How should believers expect to be addressed?
Scripture reading: Psalm 113:1-8. Text: Matthew 6:9/b: “hallowed be your name” New International Version. “Hallowed be thy name” Revised Standard Version. “May your name be held holy” Jerusalem Bible. “May your holy name be honored” Today’s English Version. Before we start to discuss our text, please, think of yourself first. How do you wish to be called: dude, guy, man or woman, Mr. or Mrs., lady or gentleman, sir or madam? If someone addresses you in this way: “Hey, you guys” will it be polite? Our text is the first of those three requests that are centered in God, followed by those four petitions, which we ask in our behalf in the Lord’s Prayer.
“YOU SHALL NOT MISUSE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD ANYONE GUILTLESS WHO MISUSES HIS NAME.” Exodus 20:7.
The third commandment of the Decalogue underlines already the importance and sanctity of God’s name and forbids its profane and irreverent use. Why?
n In the past, one’s name was meaningful, served as his/her ambassador, see Matthew 7:21-22, and revealed the bearer’s name’s character, traits and true nature. See Exodus 3:13-14.
n The change of one’s name indicated a change in his/her life, e.g. Jacob to Israel, Genesis 35:10; Simon to Peter, Matthew 16:17-18; Saul to Paul, Acts of Apostles 13:9.
n The name of God has had special importance to all faithful people, see Psalm 8:1; 29:2; 34:3; 72:17, 19; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 32:18; Daniel 2:20. Jesus unconditionally revered his Father’s name, see John 12:28, 17:6, 11-12, 26.
SOME CONFUSION CREATED BY THIS MODERN WORLD.
The population explosion created a name explosion too, and the names are not so significant any more. How many Smiths, Johnsons and Browns are in your telephone book? Today, a driver’s license and Social Security number are used for identification.
It is wrongly assumed that only those should pray who feel they are obliged to hallow or honor God’s name. Those, who do not turn to our heavenly Father with any request, may consider themselves free from worshiping him.
Respect in general is fading away. Teachers, police officers, judges … complain that they are not respected as much as they have been before.
THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT AND MEANT THESE WORDS TO BE OFFERED IN PRAYER.
This first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is rendered in imperative mode and passive voice.
Two words are not mentioned but understood: “Hallowed be thy name BY US. See how many times this personal pronoun appears in the Lord’s Prayer: “Give US this day our daily bread, forgive US our trespasses, lead US not into temptation, but deliver US from evil. This also shows that the Lord’s Prayer does not belong exclusively to the church and its members.
In the original Greek language the verb TO HALLOW comes from that root of which derivatives mean HOLY, SAINT, SACRED. What was sacred in the Old Testament?
Whatever was put aside for a specific use, namely for the church and worship service. “So then this petition means, ‘Let God’s name be treated differently from all other names; let God’s name be given a position which is absolutely unique.'” William Barclay.
Reverence, respect and honor fall between two extreme cases: they are neither total surrender to an absolute power nor a superficial attitude for a short time to obtain favors from authorities.
When we honor God’s name in a proper way we do not decrease our own respect rather enhance it. From hallowing God’s name comes the respect we pay to our parents, leaders and neighbors or we receive it from others.
The hardest to be respectful is when we are angry or think that we were mistreated. Jesus had never changed his mind concerning the Father and even in the greatest agony had not shown disrespect or irreverence toward him.
The first petition should serve as introduction to each of the rest; we sanctify thy name and then thy kingdom come; we honor thy name so thy will be done; we respect thy name and thus give us this day our daily bread …
We hallow God’s name when we think, pray, act and live as the psalmist did: “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” Psalm 86:12.
The Rev. Alexander Jalso is a retired United Presbyterian minister living in Brownsville.