Lucas 11

Lucas 11

Constable adds that "This petition is as much an expression of worship as it is a petition. It asks God to act so people will regard Him as holy, to cause situations in which they will reverence and obey Him rather than blaspheming and sinning against Him." Phillip Keller on hallowed - Putting it into plain language, what Jesus is saying in this prayer is, “Father, may Your person, Your identity, Your character, Your reputation, Your very being always be honored.” (Borrow A layman looks at the Lord's prayer) Brian Bill on hallowed - To make something “hallow” carries two basic ideas in the Greek. The first means to make an ordinary thing extraordinary by bringing it into contact with something extraordinary. That’s how it’s used in 1 Peter 1:16 where God says, “Be holy because I am holy.” We’re unholy, but by coming into contact with One who is holy, we can be made holy. The second meaning for “hallow” means to treat something or someone as set apart or separated. To “hallow” God’s name therefore is to hold His matchless being in awe and veneration so that we will believe what He says and obey Him. Friends, we have to guard against becoming flippant and shallow in our view of God. God is holy, holy, holy. The holiness of God is the only one of His attributes repeated three times. One way that we can “hallow” His name is by living a life of obedience before Him. God want His name “hallowed” in us so that we can become a vehicle of His holiness to others. Martin Luther said that God’s name is made holy among us “when both our doctrines and our living are truly Christian.” That’s where prayer begins. Before we start asking for what we want, we need to ask for what we should be in light of His penetrating holiness. Two questions come to mind related to this part of the prayer: Are we approaching God with holy reverence, awe, and respect when we pray? Are we “hallowing” God by the way we are living? (Luke 11:1-4 How to Pray the Lord’s Way) Rich Cathers on Hallowed - We need to treat God’s name as holy, as different. The Jews had a concept of this. As they copied the Old Testament manuscripts, instead of writing out the actual name, Yahweh, they felt they were too unclean to be able to even mention let alone write God’s name, and so they would write the consonants of “Yahweh”, but they would pronounce “Adonai”, or, “Lord”. Though I don’t think we ought to be afraid of saying God’s name, I think we could use a little more awe and reverence towards God’s name. (Notes) THOUGHT- As an aside many (most) movies and television shows today (even so-called PG!) glibly blaspheme God and Christ, the Name above all names. What hypocrisy for believers to take in this profane language and then go before the Father and say "hallowed be Your Name!" Hallowed has a bit of a hollow ring if one is not guarding his ear-gate with a "Phil 4:8 grid." Steven