Matthew 6:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

NIV: your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

NASB: Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

CSB: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

NLT: May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

KJV: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

NKJV: Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus is teaching His followers how to pray to the Father by modeling a prayer for them (Matthew 6:9–13). This has become known the world over as the Lord's Prayer. Even many unbelievers are familiar with this prayer and find it comforting or meaningful to recite in times of crisis. While there's nothing wrong with that, necessarily, Jesus primarily meant these words as a blueprint. This passage is not a magic spell, or a mandatory chant: it's something on which Christians can model their own prayers (Matthew 6:5–8).

Christ now models the importance of submission to God's will, and speaking to Him in a way which acknowledges it. Praying for what God wants to happen is to accept that His plan is right and good for everyone. Jesus implies that this includes all possible times and places. He is praying for the coming of God's kingdom and the fulfillment of His will, in all places and all times. To pray this in sincerity is to ask God for the very thing Jesus was going to accomplish: bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth at some point in the future.

Matthew 6:7–16 follows Jesus' instruction about praying behind closed doors; He now teaches how to pray. Christ denounces the use of mindless repetition or meaningless jargon. God doesn't need filler words, and He doesn't need us to repeat ourselves in order to be heard. Jesus then models a simple, authentic prayer, now famously referred to as the Lord's Prayer. It is addressed to God the Father and begins by declaring His holiness and asking for His will to be accomplished on earth. This model prayer also makes personal requests for daily food, forgiveness of sin, and deliverance from temptation and evil. Jesus then underscores part of that prayer by saying those who want God's forgiveness must forgive others.

The Sermon on the Mount continues in chapter 6, which is entirely composed of the words of Christ. Jesus teaches that God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. He teaches a simple and authentic model prayer. Christ warns against stockpiling money and possessions on earth. Instead, believers should make choices that store up treasure in heaven. A person's top priority can either be God, or money, but cannot be both. Along with that, Jesus says believers should fight against anxiety about daily needs. The heavenly Father knows what we need. All we need to do is pursue His kingdom and righteousness; He will take care of our needs, one day at a time.

Chapter 5 began Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount. In that passage, Jesus pointed out that thoughts and attitudes are part of righteousness, just as much as actions. In Chapter 6, He explains how good deeds are only righteous when done out of sincere devotion to God, rather than for other people's approval. He also provides a model for prayer. Jesus explains how excessive worry, such as over money, interferes with faith in God. Knowing that God loves us should lead believers to trust Him, not to be anxious. Chapter 6 is one of the few chapters of the New Testament entirely composed of the words of Christ. In chapter 7 Jesus will introduce additional themes such as appropriate judgment, trust in God, and treatment of others.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/4/2024 11:22:24 AM