- Theology and Identity
- Season 2
- Episode 4
- Airdate: 21 Feb, 2025
- Please note this is a script, and not a transcript. There may be slight differences between this text and the actual broadcast.
- All Bible quotations taken from the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016)
Audio Links:
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In our previous episode, we began a study on the Hidden Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.
Over the course of several episodes, we’re working our way through the Lord’s Prayer, line by line, to see if we decode the meanings that are hidden in the original words of this prayer.
Once again, I want to clarify what exactly I’m saying when I refer to the meaning of the LP as being ‘hidden’
I am not suggesting that the early followers of Jesus were deliberately trying to embed with secret symbols that could only be deciphered by a select group of people. When Jesus first taught the LP to his disciples nearly 2000 years ago, they knew exactly what every word, phrase, image and allusion was supposed to mean. So the meaning of the prayer was not hidden to them.
There are however, elements of the LP that are hidden to us. And that is because the text of the prayer is rich in encoded meanings that were clear to the original audience, but which might so clear for us today.
In our previous episode, we looked at some of these encoded meanings in the opening lines of the prayer.
We noted that the original version of this prayer probably addressed God the Father as Abba. This was an intimate way of addressing God, that was not common to early Judaism. Here, Jesus was deliberately trying to be different. Abba was the way that he addressed his father. When he instructed his disciples to also address God as Abba, he was doing something that had massive theological implications. He was inviting them to relate to the father in the same way that he related to the father. He was drawing them in to share in the life-giving communion that exists between himself and the Father.
In the last episode, we also looked at Matthew’s version of the LP wherein the person praying addresses God as the father ‘who is in heaven’. This might not seem like an important detail to us, but once again, for Jesus’s Jewish disciples, this was a theologically rich declaration. Throughout the ages, one of the central themes of Jewish prayer has been the affirmation that YHWH, the God of Israel, is the one and only God. There is no other.
In the OT non-existence of other gods is often set in contrast to the one true God is described the God who is in heaven.
When Jesus taught his followers to address God as the one who ‘is in heaven’, he was teaching them to affirm that God is the one and only God. It’s a code phrase. When the disciples address God as the Father who is in heaven’ they are acknowledging that he is God and there is no other.
In the final section of our last episode, we looked at the meaning of the petition ‘hallowed be your name’. “Hallowed be your name” was a code. It was a request for God to move in such a way that his name would be honored as holy (or sanctified) among the nations. By teaching his followers to pray in this way, Jesus was letting them know that the time had come for the new Israel to establish itself as a righteous nation. Through them, God would display his holiness to all the world. When they lived in righteousness and God moved mightily through them, then the Father’s name would accurately reflect who he really is, and he would be honored by all the peoples of the earth.
So that brings us to the next petition in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘your kingdom come’.
When Jesus taught his followers to pray “your kingdom come,” he was using a phrase that was not common, but yet not indecipherable to the Jews of his day. It was not a phrase that the Jewish people typically used in their prayers. But it did definitely resonate with their theology and their hopes for the future. The Jewish people of Jesus’s day had a deep longing to be under the rule of God, and God alone.
In order to understand why this desire ran so deep, we need to look back into the early history of Israel.
When Israel was in the Sinai desert, God had promised them that if they obeyed his commands, they would remain in their land and enjoy his blessings. The punishment for disobedience, however, was that they would be taken into exile and ruled by others (Deut. 28:36, 63-64) “The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known.” And “you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other.”
When Moses spoke to the people about to enter the land, he seemed to foresee their future. He described the captivity that would come centuries later, but he also foresaw their restoration. He declared (Deut. 30:1-8) that when Israel returns to the Lord with all their heart and soul:
Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you . . . And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live . . . And you shall again obey the voice of the Lord and keep all his commandments that I command you today.
We know from the OT narrative that everything about which Moses had warned to people of Israel did in fact happen. God did indeed “pluck” Israel from their promised land by the hands of the Assyrians and the Babylonians. They were scattered among the nations, and most of them never came back.
In Jesus’s day, many Jews were still wondering when the words of Deut 30 would be fulfilled.
James Dunn notes that at this time there was “a widespread belief that after a period of dispersion among the nations, the outcasts/scattered of Israel would be gathered again and brought back to the promised land, the unity of the twelve tribes reestablished, and the relation of Israel as God’s people, and Yahweh as Israel’s God, restored.”
A scattered Israel would repent, and return to YHWH. He would restore their fortunes and bring them back to the land. He would then make them “more prosperous and numerous” than their fathers, renew their love for Him, and give them victory over their enemies.
Over time, this theme of “return from exile” became increasingly associated with the promise of the Messiah. According to Psalm 72, a king would come to restore the fortunes of Israel and give victory over her enemies. This “royal son” would bring justice to the poor, peace and prosperity to the nation and establish Israel’s place of honor among all nations.
All of these hopes and aspirations are encoded within the petition ‘your kingdom come.’
By teaching his followers to pray in this way, Jesus was letting them know that the time had come. Now was the moment that Israel was to be established as a righteous nation. And he was the one who was going to lead them in this spiritual renewal. Jesus presented himself as the Messiah who had come to bring the promised restoration. Through him the kingdom would come.
Now we know from the gospel accounts that Jesus’ understanding of the ‘kingdom’ was a different than that of many of his Jewish contemporaries.
Jesus didn’t come with the intention of setting the Jewish free from the rule of foreign oppressors. He didn’t come to re-establish the political independence of Israel and to rule from Jerusalem. He came to change peoples hearts and their way of thinking. The kingdom that Jeus proclaimed was a characterized by righteous living, victory over Satan, and the restoration of the human heart. He taught that when Israel’s love for the Father and for one another was restored, then God would be their king once again. The kingdom of God would become a reality for them.
Thus, the petition “your kingdom come” was a prayer for heart transformation. It was an invitation to imagine what it would look like for God and God alone to rule over Israel. There would be compassion for the poor, justice for the oppressed, care given to the fatherless and the widow. Evil-doers who oppress and exploit the poor would be crushed, and those who steal and prosper by sin would be driven back. All the blessings of the Covenant would come to Israel: strong families, abundant crops and cattle, blessing on the work of each person’s hand. All the nations of the world would see the righteousness and spiritual prosperity of Israel, and they would recognize that YHWH is the one true God.
This is what Jesus’ followers requested when praying for the coming of the kingdom. It had little to do with politics. The twelve tribes might remain physically dispersed across the nations, but their hearts would be re-gathered to YHWH. The Romans might maintain military control over their land, but God and God alone would be their king. This was a kingdom that would come through repentance, compassion for the poor, a renewed love for YHWH, and a commitment to follow his commands.
So that is the encoded meaning of ‘your kingdom come’
The next petition of the LP says , “Let your will be done.”
In order to unlock the meaning of this phrase, we have to tie it back to the opening address: Our Father in heaven. Connect these two ideas: Father in heaven – let your will be done. Father in Heaven, let your will be done.
Now the reason I’m emphasizing this connection is because that’s a very common device in Jewish prayer. God’s absolute power is often paired with the idea that his will must be accomplished. We remember that the declaration ‘who is in heaven’ is a declaration of his power. He is the one and only God. So it comes as no surprise that shortly afterwards, we encounter the idea of doing his will.
We’ve noted that the first part of Psalm 115:3 says “Our God is in the heavens”. This is a way of declaring his absolute power as the only true God. But I didn’t read the whole verse.
The complete text of Ps 115:3 says: “Our God is in the heavens, all that pleases him he does.”
Note how the 2 ideas are here placed together: God’s absolute power, and the accomplishment of what pleases him.
And this isn’t the only place where this happens. This pairing is seen frequently throughout the OT, in various configurations:
- 135:5-6, “For I know that great is YHWH, Lord above all gods. All that pleases YHWH he does”;
- In Isa. 55: 8-9 God declares his power and authority as the one who’s thoughts and ways are high above those of mankind, And then vs 11 he speaks of his ‘word’ which shall do ‘ do all that pleases me”;
- 1:14, after recognizing the power of YHWH, the pagan sailors declare to God that “all that has pleased you, you have done.”
What we see in the OT is that there was a perceived connection between power and the ability to do what one pleases. Thus, in Ps. 115:13 the statement “God is in heaven” was naturally followed by “all that pleases him he does.”
This pairing, as a liturgical formula, also appears frequently in ancient Jewish prayers. The basic form of this phrase in Hebrew is kol asher chafetz asah. All that which pleases him, he does. In an article entitled ‘The History of Legal Formula’ Avi Hurvitz “The phrase refers either to God (Psalms, Isaiah, Jonah) or to an earthly king (Ecclesiastes) and denotes the unlimited power of the supreme authority which enables him "to do whatever he pleases."
So once again, we see this legal/liturgical pairing in the Lord’s prayer. There is a declaration that the Father is the one God in heaven. And that is connected to the idea of doing his will.
But in the Lord’s Prayer there’s a twist. The prayer opens with the address “Our Father in Heaven,” as a means of highlighting that he is the one and only true God. The third petition then says: “Let your will be done.”
In the ear of a first century Jew, this would have sounded more like “Do all that pleases you.”[i] Thus, the Lord’s Prayer makes use of this standard liturgical expression, but instead of framing it as a declaration it comes as a request. Rather than simply stating “You are the God in heaven, you do all that pleases you”, this prayer presents a petition: “You are the God in heaven, we ask you to do all that pleases you.” The difference might seem very subtle, but there is a rich theology behind it.
As it is constructed, the Lord’s Prayer does not say, “God is sovereign, he will do what he will do,” as if the role of the person praying is merely to recognize his supremacy. Rather, “let your will be done” is a petition asking God to act. The person who prays in this way is inviting him to bring about the doing of his will on earth.
The Lord’s prayer does not assume that the will of God is always done on the earth. Through the LP, the person praying is asking for God’s will do his will.
In order to understand the theology behind this, lets go back to Ps 115. I’m going to read verses 2-15
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.
14 May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
The text opens by declaring the absolute sovereignty of God. Vs 3 again says: ‘Our God is in the heavens: He does all that he pleases.’
The text in vs 4 – 8 then continues with a series of rants against idolatry. Their idols are made of silver and gold. They have eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear. Those who make them will become like them.
As we read through the verses about false worship- an internal tension is created: If God is the sovereign ruler of all things, if he is in heaven and he does all that he pleases - then why is there so much evil and false worship on the earth?
Then in verses 9-15 – the author encourages the people of Israel not to despair. Three times in verses 9-11 it reminds them to trust in YHWH -who is the help and shield of Israel.
In verses in 12 – 15, the reads are reminded that God has remembered them and he will bless them. ‘ The lord has remembered us. He will bless us.’
But so far in this passage we still haven’t resolved the theological tension around the question: If our God is the one true God who is heaven, why is there so much evil and idolatry on the earth?
This tension is resolved in vs 16 where the author declares, “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.”
The implication is that men are able to practice evil on earth—such as worshipping false gods -- because it is the realm that has been placed under their dominion. They have a free will. YHWH is the absolute ruler of the universe, but on earth he has given men control over their own conduct.
So a pattern we can discern in Psalm 115 is this:
- YHWH the God of Israel is the god who is in heaven. He is the one and only God.
- His authority is absolute, and all that pleases him he does.
- The other nations worship idols, who are false Gods.
- These idols cannot help them in any way, and as they worship these vain idols they become like them.
- But don’t despair, God has not forgotten you and he is going to bless you.
- And if you’re wondering why there is so much evil on the world. Its because ‘the earth he has given to the children of man.’ In heaven, above the earth, his authority is unchallenged. His perfect will is done. But down here on earth, humans are free to do what they want to do. And that includes the freedom to do evil and worship idols.
So in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is picking up on this theological tension. He is touching on the commonly understood problem in Judaic theology – the problem of evil. If our God is sovereign, if he is the one and only God in heaven, then why is there so much evil in the world;.
The answer of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer is this: there is evil in the world because women and men choose to worship false Gods and practice sin. But we’re not going to sit back and do nothing about it. We believe that our God has the power to break into peoples lives. To change their hearts, change their minds, and draw them to himself.
Those who pray this prayer believe that God is able to bring about that which pleases him on earth by transforming human lives. Jeremiah had said that the “new covenant” between YHWH and his people would be this: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God and they shall be my people.”(Jer. 31:33)
Thus, the request “let your will be done” is a way of asking God to write his laws on human hearts, to show people how to do the things that are pleasing to him, and to guide their steps toward that which honors him.
In the Deuteronomy 6:5, YHWH made clear what he desires from all people: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might.” This is the absolute declaration of God’s will. He is the sovereign ruler of the universe and he has declared that this is the one thing he desires above all else: he wants to be loved by people. Thus, to pray “let your will be done” is to ask God: “Make that which pleases you happen. Write your laws on our hearts. Teach us your ways, and show us how to love you with all of our heart, all of our soul and with all of our might.”
So today, we’ve covered 2 petitions in the LP – the meaning of the Kingdom of God, and the meaning of ‘let your will be done’
Now you might be asking, why haven’t I included the line ‘on earth as it is heaven’ in my explanation of ‘let your will be done’.?
The answer is that this line ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ does not correspond solely to the doing of God’s will. It actually ties in with the each of the first 3 petitions:
Hallowed be your name – on earth as it is in heaven
Your kingdom come –
Your will be done -
On earth as in heaven is a bridge between the first part of the Lord’s prayer – which is centered on heaven – and the second part of the LP, which is centered on earth. And Ill also add that the relationship between heaven and earth is one of the central themes in Matthew’s gospel – where this version of the LP is found.
But that is our topic for the next episode, which I hope you will come back to hear.
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Thanks for listening today. . . .
[i] See LXX Ps 113:11; 134:6; Ecc. 8:3