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The first petition, "Hallowed be Thy name", is presented not merely as a request but as the foundational purpose for all other prayers: the glorification of God. Praying for God's name to be "hallowed" is a multifaceted request. It asks God to grant believers the ability to rightly know Him and to magnify His attributes as revealed in His works. Furthermore, it is a plea for personal transformation, that one's entire life—thoughts, words, and deeds—would serve to honor God's name rather than blaspheme it.
The document deconstructs the petition by first defining the "name of God" in four ways: as God Himself, His attributes and works, His divine authority, and the worship He is due. It then clarifies the three distinct meanings of the verb "to hallow" or "sanctify": to acknowledge as holy, to make holy, and to dedicate to a holy purpose. The petition primarily engages the first two meanings, expressing a desire for God's name to be hallowed by us (through our acknowledgment and praise) and in us (through His work of making us holy).
Ultimately, the petition is an admission of human inability. Because individuals cannot sanctify God's name by their own power, they must pray for God to grant the knowledge, faith, repentance, and strength necessary to do so. The prayer is a request for God to act within the believer, enabling a life of worship that actively glorifies Him and distinguishes Him from all profane things.
1. The Primacy and Purpose of the First Petition
The petition "Hallowed be Thy name" is the first of six petitions in the Lord's Prayer. Its primary placement is intentional, as it "comprehends the end and design of all the rest." The fundamental purpose of all human actions and prayers should be the glory of God. This principle is established by the teaching of Christ in Matthew 7:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you." Therefore, to pray correctly, one must first seek the ultimate end, which is the hallowing of God's name.
2. Defining the "Name of God"
To understand the petition, it is essential to comprehend the multifaceted significance of the "name of God." The term is not limited to a title but encompasses God's entire being and revelation. The source text identifies four primary significations.
|
Signification |
Description |
Scriptural References |
|
1. God Himself |
The name is a direct reference to the person and being of God. |
Psalm 5:11; Psalm 9:2, 11; Psalm 116:13; 1 Kings 5:5 |
|
2. Attributes and Works of God |
The name signifies God's divine attributes (e.g., jealousy) and the works that reveal His majesty. |
Exodus 15:3; Exodus 34:14 |
|
3. Command, Will, and Authority of God |
To act "in the name of the Lord" is to act under His divine command and authority. |
1 Samuel 17:45; Matthew 28:19 |
|
4. Worship, Trust, Praise, and Profession |
The name represents the human response to God, including worship, faith, and public profession. |
Acts 21:13; Acts 2:38 |
In the context of this petition, the most relevant significations are the first two: God Himself and all His attributes and works, in which His majesty is revealed.
3. The Meaning of "Holy" and the Act of "Hallowing"
The petition hinges on the concepts of what is "holy" and what it means "to hallow" or "sanctify." The source provides precise definitions for both.
3.1 Conceptions of the Term "Holy"
The term "holy" is understood in three distinct ways:
• Essential Holiness: This refers to God Himself, who is essentially and uncreatedly holy and pure. The virtues and properties of God constitute His holiness, as proclaimed by the angels: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3).
• Created Holiness: This is the holiness found in creatures, defined as their conformity with God. This holiness is perfect in angels but is "merely begun" in the godly.
• Consecrated Holiness: This refers to the setting apart of a thing for a holy use or sacred purpose. Items such as the temple, altar, vessels, and priests are called holy in this sense.
3.2 The Threefold Action of Sanctification (Hallowing)
The verb "to sanctify" or "hallow" also carries three meanings, which are crucial for interpreting the petition.
1. To Acknowledge, Reverence, and Praise as Holy: This is the primary way humans sanctify God. It involves recognizing as holy that which is already inherently holy. This action includes:
◦ Knowing God: Acknowledging God to be as He has revealed Himself in His word and works.
◦ Professing God: Praising God through both words (confession) and actions (purity of life).
◦ Glorifying God: Referring all doctrine, knowledge, and actions to the ultimate end of God's glory and praise.
2. To Make Holy: This action involves separating something from uncleanness and making it holy.
◦ Divine Example: The Word (Christ) sanctified the human nature He assumed, preserving it from sin and adorning it with perfect holiness. God and Christ sanctify the church by remitting sins and renewing believers through the Holy Spirit.
◦ Human Command: Believers are commanded to sanctify themselves by keeping from "all the filthiness of the flesh," as stated in 1 Peter 1:16: "Be holy, for I am holy."
3. To Ordain or Direct to a Holy End: This refers to dedicating something that is either holy or indifferent in itself to a sacred purpose.
◦ Examples: The Father sanctified the Son by ordaining Him to the office of mediator. God sanctified the Sabbath day and the temple. Christ sanctified Himself by offering Himself as a sacrifice.
4. Synthesizing the Petition: The Believer's Request
The petition "Hallowed be Thy name" engages the first two meanings of sanctification. It is a prayer that God's name be hallowed both by us (acknowledgment) and in us (transformation). The request encompasses three core desires:
1. For Divine Illumination: A prayer that God would "enlighten us with the true knowledge of his holiness" and grant the ability to "rightly to know him."
2. For Personal Sanctification: A request that God would "regenerate us and make us more and more holy" by granting true faith and repentance. The goal is to live in such a way that God's name is not blasphemed but honored.
3. For a Disposition of Worship: A plea for God to provide the will and ability to "profess this holiness of his divine name in word and deed, to his own praise and glory." This involves conforming one's life to His holy will and thereby distinguishing Him from all idols and profane things.
5. Theological Objections and Resolutions
The source material anticipates and addresses two key objections to the petition.
Objection 1: Hallowing the Inherently Holy
• Objection: The name of God is already holy in itself. Therefore, it cannot be hallowed.
• Resolution: A distinction is made between the different meanings of "hallow." While God cannot be made holy (the second meaning of sanctification), His name can be acknowledged, praised, and celebrated as holy (the first and third meanings). We sanctify God not by creating holiness in Him, but by "declaring and acknowledging concerning him what he desires us to know and declare."
Objection 2: Human Responsibility vs. Divine Action
• Objection: It is our responsibility to hallow God's name. Therefore, we should not ask God to do it for us.
• Resolution: The response distinguishes between tasks we can perform ourselves and those we cannot. Humans are "unable of ourselves" to properly sanctify and hallow God's name. Consequently, it is necessary to "pray to God to grant unto us the strength by which we may hallow the name of God." The petition is an appeal for God to empower the believer to fulfill this duty and for God Himself to "hallow his holy name in us."
How do the concepts of God's name, holiness, and sanctification interrelate within this theological framework?
The concepts of God's name, holiness, and sanctification (or hallowing) are fundamentally interrelated within this theological framework, particularly as they focus on the proper worship, acknowledgment, and life of the believer in response to the divine nature.
1. The Interrelation of God's Name and Holiness
In the context of the first petition, "Hallowed be Thy name," God's name is understood broadly to signify God himself, including all of His attributes and works, in which His majesty shines.
Holiness is intrinsic to God's nature:
Essential Holiness: God himself is defined as "most holy and pure" and possesses "essential and uncreated holiness". All of God's virtues and properties constitute this essential holiness.
Name as Holiness: Since God's name signifies God and His attributes (such as power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, and truth), and since God's virtues constitute His essential holiness, the name of God is inherently holy.
2. The Relationship Between Sanctification (Hallowing) and God's Name/Holiness
The word "to sanctify" or "to hallow" has three significations, but the prayer, "Hallowed be Thy name," primarily focuses on the first and second meanings. Since God's name is already holy in itself, we do not sanctify it by making it holy, but rather by declaring and acknowledging that holiness.
Sanctification as Acknowledgment and Praise (First Signification)
Hallowing God's name means acknowledging, reverencing, and praising that which is already holy. This involves several duties on the part of the believer:
Right Knowledge: Believers must rightly know God, acknowledging Him to be such as He has revealed Himself in His word and works, especially concerning His essence, will, and attributes (which constitute His essential holiness).
Profession and Praise: Hallowing means not only acknowledging God's holiness but also professing and praising Him through words, confession, actions, and purity of life.
Glorification: All true doctrine, knowledge, profession of holiness, prayers, and actions must be referred to the ultimate end: God's glory and praise. The goal is to so order one's whole life—thoughts, words, and deeds—that God's name is not blasphemed but honored and praised on our account.
Sanctification as Regeneration and Conformity (Second Signification)
The petition "Hallowed be your name" is also a desire that God's name be hallowed in us. This relates to the second signification of sanctify: separating that which is unholy and making it holy.
God’s Action in Us: We desire that God would regenerate us and make us more and more holy. This involves God remitting our sins and sanctifying us by the Holy Spirit.
Our Action (Conformity): We are commanded to sanctify ourselves by keeping away from the uncleanness and "filthiness of the flesh".
Holy Life: Ultimately, the believer desires that God grant them true faith and repentance and renew them by His Spirit so that they may be holy as He is holy, thereby glorifying God by conforming their lives to His holy will.
3. The Necessity of Prayer
Because believers cannot, of their own ability, perfectly sanctify or hallow God's name, the petition is necessary. By praying "Hallowed be your name," we are requesting that God:
Enlighten us with the true knowledge of His holiness and most holy name.
Grant us the strength and ability to hallow His name.
Himself hallow His holy name in us.
What does "holy" signify regarding creatures?
Regarding creatures, the term "holy" signifies the holiness that exists within them, which consists in their conformity with God.
This holiness varies depending on the creature:
In Angels: Holiness is perfect in the angels.
In the Godly (Believers): The holiness in the godly is "merely begun". Believers are commanded to sanctify themselves, which means keeping away from all the "filthiness of the flesh". God and Christ sanctify the church by remitting sins and sanctifying believers by the Holy Spirit. We desire in the petition, "Hallowed be Thy name," that God would regenerate us and make us "more and more holy".
Additionally, "holy" can signify the setting apart of anything to a holy use. In this sense, objects or persons consecrated to a sacred purpose are called holy. Examples include:
The temple in Jerusalem.
The altar and the vessels.
The priests.
The Sabbath day and the sacrifices.
What does God's name signify?
God's name is highly significant in this theological framework, as it is understood broadly and encompasses multiple aspects of the divine.
The name of God fundamentally signifies:
God Himself: In its primary sense, the name of God stands for God Himself. Scriptural examples support this, such as "Let them that love your name be joyful in you," and "I will call upon the name of the Lord". When considering the petition, "Hallowed be your name," the term is understood according to this first signification (God Himself) and the second signification (His attributes and works).
The Attributes and Works of God: God's name also signifies all of His attributes and works. These include His power, goodness, justice, mercy, and truth, which shine forth and display His majesty. His virtues and properties constitute His essential holiness.
The Command, Will, and Authority of God: The name of God can refer to His command, will, and authority, such as when one comes "in the name of the Lord of hosts" or when baptizing "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".
The Worship, Trust, Praise, and Profession of God: Finally, God's name signifies the worship, trust, praise, and profession directed toward God. This is exemplified in statements concerning dying "for the name of the Lord Jesus" or being baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ".
The first petition of the Lord's Prayer, "Hallowed be Thy name," places God's name first because the glory of God should be the end and design of all our affairs, actions, and prayers. Since God's name signifies God and all His attributes and works, in which His majesty shines, acknowledging, reverencing, and praising this name means acknowledging God's inherent holiness.