Tuesday, March 31, 2015

In Jesus' Name

And they prayed and said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen…’”[1]

Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name…”[2]

“…is it proper for a woman to pray to God…”[3]

“…pray the Lord...”[4]

Now we pray to God…”[5]
 
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.”[6]

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.”[7]
 
Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.[8]

…whatever you ask of the Father in my name He may give to you.”[9]

…if you ask the Father for anything in my name, He will give it to youyou have asked for nothing in my nameIn that day you will ask in my name[10]

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”[11]

“… I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in my name, He will give it to you.”[12]

“…giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”[13]

Jesus taught his disciples to pray. According to the Mishnah the three main prayers, which included the Shema, could not be recited unless there was a minimum of ten adult males present. Prayer appears to have been largely institutionalized. John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray which prompted Jesus’ disciples to request he teach them how to pray.

The model prayer Jesus taught his disciples was not adopted as the standard prayer. In scripture there is no record of anyone reciting the model prayer as Jews would the Shema. Beyond teaching the disciples, the model prayer, or “The Lord’s Prayer”, was not recited as far as we can tell from scripture.

There are only a few references to the “Lord’s Prayer” in ancient writings:
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, like this:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Thine is the power and the glory for ever.
Pray this three times each day.”[14]
Because the Lord's prayer is so much used and so well known, we tend to forget its place, setting and significance in the early Christian Church. Admittedly the evidence relating to the Lord's pra    yer in the first centuries of the Christian era is sparse. Yet valuable background information may be gleaned from sources including Qumran, Judaism, and even Scripture itself.
Source material from the early Church is very limited. Besides the evidence in the Didache and references in the writings of the apostolic fathers, virtually no information is available. Also, these sources ‘give us no clear description of the way in which the church of that period used the Lord's Prayer.’”[15]

Reading the first chapter of Acts, from the use of the term “Lord” it appears that the apostles in the beginning prayed to Jesus; their close relationship with Jesus continued after his death. Prayer to God was common among believers, Jews would have prayed to God only.

Where does the scripture say that prayers should end with statements like, “in Jesus name”, or “for Jesus sake”? “When we pray in the name of Jesus it might be better for us to drop the phrase "In the name of Jesus" altogether because generally we don't mean, "I am praying in the authority of Jesus Christ." You know what we probably mean when we say "In the name of Jesus. Amen”? Practically speaking, it means the prayer is over. That is the Christian exit. Amen. Translated it means, the prayer is over, let's go do what we were doing, or let's eat.”[16]
Too often people use phrases in a ritualistic, religious way without understanding why, but the concept of praying “in Jesus’ name” has biblical origins and is how we should pray because of what it means. All aspects of one’s prayer life and the way we pray should be the product of biblical insight and faith according to the promises, principles, and purposes of prayer as taught in God’s Word. The origin of this phrase is found in both the teachings of Christ and in epistles.
Read carefully John 14:6 and then note 13; 15:15, and 16:23-24. See also Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:14-16. The point is that men can only have access to God through faith in Christ and His substitutionary death (Christ died in our place and took upon Himself our sin. He bore our penalty). We can come to God only through Christ. He and He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. He gives us access to God.”[17]
To end prayers with “in Jesus Name” appears to be tradition going back to where Jesus instructed his disciples. There is no scriptural backing for specific jingles or phrases to end prayer; the practice is ritualistic tradition.

Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”[18]
For where two or three are gathered in my name…”[19]
I will do whatever you ask in my name…”
“…whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ…”[20]
“…did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?”[21]
Custom alone requires “in Jesus name” as the ending for prayer. Jesus said that what we do will indicate what we are, a tree is recognized by its fruit. “Thus you will know them by their fruits. ‘Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’”[22] Invoking the name of Jesus does not grant approval, as the sons of Sceva learned from their beating at the hands of a demoniac. Jesus’ injunction to pray in his name, does not suggest repeating the phrase “in Jesus name”, but that they should pray in his name –his name was Jesus. That injunction had far greater significance to disciples at that time; Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Judaism wanted to obliterate the name Jesus; the Jewish leadership wanted it erased from history. The Sanhedrin required that the apostles stop teaching in the name of Jesus; the council “ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus[23]

In Christ, believers are God’s family as well as citizens of God’s kingdom, over which Christ rules as king. Unlike people of Israel who were barred from entering God’s presence, in Christ, believers are provided access. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”[24]
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.”[25]
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”[26]

In prayer we are to offer God the love of a child for a father, and the respect of a human for the Creator. The scripture tells us that many word, repeated phrases, or lengthy monologues do not constitute acceptable prayer. Jesus is the standard of a godly life, and obedient child. “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words…”[27] It is more important for our lives to reflect the love and grace of God than for us to perfect the closing of prayer; especially since we have such powerful help with our prayers.



[1] Act 1:24
[2] Mat 6:9
[3] 1Cor 11:13
[4] Act 8:22
[5] 2Cor 13:7
[6] Act 12:5
[7] Rom 10:1
[8] John 14:13, 14
[9] John 15:16
[10] John 16:23,24, 26
[11] Col 3:17
[12] John 16:23
[13] Eph 5:20

[14] The Didache, chapter 8
[15] THE LORD'S PRAYER IN THE FIRST CENTURY, Simon J. Kistemake
[16] Stand to Reason,
[17] Bible.org
[18] Mat 18:5
[19] Mat 18:20
[20] Mar 9:41
[21] Mat 7:21
[22] Mat 7:20-23
[23] Acts 4:18
[24] Heb 4:16
[25] Eph 6:18
[26] Php 4:6
[27] Rom 8:26

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