Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 6/28/2008

Question
i was talk to a freind of my the other day and he ask me what did jesus call god and i said father but he said i was wrong  he said read the bible  the lord pray it said our father with is heaven hallow be thy namehe told me that was his name hallow and i said he was wrong what do u said?

Answer
Dear Rosemary,

It's not so much what I say, but what the Bible says that counts.

Jesus repeatedly called God His Father:

Examples:

Mat 6:9  "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

This, of course is the the very verse your friend quoted. Jesus referred to God as our "Father." I'll come back to "hallowed" in a minute. But let's go on to the name Jesus used for God.

Mat 10:32, 33  "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Mat 11:25  At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Mat 11:26  Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
Mat 11:27  "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Mat 18:10  "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Mat 18:19  "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

Jesus prayed directly to God in the Garden of Gethsemane:

Mat 26:39  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Mat 26:53  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

John 8:54  Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

There are many other texts, including the entire chapter of John 17, where Jesus address God as His Father, and refers to God as Father. Even in the baptismal formula, referring to God, Jesus asked His disciples--and all other ministers who would follow them:

Mat 28:19  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

So you see that Jesus called God His Father repeatedly throughout the Gospels.

Now, how about the word "hollowed."

This word is a form of the word "holy" and tells us to remember that the Name of God is holy--to be respected, for He is our Creator, our Sustainer (He keeps us alive every day of our lives), and our Redeemer.

The angels, when they sing to God, appear to always begin their song with the words "Holy, Holy, Holy." (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8)

So the Lord's Prayer, begins with "Our Father, who art in heaven, holy is your Name." Hollowed is not the name of God, but it is telling us the His Name should be considered holy. The One to whom we are praying is "Our Father," and He is holy.

Thank you for your question.

Please stay close to Jesus whom the Father sent to save us from our sins. He's coming back soon to take all who believe in Him to be with Him in heaven. You must be ready always, so that when He comes in the clouds (1 Thess 4:16, 17), you will be among those whom Jesus will draw up into the clouds and take them to His Father's house (John 14:1-3) where we will live with Him forever.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
Thurman@PettyPress.com

Check out my website where I've posted the entire text of 18 of my books, 40 Bible study guides, and a whole lot more.