The Meaning of Luke 11:2 Explained

Luke 11:2

KJV: And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

YLT: And he said to them, 'When ye may pray, say ye: Our Father who art in the heavens; hallowed be Thy name: Thy reign come; Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on earth;

Darby: And he said to them, When ye pray, say, Father, thy name be hallowed; thy kingdom come;

ASV: And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he said  unto them,  When  ye pray,  say,  Our  Father  which  art in  heaven,  Hallowed be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be done,  as  in  heaven,  so  in  earth. 

What does Luke 11:2 Mean?

Study Notes

Thy kingdom

Verse Meaning

Jesus" introduction to this prayer implied that He intended the disciples to repeat it verbatim. His introduction to the teaching that Matthew reported implied that He was giving them a model or sample prayer ( Matthew 6:9). "Whenever" (Gr. hoten) implies that they would pray this prayer frequently.
Jesus first focused attention on the person of God. The term "Father" (Gr. pater, Aramaic abba) is both an intimate and a respectful title. By using it the disciples were expressing the relationship that they enjoyed with God because of their relationship with Jesus (cf. John 20:17; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:6). The closeness of their relationship with Jesus is apparent in that they could now address God as their Father as Jesus addressed God as His Father (cf. Luke 10:21). This does not mean, of course, that disciples enjoy exactly the same relationship that the Son of God enjoys with the Father.
"The use of the intimate form was the amazing new thing that Jesus wished to teach his disciples, initiating them into the same close relationship with the father that he enjoyed ..." [1]
Two sets of petitions follow. Two petitions relate to God"s cosmic purposes and three to the disciples" personal needs.
The clause "hallowed be your name" means "may everyone regard your name as holy" (cf. Leviticus 22:32; Psalm 79:9; Psalm 111:9; Isaiah 29:23). God"s name is essentially the sum of His attributes, and effectively it is His reputation among people. This petition is as much an expression of worship as it is a petition. It asks God to act so people will regard Him as holy, to cause situations in which they will reverence and obey Him rather than blaspheming and sinning against Him.
"The aorist tense here suggests that a specific time of fulfillment is in mind. This may be the coming of the kingdom." [2]
This view finds support in the recurrence of the aorist tense and a specific reference to the kingdom in the second petition. However the first petition is also for the honor of God"s name generally. The coming of the kingdom is a desirable condition because it will result in universal blessing as well as great honor for God. If the messianic kingdom had already begun, as some scholars affirm, this prayer would hardly be necessary. This second petition addresses God"s program.
This was a typically Jewish prayer so far except for the addition of "Father." Both petitions were concerns of the Jews as they anticipated the arrival of the messianic kingdom.

Context Summary

Luke 11:1-4 - Learning The Lord's Secrets
This Bethany idyl follows the story of the Good Samaritan naturally. The village lay at the end of the long pass from Jericho. Love must have its nest and the special objects of its tender care. We cannot live in the inn always; we must come at last to our home, either in this world or the next. He who had welcomed the crowds was now welcomed for His own dear sake. Martha and Mary each gave of her best. Each had her own sphere; one ministered to His physical need, the other to His heart. The mystical and practical are both required in Christ's service, and blend at His feet. Don't live for many things; but for Him.
The way to teach people to pray is to pray yourself. It was the habitual prayerfulness of Jesus that made the Apostles long to be taught to pray. What an example is here of the power of unconscious influence! If you desire that your children or scholars should pray, pray yourself. The model prayer is full of suggestion as to the order and topics of prayer. Fill in these outlines! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 11

1  Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11  assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him
14  He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27  and shows who are blessed;
29  preaches to the people;
37  and reprimands the outward show of holiness

What do the individual words in Luke 11:2 mean?

He said then to them When you pray say Father of us who [is] in - heaven hallowed be the name of You Come the kingdom let be done - will as heaven [so] also upon the earth
Εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς Ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε Πάτερ ⧼ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς⧽ ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἐλθέτω βασιλεία ⧼Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά ὡς οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς⧽

Εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
προσεύχησθε  you  pray 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: προσεύχομαι  
Sense: to offer prayers, to pray.
λέγετε  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Πάτερ  Father 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
⧼ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
  who  [is] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τοῖς  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανοῖς⧽  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
ἁγιασθήτω  hallowed  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἁγιάζω 
Sense: to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow.
ὄνομά  name 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
σου  of  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
Ἐλθέτω  Come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
βασιλεία  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
⧼Γενηθήτω  let  be  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανῷ  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
καὶ  [so]  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
γῆς⧽  earth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.