After this manner therefore pray: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name.
All Commentaries on Matthew 6:9 Go To Matthew 6
John Chrysostom
AD 407
For what hurt does such kindred with those beneath us, when we are all alike in to One above us? For who calls God Father, in that one title confesses atonce 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 cancall 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.
To pray for ourselves it is our necessity compels us, to pray for others brotherly charity instigates.
“Which are in heaven,” is added, that we may know that we have a heavenly Father, and may blush to immerse ourselves wholly in earthly things when wehave a Father in heaven. Cassian, Collat. ix. 18: And that we should speed with strong desire thitherward where our Father dwells.
“In heaven,” not confining God’s presence to that, but withdrawing the thoughts of the petitioner from earth and fixing them on things above.
Or, He bids us in praying beg that God may be glorified in our life; as if we were to say, Make us to live so that all things may glorify Thee through us. For “hallowed” signifies the same as glorified. It is a petition worthy to bemade by man to God, to ask nothing before the glory of the Father, but to postpone all things to His praise.
