In, Not On

In, not On

When we say the prayer that Jesus taught, there is a difference in an exceedingly small word that makes a noticeably big difference. I am referring to Matthew 6:10. The King James Version is this: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Newer translations read: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I have no objection to substituting Your for Thy; this is just old English vs. new English. Notice the small difference in the prepositions. Newer translations, even the New King James Version substitutes the word on for the word in. tis makes a tremendous difference in interpretation. The question arises whether God’s kingdom is on or in earth. God’s kingdom is within us, not on us. It stands to reason that God’s kingdom is in earth not on earth.

God put us on earth to be stewards of His creation. He did not put us in the earth; that is His realm. By our changing the wording, we are placing God next to us on earth, almost as a co-equal entity, which we are not. I fear that humankind’s super-inflated ego is raising the importance of man to a level we do not belong.

I know this seems trivial, but if you think about this for a while, it may bring all things into clarity, as it has for me. If we are equal to God, then it is God’s wish that we destroy His creation, an di do not think this could possibly be true. Man, with his inflated ego believes that whatever is good for man is allowable, as long as we are comfortable and makes lots of money from it. Jesus said that we cannot love two masters; I think we may have chosen the wrong master.