshipper.

The thought of the Fatherhood of God was not altogether new. He had claimed "Israel as His son, even His firstborn" (Exodus 4:22), had loved him as His child (Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1). The thought of an outraged Fatherhood underlies the reproaches of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:2) and Malachi (Malachi 1:6). "Thou, O Lord, art our Father" (Isaiah 64:8) was the refuge of Israel from despair. It had become common in Jewish liturgies and forms of private prayer. As the disciples heard it, it would not at first convey to their minds thoughts beyond those with which they were thus familiar. But it was a word pregnant with a future. Time and the teaching of the Spirit were to develop what was now in germ. That it had its ground in the union with the Eternal Son, which makes us also sons of God; that it was a name that might be used, not by Israelites only, but by every child of man; that of all the names of God that express His being and character, it was the fullest and the truest--this was to be learnt as men were guided into all the truth. Like all such names, it had its inner and its outer circles of application. It was true of all men, true of all members of the Church of Christ, true of those who were led by the Spirit, in different degrees; but all true theology rests on the assumption that the ever-widening circles have the same centre, and that that centre is the Love of the Father. . . .

(1) If the prayer had already been given by the Lord in the sermon on the mount, "one of his disciples" would hardly afterwards have asked him to teach them to pray, as John also taught his disciples (Luke 11. l). It is much more easy, therefore, to consider that the original occasion of its utterance is recorded by St. Luke, and that it therefore did not belong to the sermon on the mount as that discourse was originally delivered.

(2) A question that admits of a more doubtful answer is whether the more original form of the prayer is found in Matthew or in Luke. It will be remembered that in the true text of his Gospel, the latter does not record the words, "Which art in heaven," "Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth," "But deliver us from evil," besides reading "day by day" instead of "this day," "sins" instead of "debts," and "for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us" instead of" as we also have forgiven our debtors." Most writers suppose St. Matthew's form to be the original, and St. Luke's to be only a shortened form. In favour of this are the considerations that

(a) St. Matthew's words, "Forgive us our debts," represent an older, because parabolic, form of expression than the apparently interpretative "Forgive us our sins" in St. Luke. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...