ACC ~ Matthew 6 v10
CHRIST REIGNS IN THE MATURING SOUL
ORIGEN: The kingdom of God, according to the word of our Lord and Savior, “comes not with observation”; and “neither shall they say, Behold here, or behold there”—but “the kingdom of God is within us” [1] (for “the word is very near to us,” [2] in our mouths and in our hearts). So one who prays for the coming of the kingdom of God rightly prays that the kingdom of God might be established in himself, that it might bear fruit and be perfected in himself. Every saint, being ruled by God as king and obedient to the spiritual laws of God, as it were, dwells within this kingdom as in a well-ordered city. The Father is present to such a one, and Christ reigns with the Father in the soul that is maturing. This is in accord with the promise that “we will come to him and make our abode with him.” [3] ON PRAYER 25.1. [4]
[1] Lk 17:20-21.
[2] Deut 30:14.
[3] Jn 14:23.
[4] GCS 3:356-57; ACW 19:84-85.
THE KINGDOM IS CHRIST’S OWN COMING
CYPRIAN: We ask that the kingdom of God may come to us, even as we also ask that his name may be sanctified in us. But when was it ever the case that God did not reign? Or when did that kingdom begin with him who both always has been and never ceases to be? We are here praying that our kingdom, which has been promised us by God, may come, the very kingdom acquired by the blood and passion of Christ. We pray that we who now are his subjects in the world may hereafter reign with Christ when he reigns. For this he himself promises when he says, “Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” [1] Christ himself, dearest beloved, is the kingdom of God, whom we day by day desire to come, whose advent we crave to be quickly manifested to us. For since he is himself the resurrection, since in him we rise again, so also the kingdom of God may be understood to be himself, since in him we shall reign. TREATISES, ON THE LORD’S PRAYER 13. [2]
[1] Mt 25:34.
[2] CCL 3a:97; ANF 5:450-51**. The kingdom for which we pray is Christ’s own coming. His kingdom is eternal and not locked into temporal categories.
MAY THE KINGDOM BE FULLY MANIFESTED
AUGUSTINE: The expression “thy kingdom come” is not to be thought of as if God were not now reigning. [1] But some might get the strange impression that “come” implies “for the first time upon the earth”—as if to imply that God were not even now really reigning upon earth! Or that God had not always reigned upon the earth from the foundation of the world! “Come,” therefore, is to be understood in the sense of “manifested to humanity.” Just as light that is present is absent to the blind or to those who shut their eyes, so the kingdom of God, though it never departs from the earth, yet is absent to those who know nothing about it. To none, however, will ignorance of God’s kingdom be permitted when his Only Begotten comes from heaven. Then he will be recognizable not only by the intellect but visibly as the Man of the Lord to judge the living and the dead. SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.6.20. [2]
[1] Augustine is here asking: Does the prayer imply that God’s reign has not yet begun or is not present?
[2] PL 34:1278; ACW 5:109**; NPNF 1 6:40. The kingdom of God, though already present on the earth, is as yet unrecognized by those who remain ignorant of it.
NOT ALL ARE IN GOD’S KINGDOM
ANONYMOUS: The kingdom of God is called the retribution or the tribulation, which the just receive according to the reward of their justice or sinners according to the guilt of their sinning. The saints too are called the kingdom of God, as it is written, “And they will gather the weeds out of his kingdom,” [1] that is, out of the Christian people. The kingdom of God is also called justice, as it is said, “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to the nation that does his work.” [2] For all these things, there is one interpretation. It is one thing to be a king and another thing to rule. Understand, God is naturally a king, but he does not reign in all. Not all people are his kingdom because not all do his will. Among evil people God does not reign, but the devil—it is his will they do. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 14. [3]
[1] Mt 13:41.
[2] Mt 21:43.
[3] PG 56:711.
WHETHER GOD NEEDS OUR PRAYER TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL
TERTULLIAN: When we pray “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we do not imply that anyone could prevent the fulfillment of God’s will or that he needs our prayer to accomplish his will. Rather, we pray that his will be done in all. Think of heaven and earth as a picture of our very selves, spirit and flesh. The sense of the petition is the same, namely, that in us (as spirit and flesh, as heaven and earth combined) the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven. Now, what does God will more than that we ourselves walk according to his ways? We ask therefore that he supply us with the energy of his own will and the capacity to do it, that we may be saved, both in heaven and on earth. The sum of his will is the salvation of those whom he has adopted. ON PRAYER 4.1-2. [1]
[1] CCL 1:259; FC 40:161-62**; ANF 3:682**. If we think of heaven and earth as a figure of our very selves, spirit and flesh, we are praying here that in us (as spirit and flesh, as heaven and earth blended) the will of God may be done.
THAT ALL MAY DO GOD’S WILL
AUGUSTINE: We pray that God’s will may be accomplished in sinners also, even as it is accomplished in the saints and the just. This can be taken in two ways. First, we are to pray even for our enemies. For what else shall we call those in spite of whose will the Christian and Catholic name still spreads? According to this understanding the petition, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” is intended to convey the following meaning: As the righteous do your will, let sinners do it also, so they may be converted. Second, the interpretation may be taken in the sense that “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is to be understood as a petition for the final rendering of his just due to every person. This will be done at the last judgment, when the lambs will be separated from the goats. SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.6.22. [1]
[1] PL 34:1279; FC 11:130**; NPNF 1 6:41; ACW 5:110, 15:3, 46. To pray that God’s will be done on earth as in heaven requires that we pray that it may be done also in sinners, and finally by all wills, that justice shall be rendered to all.
HUMAN GOOD IS ACCOMPLISHED ONLY WITH GOD’S HELP
ANONYMOUS: Notice how carefully Jesus spoke. He did not say, “Father, hallow thy name among us, bring thy kingdom upon us, do thy will among us,” lest God should seem to hallow himself among people or want to bring his kingdom among those he wishes or to do his will among those he wishes; and thus God would show partiality toward certain people. Nor did he say, “Let us hallow thy name, let us receive thy kingdom, let us do thy will, in heaven and on earth,” lest it seem that only people are hallowing God or receiving his kingdom or doing his will. Rather, he spoke moderately and impersonally; in other words, “Let it be hallowed, let it come, let it be done,” that he might show the necessary work of both persons, for humans consider God necessary and God considers human willing necessary for the doing of justice. For even as people cannot do good without God’s help, neither does God will to do good in people unless they will to let him. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 14. [1]
[1] PG 56:712.
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