Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 6:10

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth." — Matthew 6:10 (ASV)

As God is eternally holy, so he eternally reigns in absolute sovereignty. God’s “kingdom” or “reign” (4:17) can refer to that aspect of God’s sovereignty under which there is life. That kingdom is breaking in under Christ’s ministry, but it is not consummated till the end of the age (28:20). To pray “your kingdom come” is therefore both to ask that God’s saving, royal rule be extended now as people bow in submission to him and to cry for the consummation of the kingdom.

To pray that God’s “will” (GK 2525), which is “good, pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2), be done on earth as in heaven is to use language broad enough to embrace three requests. (1) We pray that God’s will may be done now on earth as it is now being accomplished in heaven. “Will” includes both God’s righteous demands and his determination to bring about certain events in salvation history. So for that will to be “done” includes both moral obedience and the bringing to pass of certain events, such as the Cross. This prayer corresponds to asking for the present extension of the messianic kingdom. (2) We pray that God’s will may ultimately be as fully accomplished on earth as it is now being accomplished in heaven. (3) We pray that God’s will may ultimately be done on the earth in the same way as it is now being accomplished in heaven.