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
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Serm. in Mont., ii, 4: Since in every entreaty we have first to propitiate the good favour of Him whom we entreat, and after that mention what we entreat for; and this we commonly do by saying something in praise of Him whom we entreat, and place it in the front of our petition; in this the Lord bids us say no more than only, “Our Father which art in Heaven. "Mary things were said of them to the praise of God, yet do we never find it taught to the children of Israel to address Godas ‘Our Father;’ He is rather set before them as a Lord over slaves. But of Christ's people the Apostle says, “We have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father,” and that not of our deservings, but of grace. This then we express in the prayer when we say, “Father;” which name also stirs up love. For what can be dearer than sons are to a father? And asuppliant spirit, in that men should say to God “Our Father.” And a certain presumption that we shall obtain; for what will He not give to His sons when they ask of Him, who has given them that first that they should be sons? Lastly, how great anxiety possesses his mind, that having called God his Father, he should not be unworthy of such aFather. By this the rich and the noble are admonished when they have become Christians not to be haughty towards the poor or truly born, who like themselves may address God as “Our Father;” and they therefore cannot truly or piously say this unless they acknowledge such for brethren.
Serm. in Mont., ii, 5: Or; “in heaven” is among the saints and the righteous men; for God is not contained in space. For the heavens literally are the upperparts of the universe, and if God be thought to be in them, then are the birds of more desert than men, seeing they must have their habitation nearer to God. But, “God is nigh,” so might the righteous on the other hand be called ‘the heaven.’ Thus then it would berightly said “Who art in heaven,” for there would seem to be as much difference spiritually between the righteous and sinners, as locally, between heaven and earth.
Having named Him to whom prayer is made and where He dwells, let us now see what things they are for which we ought to pray. But the first of all the things that are prayed for it, “Hallowed be thy name,” not implying that the name of God is not holy, but that it may be held sacred of men; that is, that God may be so known that nothing may be esteemed more holy.
De Don. Pers. 2: But why is this perseverance asked of God, if, as thePelagians say, it is not given by God? Is it not a mocking petition to ask of God what we know is not given by Him, but is in the power of man himself to attain?
