The Jewish Background to the Lord’s Prayer (Part II)
Hallowed be Thy Name – Yitkadesh shimcha
The words Hallowed be 'Thy Name' – 'Yitkadesh shimcha' are far more than a formulaic expression of praise, although this is rarely recognised or identified.
Sanctified
After all, we don’t really know how God’s name can be hallowed. A better interpretation might be ‘may your name be sanctified’. I can’t help thinking that the use of this term would make things a lot clearer, especially with its allusion to Isaiah 6:3: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory”. Indeed, there is also a linkage to Ezekiel 38:23 ‘I will show my greatness and holiness, making myself known in the sight of many nations; then they will know that I am ADONAI.’
The Hebrew word ‘yitkadesh’ – ‘sanctified’ – which almost certainly sits in this part of the Disciples’ Prayer – has a direct link to the Ezekiel passage; ‘v’hitkadishti’ – ‘so I will show my Holiness’.
This is an intense desire for God’s sanctification that sits at the heart of the very best prayers
This phrase from Ezekiel was a foundation for multiple Jewish prayers and even appears in Rabbi Ezekiel’s blessing for rain in the Jerusalem Talmud, ‘May your name be magnified, sanctified and exalted, our King for every drop that you send us’. This is an intense desire for God’s sanctification that sits at the heart of the very best prayers; e.g., ‘Grant that all the world may recognise and sanctify the name of our Father’.
Do not profane
So, what did these words means to Jesus’ Jewish listeners back in the Second Temple period? ‘Sanctify’ is a word that I would argue is best described by its antonym, ‘profane’. Ezekiel 36 contains this counterbalance: ‘And I will sanctify my great name which you have profaned in the midst of them, and the nations shall know that I am The Lord, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes' (v23).
‘Sanctify’ is a word that I would argue is best described by its antonym, ‘profane’.
The Lord’s name is either sanctified or profaned by our conduct. We see this in the way that martyrs often cause others to glorify God as a result of their martyrdom. This is a tendency inherent within Hebraic thinking, with the understanding that ‘sanctify God’s name’ is a mindset that would give life for faith.
The way we live
Early commentaries give us insights into the early Church interpretation. Thus, a Midrashic commentary on Leviticus 22:32 is interpreted as a willingness to sacrifice their life for faith. Those who choose martyrdom for their righteous lifestyle sanctify God’s name by their example. Similarly, a midrash on Leviticus 19:2 explains that being holy and separated equates to sanctification. This is another powerful idea, suggesting that we can sanctify God by living a holy life.
We hallow or sanctify God’s name in the way we live.
So how can God’s name be celebrated as holy? The idea of Matthew 5:16 – ‘let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven’ – sums this notion up in a deeper, more significant way. We hallow or sanctify God’s name in the way we live.
As I responded to a friend who told me that some days he simply does not feel like being a witness; ‘Mate, you don’t have a choice in that. Our only choice is whether we are good or bad witnesses.’ Let’s ensure we choose the former option, this day and every day.
Nick Thompson worked extensively in national newspaper marketing teams in the 80s and 90s. He currently lives in North Lincolnshire and works in software development and football. He is a Trustee of Prayer for Israel and a member of the Prophecy Today Editorial Board.
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Nick Thompson