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"Thy Kingdom Come"
Commentary on the Lord's Prayer

"Thy Kingdom Come" is the second of the seven petitions in the the Lord's prayer (the first three address God, the second four are prayers related to our needs and concerns).
God's kingdom is to do with His ways and order. So here we are asking that God's ways happen here, as they are fully obeyed in Heaven.

The word “Kingdom” comes from two words - King and domain.
The domain is the territory that is governed by the ruler, the King. So the Kingdom of God is wherever God is in control. This is not necessarily a geographical place. Rather, our hearts can be the place where his Kingdom reigns. So when we pray “your kingdom come” we can first ask ourselves “how can God’s rule and ways fully come through my life?” For an understanding of God’s ways, it is worth reading the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel’s (especially the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5 to 7 and His many parables, which reveal the principles of the Kingdom).

However, there is a further meaning to this line, one which theologians refer to as having eschatological significance. Christian eschatology is to do with “end times”, the end of this age as we know it and the return of Christ in His second coming. Here the Kingdom of God will be fully realised “on earth as it is in heaven”. So this second petition is both a request for more of God’s Kingdom to come now on Earth, and a looking forwards to fullness of God’s Kingdom in the future.


Kingdom Threads


This video creatively explores how the Kingdom of God permeates and transforms society, like invisible golden threads criss-crossing lands and hearts.


Quote about the Lord's Prayer

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Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God - the rest will be given.

Mother Teresa
Roman Catholic Sister and Missionary (1910-1997)


Adam Clarke

on "Thy Kingodom Come"

Verse 10. Thy kingdom come.] The ancient Jews scrupled not to say: He prays not at all, in whose prayers there is no mention of the kingdom of God. Hence, they were accustomed to say, "Let him cause his kingdom to reign, and his redemption to flourish: and let the Messiah speedily come and deliver his people."

The universal sway of the sceptre of Christ:-God has promised that the kingdom of Christ shall be exalted above all kingdoms. Da 7:14-27. That it shall overcome all others, and be at last the universal empire. Isa 9:7. Connect this with the explanation given of this phrase, Mt 3:2.


Source: Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible


The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer

Matthew Henry on "Thy Kingdom Come"

2. Thy kingdom come. This petition has plainly a reference to the doctrine which Christ preached at this time, which John Baptist had preached before, and which he afterwards sent his apostles out to preach--the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of your Father who is in heaven, the kingdom of the Messiah, this is at hand, pray that it may come. Note, We should turn the word we hear into prayer, our hearts should echo to it; does Christ promise, surely I come quickly? our hearts should answer, Even so, come. Ministers should pray over the word: when they preach, the kingdom of God is at hand, they should pray, Father, thy kingdom come. What God has promised we must pray for; for promises are given, not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer; and when the accomplishment of a promise is near and at the door, when the kingdom of heaven is at hand, we should then pray for it the more earnestly; thy kingdom come; as Daniel set his face to pray for the deliverance of Israel, when he understood that the time of it was at hand, Da 9:2. See Lu 19:11. It was the Jews' daily prayer to God, Let him make his kingdom reign, let his redemption flourish, and let his Messiah come and deliver his people. Dr. Whitby, ex Vitringa. "Let thy kingdom come, let the gospel be preached to all and embraced by all; let all be brought to subscribe to the record God has given in his word concerning his Son, and to embrace him as their Saviour and Sovereign. Let the bounds of the gospel-church be enlarged, the kingdom of the world be made Christ's kingdom, and all men become subjects to it, and live as becomes their character."

Source: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John)




Albert Barnes
on "Thy Kingdom Come"

Verse 10. Thy kingdom come. The word kingdom here means reign. Mt 3:2. The petition is the expression of a wish that God may reign everywhere; that his laws may be obeyed; and especially that the gospel of Christ may be advanced everywhere, till the world shall be filled with his glory.


Source: Barnes' New Testament Notes


about the commentary writers

In this section you can discover more about the Lord's Prayer through some of the most notable exponents in biblical interpretation.

Matthew Henry Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a non-conformist English clerygman. His commentaries on the scriptures are intended as a devotional guide to the Bible, rather than as a critical study.

Albert Barnes Albert Barnes (1798-1870) was a Presbyterian minister and American theologian. His 'New Testament Notes' are invaluable in helping to understand difficult passages of scripture. Barnes frequently references the original Greek to reveal the meaning of the text.

Adam Clarke Adam Clarke (1769 or 62 to 1832) was a Methodist minister and biblical theologian. His extensive commentary on the New Testament, at around 6000 pages long, is one of the longest works on the bible ever written by one person.




More resources on the Lord's prayer...

here are links to some commentaries and versions on this famous prayer