"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." ~ Matthew 6:10 KJV
This well-known Christian phrase originates from the words of Jesus Himself when instructing His followers on how to pray. Likely the most popular prayer of human history, it is important we understand this crucial portion, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done."
Read the full Bible passage of the Lord's Prayer below and discover the deeper meaning of these words for Christians.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:8-13 KJV)
Listen to a Beautiful Reading of the Lord's Prayer
When saying "Thy kingdom come," we ask that the Kingdom promised by God may come, acquired by the blood and suffering of Christ. We ask that having served in this age, we may reign then with the Master of Creation, Jesus Christ. We ask that He quickly reveal to us His coming.
In the words of John Chrysostom, this kind of prayer comes from a good conscience and soul, free of all earthly concerns. Whoever has this kind of love will be unable either to grow proud amid the good things of this life or to despair amid grief; rather, as a dweller in heaven, he is free of both extremes.
The natural Kingdom of the Father, according to Maximus the Confessor, is the Holy Spirit, which reveals Christ and His Father to us.
"As Thy will is done in the angels, O Master," exclaims Cyril of Jerusalem, "so let it be in me on the earth."
"Let our intelligence, then, be moved to seek God, let our desire be roused in longing for Him, and let our intensive power struggle to keep guard over our devotion to Him." Let our body which was taken from the earth likewise serve the Creator, and not war against the spirit.
However, as Cyprian of Carthage explains, this petition pertains not only to Christians but to unbelievers as well. "May God's will be done, that they too, earthly by their first birth, may be reborn of water and spirit, and begin to be heavenly."
The following is an excerpt from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible about this verse saying:
"Thy kingdom come..."
In this petition the disciples were taught to pray for the success of the Gospel, both among Jews and Gentiles; for the conversion of God's elect, in which the kingdom of God would greatly appear, to the destruction of the kingdom of Satan, and the abolition of the kingdom of the beast, in the latter-day; which will usher in the kingdom, of the mediator, he will receive from his Father, and this will terminate in the kingdom of glory: in a word, not the kingdom of nature and providence is meant, which always was; but the kingdom of heaven, which was at hand, nay had taken place, though as yet was not very visible, and which is spiritual in the hearts of God's people, Jews and Gentiles; and which will appear exceeding glorious in the latter day, and at last be swallowed up in the ultimate glory; all which must be very desirable by the sincere lovers of Jesus Christ.
"...thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Christ says "thy will"; not the will of wicked men, nor the will of Satan, nor a man's own will, but the will of God: by which is meant either his secret will, which is the rule of all his proceedings both in providence and grace; is unknown to us, till facts make it appear; is always fulfilled in heaven and in earth, and sometimes is fulfilled by those who have no regard to his revealed will; and is what ought to be submitted to patiently, and without murmuring: or rather his revealed will, which consists partly in the declarations of his grace and mercy; as that salvation is by Christ, whoever believes in him shall be saved, that all the redeemed be sanctified, persevere to the end, and be glorified; and partly in the commands enjoined his people, which will of his is good, perfect, and acceptable. The will of God may be said to be done by us, when our wills are resigned to his; when we patiently submit to every adverse dispensation of providence; when our hearts and actions are, in some measure, conformed to his law; when what is done, is done in faith, with a view to his glory, and without dependence upon it; of which such only are capable who have a spiritual understanding of the will of God, believe in Christ, receive grace and strength from him, and are assisted by his Spirit. These desire to do the will of God, as it is done in heaven; meaning not so much by the inanimate creatures, the sun, and moon, and stars, as glorified saints and holy angels, who do it voluntarily and cheerfully; speedily, and without delay; constantly, and without any interruption; and perfectly and completely.
Sources:
Holy Bible KJV
Sysoev, Daniel. The Law of God. New Jersey, 2016
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