“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 you… you have asked for nothing in my name… In 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
[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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