Matthew 6:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For what hurt does such kindred with those beneath us, when we are all alike kin to One above us? For who calls God Father, in that one title confesses at once the forgiveness of sins, the adoption, the heirship, the brotherhood, which he has with the Only-begotten, and the gift of the Spirit. For none can call God Father, but he who has obtained all these blessings. In a two-fold manner, therefore, he moves the feeling of them that pray, both by the dignity of Him who is prayed to, and the greatness of those benefits which we gain by prayer.

A vow differs from a prayer. A vow represents a commitment to God, such as when someone pledges to refrain from wine or other indulgences, whereas prayer involves petitioning for blessings. By addressing God as ‘Father,’ you acknowledge the privileges that come with being His child, and by referencing ‘in heaven,’ you point to your true homeland and the dwelling place of your Father. Thus, if you desire to recognize God as your Father, you should focus on heaven rather than on earthly matters, as advised by St. Theophanes the Hermit. It is important to say ‘Our Father’ instead of ‘My Father,’ as you must regard all others as siblings in the family of the one Father in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name signifies a plea for our sanctification, so that Your name may be glorified; for just as God is tarnished through my actions, He is likewise honored and regarded as Holy through me.

Since in every entreaty we have first to propitiate the good favour of Him whom we entreat, and after that mention what we entreat for; and this we commonly do by saying something in praise of Him whom we entreat, and place it in the front of our petition; in this the Lord bids us say no more than only, Our Father which art in Heaven. Many things were said of them to the praise of God, yet do we never find it taught to the children of Israel to address God as ‘Our Father;’ He is rather set before them as a Lord over slaves. But of Christ’s people the Apostle says, We have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father, (Rom. 8:15.) and that not of our deservings, but of grace. This then we express in the prayer when we say, Father; which name also stirs up love.

By addressing Him as Father, we acknowledge ourselves as His children. Hallowed be Your name - This sanctification occurs not in You, but within us, for when the name of God is disparaged among the Gentiles due to sinners, it is, conversely, glorified for the sake of the righteous.

Every word holds significant importance. He instructs us to address Him as Father, reminding us of our divine heritage and, as children of God, to acknowledge the worthiness of such a blessing, living in a manner befitting such a Father. Whoever lives unrighteously yet claims God as their Father misrepresents both God and themselves. Additionally, He urges us to use the term ours to emphasize our unity as believers, all being children of the same God. By continually affirming this truth, we should not elevate ourselves above the humble, nor should we entertain thoughts, speech, or actions that are unkind toward our brethren; rather, we should intercede for one another.

He who gave to us to live, taught us also to pray, to the end, that speaking to the Father in the prayer which the Son hath taught, we may receive a readier hearing. It is praying like friends and familiars to offer up to God of His own. Let the Father recognize the Son’s words when we offer up our prayer; and seeing we have Him when we sin for an Advocate with the Father, let us put forward the words of our Advocate, when as sinners we make petition for our offences.

O the profound compassion of God! To those who have turned away from Him and harbored deep animosity towards Him, He has granted such forgiveness of sins and a sharing in His grace that they are able to call Him Father: Our Father, who art in heaven. Heaven consists of those who reflect the image of the divine (1 Cor. 15:49) and in whose hearts God resides and walks among them (2 Cor. 6:16). Hallowed be Thy name. The name of God is inherently holy, regardless of our acknowledgment. However, it is sometimes desecrated by the sinful, as it is written: by you my name is always blasphemed among the nations (Is. 52:5; Rom. 2:24). Thus, we pray that God's name may be sanctified within us: not because it will change in its holiness, but because it becomes holy in us when we are transformed and act in ways that reflect that holiness.

And that we should speed with strong desire thitherward where our Father dwells.

Your astonishment at the succinctness of this prayer is understandable, yet I have always found deep wisdom embedded in concise expressions. Speaking words may not pose a challenge, but grasping the profound significance of those words is a different matter. It demands not merely a listener but also someone who acts. Thus, I believe that anyone who calls the Lord Father without embodying the virtues of a devoted child oversteps the bounds of audacity; similarly, those who do not engage in actions that honor God's name have no right to proclaim, Hallowed be Thy name. Consequently, the phrase ‘Our Father’ can only be rightfully uttered by those who, through the miraculous regeneration of Holy Baptism and the remarkable law of divine birth, demonstrate their identity as true children of God. Those who declare, Hallowed be Thy name, must live in a manner free from deeds deserving of condemnation.

The Lord's Prayer is intended for both the righteous and the sinners. For the righteous, its recitation serves as a reminder of their divine filiation, encouraging them to strive to remain faithful to Him. For sinners, invoking the name of the One they have frequently offended should inspire a sense of shame that leads them to self-examination and repentance.

Our Father, for You are our Creator, who formed us from nothing, and through Your Son, You have graciously become our Father. You who dwell in heaven, for You inhabit the Saints, embodying holiness, as it is written; the angels who reside in heaven are holier than we, and heaven is purer than the earth. Thus, God primarily abides in heaven. May Your name be revered. Since You are holy, sanctify Your name within us, purifying us as well, so that we, belonging to You, may declare Your name as holy, honor it within ourselves, and avoid bringing it into disrepute.

What is the prayer known as the Lord's Prayer? It begins with the address: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. What are the divisions of this prayer? It consists of three parts: the introduction, the requests, and the closing. What does the introduction consist of? The introduction is the phrase: Our Father, who art in heaven. What does this introduction signify? Firstly, it conveys that anyone seeking to approach God should come not only as His creation but also as His child, through grace; without being a child, one cannot refer to Him as Father.

The Lord's Prayer begins with the invocation: Our Father! Who among righteous individuals would dare to approach God in such a way, acknowledging themselves and their fellow sinners—those rejected and bound by the adversary and the finality of death? Clearly, no one has that right except for God Himself. He granted this privilege; and if He did so, it signifies His approval. When the Son of God became incarnate, He established mankind as children of God and His siblings. He possesses a natural claim to relate to God as Our Father! - and He bestows upon us the gracious ability to approach God as our Father, enabling us to commence our supplication with an extraordinary and awe-inspiring address that no mere human would presume to consider: Our Father!

What should we seek from our heavenly Father? What shall we inquire of His abundant heart? What shall we knock upon in His infinite mercy? Our Savior encapsulates our genuine requests in a concise yet spiritually rich prayer, which He imparted to His disciples to instruct all believers on how and what they ought to pray for. In this Lord's Prayer lies the essence of all other prayers made by the Church of Christ, as if contained in a seed. If we could begin to express this prayer from the depths of our hearts and actions as soon as we articulate it with our lips, we would rapidly transform into true pray-ers.

HOW CAN WE CALL GOD FATHER? We are able to address God as Father through our faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of new birth. ‘To those who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He has given authority to be children of God, who are not of blood, nor of the desire of the flesh, nor of the desire of the husband, but are born of God’ (John 1:12-13). IS IT ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO PRAY OUR FATHER? It is essential to recite the Our Father, even when praying alone. THIS IS WHY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP involves calling upon God and seeking His aid not just for oneself but for all people. WHY DO WE SAY ‘HE WHO IS IN HEAVEN’? In our invocation, we refer to ‘He who is in heaven’ to elevate our thoughts and hearts above worldly and transient concerns, directing them towards the eternal and divine.

Prayer serves as the essential breath of the soul, the heartbeat of spiritual existence. True spiritual vitality must find expression in prayer directed towards God. A lack of authentic prayer signifies an unhealthy spiritual and moral state, just as a robust spiritual life thrives on continual, sincere prayer. The significance of the ability to pray with authenticity and to grow in that communication with God cannot be overstated. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ fervently encouraged His disciples to engage in prayer without ceasing, gifting them the words of the Lord’s Prayer, which is revered as the Lord’s Prayer. He instructed them on this prayer twice: first, when they sought His guidance, as recounted by the Evangelist Luke, asking Him, “Lord, teach us to pray,” and again during His sermon on the Mount, where He cautioned against the false, ostentatious prayers of the Pharisees, urging them to pray earnestly and succinctly, focusing on the essence rather than empty verbosity.

Beloved friends in Christ! Even if our Lord had imparted nothing else to us but this prayer, we would still be unable to express our gratitude sufficiently. This prayer, concise and straightforward, can be recited by a child in a moment yet holds profound depth that even the most learned cannot fully grasp. One esteemed theologian candidly acknowledged, “I confess that I do not yet fully understand the Lord's Prayer, despite holding a doctorate.” So, who are we to presume we can fully comprehend its meaning? We are akin to children at a vast, flowing spring, attempting to gather water with our hands, barely able to capture its richness. Almighty, Wise, and Inexpressible God, look down from Your heavenly heights and grant that as we gather here today and in the future to explore the Lord's Prayer, we may draw from this boundless source enough to satisfy our souls' thirst for You, the Living God.

Pray in this manner: Our Father who art in heaven. We, as siblings in Christ, are aware from our earliest days that God is our Father, which may make it seem simple to call Him Father in our prayers. However, this was a radical perspective for those who prayed to God, a perspective that our Lord bestowed upon His disciples. The idea of approaching God with such childlike confidence was foreign not only to the Gentiles but also to the righteous of the Old Testament. Very few instances in the Old Testament refer to God as Father, and even the most devout individuals held a limited understanding of His fatherly qualities.

In the book of Malachi, for instance, God demands honor that is fitting for a Father (Mal. 1:6). In another instance, He chastises His people for their unfaithfulness, asking, “Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us?” (Mal. 2:10). David, recognizing God as the protector of the weak, calls Him the Father of orphans (Ps. 67:6). Yet, this father figure, for the Old Testament believers, seemed devoid of the nurturing love that connects a father to his children. David himself, who exemplified the essence of prayer and prayed with unmatched sincerity, never dares to refer to God as a father with the intimacy of a child.

The privilege of calling the invisible God “Father” belongs to us Christians, who have come to know through the revelation of His Son that God is love, and that all His actions are rooted in that fatherly love. It is through the love of God, manifested in Christ, that we understand that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is also our Father, who has blessed us by making us His children. As scripture affirms, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). Likewise, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom He chooses to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). Moreover, “To those who received Him, who believe in His name, He gave authority to become children of God” (Jn. 1:12).

Thus, dear Christian, always reflect before praying the Lord’s Prayer on whether you harbor even a glimpse of those childlike qualities in your heart, and if you indeed have the right to approach the Almighty, Eternal, Holy God—the Creator of heaven and earth—as your Father with that degree of confidence. How joyous it is if His Spirit affirms in your spirit that you are truly a child of God, able to approach Him with that childlike trust. Just as a child seeks everything from their father, confident and open, so too should we approach our Heavenly Father, trusting Him for all our needs.

If you genuinely are a child of God, there is no need for redundancy in your inquiry about why and how you pray. Is there anyone who questions a flower on why it blooms or diffuses its fragrance? It simply cannot help but blossom and emit its scent. In a similar vein, do you question why a star shines? It is in its very nature to shine. Likewise, a Christian, a child of God, cannot refrain from praying; he must do so. In prayer, he finds nourishment, solace, and the outpouring of his heart before the Lord, voicing his thoughts, emotions, aspirations, and requests through supplication and gratitude.

This is precisely why our Lord Jesus Christ positioned His disciples in this rightful relationship to God, seeing them as children to their benevolent Father. Through this, He draws us closer to God, encouraging us to believe in Him as our true Father, and to recognize ourselves as His true children so that we may confidently approach Him just as loving children do their affectionate parent. The invocation of “Father” signifies this intimate connection to God, while adding the term “our” reminds us of our interconnectedness with others, of our communal brotherly rights and responsibilities toward one another.

You are not alone in your need for His paternal love and your right to call Him Father; a vast family of God’s children exists. Millions join you in calling Him Father, seeking His guidance and care alongside you. They are your kin, deserving of remembrance in your prayers. What a profound thought! Wherever you may find yourself, whether in a grand assembly or in solitude, countless others are lifting prayers alongside you, all called to be children of God and beseeching the Father in His name. Our united prayers and hymns ascend to the heights, blending with the celestial praise of those in glory, who offer more worthy adoration than all earthly voices.

With such a vast heart, the Christian prays; he prays with all, and for all—including those yet to recognize Him as their God and Father, who likewise depend on Him as we do and are called to know Him as their Father. But why does our Savior instruct us to add "who art in heaven"? We understand that God is present everywhere; there is no place in His immense creation where He is absent or where His reach does not extend. David cried out, “Where shall I go from Your spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).

The Lord Jesus encourages us to seek the Father in heaven, just as David called upon the Lord from the depths of his troubles (Ps. 130:1). This phrasing signifies our recognition of the trials we face on earth while acknowledging that God reigns above it all, in the glory and majesty of heaven. We are blessed that in the midst of our struggles, we can trust in our Father, who stands above every earthly hardship, showering us with every good gift.

As far as heaven is above the earth, so are His thoughts higher than our thoughts, and His ways above our ways. His power and wisdom far exceed earthly comprehension, and His love transcends human affection. The most devoted love of an earthly parent is a mere shadow of the love our heavenly Father has for His children. It is indeed miraculous and unnatural for a mother's love to shift, let alone the immutable heart of our Heavenly Father. Even if a mother forgets her child, He pledges, “I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).

So, dear friend, elevate your aspirations and sentiments towards Him. Do not let your heart cling to the fleeting pleasures of this world, but set your gaze towards your Father in heaven, the embodiment of majesty and glory. That is your true home and heritage, one lost due to sin, and the Father’s house to which you belong. You can return only through the path of sorrow and reflection upon what you lost by straying from your Father's house.

Strive with your desires and hopes toward the dwelling prepared for you by the Lord of glory, your Savior, alongside His Father. Do not lose sight of your noble origins and your heavenly home amidst foreign lands. Redirect your focus from the path to the goal, and cultivate your heart’s longing for the inheritance of God’s children in heaven—towards the saints who sing at His throne, exclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy!”—and towards the bliss of heaven to which you are called.

Thus, when we utter the prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, how essential it is that we do so with the reverence and sincerity that reflects a truly childlike heart! The more genuine our appeal, the more effective our prayer will be, enabling us to utter this prayer with the confidence taught by our Lord Himself. Therefore, as we pray to You, our Father, may You accept us in Your mercy and guide our hearts through the power of Your Holy Spirit, so we may be rightly called Your children, approaching You with full faith and courage, as beloved children would to their treasured parent.

When our Savior teaches His disciples to pray, He first positions them correctly, adopting a childlike posture towards God, instructing them to pray: Our Father who art in heaven. The more we embody the meaning of this invocation, the more we become true children of God in disposition and the more our prayers align with what is pleasing to God. It all begins with our first words: Hallowed be Thy name!

Those without a childlike heart, who do not revere God above all else, will not partake in this prayer’s essence and will merely recite the words: Hallowed be Thy name, without genuine participation. They commence their prayers with the more demanding requests, like “Give us this day our daily bread” or “Deliver us from evil.” It is only those with truly childlike hearts, who genuinely honor and love God above all, that can sincerely address Him as “Our Father” and passionately intercede that His name be glorified.

God has indeed revealed His holy name throughout creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth proclaims the work of His hands.” His name is inscribed on every leaf, every creature, celebrating Him through the dance of sunlight and the glow of the moon. Yet, countless individuals remain blind to this testimony, neglecting to recognize their Creator amidst the splendor of nature. For millennia, the heathens have followed their paths, engaged in conflict, and pursued worldly gains, yet they remain oblivious to the God who shaped all existence, failing to honor His name as it should be.

God speaks to your conscience; His name is engraved within you, revealing Him as a holy and just Being. You can hear His call, which warns of judgment, sorrow, and the anguish of sin. Yet how many among us are resistant to that voice, deaf to the overtures of conscience? Or if you hear that voice, do you reject the Father's embracing assurance? That intimate knowledge of God’s heart can only be discovered in His Word—there lies the revelation of His grandeur and merciful love.

For this reason, the faithful of the Old Testament proclaimed: “I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness; for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word” (Psalm 138:2). Christians, who behold how God's name shines even brighter through His only Son, who became incarnate and dwelt amongst us—a reflection of grace and truth—should strive to glorify it.

He preferred to be addressed as Father rather than Lord, to offer us a solid assurance in our petitions and a profound hope for what we may receive. Servants do not always get what they request, nor do they always ask with sincerity for what is truly needed. Often, their requests are self-centered, focusing on their own interests rather than those of their master; thus, they may not warrant a response. In contrast, children are assured to receive what they request, as they ask with a pure heart and prioritize their father's well-being over their own needs, which grants them the right to be heard. Therefore, if you consider yourself a child of God, seek what is truly good for you, and it is appropriate for Him to provide. However, if your requests are consistently for worldly and material things, you may find it difficult to attain them, or perhaps they will be denied altogether. Can He willingly grant you what He prevents you from obtaining?

Pray in this manner. The Lord provides a template for Christian prayer, which does not imply that one should exclusively use the words of the Lord's Prayer without incorporating additional prayers. This prayer encapsulates the heart of Christian supplication, while its components can serve as themes for countless prayers that arise within the Church of Christ and are shared among various Christian communities and traditions.