Where Is It?
“Thy Kingdom come,” Matthew 6:10
Come – There is little doubt that the Greek text of Matthew reads eltheto. Literally, the verse is “Let come the kingdom of You.” Eltheto is an active imperative. That means it is a command – a call to action – not simply an observation. There are plenty of commentaries that elaborate the nature of this call. But Gordon and Johnson discovered something radically different when they investigated the copies of the Hebrew version of Matthew.[1] What they discovered is that the original Hebrew gospel probably read “Your Kingdom be blessed,” not “Your Kingdom come.” The difference is significant.
The Greek version of this prayer focuses our attention on the future arrival of the Kingdom. It looks for something that has yet to be. It projects an image of the heavenly government as the eventual objective of the earthly realm. This is commonly described in Christian circles as the “already but not yet” dynamic of the Kingdom.
But if the Hebrew version is the original, things change. The prayer is much more in line with Yeshua’s proclamation that “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Instead of “Your Kingdom come,” the text reads “Your Kingdom be blessed.” Suddenly this prayer is about God’s reign and rule here, on this earth, at this moment. It is a proclamation of blessing on the present manifestation of the Kingdom. Just like the Greek text, it is a call to action, but now it is a call not for the arrival of some future government, it is a call to act in accordance with the present Kingdom of YHWH and, by so doing, bless His reign. It is a call to look around you and see where God is at work and join Him there. It is a call to right living right now.
You might wonder how such an immediate presence of the Kingdom ever got changed to a far-off expectation. After all, it is very Jewish to think in terms of a present manifestation of God’s reality. Why would a Greek translator shift the focus to the future? While the answer is now hidden in the historical past, we might speculate that this might be expected from a Greek point of view. In the Greek world, significance and meaning are lodged in the future where the utopian ideal will come about. The world today is a mess. The world tomorrow will be better. So, our hope is pushed over the horizon. Some day we will get to heaven – and everything will be wonderful.
The Hebrew perspective is back, not forward. We are called to return to the original, not project a utopian tomorrow. Our focus is on this day, the day God has given us to bring about one more act of restoring what was lost. Genesis is our goal, not simply our beginning. Of course, we can go right on praying the Greek version, but we might have to pause a bit.
Topical Index: come, eltheto, kingdom, Matthew 6:10
[1] According to Gordon and Johnson, A Prayer to Our Father, there are 28 extant copies of a Hebrew version of Matthew in various libraries around the world. One of these copies of earlier manuscripts was done by a Jew named Pozanski. In his copy, he corrects the Hebrew text to match the Greek common reading but makes a note about the correction in the margin, indicating the different Hebrew word.
We (Adam) messed up. Dominion (authority) was given to us (Adam) in the garden and we “blew it”- bigtime. Hasatan, the Deceiver, caused (Adam) to fall and to fail. We got booted from paradise.
I say “we” because we also have sinned (just like our great,great, not-so-great grandapa. We are descended from the same gene pool and carry within us the same propensity and proclivity to (shall we say) err. The Book says “all have sinned.” Sounds very inclusive to me. This (all) would include (both) the Jew and the Gentile, male and female, politician,plumber, painter.. etc.
The was one perfect man who ever lived (and ever-lives today). His name was/is Jesus (for all of you who read and speak English). He also has other names as well. I know Him by a multitude of names but love to call Him “my Father” above all. Such “cheek” referring to Elohim as Abba. Yes, -it is. And yes, He is.
Yeshua came to this green planet some years ago. He was “a man with a mission.” (Mission 3:16).
He came to redeem, restore and renew the original design and dominion of Adam and his ‘ezer. This “mission” was accomplished (in full) on a hill called Mt. Calvary. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua Hamashiach, the kingdom (dominion) was given unto the Son. (all power/authority/dominion is (now) given unto me). Jesus, (His English name) is LORD. (I hope you know this Savior -Jesus and are continuing to learn the majesty of this (very lacking) English word-LORD).
He (now) holds the keys to life and death. All power (authority/dominion) has been given (not will be- ‘has been’) unto Him. Our G-d (who became flesh) reigns.
But, as we live and move and have our being and walk about on this green planet we notice things are just not ‘as they should be’. Not everything is done “decently and in order.” Things seem to be “out of place” or “out of whack” -(whatever a whack is..). -What causes this disparity between “what is” (our present darkness) and “what will yet be?” G-d’s perfect rule and reign. (I think we already intuitively know the answer to this.) We (all) still have some Adam left in us. We (all) cry out with Rabbi Paul- “O wretched man, that I am.. Who shall deliver me/us from the body (collective/individual) of this death? (separation from the Source of Life).
The kingdom of G-d is not “either/or.” It is “both/and.” It is both now, and later. Every day with Jesus IS sweeter than the day before. (It just gets better and better!) Not every eye can “see”, but every eye will BOTH “see” AND say- Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of G-d the Father. -It is written.
Shabbat Shalom Aleichem …
“The Hebrew perspective is back, not forward.”
Might one consider the Hebraic approach is to live in the present moment?
Can one really go back? Certainly it is foolhardy to live in the future!!
Yes, live now, but take your clues from the past. What God has already done sets the tone for today. What He is going to do is over the horizon.
“Your Kingdom be blessed”
Hi Skip,
The idea of blessing the Kingdom is very interesting, but never heard about it before.
I tend to think in the following terms:
Our Father who art in heaven, Our Father who is God
hallowed be thy name. Your Name is sacred
Thy kingdom come. Let me become conscious of your Kingdom
Thy will be done So I can accept, and align my actions with, your Will.
Thanks for this post. Now Jesus’ other teachings about the kingdom completely make sense.
Blessings
Steve
“Thy kingdom come”. Short, sweet and sublime. This is a direct request or petition to invite the rule or dominion of G-d.
As Charles Wesley wrote in this prayer/song:
Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy Name to sing, help us to praise!
Father all glorious, over all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!
Come, Thou Incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword, our prayer attend!
Come, and Thy people bless, and give Thy Word success,
Spirit of holiness, on us descend!
Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour.
Thou Who almighty art, now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart, Spirit of power!
To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be, hence, evermore.
Thy sovereign majesty may we in glory see,
And to eternity love and adore!
Hi Carl,
More on “the Kingdom come”:
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
I believe in the Kingdom Come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I’m still running
When this U2 album first came out, I didn’t know what Bono had been looking for but I was pretty sure he had already found it.
In Hebrew mysticism, I think this experience relates to what is referred to as “the running of the Heart.”
The experience that he recorded in his album called “The Unforgettable Fire.”
This also explains a lot when it come to understanding the “the 1,000 years”. We reign with him now and not some 1,000 years later.
Thanks
Skip
there will come a time when “every knee will bow.” We (very sadly) do not see this now. There are relatively few who “bow the knee” or lay prostrate in worship of the King. If you believe the Bible (G-d’s word to us) and I hope you do- we see the reaction of those who “fell at his feet as a dead man.” Isaiah caught a vision of the glorified Christ and replied- “woe is me for I am undone”. Fear and trembling are what take place when someone catches a glimpse of His glory. We need to remember His first visit here was as a lamb. Meek, mild, gentle, innocent, etc., but the next time- it will be as the “lion of the tribe of Judah.” He is returning for His chosen ones – His bride- and it will be a triumphant return indeed! When the Bible says “every knee shall bow”, I’m just one to not wait until then but I want to be “practiced up” when He returns (at any moment, BTW!)