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Prayer and Praying with Jesus the Messiah

Themes

“God wants us to be interested in what

interests Him.”

“Watch and pray.”

“Trust and obey.”

Prayer is “Faith in Action.”

“Pray Boldly.”

Living Savior Lutheran Church, Fairfax Station, Virginia

January-February 2013

The Discussion Plan

Date Topics January 6 Introduction

What is Prayer? The Nature of Prayer

January 13 A Taxonomy of Prayer Why Should Christians Pray? The Necessity of Prayer

January 20 Prayer and the Paradox of Law and the Gospel The Construction of Prayer – A.C.T.S. How Should Christians Pray? Common Excuses for Not Praying

January 27 Knowing Jesus through Prayer Prayers around Jesus the Messiah Timeline Before His Birth After His Birth During His Early Life

February 3 Prayers around Jesus the Messiah During His Ministry #1

February 10 Prayers around Jesus the Messiah During His Ministry #2 After His Ascension and Now


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Table of Contents

1 Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 What this Paper Is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Reading This Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Recurring Themes in This Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

“God wants us to be interested in what interests Him.” ....................................................... 1 “Watch and pray.” ................................................................................................................. 2 “Trust and obey.” ................................................................................................................... 2 Prayer is “Faith in Action.” .................................................................................................. 3 “Pray Boldly.” ........................................................................................................................ 4

2 What is Prayer? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Definitions of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Prayer is conversation with God ............................................................................................ 5 Prayer is an act of the virtue of religion ............................................................................... 5 Prayer is many other acts ....................................................................................................... 5

Why Pray? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3 The Nature of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

A Prayer-Overview .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The General Lutheran View .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Listening to God’s Instruction .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Prayer as Communion with God Revealed in Jesus the Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Prayer as Incense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4 A Taxonomy of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Prayer and Theology .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Prayer – Taxonomy .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Statements that Seem to Be Prayers but Are Not ................................................................ 14 Activities that Go Hand-in-Hand with Prayer .................................................................... 15 Practices that Include Prayer .............................................................................................. 28

5 Why Should Christians Pray? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 6 The Necessity of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

What Happens When We Don’t Pray? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Prayer is necessary for every Christian and should be practiced daily. . . . 38

7 Prayer and the Paradox of Law and Gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dualities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dualities - Faith in Action .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 The Duality of Jesus’ Statements to the Father of the Son He healed .. . . . . . 41

8 The Construction of Prayer – A.C.T.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Adoration .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Contrition .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Thanksgiving .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Supplication .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46


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Prayer According to Dwight L. Moody .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 9 How Should Christians Pray? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Pray Reflecting Jesus’ Prayer Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Jesus Lived a Life of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 About Jesus and Praying .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Was it becoming for Jesus to pray? ..................................................................................... 51 Did prayer pertain to Him in respect of His physical nature? ........................................... 52 Was it becoming to Him to pray for Himself or only for others? ....................................... 52 Was every prayer of His heard? .......................................................................................... 53

Jesus Taught Us to Pray .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 The Manner of Christian Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

“A Simple Way to Pray” ...................................................................................................... 54 Pray All the Time ................................................................................................................. 55 Pray for What God Wants for Us. ....................................................................................... 55 Pray for Anything that Is Not Contrary to God’s Will. ...................................................... 55 Be Thankful. ......................................................................................................................... 56 Pray with Jesus. .................................................................................................................... 56 Pray trusting God. ................................................................................................................ 57 Pray with confidence that the prayer will be answered. ..................................................... 58 Pray, pray often, pray persistently. ...................................................................................... 59 Pray alone and long ............................................................................................................. 59 Pray with humility and gratitude. ........................................................................................ 60 Pray with fasting .................................................................................................................. 61

10 Excuses and Distractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Common Excuses for Not Praying .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Common Distractions from Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

11 Knowing Jesus through Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 The Lord’s Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Luther’s Large and Small Catechisms ................................................................................ 72 Additional, Recommended Readings about the Lord’s Prayer .......................................... 72

Knowing Jesus by Praying the Psalms .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Martin Luther ....................................................................................................................... 72 Dietrich Bonhoeffer ............................................................................................................. 73 A Proper Interpretation ....................................................................................................... 73

Psalms Prayed by Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 12 Prayers around Jesus the Messiah .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Timeline of Prayers around Jesus the Messiah .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Prayers before Jesus’ Birth ................................................................................................. 76 Prayers after Jesus’ Birth .................................................................................................... 76 Prayers of Jesus’ Early Life ................................................................................................ 76 Prayers during Jesus’ Ministry ........................................................................................... 76 Jesus’ Prayers for Us after His Ascension and Now .......................................................... 77

Prayers before Jesus’ Birth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of His Cousin, John the Baptist ............................. 78 Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of Jesus ................................................................... 79


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Zechariah's Prophecy (Prayer) at the Birth of John the Baptist ....................................... 80 Joseph’s Doubt over Mary’s child ....................................................................................... 81

Prayers after Jesus’ Birth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 The Angels’ and Shepherds’ Prayers at the Birth of Jesus ................................................ 82 Prayers of Simeon and the Prophetess Anna, at Jesus’ Circumcision .............................. 82 Prayers of the Wise Men ...................................................................................................... 84 Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Fleeing Israel .............................................................. 85 Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Returning to Israel ..................................................... 85

Prayers of Jesus Early in Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Prayers of Jesus as a Youth ................................................................................................. 86

Prayers during Jesus’ Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Jesus’ Prayer at His Baptism ............................................................................................... 88 Jesus’ Prayer in the Wilderness .......................................................................................... 89 Jesus’ Prayer while Preaching in Galilee ........................................................................... 89 Jesus’ Prayer before Selecting His Apostles ....................................................................... 91 Jesus’ Prayer after Instructing His Apostles ...................................................................... 91 Peter’s Prayer and Jesus’ Response at the Catch of Fish .................................................. 92 The Official’s Prayer for His Son’s Healing ...................................................................... 93 The Leper’s Prayer to Jesus and Jesus’ Prayer after Cleansing Him ............................... 94 The Centurian’s Prayer for the Healing of His Servant .................................................... 96 Prayer of Two Blind Men for Healing ................................................................................ 97 Jesus’ Prayer before Feeding 5000 People and Walking on the Water ............................ 99 The Prayer of a Caananite Woman ................................................................................... 101 Jesus’ Prayer at the Transfiguration ................................................................................ 102 Prayer of the Friends of the Deaf Man ............................................................................. 103 Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving before Feeding 4000 People ........................................... 103 Prayer of the Blind Man’s Friends at Bethsaida .............................................................. 104 Prayer of the Boy’s (with the Demon) Father .................................................................. 105 Prayer of the Ten Lepers for Cleansing ............................................................................ 107 The Blind Man’s Prayer to Jesus for Healing .................................................................. 109 Jesus’ Teaching about Prayer at the Withered Fig Tree ................................................. 110 Jesus’ Laying of Hands on the Little Children ................................................................. 112 Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew) ........................................... 113 Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Luke) ................................................. 115 Jesus’ Prayer when Raising Lazarus ................................................................................ 116 Jesus’ Lament over Jerusalem .......................................................................................... 117 Jesus’ Prayer after His triumphal Entry into Jerusalem ................................................. 118 Jesus’ Prayer at the Last Supper – the “High Priestly Prayer” ....................................... 119 Jesus’ Prayer Foretelling Peter’s Denial .......................................................................... 125 Jesus’ Prayer on the Night that He was Arrested ............................................................. 126 Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross for His Tormentors – for Us ................................................. 128 The Crucified Thief’s Prayer to Jesus on the Cross ......................................................... 129 Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “Eli, Eli” ............................................................................... 131 Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “It is finished” ...................................................................... 132 Jesus’ and His disciples’ Prayers at His Ascension ......................................................... 133

Jesus’ Prayers for Us after His Ascension and Now .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136


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13 Biographies of Authors Cited in the Bibliography .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 14 Bibliography .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Church Fathers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Church Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Early Commentators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Reformers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Later Commentators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Later Theologians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 General Research .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144


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1 Introduction

What this Paper Is This paper, “Prayer and Praying with Jesus the Messiah “, was prepared for adult Bible study (i.e., “Sunday school”). This is a collection of notes and related Scripture passages organized by topic. The study leader views this paper as a vehicle for mutual sharing.

Sharing what the leader learned (like a “book report”).

Sharing what participants have learned in their life experiences. This material on prayer may be characterized as what C.S. Lewis wrote in his Reflections on the Psalms about his presentation of the Psalms: “I am ‘comparing notes’, not presuming to instruct.” (Reflections on the Psalms)

We should have some interactive sharing of knowledge and what we want to learn about. Let’s share what insights we have or what difficulties we have with prayer or Scripture in general.

There is no right or wrong way to interpret Scriptural passages as long as we are comparing them with other Scripture. By reading them in the light of other Scripture and understanding them we get our own personal treasure. The table of contents shows the planned outline for our discussions. There is also a Bibliography of material used.

Reading This Paper All Scripture verses are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted. Some Scripture verses are repeated in their entirety under each heading that they pertain to minimize the need for the reader to stop and look up references. Most of the discussion of the prayers around the life of Jesus are extracted from Matthew Henry’s Commentary (Concise and Complete).

[Note: The ESV is the Bible translation of choice in The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.]

There are citations of sources who are of different theological persuasions (e.g., Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Byzantine, Orthodox, Puritan, Reform, Baptist, Jewish, and others). Every attempt has been made to avoid any distinctively religious and sectarian doctrines and to draw upon only their thoughts that focus on the particular topic in a manner that is consistent with a fundamental Christian understanding of the Bible when comparing Scripture with Scripture.

Recurring Themes in This Paper Throughout the paper we shall see the following themes about prayer occur repeatedly.

“God wants us to be interested in what interests Him.” God searches our hearts and knows and approves of what the Holy Spirit desires, that is what the Spirit makes the saints to desire; what is in conformity with the Divine will.


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Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

1 Peter 2:15: For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (ESV)

It has been said that God's interest is to magnify the fullness of His glory by spilling over in mercy to us. Therefore the pursuit of our interest and our happiness is never above God, but always in God. God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him. (John Stephen Piper, The Pleasures of God)

We are initially informed of God's interest by his expression of gratification in the creation of man, and as subsequently manifested by his association with man. There was a felicity of association with and communion experienced between God and the original man that continued unbroken and unmarred until the intrusion of a third party on the scene. The design of this intruder was to destroy this felicitous relationship, and he knew that only by a corrupting of man, thereby rendering him unfit for the divine association, could his ends be accomplished. (Bryan Vinson, Sr., “God’s Mindfulness of Man”)

“Watch and pray.”

The secret of victory over sin and the devil is to watch and pray. When we do not do this, we become frustrated, defeated, and angry. We speak unwisely and do not shine as light in the world. Also, prayerlessness can be a sin of omission. In James 4:17 we read that it is sin for those who know to do good and do not do it.

James 4:17: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (ESV) As we study prayer we hope that God will help us to change our behavior by changing our thinking. We can pray that we will begin to watch and pray and learn the secret of having a victorious Christian life.

Mark 13:33: “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.” (ESV)

Luke 21:36: “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (ESV)

“Trust and obey.” Trusting the Lord makes obedience easier, and obedience produces ever-increasing trust. Each of us at one time or another has faced a challenge that was difficult or perplexing. So, we know how important these two commands are. When the Lord calls us to a task that seems unreasonable, we have two options. We can obey Him even though we do not understand what will happen, or we can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Remember the fellow with the one talent?

Matthew 25:24-30: He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with


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interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (ESV)

Joshua chose the option of doing what seemed to be unreasonable. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God's seemingly bizarre battle plan.

Joshua 6:2-5: And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” (ESV)

Prayer is “Faith in Action.” According to Martin Luther “… humans have the ability to choose as they wish between different possibilities presented to them amid the circumstances of temporal life. While human beings are free to choose among temporal issues, one thing human nature can never do is choose the motivation of its actions. In the final analysis, all motivation is either governed by the Spirit of God or by the evil spirit.” (Michael Stoltzfus, “Martin Luther: A Pure Doctrine of Faith”)

Mark 9:14-29: And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (ESV)

James 1:5-7: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; (ESV) James 2:17: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (ESV)


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“Pray Boldly.” We are to be assertive and persistent in our prayer. Martin Luther has been quoted as saying that “Prayer is indeed a continuous violent action of the spirit as it is lifted up to God. This action is comparable to that of a ship going against the stream.”

Matthew 11:12: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (ESV)

Luke 13:24: “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. …” (ESV)

Luke 16:16: “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.” (ESV)

Hebrews 4:16: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (KJV)


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2 What is Prayer?

General How we view prayer is implicit in how we view God’s relation to the world and our relation to Him. Prayer is an integral part of our theology based on the Word of God, on Scripture.

Definitions of Prayer

Prayer is conversation with God Prayer is speaking to God in response to His speaking to us in His Word. (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), A Report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, “Theology and Practice of Prayer, A Lutheran View”)

Prayer is the personal association of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to Him. It may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Prayer is an act of the virtue of religion Prayer is an act which consists of asking proper gifts or graces from God. In a more general sense it is the application of the mind to Divine things, not merely to acquire knowledge of them but to make use of such knowledge as a means of union with God. This may be done by acts of praise and thanksgiving, but petition is the principal act of prayer. (The Catholic Encyclopedia)

Prayer is many other acts

Many of the acts of prayer listed below may be found in Easton's Bible Dictionary. Beseeching the Lord - Exodus 32:11: But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?” (ESV)

Pouring out the soul before the Lord - 1 Samuel 1:15: But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.” (ESV) Praying and crying to heaven - 2 Chronicles 32:20: Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. (ESV) Seeking unto God and making supplication - Job 8:5: “If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy, …” (ESV) Drawing near to God - Psalm 73:28: But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (ESV) Bowing the knees - Ephesians 3:14: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, (ESV)

Talking to the Father through the Son by the Spirit - 2 Peter 1:3-4: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.


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Outpouring of the heart in the presence of God - 1 Samuel 1:15: “I have poured out my soul before the Lord” [said the mother of Samuel].

Why Pray? We should pray because God commanded us to.

Exodus 20:7: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (ESV) Martin Luther explained that this commandment means that “we are required to praise God’s holy name and call upon it in every need; that is, to pray. To call upon the name of God is nothing else than to pray. With this understanding, we see that prayer is just as strictly and earnestly commanded as all other commandments.” (Large Catechism)

We should pray because Jesus did. There many examples of this under the section “Prayers around Jesus the Messiah”. Here are a few reasons.

Matthew 27:46: about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (ESV) Matthew Henry wrote that “Jesus uttered a complaint from Psalms 22:1. Hereby he teaches of what use the word of God is to direct us in prayer, and recommends the use of Scripture expressions in prayer.” (Concise Commentary)

We should pray because it is useful. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (ESV)

We should pray because it is the way to ask for the benefits we need for our salvation. Philippians 1:12-20: I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. (ESV)

Matthew Henry wrote that “Whatever turns to our salvation, is by the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of seeking for it.” (Concise Commentary)


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3 The Nature of Prayer

A Prayer-Overview There is an article, “Prayer-Overview” by William H. Gross, that discusses prayer like this.

Prayer is one of God’s ordained means to effect His will in the world. It is one way that we “become partakers of the divine nature”.

2 Peter 1:3-8: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

God tells us to pray, and He even tells us what to pray in Scripture through His representatives. If we pray what he tells us to pray, then God will fulfill our prayer, in His time.

1 Kings 17:18-24: And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” (ESV)

Job 42:8: “Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (ESV)

Prayer is conditional in nature. God tells us that when we pray, we must pray in the Spirit, and according to his will. He tells us this in Scripture through His representatives. Those are the conditions. They are not restrictive conditions, but prescriptive. That is, they are not designed to limit our prayer, or qualify our prayer, but rather to direct the content and focus of our prayer. God wants us to be interested in what He is interested in.

Ephesians 6:18: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (ESV) 1 John 5:14-15: And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (ESV)


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The General Lutheran View Our understanding as Lutherans - and probably members of other Reformation denominations, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox Christians - praying “in the Spirit” does not mean praying in tongues. It is rather a contrast to praying in the flesh as described by the apostle Paul.

Romans 8:8-9: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (ESV)

[Note: Praying in the Spirit does not mean praying in tongues. Praying in the flesh is seeking to satisfy the desires of our flesh, allowing it to master us, and submitting to its every whim. Praying in the Spirit is seeking to satisfy the desires of the Spirit (to do the will of God), allowing the Spirit to govern us, and submitting to his prompting and direction.]

The apostle Paul reminded us that on our own, we lack the strength, the will, and the determination to subdue our bodies.

1 Corinthians 9:27: But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (ESV)

In the Spirit, we have all the resources of heaven at our disposal, the very strength and power of Christ, who lives in us. This isn’t some transcendent experience. Rather, praying in the Spirit is willfully submitting to His direction through God’s Word and intentionally setting aside our own agendas. It is opening up to his examination of our hearts.

Psalm 139:23: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! (ESV) We are to let God’s assessment convict our consciences.

Listening to God’s Instruction The Introduction to Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms informs us about prayer as follows. Prayer is the means by which we procure the will, the power, and the wisdom to listen attentively and fruitfully to God’s instruction through his word.

John 9:31: We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. (ESV) Acts 22:14: And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;’ (ESV) Ephesians 1:7-9: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. (ESV) Ephesians 1:11: In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (ESV) Colossians 1:9: And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, (ESV)


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Hebrews 13:20-21: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

Ephesians 1:16-18: I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (ESV)

Prayer is often linked with meditation. Augustine translated the term “meditate” as "chatter” which Luther thought was a beautiful metaphor - “as chattering is the employment of birds, so a continual conversing in the law of the Lord, since talking is peculiar to man, ought to be the employment of man.” We need to gather our thoughts before approaching the throne of our Creator. We pray “in the Spirit,” which means by his power and direction. It is an act of submission which requires that our hearts be prepared. We consider the majesty and the holiness of God, and our unworthiness apart from Christ. We sink into the robe of Christ, considering his righteousness and his atoning blood. Then we approach the Throne of Grace to have the benefits of his sacrifice applied to us in the form of forgiveness and a cleansed conscience. We need to meditate on the Word of God in order to consider his truth. After all, we’re required to pray according to the will of God as revealed in his word, and to pray for wisdom with regard to that. We pray with the end in mind. When we close our prayer “In the name of Christ” we are affirming that we have done everything in our power to conform to the will of God, under the authority of Christ, by the power of the Spirit. In other words, we are establishing an attitude of Christ like prayer.”

John 6:38-40 “… For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (ESV) Romans 8:27: And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (ESV)

Prayer as Communion with God Revealed in Jesus the Christ Christian prayer is not silent reverence before an almighty God, nor is it an ecstasy. Rather, it is the experience of praying to “Our Father who art in Heaven …” Although we are sinful we may have a personal communication with God because He reached out to us through His Son, Jesus. Prayer discloses our faith in the greatness of the God revealed in Jesus. Prayer is the expression of our loving obedience when we come to know the God of grace. In prayer we do not find justification in ourselves as Adam and Eve tried to do, but in God through Jesus.

An example of self-justification may be found in Genesis 3:9-13: But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”


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Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (ESV)

An example of justification in God through Jesus may be found in Romans 5:1-6: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (ESV)

In Hebrews 11 Paul further cites the faith-by-grace experiences of the Patriarchs and the biblical heroes: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel, David, and the prophets.

As Christians we have a fellowship of prayer.

Acts 2:42-47: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV)

Prayer as Incense If we were to compare our prayers to a scented candle, then the aroma would fill the air for a short time. The aroma of incense, however, not only fills the air but also lingers a long time. Scripture tells us that our prayers are like incense, that they linger before God, and that they are not to be offered to false gods. They are to be offered to the Lamb, to Jesus.

Incense was placed on the altar in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. Incense speaks of prayer (Revelation 8:3-4) and so the presence of the altar with its incense in the Tabernacle provides insight into what true prayer is. If we come to prayer without the proper understanding, our prayers will be to no avail. Therefore, we need to consider the relationship between the altar and incense because it will help us learn to pray effectively. If we pray to a god whom we created after our image, rather than we after His, we will not be praying according the Scriptures. God is looking for a people who will be an incense on the altar.

Revelation 8:3-4: And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. (ESV)

The Scriptures are clear that the fragrant fumes that ascend from the incense of our prayers represent the prayers of godly people, those in covenant relationship with God. A Psalm attributed to David petitioned the Lord for his prayer to be as incense before God (Psalm 141:2). When Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, was executing his office as priest, he entered into the


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temple to burn incense and a whole multitude of people were praying outside at the hour of incense (Luke 1:9-10). The book of Revelation unquestionably indicates that “incense” is symbolic of “the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4). There is no biblical indication that the prayers of those who resist the will of God go up as a sweet fragrance to Him. See the passages of Scripture relating to this below.

Exodus 30:1, 7-8: You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; … And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. (ESV) Exodus 30:37: And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. (ESV) Leviticus 16:12-13: And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. (ESV) Psalm 141:2: Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (ESV) Isaiah 6:3-4: And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. (ESV)

Malachi 1:11: For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. (ESV) Luke 1:8-10: Now while he [Zechariah] was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. (ESV) 2 Corinthians 2:14-15: But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, (ESV) Ephesians 5:1-2: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (ESV) Revelation 5:8: And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (ESV)

Revelation 8:3-4: And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. … (ESV)


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4 A Taxonomy of Prayer

Prayer and Theology There is a kind of “theology of prayer”. The reasoning, according to Thomas L. Constable’s, Talking to God, goes like this. God created the universe and all that is in it to display the riches of the glory of his grace.

Isaiah 43:6–7: I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth (ESV)

Ephesians 1:6: to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (ESV)

Romans 9:23: in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory (ESV)

Therefore all persons should act in a way that calls attention to the glory of God's grace. Matthew 5:16: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV) 1 Corinthians 10:31: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (ESV)

The obedience and service of God's people will glorify him most when they consciously and manifestly depend on him for the grace and power to do what they do.

Psalm 25:1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. (ESV)

Psalm 18:2: The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (ESV)

1 Peter 4:11: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV) 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12: To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV) Isaiah 30:21: And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (ESV)

Prayer for God’s help is one way that God preserves and manifests the dependence of his people on his grace and power. The necessity of prayer is a constant reminder and display of our dependence on God for everything, so that he gets the glory when we get the help.

Psalm 50:15: and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. (ESV)

John 14:13: Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (ESV)


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When the Spirit inspires and directs the groanings in our hearts, the ultimate purpose of the universe happens. God gets the glory because God the Spirit creates the groanings in us. God gets the glory because God the Father is the one who hears and performs what the Spirit asks. God gets glory because God the Son purchased for sinners every blessing they ever receive. And, God gets glory because our hearts are made the theater for this divine activity, so that we know and experience God's gracious intercession for us and consciously give him thanks and praise.

Revelation 5:9: And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation ...” (ESV)

Talking to God discusses prayer in the following categories that are discussed in detail below: counterfeit prayer, prayer’s frequent companions, and practices that include prayer.

Prayer – Taxonomy

Statements that Seem to Be Prayers but Are Not According to Constable’s, Talking to God, there is also a thought that we may distinguish among statements that seem to be prayers but are not: wishing, glorying, woes, and swearing. We may see passages in the Bible that make us wonder if they contain a prayer or something else. Wishing

One practice that looks like prayer, and that many people confuse with prayer is wishing. “I wish I were rich!” For example, is the statement in 1 Thessalonians 3:11 a prayer?

1 Thessalonians 3:11: Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you (ESV)

This looks like a well-wishing. The difference between praying and wishing is that in praying we address ourselves directly to God. In wishing we simply think about or voice our desires. Wishing and praying both have their place, but they are distinct practices. Often it may be difficult to distinguish wishes from prayers in the Bible. The person wishing may have God in mind without specifically addressing Him.

A person may tell God in prayer what he wishes without asking God to grant it.

A person may share a desire with another person that he has previously expressed to God in prayer.”

Another example may be found in 1 Peter 5 Peter 5:14: Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (ESV)

Glorying

Glorying may seem to be prayer, but it is not. Glorying is the practice of speaking doxologies and other expressions of praise and thanksgiving about God. In a doxology the person speaking talks about God in the third person (Him or He) rather than addressing Him in the second person (You, Thou, Thine, or Thee).

Examples may be found in Exodus and Psalms.


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Exodus 18:10: Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.” (ESV) Psalm 41:13: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. (ESV)

Woes

Some people confuse the expressions of woe with prayer. The word “woe” denotes an expression grief or misery. It is somewhat akin to “alas” that denotes grief or misery. Woes may be lamentations of one's own condition or the condition of another or others.

Jeremiah 15:10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. (ESV) Isaiah 3:11: Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. (ESV)

Swearing

Swearing may seem to be prayer, but it is not. As the Bible refers to swearing, it means affirming either that one will do something or that something is definitely true. The person making the statement also appeals to God or to some other venerated person or object to add force to the affirmation. The statement itself is an oath. An oath is not necessarily a prayer, because we can make one to another person as well as to God. The accompanying appeal is usually a wish rather than a prayer. If the person speaking addresses God, then the oath and the swearing are prayers; but if the person speaking does not address God, they are not.

1 Samuel 20:13: But should it please my father to do you harm, the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. (ESV)

2 Kings 6:31: and he [King Ahab] said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.” (ESV)

Activities that Go Hand-in-Hand with Prayer Thomas L. Constable (Talking to God ) writes that prayer has “frequent companions”, activities that go hand-in-hand with prayer. They are sacrificing, burning incense, pouring water, casting lots, imposing hands, dedicating, repenting, fasting, watching, reading scripture, and singing. Sacrificing

Clearly, sacrificing was an Old Testament practice, but it has been redefined in the New Testament as pertaining to offerings such as in church. Burning incense is still a practice in some Christian churches. See the article in this paper “Prayer as Incense”. Pouring Water and Casting Lots Pouring water and casting lots are exclusively Old Testament practices.

Numbers 26:55: But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. (ESV)


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Numbers 33:54: You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. (ESV)

Deuteronomy 33:8: And of Levi he said, “Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah (ESV) Joshua 7:14: In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. (ESV) 1 Kings 18:33: And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” (ESV)

Isaiah 44:3: For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (ESV)

Imposing Hands Jesus imposed hands on the children, and Paul wrote about the laying on of hands with respect to selecting church leaders.

Matthew 19:13-15: Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away. (ESV) 1 Timothy 5:22: Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. (ESV)

Dedicating

Dedicating can mean the act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use or a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose. In the biblical sense it involves the act of setting aside anything or anyone for the worship or service of God. Prayer is the instrument one uses to present this resolution to God. Prayer accompanied the dedication of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:22-55, 1 Kings 8:62-64) and Nehemiah's wall (Nehemiah 12:40-42).

[1 Kings 8:22-55 is too long to reproduce here. It is the long prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the temple.] 1 Kings 8:62-64: Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings. (ESV)


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Nehemiah 12:40-42: So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. (ESV)

After returning from exile in Babylon, the Jews dedicated themselves anew to God and expressed this resolve in prayer.

2 Chronicles 29:28-30: The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped. (ESV)

Christians should dedicate themselves to God in view of what Jesus has done for us.

Romans 6:13: Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (ESV) Romans 12:1-2: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV) Philippians 2:13: for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (ESV)

We usually express our dedication to God in prayer. Dedication involves a fundamental change of attitude and a resolution to obey God.

Isaiah 6:8: And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (ESV) Acts 22:10: And I said, “What shall I do, Lord?” And the Lord said to me, “Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.” (ESV)

Even more important than the words we say to God when we dedicate ourselves or something else to Him is our follow-through.

Malachi 1:9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? Says the Lord of hosts. (ESV) James 4:8-10: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (ESV)

Repenting

Repentance is essentially a change of mind about sin, God, oneself, or something else. It means changing our minds and hearts about past or intended beliefs, words, or conduct. Prayer


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accompanies repenting in the same sense as it accompanies dedicating. It expresses a personal internal transaction.

Repenting is connected to dedicating and prayer which normally accompany it. Repenting is often used as a synonym for feelings of contrition or self-reproach. In English, repentance connotes a change of behavior. Preachers calling for repentance, and we understand them to mean that they want us to clean up our lives. While this is a legitimate concern that comes out of the Bible, it does not reflect the Biblical understanding of repentance. The Greek word translated “repent” (metanoeo) comes from two words that mean “to think again”. It focuses primarily on the mental change that should result in a change of behavior. When John the Baptist was calling on people to repent because the kingdom of heaven was at hand, he was urging them to change their way of thinking. They had been thinking that the kingdom was far away temporally. They needed to realize that it was very close because the King had already arrived and was about to begin His ministry.

Matthew 3:2: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (ESV)

Repentance is the attitude that expresses itself in the following Confessing Guilt

Numbers 5:7: he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. (ESV)

Requesting forgiveness

Exodus 34:9: And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” (ESV)

2 Samuel 24:10: But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” (ESV)

Casting oneself on God's mercy

Judges 3:9: But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. (ESV)

Joel 2:12-14: “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? (ESV)

A prayer of confession is not repentance.

It is only giving voice to repentance. Prayer is no substitute for repentance either. The attitude of the heart must be present first or the words from the lips will be hollow and meaningless. The condition of our heart is more important than the words in our mouth.

Psalm 51:1-4 and 10-12: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my


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iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. … Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (ESV)

Jeremiah 31:19: For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth. (ESV)

Ezekiel 18:31-32: Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live." (ESV) Matthew 15:11: “… it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” (ESV) Acts 17:30: The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent (ESV)

Repentance includes not looking back.

There are Bible verses that instruct us to not only turn about and go the other way, but also to not look back. Here are some.

Genesis 19:26: But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (ESV)

Job 10:8-12: Your hands fashioned and made me, and now you have destroyed me altogether. Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. (ESV) Isaiah 61:1-11: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers. (ESV) Luke 9:59-62: To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home. Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (ESV)

Philippians 3:13: Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. (ESV)


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James 1:23-2: For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (ESV) 2 Peter 2:21-22: For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (ESV)

God “forgets” our sins. He treats us as if we did not sin and does not hold our sin against us. It is as if it is forgotten as it is treated as forgotten. But God did not lose memory of it, He just treats us as if He has no memory of it. It is good news that, no matter how serious the sin, God is always seeking us out and is willing to forgive and forget our sins and give us a fresh start. As long as we live, it is never too late to ask for forgiveness and make a new start!Here are some verses that encourage us with this.

Psalm 25:7: Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! (ESV) Psalm 32:1-2: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. (ESV)

Isaiah 43:25: “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (ESV)

Luke 15:11-32: [The story of the prodigal son, whose father forgave and (by implication) forgot is too long to reproduce here.]

Romans 4:7-8: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (ESV)

Hebrews 8:12: “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (ESV)

Hebrews 10:17: then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” (ESV)

Fasting Prayer and fasting are connected with each other many times in the Bible. People prayed with and without fasting. Fasting for spiritual reasons allowed a person to devote the time and energy normally spent in nourishment to a higher purpose. It was a way of creating more time for prayer. Fasting in the Bible has to do with a person's relationship with God. Scripture is clear that fasting in itself will not move God to do things that He would not do otherwise. God has not promised that He will give us whatever we want when we fast. Rather, it expresses physically what is inside a person's heart and mind. By fasting we can express that we feel about praying so strongly that we are willing to forego eating to pray. It enables us to concentrate in prayer and to call on God with unusual intensity to answer. This intense asking based on intense desire is what moves God.


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People fasted to show perseverance in prayer. Asking will get us things that failing to ask will not.

James 4:2: You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. (ESV)

Asking persistently will get us things that casual asking will not, because persistent asking manifests faith.

Luke 18:1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (ESV)

Watching

Watching is a practice associated with prayer in the Bible. It has to do with keeping awake or alert. Fasting involves going without food to concentrate on praying. Watching means going without sleep to be awake and alert. Watching involves a battle between our spirits and our bodies. The believer's human spirit wants to continue praying, because he recognizes a need for divine grace, but the flesh longs to indulge itself in sleep. In summary, we should keep alert when we pray, that we pray, and while we pray. It is important that we combine watchfulness with prayer. The New Testament describes watchfulness in three different relationships to prayer.

Jesus commanded Peter, James, and John to “Watch and pray.” Matthew 26:38-39: Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

Jesus wanted the disciples to stay awake and pray. He explained that by doing so they could avoid entering into temptation that they would experience if they failed to pray.

Matthew 26:40-42: And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (ESV)

We should watch that we do not carelessly neglect prayer but faithfully persist in it. Ephesians 6:18: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (ESV)


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Failing to watch is not so much failing to continue praying as it is failing to pray at all because we see no need for it that is in view here. Jesus reminded His disciples that persistence in prayer often results in answers to prayer that would not be forthcoming otherwise.”

Luke 21:36: But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (ESV)

Paul stayed up late at night praying because he believed that doing so would bring God's blessing on the people for whom he prayed.

2 Corinthians 6:4-5: but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; (ESV)

James 4:2-3: You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (ESV)

We should add watchfulness to our prayers like an essential ingredient in a recipe. Along with praying we need to remain watchful to what is going on around us. We need to keep alert to other matters.

Colossians 4:2-4: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison - that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (ESV)

Jesus told His disciples to keep their eyes open to see how the times were corresponding with His predictions, and to keep on praying.

Mark 13:33-37: “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning - lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." (ESV)

Thanksgiving is another aspect of watching. Colossians 4:2-4: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison - that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (ESV)

Reading Scripture

Prayer and the Word of God go hand in hand in the Christian life, because in prayer we speak to God and in the Bible He speaks to us. All the spiritual answers that we need and that God wants us to have are recorded in the Bible. Prayer and the Scriptures are the vehicles by which we enjoy communication with God. Prayer is the term that the Bible uses to describe both our side and God’s side of a conversation. In early history God spoke directly to individual people. As time passed, He spoke to groups of people, with a nation, that transmitted by word of mouth and later recorded His dealings with


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mankind. That record is Scripture. Eventually He stopped giving special revelation because He had revealed all that He wanted to say. Christian's have long believed that the Bible contains everything that is spiritually essential for life and godliness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (ESV)

Revelation 22:19: and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (ESV)

Bible reading often leads to conviction of sin that should result in confession in prayer.

Nehemiah 9:1-4: Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 11:28: Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. (ESV)

Prayer is excellent preparation for reading God's Word. Nehemiah 8:6-8 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen”, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (ESV)

Dwight L. Moody, Reading God’s Word, Chapter 3: “Depend upon the Holy Spirit to teach you. Make it a habit to pray before you read. Psalm 119:18 is a good example of such a prayer. Why is this important? It is the Lord that gives understanding. When your time of reading is through, the real spiritual exercise has just begun. Now you need to go out and put into practice the truth that you read.”

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. (ESV)

2 Timothy 2:7: Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (ESV)

According to Moody, J. Wilbur Chapman (a noted American evangelist) has given us the following suggestions for how we can get the most from the Word of God:

Study it through. Never begin a day without mastering a verse from its pages. Pray it in. Never lay aside your Bible until the verse, or passage you have studied, has become a part of your being.


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Put it down. The truth that God teaches you, put in the margin of your Bible or in your notebook.

Work it out. Live the truth you get in the morning through each hour of the day. Pass it on. Seek to tell someone else what you have learned.

We also need to pray for divine enablement when we discover God's will in His Word. Acts 4:24-31: And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ - for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (ESV)

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)

Both prayer and Bible reading are indispensable for us to receive God's good gifts and to grow spiritually.

1 Timothy 4:4-5: For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. (ESV)

Jude 20: But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit (ESV)

Acts 20:32: And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (ESV)

2 Timothy 3:17: that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (ESV) Singing

Prayer and the singing of songs to God accompany one another too. Since psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are frequently expressions of praise, they often contain prayers

Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (ESV)

Psalms

Psalms refer to the inspired poems in the Bible that God's people used in their private and public worship. They represent about 1000 years of Israel’s history. Psalms are the first book of “the Writings” which are the third section of the Hebrew Bible.


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Reading or singing the Psalms are like overhearing a private, passionate conversation between a person and God. The Psalms are all passion and emotion, often intense. We can pray the Psalms. They are prayers in which a person opens the heart to God as to a friend. In the book of Psalms, we find many prayers that wouldn’t make good public prayers in church. But a person who talks to a good friend is freed to say things that aren’t meant for all of society. The Psalter contains many different types of psalms: praise, lament, prophetic, didactic, penitential, imprecatory, and others. Praise and thanksgiving are predominate in some while others exhort the reader to praise and thank God. Some contain petitions for self and others. Usually a psalm contains several different characteristics including many varieties of prayer, but sometimes one sentiment pervades the entire composition. Many psalms are prayers partially or wholly. The Psalms were sung or otherwise chanted in religious services over the early years - before and after the advent of Christianity. The psalms are evidence of a gradual development of a liturgical hymnal for temple service.

Solomon said his inspiring prayer for Israel in the first Temple of Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:12-53). Set forms of prayers, apart from the Psalms, existed but were rare. In such set forms, the high-priest laid the sins of Israel upon the heads of the scape-goat, and the priest offered the first-fruits and tithes before the altar of the Temple.

Leviticus 16:21: And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. (ESV)

Deuteronomy 26:5-10: “And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. …” (ESV)

During the morning and evening sacrifices the Levites sang praises to the Lord. These praises would seem to have been the Psalms, since the leader of the Levites in the time of Nehemiah was a son of Asaph.

1 Chronicles 23:30: And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening (ESV)

The superscriptions (i.e., titles) of many of the Psalms give evidence of their liturgical use in the Temple or the Tabernacle that preceded the temple. The Psalms of Asaph (temple Levites) and of the sons of Korah at one time made up a liturgical collection for temple service as seen in the following passages.


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1 Chronicles 16:4-7: Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers. (ESV) 1 Chronicles 25:1: David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was … (ESV)

2 Chronicles 20:19: And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice (ESV)

According to Dr. Ralph F. Wilson in “Psalms in Worship throughout the Centuries”, Psalms were sung in a particular pattern in the daily temple service of the second temple. Sunday - Psalm 24, Monday - Psalm 48, Tuesday - Psalm 82, Wednesday - Psalm 94, Thursday - Psalm 81, Friday - Psalm 93, Saturday - Psalm 92. Special psalms were prepared for the new month and other occasions, prayers during major Jewish holidays, and psalms for special sacrifices such as the “Psalm for the Thanksgiving Offering”, Psalm 100.

Psalm 100: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (ESV)

The Psalms probably sung in the synagogues from the Exile onward. The Passover ritual, too, drew heavily on the Psalms. The “hymn” sung by Jesus and the apostles at the conclusion of the Lord's Supper on the night of Passover could have been one the psalms prescribed for the occasion, Psalms 114-118.

Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (ESV)

Psalm 117: Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (ESV)

Following Jewish synagogue practices, the early church sang psalms. Psalms were sung in the homes in the early Christian Church.

1 Corinthians 14:26: What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (ESV) Ephesians 5:18-19: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart (ESV)

Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (ESV)


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James 5:13: Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (ESV)

The singing of Psalms in the post-Apostolic Church seems to have been a “mixed bag”. On the one hand we have Church Fathers who encouraged the practice.

Tertullian (c. 160-225 AD) mentioned singing songs from the scripture as part of the Lord's Supper celebration. According to Tertullian’s Apology, “singing is an act of religious service, it permits no vileness or immodesty. … After manual ablution, and the bringing in of lights, each is asked to stand forth and sing, as he can, a hymn to God, either one from the holy Scriptures or one of his own.” Jerome wrote: “… in the cottage of Christ all is simple and rustic: and except for the chanting of psalms there is complete silence. Wherever one turns the laborer at his plough sings alleluia, the toiling mower cheers himself with psalms, and the vine-dresser while he prunes his vine sings one of the lays of David. These are the songs of the country; these, in popular phrase, its love ditties: these the shepherd whistles; these the tiller uses to aid his toil.”

On the other hand we have synods that discouraged the practice and monastics and popes that encouraged it.

The Synod of Laodicea (AD 350), as a reaction to heresies, forbade the use of any hymns composed by private individuals, namely all unauthorized Church hymns. That was not intended to forbid the use of all but the Bible psalms and hymns. After this Synod many hymns composed by individual Christians, for instance, Prudentius, Clement, Ambrose, came into use in the Church. Only those not sanctioned were to be banished. The Council of Bracatara (AD 563) also forbade the singing of non-scriptural hymns.

While psalms were used in worship services in churches, the practice of reciting the Psalter formed the core of the devotional practice of the monastic community. The Rule of St. Benedict (c. 530-540 AD) outlined the Divine Office of prayers and psalms. This liturgy consisted of gatherings of the community at eight times during the day and night with the purpose to “sanctify” the day with prayer. At these various times they would say or chant together the set of prayers and psalms designated for that day and time.

The recitation of the Divine Office eventually became Gregorian Chant practiced in certain orders, going back perhaps as far as Pope Gregory (c. 540-604 AD), for which it was named.

Protestant Churches have a strong tradition of singing the Psalms. The Church of England, under heavy Puritan influence, sought to bring about reform by publishing a metrical psalmody that could be sung by a congregation. A book of translated Psalm texts was published in 1562 by John Day. Hymns and spiritual songs

Hymns and spiritual songs are songs, many of which were composed later than the Psalter, that express similar sentiments though they are not on the level of inspired Scripture. Spiritual songs are songs that deal with spiritual subjects. Hymns deal more with the person and work of God. Spiritual songs tend to focus more on personal experience and testimony.

The Bible contains many spiritual songs. Indeed they focus on personal experience and testimony. They may be found in such diverse books as Song of Solomon, Exodus (Songs of Moses and Miriam -Exodus 14-15), Judges (Song of Deborah and Barak - Judges 5:1-10), Luke


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(Mary’s Song - Luke 1:46-55, and many other poems and songs that we see in Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and others.

[Note: Only seven Old Testament books - Leviticus, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, and Malachi - appear to have no poetic lines.]

Other spiritual songs were written in the Middle Ages. Francis of Assissi composed “All Creatures of Our God and King” in 1225.

The Reformation saw a proliferation of hymn writing. Best known to us is perhaps “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and “All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord” by Martin Luther. Other Reformation hymns include “Praise to the Lord, Almighty, the King of Creation” by Joachim Neander, “The Lord's My Shepherd” and “O Thou My Soul, Bless God the Lord” from the Scottish Psalter. Isaac Watts (1674-1748) published his Psalms of David in 1719. Instead of exact translations, these hymns were poetic paraphrases of the biblical psalms (i.e., hymns). The best known of these today are probably “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past” (Psalm 90) and “Joy to the World, the Lord Is Come” (Psalm 98). The nineteenth and twentieth centuries witnessed a decline of psalm singing in most Protestant churches in North America. Psalms were replaced by devotional lyrics and gospel songs with a more emotional and subjective bent. Among the best-known composers of hymns are Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) and Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908). Among Fanny Crosby’s hymns are “Blessed Assurance” and “To God Be the Glory”. Among Ira D. Sankey’s hymns are “Rock of Ages”, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, and “How Great Thou Art” by Carl Gustav Boberg. There were also others.

In modern times we can find songs with spiritual content in the genres known as Gospel, Christian, Inspirational, Bluegrass, Country Western, and from other sources that have no specific name such as we might find on iTunes and YouTube. These include “Indescribable” by Laura Story, “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel Gawthrop, “Take this Life” by Jachin Mullen, “I Desire Mercy” and the CD “Psalms” by Joe Hand, “All the Ends of the Earth” (based on Psalm 98) by Bob Dufford, SJ, “Watch and Pray” by Undine Smith Moore, and “Near to the Heart of God” by Cleland B. McAfee.

[Note: We may often refer to these modern songs as “inspirational”.]

Practices that Include Prayer According to Constable (Talking to God), there are also practices that include prayer. They are worshipping, vowing, and requesting signs. These practices do not merely accompany prayer as those explained above. Rather, prayer constitutes an integral part of these practices.

Worshipping According to Constable (Talking to God), worship involves giving God the honor that He is worthy of receiving because of His person and works.

Exodus 15:1-2 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. …” (ESV)


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[Note: The text continues with an enumeration of the instances in which God showed His power.]

Job 1:21: And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”. (ESV)

Ezra 3:11: And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. (ESV)

Nehemiah 9:2-3: And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. (ESV)

Acts 27:23-24: For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ (ESV) Philippians 3:3: For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh (ESV)

Vowing

A vow is a solemn promise or assertion by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition. Biblically, it means to set aside and give oneself or something to the God in exchange for a desired or realized favor from Him. The promise is binding, and so differs from a simple resolution which is a present purpose to do or omit certain things in the future. Hence a vow is an act of religion just as any offering made to God.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6: When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? (ESV)

According to Constable (Talking to God) , the Bible describes two types of vows: conditional and unconditional. An unconditional vow consists of simple pledges to do something, such as separating from sin or offering a sacrifice to the Lord. The Nazirite vow illustrates this unconditional type of vow as described in Numbers 6:1-21. A conditional vow included a request as well as a promise. The person praying promised that if God would do a specified thing then he would do something else in return.”

Numbers 21:2: And Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” (ESV) 1 Samuel 1:10-11: She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” (ESV)

[Note: This is not a Nazirite vow by Hannah. Rather it is a vow by Hannah to raise her son as a Nazirite.]

2 Samuel 15:8: “For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” (ESV)


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Psalm 66:13: I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, (ESV)

Vowing in this manner is a person bargaining with God and often the promise made is that if God will grant the request the person vowing will praise and thank Him. Occasionally the person vowing pledges something more tangible and costly.

Genesis 28:20-22: Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (ESV)

Judges11:30-31: And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (ESV)

Psalm 56:12-13: I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (ESV) Nahum 1:15: Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off. (ESV)

Usually individuals made vows in Scripture, but in a few cases a group made a corporate pledge to God.

1 Samuel 12:10: And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ (ESV)

There is nothing wrong with vowing. Jesus’ negative references to vows were condemnations of their abuse, not their use.

Matthew15:4-5: “For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, …” (ESV)

Mark 7:10-13: For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, ‘Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban’ (that is, given to God) then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (ESV)

The scarcity of vows in the New Testament teaches us that we should not make them often - or at all. As people who are spiritually dead, we have nothing to offer God of our own. We can offer Him only what He has first given us. Also, there are instances in the Old Testament of people making foolish promises that they wished they had not made, or failed to keep. This insight into human foolishness and unfaithfulness should make us pause before vowing something to God. We have a natural tendency to break our promises and should therefore cast ourselves and our


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requests on God's grace rather than bargaining with Him. Contrast the following verses from Judges, Matthew, and James.

Judges 11:30-35 and 39: And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord gave them into his hand. And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel. Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.” … And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. … (ESV) Matthew 26:39: And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV) Matthew 5:33-37: “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn’. But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (ESV) James 5:12: But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (ESV)

Requesting Signs A sign from God refers to something that people regard as a demonstration of divine power. It may be a thing or an event. It is a special situation by which God reveals Himself or His will. In the past, God sometimes gave a sign spontaneously without anyone asking Him to give it.

Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (ESV)

He sometimes gave a sign in response to a prayer of petition. Joshua 10:12-14: At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel. (ESV)

In some cases, the sign that God gave, whether sought or not, involved a change of circumstances that identified His will to the person praying.


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Genesis 24:12-15: And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’ - let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.” Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. (ESV)

1 Samuel 14:9-10: “If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.” (ESV)

Other signs contravened the laws of nature. Usually people who requested this second type of sign sought some very definite confirmation from God that He would indeed do a certain thing. Biblical personalities saw the sign as a divine pledge that something else would happen.

Judges 6:36-40: Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. (ESV) 2 Kings 20:8-11: And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. (ESV)

2 Kings 20:2-6: Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” (ESV)

In biblical times God gave authoritative new revelation. He did not discourage people from requesting a sign provided they were sincere. Today God does necessarily violate the laws of nature to give a person a sign to confirm what He has said. Now the Scriptures are available to the person seeking reassurance. There is ample evidence in the Bible that God can and will do


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what He has said, so the additional confirmation of a miracle is normally unnecessary. If a person needs stronger faith, he or she should hear and believe the Word of God.

Luke 16:31: He said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” (ESV)

Romans 10:17: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (ESV) Miraculous signs do not produce strong faith. Immediately after witnessing the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites failed to trust God several times (Exodus 15:22-17:7). On the other hand, David trusted God.

Psalm 28:7: The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him (ESV)

Jesus' critics did not believe in Him despite the many miracles He did demonstrating that He was God.

Matthew 12:38-39: Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (ESV)


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5 Why Should Christians Pray? The Bible encourages and even commands us to pray. Jesus taught His disciples to pray. He directed believers to pray. There are several reasons according to “Theology and Practice of Prayer, A Lutheran View” and other writings.

[For Scripture references not quoted here see the “Timeline of Prayers around Jesus the Messiah” in this paper.]

God commands us to pray. We learn in the Bible that God urge us to pray. In the sections of this paper titled “Why Pray?” and “The Manner of Christian Prayer” we see that Martin Luther, in the Large Catechism, interpreted Exodus 20:4 to be a command to pray.

Exodus 20:4: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (ESV)

Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (ESV) By graciously and wisely commanding us to pray, God gives us, first, a powerful tool and a weapon in our ongoing struggle against the devil, the world, and our flesh; a tool with which we can live in obedience to God and his commands which are themselves intended for our spiritual and temporal blessing. God promised to hear and answer our prayers. God does not lie. He has never broken any of His many promises. We can be sure, with Christ as our guarantee, that He will keep this promise as well, regardless of whether His answer to our prayers always corresponds to our human desires or expectations.

Psalm 50:15: “… and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (ESV)

Matthew 7:7–8: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. …” (ESV)

For by his Word, God testifies that our prayer is heartily pleasing to him and will assuredly be heard and granted, so that we may not despise it, cast it to the winds, or pray uncertainly. You can hold such promises up to him and say, “Here I come to Thee, dear Father, and pray not of my own accord nor because of my own worthiness, but at your commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me.”

We pray because Jesus set the example. Jesus lived by prayer that offered relevance, purpose, answers, and a relationship with His Father. He prayed wholeheartedly for every move He made, asking God for guidance, leading, and direction. He prayed prayers of thanks, prayers for healing, prayers for His disciples, and prayers for believers - both present and future. There is more about this in the section of this paper titled “Prayers around Jesus the Messiah”. We pray because God gave us a model prayer. Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer which encompasses in it every God-pleasing expression of praise and thanksgiving, petition and intercession, confession of sin and profession of faith.

We pray to reflect our need. According to Luther, prayer has been prescribed that we should reflect on our need, which ought to drive and compel us to pray without ceasing. Deeply-felt needs produce deeply-felt prayers, pleasing to God. We should, because of our many needs and the needs of others, which, through love, become our needs and burdens as well. In the seven


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petitions of the Lord’s Prayer we address all of our needs. That should impel us to keep praying for it all our lives. The petitions of the prayer should remind us every day of the tender mercy and abundant grace of our heavenly Father who has promised to supply our every need.

Philippians 4:19: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

By prayer we recognize who God is and offer Him glory, honor, and adoration. Examples of this are found throughout the Bible, especially in the Psalms. Jesus illustrates this in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.

Prayer establishes and maintains a relationship between us and God. God and each of us acts as friends who are in constant contact with each other, do things together, and share problems with each other. In Genesis 18:16-33 we read about Abraham’s intercession for Sodom. Jesus constantly went before God in prayer to determine God’s will and direction, resist temptation, ask for courage, to discover what His Father would do, to offer thanksgiving and pray for others.

Mark 13:33: Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. (ESV) Prayer is essential to fellowship with God. God is the Father of the entire human race, and He cares for us. This means the child of God can pray, ask, and cast all his care upon God, his Father. Paul wrote that when we are His children, adopted into His family, we can begin calling him, “Father, dear Father”.

1 Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. (ESV)

Romans 8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (ESV)

In prayer we seek direction from God. In Matthew 7:7-11, Luke 11:9, and John 14:13-14, Jesus talks about asking, seeking, and knocking in order to receive. The Apostles reflected Jesus’ attitude toward prayer and encouraged and recommended prayer in their writings. We learn from them that constant prayer is recommended as a remedy against perplexing care not only at stated times for prayer, but at every time and in every situation. We are to join prayers of thanksgiving those of supplication. We are not only to request supplies of good, but also to be grateful for the mercies we have received.

Matthew 7:7-11: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (ESV) Luke 11:9: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (ESV) John 14:13-14: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (ESV)

[Regarding being grateful, there is a hymn by Ira D. Sankey, “Count Your Blessings” that has this refrain: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”]


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God does not need to be told our wants or desires. He knows them better than we do. He wants us to show that we value His mercy, and feel our dependence on Him.

Philippians 4:6: do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 5:17: pray without ceasing (ESV) James 1:5-7: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; (ESV)


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6 The Necessity of Prayer

What Happens When We Don’t Pray? William H. Gross, in “Prayer-Overview”, writes that when we don’t pray for extended periods of time it is often an indicator of spiritual weakness.

We believe that we may have become self-sufficient.

We may suffer from unbelief, wrong beliefs, or outright rebellion. We may have stopped reading God’s word, and thus have no material with which to pray.

We may suffer from doubt, worry, or mistrust. We may have succumbed to habitual sin, and are embarrassed to come before God.

There is a single word for all of these. It is sin, and we must repent of it. How? By praying.

Prayer is necessary for every Christian and should be practiced daily. It is a privilege granted to us by God Almighty. May we learn to pray according to God’s will as revealed in his word, and in the power of the Spirit. We should always pray in the name of Christ, acknowledging Him as the only door through which we may enter into God’s presence.

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (ESV)

God tore in half the veil that formerly excluded us from the Holy of Holies and became directly accessible by us.

Matthew 27:51: And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (ESV) Hebrews 6:19: We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, (ESV) Hebrews 9:3: Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, (ESV) Hebrews 10:19-20: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, (ESV)

With the temple veil torn, we may now approach the throne of God with confidence. Hebrews 4:16: Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

We know that our Father delights in us, because he delights in the Son.

Ephesians 3:11-12: This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

In God, we live, and move, and have our being.


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Acts 17:28: for “’In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “’For we are indeed his offspring.’ (ESV)

He has called us into communion with him. 1 John 1:3: that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (ESV)

We would separate ourselves from Him by failing to pray, or close our ears to him by failing to read his Word (Psalm 119).

We should come into His presence with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Psalm 95:2: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! (ESV) Psalm 100:4: Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (ESV)


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7 Prayer and the Paradox of Law and Gospel

Dualities According to the article “Theology and Practice of Prayer, A Lutheran View”, Lutheran theology is noteworthy for dualities: Law and Gospel, justification and sanctification, Word and Sacrament, kingdoms of the left and right hand. There is also a certain duality about prayer.

Why do we often struggle to pray when prayer is as instinctive and simple as a child’s first words? We can pray with our own words or with the words from a book (e.g., the Bible, hymnals, prayer books). We can ask God for one’s deepest desires, and we can also pray that His will be done and not ours.

There is a paradox of prayer as reflected in the following observations. There is a paradox in that the individual is both saint and sinner.

We have a continual need to hear the dual (and seemingly paradoxical) voice of God as He speaks to us in words of both Law and Gospel.

In some prayers (e.g., those of supplication) we try to influence God Who is immutable. Psalm 2:12: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (ESV)

According to Martin Luther in the Large Catechism, the Ten Commandments tell us what we are to do. They expose our complete inability to do what we are to do apart from God’s power and mercy. No one is able to keep even one of the Ten Commandments. Both the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer must come to our aid. Through them we must seek and pray for help and receive it continually.

According to Luther, the first thing to know about prayer is its relationship to the Gospel, because apart from the Gospel there could be no such thing as true, God-pleasing prayer. Without parts one and two of the catechism (i.e., the Ten Commandments and the Apostles’ Creed), there would be no part three. Without Jesus who came to reconcile us to the Father, there would be no Lord’s Prayer, no possibility of addressing God as “Our Father”. We could not pray “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”, apart from the manger, the cross, and the open tomb of the only Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. According to the same article, our Lutheran understanding of Orthodox Christianity is jumble of paradoxes.

We like to talk about the law and the gospel. The law condemns and the gospel forgives. We are released from the punishment of the law - eternal death - but it still has its proper place in directing our lives.

When to apply the law and when to apply the gospel is the toughest part of Christian, spiritual discernment. We talk about Word and sacrament. The Word is the law and gospel proclaimed to us from outside of us. The Word can be a Spiritual thing or a dry intellectual thing, but either way it is often hard to put our fingers on it - but we know the Word when we hear it.

The sacraments are the Word given physical form. Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood. We have the waters of baptism and the person offering absolution. In these sacraments we grasp the promises. We talk about the now and the not yet. We are now justified and


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sanctified, we now have eternal life, but we struggle with sin daily, and confront the fact of this mortal existence.

Dualities - Faith in Action The article, “The Eucharist Petition” by Peter M. Berg, tells us that Luther wrote of the hiddenness of God. We do not live by sight. God sometimes seems to be deaf to our pleas. His Law reveals the wretchedness of his people. He allows us to suffer the same tragedies as unbelievers, which can make us wonder what advantage there is in having faith. For Luther this was the paradox created by the tension of Law and Gospel:

Being condemned and rejected by God

Being comforted by God’s mercy in Christ Often we hear discussions of Law and Gospel which have a linear sense: the sinner is terrified and then comforted. However, being condemned and comforted often overlay one another. All of this gives occasion for much prayer. This prayer is not the kind that is often portrayed in “how-to-books” on prayer, in which the petitioner believes he can control God by the frequency and earnestness of his prayer. God does not command us to pray so that we may negotiate with Him, but that we might know that our justification is certain. He does not ask the unholy to pray. Prayer is faith in the promises of God and addresses those promises in God's hearing and in our own hearing - even when we are tempted to despair. The Lord's Prayer is the finest example of praying the promises of God into his ears and into our own.

Faith seems less certain from our worldly point of view, especially when we keep in mind that the devil, the world, and the flesh daily fight against God's will and His church. We would believe that things are different in heaven, but on earth we have a different story. Anxiety becomes more apparent as we leave the certainty of the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and move on to the half of the prayer. There is a sense of urgency about the bread we need, forgiveness, temptation, and deliverance from evil!

Our Lord has a way of leaving much room in our lives for faith and prayer. We must daily relearn the lesson that God is a hidden god and that we must judge Him based on his promises, and not his providences, which we can neither discern nor understand. Despite the paradox of Law and Gospel, despite His myriad providence, despite our wondering and paltry understanding, we may see unity in the way God deals with us. It is the way of his grace, of which Christ is the archetype and the Lord's Supper the consequent and continuing form.

The Duality of Jesus’ Statements to the Father of the Son He healed Returning to the application of the paradox to prayer, we have the story of the father asking Jesus to heal his son.

Mark 9:14-29: And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with


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you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (ESV)

It is an interesting question: Was Jesus castigating someone for not obeying the law or for not trusting the gospel? Who did Jesus erupt at with: “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” Was that directed at the disciples who did not have the power (e.g., trust in the gospel) to heal the boy? Was that directed at the scribes the crowd had been arguing with (e.g., over small points of law)? Was it directed at the poor father (e.g., for not trusting Jesus’ good news)? Was it directed at all of them?

The father doesn’t seem to apply it to himself. He retells his son’s story to Jesus and ends with that resigned cry of desperation: “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

The father’s statement elicits Jesus’ reply indicating that all things are possible to the one who believes (i.e., the good news). Who is the one who believes? The text is ambiguous. Is it the father? Is Jesus telling him to “buck up”? Is it Jesus himself? The one who believed His Father all the way to the cross?

The father then applies Jesus’ rebuke to himself. “I believe, help my unbelief.” The traditional translation might nowadays be rendered: “I trust, help my distrust. I put my son’s life in your hands, help me put away misgivings.” It is a spiritual statement of the will, not one of the mind.

Here is the paradox. The father has misgivings in the midst of trust. Being fallen humans we all have misgivings in the midst of trust. There are days when everything seems so clear that the veil separating heaven and earth seems to have fallen down. And there are days when we are pretty sure either no one is listening or the one listening is a capricious and neglectful child. It is easy to pray when veil is down. The paradox is that prayer is prescribed when you think the Spirit listening is that capricious and neglectful child. We can feel that we are being figuratively “thrown into fires” by things we do not understand, and nobody can help. We can feel that the spirit that grips us is a mute one. That kind of feeling is cast out only by our prayer.


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8 The Construction of Prayer – A.C.T.S. We saw last summer that Psalms 100 and 103 may be classified as prayers of confession, praise, thanksgiving, and adoration. That is also a formula for all prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (A.C.T.S.). This formula is found in 1 Timothy 2.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, or kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

Here is an explanation of this formula.

Adoration Christian Adoration “is an action of the soul towards God, implying its contemplation of Him and, if I may use the word, its admiration of Him. But, it is properly far more than contemplation, far more than admiration. It is abasement, it is prostration, it is submission, it is ascription. It is the kneeling down of our innermost spirit in deepest awe and solemn loyalty before the Eternal Adoration, and Holy One, conscious to some degree of the unspeakable difference between our creaturehood and His Creatorship, our darkness and His light, our sin and His purity, our lost estate in nature and His wonderful redeeming mercy; in one word, between our nothing and His All. Something of this sense of contrast underlies all true adoration, though it is not the first and leading consciousness in it. That leading consciousness is the sight, in some measure, of what He is. But that must always actually bear some relation, in Christian adoration, to the consciousness of what we are.” (H.C.G. Moule, Secret Prayer) Adoration is to worship God, to acknowledge His majesty, and to fulfill the commandment to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul.

Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before me. ...” (ESV)

Exodus 34:14: “… for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), …” (ESV)

Matthew 22:37: And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. …” (ESV)

Luke 10:27: And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (ESV)

Adoration means to worship and acknowledge the majesty of God. Praise be to God! This is about the greatness of God, His incredible omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience, His sovereign nature and rule, and His complete holiness. It also indicates the incredible, wonderful privilege that He cares for us and hears us. Jesus taught us this same thing in the Lord’s Prayer, which begins, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name”.

Matthew 6:9: Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. …” (ESV)


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Other examples of this type of adoration are found in Psalms 95:1-7; 100; and 103. When we take time to praise and worship God in our prayers, we are placing God before ourselves, before all others, and before all things, where He rightfully belongs. Doing this puts our problems and needs into their proper perspective.

Contrition Contrition has been referred to in the context of supplication which is imploring or petitioning God concerning sins - one who is sorry for his present or past deeds asking for pardon (John Cassian, The First Conference of Abbot Isaac). Contrition is sincere and complete remorse (i.e. regret with a sense of guilt) for sins one has committed, for having offended God. Its definition is well expressed in the prayer usually associated with the Roman Catholic catechism.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen

[Note how this prayer enjoins us to not allow ourselves to dally with temptation; “to avoid the near occasions of sin”.]

Contrition allows us to clear away the things in the relationship between God and us which are displeasing to Him. All of us have sinned.

1 John 1:8: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (ESV)

The closer we draw to God, the more we sense our own sinfulness. When Isaiah came into God’s presence, he said:

Isaiah 6:5: Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (ESV)

The confession of our sin removes any barriers and clears the air of anything that would cause God not to hear our prayers.

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)

This is, once again, modeled in the Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:12: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. (KJV)

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is often defined like this: “The act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors; an expression of gratitude for something received, or done for, one.” That is not what the Bible means by the word “thanksgiving!” The Biblical meaning of the word “thanksgiving” is not something you do. The biblical concept of the word “thanksgiving” does not depend on something one has, or has received, but rather, has to do with one’s spiritual attitude toward life.

Our immediate response after contrition is thanksgiving. We should be thankful that God would indeed cleanse and forgive us. Should we give thanks only because everything is going perfectly


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in our lives or because we are in a good mood? No, we should also give thanks because God deserves our praise. By giving thanks, or simply expressing gratitude for what we have, we focus on our blessings and avoid our focus from shifting to what we do not have.

Psalm 118:1: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (ESV) Philippians 4:11: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (ESV)

Thanksgiving is a learning process of allowing the Holy Spirit to place contentment within us. It is the spirit of absolute and complete trust in Jesus, the spirit in which one accepts all things. By giving thanks to God, we recall His past benefits, contemplate His present ones, or look forward to those great ones in the future which God has prepared for them that love Him. (John Cassian, The First Conference of Abbot Isaac)

Supplication Supplication is addressed in 1 Timothy 2.

1 Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

Supplication is often used as a synonym for prayer. It is the request by a lesser person in an unequal relationship. That is, it is our request to God.

If we are faithful in adoration contrition, and thanksgiving, our supplication will not degenerate into some spiritual – or material - shopping list. Too often we tacitly think of God as a super Santa Claus. Often in prayer, we immediately present our requests. That is certainly proper if we sense danger or some other urgency. However, we should then return to spending time in adoration, contrition, and thanksgiving first. God does want to hear our needs and requests. Scripture tells us:

Philippians 4:6-7: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

God has told us repeatedly, “I will be your God and you will be my people”.

Leviticus 26:12: And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. (ESV)

Exodus 6:7: I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (ESV) Jeremiah 7:23: But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ (ESV)


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Jeremiah 11:4: that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, (ESV) Jeremiah 30:22: “… And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (ESV)

Ruth 1:16: But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (ESV) Ezekiel 36:28: You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV)

Prayer should include supplication, which is our requests and petitions.

Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (ESV)

In presenting our requests we must remember this attitude: Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (ESV)

We may think we know what we need, but the Lord may not answer our prayers the way we would like (and we'll thank Him later!). We can't go wrong asking for God's grace and mercy to face the situation at hand.

Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (ESV)

Prayer According to Dwight L. Moody Dwight Moody, in Reading God’s Word, categorized prayer in a manner that is more detailed than A.C.T.S. but also fits that model without contradicting it.

“A comprehensive view of the subject will show that there are nine elements which are essential to true prayer. The first is Adoration; we cannot meet God on a level at the start. We must approach Him as one far beyond our reach or sight. The next is Confession; sin must be put out of the way. We cannot have any communion with God while there is any transgression between us. If there stands some wrong you have done, you cannot expect God's favor until you go to Him and confess the fault. Restitution is another; we have to make good the wrong wherever possible.

Mathew 5:23-25: “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.” (ESV)

Thanksgiving is the next; we must be thankful for what God has done for us already. Then comes Forgiveness, and then Unity; and then for prayer, such as these things produce, there must be Faith. Thus influenced, we shall be ready to offer direct Petition. We hear a good deal of praying that is just exhorting, and if you did not see the man's eyes closed, you would suppose he was preaching. Then, much that is called prayer is simply finding fault. There needs to be


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more petition in our prayers. After all these, there must come Submission. While praying, we must be ready to accept the will of God.”


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9 How Should Christians Pray?

Pray Reflecting Jesus’ Prayer Life Throughout Jesus’ life, He conversed with His Father. Jesus continues to assure His forgiven brothers and sisters that they too have joyous access to His heavenly Father. Jesus teaches us that our prayer life is to reflect His own prayer life, and urges us to focus on discerning and fighting the real enemy - and leave it to our heavenly Father to supply our material needs. As we grow and mature, we begin to pray thinking about God’s purposes and not just our own.

Luke 2:40: And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (ESV)

We should converse with God as Jesus did. John 17:20-21: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. …” (ESV)

John 17 is the high priestly prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper. He desires that His followers experience the same unity with the Father that He has. And, so He spoke this prayer aloud. (It is too long to render here.)

[Note: Jesus, who was one with the Trinity of God, conversed with His Father and also conversed with the twelve apostles, common people, political figures, and the apostle Paul.]

Jesus Lived a Life of Prayer Henry C. Thiessen wrote in Lectures in Systematic Theology that Jesus prayed often. Here are some examples. There are more examples of Jesus and prayer in the section of this paper titled “Timeline of Prayers around Jesus the Messiah”. He often prayed before His disciples, but He is not said to have prayed with them. He spent long times in prayer, sometimes whole nights.

Matthew 14:23: And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, (ESV) Luke 6:12: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (ESV)

At other times He arose early and sought seclusion for prayer.

Mark 1:35: And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (ESV)

He prayed before starting great tasks. Before His missionary journey to Galilee.

Mark 1:35-38: And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (ESV)


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Before choosing the twelve apostles. Luke 6:12: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (ESV)

Before He went to Calvary.

Matthew 26:38-46: Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (ESV)

Jesus also prayed for great successes. One such success was avoiding the temptation to be distracted from His mission.

John 6:15: Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (ESV)

He prayed for Himself, but did not forget to pray for His own people. Luke 22:31-32: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (ESV)

John 17: This is – the “High Priestly Prayer” at the Last Supper, which is too long to reproduce here.

There are some noticeable characteristics about Jesus’ prayers. He prayed earnestly.

Luke 22:44: And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Hebrews 5:7: In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (ESV)

He prayed with perseverance.

Matthew 26:44: So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. (ESV)

He prayed believingly. John 11:41: So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. (ESV)


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He prayed submissively. Matthew 26:39: And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

The Son of God needed to pray. That teaches us how much more we need to converse with God, to pray.

Hebrews 5:7: In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (ESV)

About Jesus and Praying According to Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica, Third Part, “Question 21”, the following issues are to be addressed. They are discussed below with extracts from the Summa Theologica.

Was it becoming for Jesus to pray? Did prayer pertain to Him in respect of His physical nature?

[Note: “Physical nature” in the usage here pertains to Aquinas’ use of the word ”sensuality” to indicate the nature that is not spiritual or intellectual.]

Was it becoming to Him to pray for Himself or only for others? Was every prayer of His heard?

Was it becoming for Jesus to pray?

“Prayer is the unfolding of our will to God, that He may fulfill it. If, therefore, there had been but one will in Christ, viz. the Divine, it would nowise belong to Him to pray, since the Divine will of itself is effective of whatever He wishes by it. … But because the Divine and the human wills are distinct in Christ, and the human will of itself is not efficacious enough to do what it wishes, except by Divine power, hence to pray belongs to Christ as man and as having a human will.”

Psalm 135:6: Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (ESV)

“Christ as God and not as man was able to carry out all He wished, since as man He was not omnipotent, as stated above … Nevertheless being both God and man, He wished to offer prayers to the Father, not as though He were incompetent, but for our instruction.” “First, that He might show Himself to be from the Father …”

John 11:42: “I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” (ESV)

“Secondly, to give us an example of prayer; hence Ambrose says (on Luke 6:12): ‘Be not deceived, nor think that the Son of God prays as a weakling, in order to beseech what He cannot effect. For the Author of power, the Master of obedience persuades us to the precepts of virtue by His example.’ Hence Augustine says: ‘Our Lord in the form of a servant could have prayed


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in silence, if need be, but He wished to show Himself a suppliant of the Father, in such sort as to bear in mind that He was our Teacher.’”

Luke 6:12: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (ESV)

“Amongst the other things which He knew would happen. He knew that some would be brought about by His prayer; and for these He not unbecomingly besought God.”

Did prayer pertain to Him in respect of His physical nature? To pray according to one’s physical nature may be understood in two ways.

First, prayer may be seen as an act of our human, physical nature. In this sense Jesus did not pray with His physical nature. His physical nature was of the same human nature as in us, and our physical nature cannot pray for two reasons:

Our physical nature cannot transcend things that we experience by the physical senses, and, consequently, it cannot approach God, as is required for prayer. Prayer implies a certain ordering inasmuch as we desire something to be fulfilled by God. That ordering is the work of reason alone. Hence prayer is an act of the reason.

Second, prayer lays before God what is in our physical appetites. In this sense Jesus prayed with His physical nature inasmuch as His prayer expressed the desire of His physical nature, as if it were the advocate of the physical nature. By this He might taught us three things.

First, to show that He had taken a true human nature, with all its natural affections, Second, to show that a man may wish with his natural desire what God does not wish, and

Third, to show that man should subject his own will to the Divine will. Augustine wrote … “Christ acting as a man, shows the proper will of a man when He says ‘Let this chalice pass from me’. This was the human will desiring something proper to itself and, so to say, private. But because Jesus wished for man to be righteous and to be directed to God, He added: “Nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt, as if to say, See thyself in Me, for thou canst desire something proper to thee, even though God wishes something else.”

Was it becoming to Him to pray for Himself or only for others? Jesus prayed for Himself in two ways. First, Jesus expressed the desire of His physical nature - of His human will - when He prayed that the chalice of His Passion might pass from Him.

Matthew 26:39: And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

Second, Jesus expressed the desire of His deliberate will just as when He prayed for the glory of His Resurrection.

John 17:1: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,” (ESV)


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Jesus prayed to His Father in order to give us an example of praying; and also to show that His Father is the author both of His eternal procession in the Divine Nature, and of all the good that He possesses in the human nature. Although Jesus, in His human nature, had already received certain gifts from His Father, there also were other gifts which He had not yet received, but which He expected to receive. Therefore He gave thanks to the Father for gifts already received in His human nature, by acknowledging Him as the author thereof.

Matthew 26:27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, …” (ESV) John 11:41: So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” (ESV)

Jesus also asked His Father for those gifts still due to Him in His human nature, such as the glory of His body, and the like.

John 17:1-5: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. …” (ESV)

Jesus gave us an example, that we should give thanks for benefits already received, and ask in prayer for those we have not as yet received.

Was every prayer of His heard? Prayer is a manifestation of the human will. Does that mean that one’s petition to God will be granted when his will is fulfilled? Absolutely speaking, the will of man is the will of reason. We will absolutely that which we will in accordance with reason’s deliberation. However, what we will in accordance with our human, natural physical nature, we will not absolutely but conditionally. But, according to the will of reason, Jesus willed nothing but what He knew God to will. Wherefore every absolute will of Jesus, even human, was fulfilled, because it was in conformity with God, and consequently His every prayer was fulfilled. In this sense our prayers are fulfilled when our will is in conformity with God.

Romans 8:27: And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (ESV)

God searches our hearts and knows and approves of what the Holy Spirit desires, that is: what the Spirit makes the saints to desire; what is in conformity with the Divine will.

Jesus Taught Us to Pray Luther, in discussing the Lord’s Prayer in the Large Catechism, wrote that it is necessary, before explaining the Lord’s Prayer, to exhort and incite people to prayer as Jesus and the Apostles had also done.


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First, we must recognize that it is our duty to pray because of God's Second Commandment. “Thou shalt not take the name of the lord, thy God, in vain” means that we are required to praise His holy name and call upon it in every need; that is, to pray. To call upon the name of God is nothing else than to pray. With this understanding, we see that prayer is just as strictly and earnestly commanded as all other commandments. God requires prayer of us, and has not left it to our choice. Rather, it is our duty and obligation to pray if we would be Christians as much as it is our duty and obligation to obey our parents and the government. Everybody, no matter what he has to say in prayer, should always come before God in obedience to this commandment. Let us not think that it is all the same whether he pray or not as some people do who ask “Why should I pray?” or “Who knows whether God heeds or will hear my prayer?” or “If I do not pray, someone else will”. Such people fall into the habit of never praying under the pretext that there supposedly is no duty or need of prayer, because we reject false and hypocritical prayers.

So, the first and most important point is that all our prayers must be based and rest upon obedience to God, irrespective of our person, whether we be sinners or saints, worthy or unworthy. We must know that God will not have prayer treated as a jest, but He will be angry, and punish all who do not pray, as surely as He punishes all other disobedience. He will not suffer our prayers to be in vain or lost. If He did not intend to answer our prayer, He would not have commanded us to pray.

Second, we should be the more urged and incited to pray because God has also added a promise, and declared that it shall surely be done to us as we pray (Psalm 50:15, Matthew 7:7-8). Such promises encourage and kindle our hearts to pray with pleasure and delight, since He testifies with His own word that our prayer is heartily pleasing to Him and will assuredly be heard and granted, in order that we may not despise it or think lightly of it.

Psalm 50:15: “… and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (ESV) Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (ESV)

The Lord’s Prayer is discussed later in this paper.

The Manner of Christian Prayer

“A Simple Way to Pray” According to Martin Luther’s paper A Simple Way to Pray, Prayer should be our first act in the morning and the last at night. That is not to say that there may be more urgent business of an emergency nature, but we should not otherwise let ourselves be distracted by matters that do not pertain to conversing with God. But, there is a saying ascribed to Jerome that everything a believer does is prayer, and a proverb, “He who works faithfully prays twice.” This could remind us of people in the health care professions and occupations and of emergency responders. Nonetheless, we should not get out of the habit of true prayer. Each believer must work out his own approach prayerfully with God. Luther recommended saying each petition of the Lord’s Prayer and praying after it whatever is on our hearts. Luther further offered the advice to pray as he just suggested and then to add, for example:


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“O Heavenly Father, dear God, I am a poor unworthy sinner. I do not deserve to raise my eyes or hands toward thee or to pray. But because thou hast commanded us all to pray and hast promised to hear us and through thy dear Son Jesus Christ hast taught us both how and what to pray, I come to thee in obedience to thy word, trusting in thy gracious promise. I pray in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ together with all thy saints and Christians on earth as he has taught us: Our Father who art, etc., through the whole prayer, word for word.”

[Note: Early in the year 1535, Luther’s barber, an old friend of his, asked for suggestions concerning prayer. Luther responded with an open letter titled, “How One Should Pray, for Master Peter the Barber”. That letter is the content of the book A Simple Way to Pray.]

Pray All the Time In the Large Catechism, Luther wrote the following:

Pastors should “… morning, noon, and evening, read a page or two in the Catechism, the Prayer-book, the New Testament, or elsewhere in the Bible, and pray the Lord's Prayer for themselves and their parishioners, so that they might render, in return, honor and thanks to the Gospel, by which they have been delivered from burdens and troubles so manifold …” “But for myself I say this: I am also a doctor and preacher, yea, as learned and experienced as all those may be who have such presumption and security; yet I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism, and every morning, and whenever I have time, I read and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, etc. And I must still read and study daily, and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism, and am glad so to remain.”

Pray for What God Wants for Us. We should be interested in what God is interested in. This is similar to our everyday experience of liking people who are interested in us.

Psalm 27:4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. (ESV)

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

Romans 8:27: And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (ESV)

Pray for Anything that Is Not Contrary to God’s Will. We may pray for anything confident that God will give it to us, or will give us something better. God will be our God and wills that we be His people. We may take everything to God -


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physical, mental, material, spiritual, large, small, general, and personal. We must be careful, however, not to ask for anything that contrary to His will. It is blasphemy to ask for help in committing sin or walking into the near occasions of sin.

Leviticus 26:12: And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. (ESV) Exodus 6:7: I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV)

Jeremiah 30:22: And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV) Mark 11:22-24: And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (ESV) Revelation 21:3 Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Be Thankful.

God wants us to thankful for all that He has given us and wanting no more than He knows we need to do His will.

Matthew 6:12-15 “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (ESV)

We can also be reminded of the refrain from the hymn “Great Is Thy faithfulness”. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not, As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pray with Jesus. “Put on” Jesus when we pray. Shelter ourselves in the “rock of ages”.

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (ESV)

With Jesus we can communicate through the Spirit with God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (ESV)

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (ESV)


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Pray trusting God. How could we trust God if we fix our trust in uncertain riches and neglect the wholesome way the apostle told us?

1 Timothy 6:17-19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (ESV)

Psalm 141:5-10 Let a righteous man strike me - it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. (ESV)

Pray in firm faith as pilgrims absent from the Lord who are trusting in His Holy Spirit to reach Him. How could we live a happy life now, free from anxiety and relieved from distress, while still apart from the life that alone is the object of a well-directed life?

1 Samuel 1:9-11 [Elkanah, mother of Samuel prayed for a son.] After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. … She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” (ESV)

Proverbs 30:7-9 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 5:5-7 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. (ESV) Philippians 4:2:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV) Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (ESV)

Tobit 12:12 So when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought the record of your prayer into God's glorious presence, and likewise when you used to bury the dead, (ESV)

[Note: Tobit is an apocryphal book cited by Augustine.]

We are not to have anxiety in prayer. We could wear ourselves out with the cares of the future.


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Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” (ESV) Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (ESV)

Pray with confidence that the prayer will be answered.

Several Bible verses connect confidence with prayer. Matthew 6:7-8 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (ESV)

Matthew 19:25-26 [In the story of the young rich man] When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (ESV) Hebrews 4:16: Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV) 1 John 5:14: And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (ESV)

God has even answered the prayers of the evil spirits. This should make us want to pray to recognize temptation that we might ask God to relieve us of them when they arise. It should make us extremely cautious of dallying with temptations that we recognize.

Job 1:9-12 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (ESV) Luke 8:32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. (ESV) See also all of Psalms 3, 18, and 25.


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Pray, pray often, pray persistently. Make a business of prayer, and be serious and earnest in it. Ask urgently and persist as a beggar asks alms or as a lost traveler asks the way. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost; or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Everyone that asks receives. All are alike welcome to the throne of grace, if they come in faith - whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor, high or low, master or servant, learned or unlearned. The comparison is with asking earthly parents for something, and their readiness to give their children what they ask. Never think that our heavenly Father would have us pray only to refuse to hear us or give us what would be hurtful. (Matthew Henry Commentary/Concise)

Matthew 7:7-11: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (ESV) Luke 11:5-10 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (ESV)

Luke 18:1-8 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (ESV) Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (ESV)

1 Timothy 5:5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (ESV)

Pray alone and long Spending a long time in prayer is not, as some think, the same thing as to pray “with much speaking”. The long-continued warmth of desire is different from simply multiplied words. Jesus Himself continued all night in prayer on several occasions, and His prayer was more


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prolonged when He was in an agony. This is the example given to us by Him who is our Intercessor and who, with the Father, is eternally the Hearer of our prayer?

Luke 6:12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (ESV)

Pray with humility and gratitude. Elihu reproved Job for justifying himself more than God, and called his attention to the heavens. They are far above us, and God is far above them. How much then is he out of the reach, either of our sins or of our services! We have no reason to complain if we do not receive what we expect. Rather, we should be thankful that we have better than we deserve. (Matthew Henry Commentary/Concise)

Job 35:1-8 And Elihu answered and said: “Do you think this to be just? Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’ that you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you and your friends with you. Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” (ESV)

[Note: Elihu was Job’s only acquaintance who offered him good advice. The name Elihu is of Hebrew origin, and has the meaning of "my God is He".]

We are not to be hypocrites in our prayer. The Gospels teach us to not go out of our way to “look holy” when we pray, calls those who do hypocrites, and reminds us that God alone can answer our prayers. This includes both praying in an unusually loud voice and accompanying our prayers with unusual gestures both of which are distracting to ourselves and others.

1 Samuel 1:13-15 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord”. (ESV) Joel 2:12-13 Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (ESV)

Jesus told us that when we take least notice of our good deeds ourselves, God takes most notice of them. God rewards us, not as servants who get what we earn, but as children who receive abundantly from Him what we need.

Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (ESV)

Matthew 6:5-7 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in


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secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (ESV)

Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (ESV)

We must note that the encouragement that our Lord gave us as recorded in Matthew 5:14-16 must not be misinterpreted to suggest public displays of prayer. Rather, it suggests being openly Christians in all our dealings with others.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (ESV)

In an article at Ray Stedman there is an interesting discussion of Luke 18:9-14 that is couched in a poem by Sam Walter Foss titled “The Prayer of Cyrus Brown”. It goes like this.

“The proper way for a man to pray,” said Deacon Lemuel Keyes “And the only proper attitude is down upon his knees.” “No, I should say the way to pray,” said Revelationerend Doctor Wise, “Is standing straight with outstretched arms And rapt and upturned eyes.” “Oh, no, no, no,” said Elder Slow, such posture is too proud. “A man should pray with eyes fast-closed and head contritely bowed.” “It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front With both thumbs pointing toward the ground.” said Revelationerend Doctor Blunt. “Last year I fell in Hidgekin's well headfirst,” said Cyrus Brown, “With both my heels a-stickin’ up and my head a-pointin’ down. “And I made a prayer right then and there, the best prayer I ever said, The prayingest prayer I ever prayed, a-standin' on my head.”

Pray with fasting Several Bible verses connect prayer with fasting.

Matthew 17:18-21: Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them … But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)

Mark 9:27-29: But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)


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Tobit 12:8 Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold. (ESV)

[Note: Tobit is an apocryphal book cited by Augustine. It was written sometime in the fourth to second centuries BC. Its purpose was to describe the affliction and mercy of God while encouraging Israelites - Judeans - to practice righteousness and almsgiving as they awaited the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the nations. The words above are from the ESV translation of that book.]


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10 Excuses and Distractions

Common Excuses for Not Praying “Prayer comes naturally. I don't need anyone to teach me.” Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them after three years of walking with Him...

Luke 11:1: Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (ESV)

“Prayer doesn’t make sense. If God knows everything, why do I have to ask?” Jesus told us to pray and how to do it.

Matthew 6:9-15: Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (ESV)

“Prayer doesn't do much good.” Scripture tells us otherwise.

James 5:16: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (ESV)

“Prayer is only to be used as a last resort, after you have done everything else you possibly can.” Scripture tells us otherwise.

1 Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV) Mark 1:35: And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (ESV)

“I don't pray because I don't want to bother God with my needs.” We cannot possibly bother God. He loves us so much that He became a man, suffered and died a horrible death to pay for our sins and make a way for us to become His child and have communion with Him. Our heavenly Father enjoys giving good gifts to those who ask Him. What probably bothers God is that we don't pray more often!

Matthew 7: 11: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (ESV)

Luke 18:1: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. (ESV)

“I can’t pray because I haven't been doing right lately.” That's why we need to pray. 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)


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Psalm 34:12-16: What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. (ESV)

“I must feel like praying in order to pray effectively. I need to be in the mood or inspired.” Scripture tells us otherwise.

Ephesians 6:18: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (ESV)

“I must feel something when I pray in order for my prayers to be answered. I must feel like I'm full of faith.” Prayer is a duty, commanded by God. It is not a medical or physical condition!

“One should always expect immediate, measurable evidence of the effects of one’s prayers. If you ask for the same thing more than once, that is a sign of your lack of faith” Scripture tells us otherwise.

Luke 11:5-11: And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (ESV)

Luke 18:1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (ESV)

Jesus Himself repeated prayers.

Mark 14:32-39: And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is


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willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. (ESV)

“I can't pray. I don't know what to say.” We can just talk to Him as His child. We can learn from David’s example - Read the Psalms! Read the Scripture. We can find verses in Scripture that express what we feel and quote them as part of our prayer. Including verses that declare God's greatness and goodness should be a part of our prayers. Praise helps us focus on the Lord, come into His presence in a special way. It helps build our faith. We can use a prayer list to help us start. We can allow the Spirit to make up for our human weakness.

Romans 8:26: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (ESV) Ephesians 6:18: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (ESV)

“I’m too busy. I cannot afford to spend 30 or more minutes in prayer every day, that's just for preachers or retired people, etc.” We can’t afford not to!

Matthew 26:40-42: And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (ESV)

Common Distractions from Prayer According to Martin Luther: “As we all discover within ourselves, our minds and thoughts are so uncertain, slippery, and inconstant that even if we wanted to begin to pray in earnest or to think about God without the Word and Scripture, it inevitably happens that before we realize it, we have strayed a hundred miles from our first thoughts.” Luther continued with a story of a St. Bernard who wagered a stallion with a friend that the friend could not pray the Lord’s prayer without his mind wandering. “The friend presumed that he could accomplish it without any trouble and began to pray, “Our Father”, etc. But, before he completed the first petition he was struck by the question of whether, if he won the horse, he would be due the saddle and bridle as well. In short, his thought strayed so far that he had to stop praying and admit that St. Bernard had won the bet.” (Luther’s Works, Sermons on the Gospel of St. John)

According to Thomas a Kempis: [Represented as the voice of Jesus answering the supplicant’s question about why he not yet a brave and wise lover.] “You must know that the old enemy tries by all means in his power to hinder your desire for good and to turn you from every devotional practice, especially from the veneration of the saints, from devout meditation on My passion, and from your firm purpose of advancing in virtue. He suggests many evil thoughts that he may cause you weariness and horror, and thus draw you away from prayer and holy reading. A humble confession displeases him and, if he could, he would make you omit Holy Communion.” (The Imitation of Christ)

According to Thomas a Kempis: [Represented as the prayer of the disciple.] “Behold, eating, drinking, clothing, and other necessities that sustain the body are burdensome to the fervent soul. Grant me the grace to use such comforts temperately and not to become entangled in too great a


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desire for them. It is not lawful to cast them aside completely, for nature must be sustained, but Your holy law forbids us to demand superfluous things and things that are simply for pleasure, else the flesh would rebel against the spirit. In these matters, I beg, let Your hand guide and direct me, so that I may not overstep the law in any way.” (The Imitation of Christ)

An article, “Hindrances to Prayer - Distractions” by a layperson, Petey Prater, provides some insight into distractions from prayer.

What distractions keep us from prayer? Prayer is a tough discipline and has many enemies. It can be a difficult habit to establish in our lives. Why? Because God tells us to keep alert while praying.

Ephesians 6:18: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (ESV)

Here are a few examples of distractions.

Self wants to lead. Prayer is a spiritual discipline and must be directed by the Holy Spirit. We learn to pray by listening and submitting to God. But Self, the natural man in each of us, does not want to submit to God.

Joshua 1:8: This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (ESV)

Romans 10:3: For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (ESV)

Galatians 5:16-17: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (ESV)

Evil wants us distracted. Satan and evil powers are the Christian's enemies. They attempt to keep us from prayer because faith filled prayer, spoken in Jesus' name, releases power to defeat them. As we resist the enemy in Jesus’ name, our prayers can succeed. Scripture warns us to be watchful for the devil's distractions.

Genesis 4:7: If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.

Matthew 4:1-11: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “’Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be


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gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (ESV)

[Note the following verses cited by Jesus: Deuteronomy 8:3: And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:16: You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. Deuteronomy 6:13: It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.]

1 Peter 5:8-9: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (ESV)

Heartache distracts us. In life people offend and hurt us. This creates broken relationships and heartache. We must ask the Lord to release us from pain and anger. Only He can give grace to forgive each person who has wounded us, to free us from anger and a desire for revenge. Until we forgive our enemies, God cannot hear our prayers.

Psalm 34:17-20: When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. (ESV) Psalm. 66:18: If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (ESV) Proverbs 15:13-14: A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly (ESV)

Matthew 6:14: For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, (ESV)

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,” (ESV)

Revelation 21:4: “… He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (ESV)

Anxiety and fear distract us. Fear creates doubt and unbelief that defeat our prayers. God must be Supreme in the lives. Our faith grows stronger each time we trust God's character and His Word. Fear and faith can't live together. Fear crowds out faith.

Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.


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But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (ESV) Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (ESV)

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 7:33-35 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. (ESV)

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

Anger distracts us. With anger we are assuming the role of God who alone can judge and punish. When we assume the role of God, we cannot pray to him with humility.

Genesis 4:5-8: but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. (ESV) Psalm 37:8: Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. (ESV) Proverbs 15:18: A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. (ESV) Proverbs 29:22: A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression. (ESV) Proverbs 30:33: For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife. (ESV)

Rebellion distracts us. We are not to resist or defy God's kind authority as our Creator and Lord. When we try to keep His commandments, it goes well with us.

Deuteronomy 4:39-40 “… know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and


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with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” (ESV)

When we do not try to keep His commandments – even to purposely fly in their face - it does not go well with us.

1 Samuel 15:22-24 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. (ESV)

Obedience to God's Sovereignty and Word brings His blessings on our lives and allows our prayers to be heard.

Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (ESV)

Colossians 3:22 Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. (ESV)

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (ESV) 1 Peter 4:16-17 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (ESV)

Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (ESV)


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11 Knowing Jesus through Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer “Although the New Testament contains two examples of what is referred to as the Lord’s Prayer, these examples constitute both guidelines for prayer and a prayer that may be offered verbatim. The first three petitions of Matthew’s version focus on the believer’s faith-walk in relation to God. The fourth petition (“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”) focuses on trust in, and gratitude to, God as provider. The final three petitions focus on the believer’s faith-walk in relation to humanity at large.” (Praying Like Jesus the Messiah)

Luther’s Large and Small Catechisms

Read each petition of the Lord’s Prayer in both Luther’s Small Catechism and Large Catechism. These may be reached in the editions cited in the bibliography or read on-line at:

Small Catechism http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php#lordsprayer. Large Catechism http://bookofconcord.org/lc-5-ourfather.php.

Additional, Recommended Readings about the Lord’s Prayer Additional readings about the Lord’s Prayer may be found at the following Web sites.

S. Thelwall, Trans., “On Prayer” (Tertullian), http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0322.htm.

J. E. Tweed, Trans, “Exposition on Psalm 142” (Augustine), http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1801142.htm.

R.G. MacMullen, Trans., “Sermon 8 on the New Testament” (Augustine), http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/160308.htm.

R.G. MacMullen, Trans., “Sermon 6 on the New Testament” (Augustine), http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/160306.htm.

Robert Ernest Wallis, Trans., “Epistle 7” (Cyprian of Carthage), http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050607.htm.

Knowing Jesus by Praying the Psalms

Martin Luther

Martin Luther wrote, in the Preface to the Revised Edition of the German Psalter that the Psalter could be considered a “Little Bible”, “wherein everything contained in the entire Bible is beautifully and briefly comprehended”. He went on to say that the Psalter “not only teaches us, but shows us in what way and manner we may do the Word and imitate the examples it contains. For it is not in our power or strength to fulfill the law of God, or to imitate Christ: all we can do is to desire and pray that we might be able to do the Word, and imitate Christ's example; and, when we have gained some power so to do, to praise, and give thanks unto God. What else then is the Psalter but praying to, and praising God? That is, a book of hymns?”


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Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, Life Together, “The Secret of the Psalter” took a different approach from Luther’s. He started by observing that we have difficulties with reading the Psalms. Our difficulties may be that we can hear them as the prayers of another person, wonder about them, even be offended by them, but we can neither pray them as our own nor discard them from the Bible. He then goes on to explain that we can overcome our difficulties if we pray them with Jesus. In the course of his discussion he refers states that “The Psalter is the prayer book of Jesus Christ in the truest sense of the word.”

“He prayed the Psalter and now it has become His prayer for all time. … The Man Jesus Christ, to whom no affliction, no ill, no suffering is alien and yet who was the wholly innocent and righteous one, is praying in the Psalter through the mouth of His Church.” “When we read the Psalms, we can hear them as the prayers of another person, wonder about them, even be offended by them, but we can neither pray them as our own nor discard them from the Bible. That difficulty “indicates the point at which we get our first glimpse of the secret of the Psalter. A Psalm that we cannot utter as a prayer, that makes us falter and horrifies us, is a hint to us that Someone else is praying, not we … the One who is here protesting His innocence, who is invoking God’s judgment, who has come to such infinite depths of suffering, is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. He it is who is praying here, not only here but in the whole Psalter.”

Bonhoeffer wrote further:

“This insight the New Testament and the Church have always recognized and declared. The Man Jesus Christ, to whom no affliction, no ill, no suffering is alien and yet who yet was the wholly innocent and righteous one, is praying in the Psalter through the mouth of His Church. The Psalter is the prayer book of Jesus Christ in the truest sense of the word. He prayed the Psalter and now it has become His prayer for all time. … The Psalter can be both man’s prayer to God and God’s own Word, because we encounter the praying Christ. Jesus prays through the Psalter in His congregation. His congregation and the individual prays also.” We pray as far as Jesus prays within us - not in our name but in the name of Jesus.”

We do not pray from the natural desires of our hearts, but from humanness put on by Jesus. “Because we pray the Psalms with and in Jesus, God hears us through Jesus as our intercessor.” Therefore, even if a Psalm is not our own prayer, it is nevertheless the prayer of another member of the congregation. It is the prayer of the true Man Jesus and His body on earth.

A Proper Interpretation

Perhaps we need to interpret one observation by Bonhoeffer for ourselves. It is: “He prayed the Psalter and now it has become His prayer for all time.” This thought is found in other discussions of Jesus and the Psalms as well. Bonhoeffer’s words appear to be in an unwritten context, and that is the one represented by the following passages:

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me …” (ESV)


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Matthew 5:18 “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (ESV)

Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, and Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (ESV)

In this unwritten context the proper interpretation of Bonhoeffer’s observations would be that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Scriptures, learned them, and taught their true spiritual meaning. That He taught their true spiritual meaning was challenged during His ministry.

Matthew 21:23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (ESV)

Jesus also asserted His authority in words on at least one occasion. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. …” (ESV)

Having all authority and being the fulfillment of the Scriptures, it would follow that His prayers pertained to all Scripture including the Psalms.

Psalms Prayed by Jesus The New Testament contains many references to the Psalms. There are different kinds of such references. Some are used by the writers of the Gospels and Epistles to provide the historical settings and scriptural proofs of their assertions. Also, the authors of the gospels attribute passages from the psalms to events preceding and during Jesus’ life and to Jesus’ statements, including parables, and prayers. The table below provides a cross-reference of passages from the Psalms to Jesus’ statements and prayers (i.e., not to all new Testament references) as reflected in the notes to the ESV.

Psalms Matthew Mark Luke John

6:3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord - how long? (ESV)

12:27

8:2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (ESV)

11:25-30

17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, (ESV)

23:37 13:34

19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; (ESV)

11:25

22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? (ESV)

27:46 15:34

31:5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (ESV)

23:46


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Psalms Matthew Mark Luke John 42:5-6 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. (ESV)

26:37-38 14:32-34

12:27-28

69:25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. (ESV)

23:38 13:35

109:8 May his days be few; may another take his office! (ESV)

17:12

119:142 Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. (ESV)

17:17

119:160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (ESV)

17:17-19


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12 Prayers around Jesus the Messiah There were prayers that had significance to Jesus’ life and ministry before and after He was born, and there were many instances in which he prayed. These are listed in the table of contents above. We shall discuss them in separate lessons.

Timeline of Prayers around Jesus the Messiah This is a summary of the items discussed below about prayers before Jesus’ birth, His prayers while growing up, prayers during His ministry, and prayers after his Ascension.

Prayers before Jesus’ Birth Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of His Cousin, John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-23)

Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38 and 46-55) Zechariah's Prophecy (Prayer) at the Birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:67-80)

Joseph’s Doubt over Mary’s Child (Matthew 1:19-25)

Prayers after Jesus’ Birth The Angels’ and Shepherds’ Prayers at the Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:13-14 and 20)

Prayers of Simeon and the Prophetess Anna, at Jesus’ Circumcision (Luke 2:25-38) Prayers of the Wise Men (Matthew 2:9-11)

Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Fleeing Israel (Matthew 2:13-15) Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Returning to Israel (Matthew 2:19-23)

Prayers of Jesus’ Early Life Prayers of Jesus as a Youth (Luke 2:39-52)

Prayers during Jesus’ Ministry Jesus’ Prayer at His Baptism (Luke 3:21-23)

Jesus’ Prayer in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) Jesus’ Prayer while Preaching in Galilee (Mark 1:35)

Jesus’ Prayer before Selecting His Apostles (Luke 6:12-16) Jesus’ Prayer after Instructing His Apostles (Matthew 11:25-30)

Peter’s Prayer and Jesus’ Response at the Catch of Fish (Luke 5:7-10) The Official’s Prayer for His Son’s Healing (John 4:46-54)

The Leper’s Prayer to Jesus and Jesus’ Prayer after Cleansing Him (Matthew 8:2-3, Mark 1:40-41, and Luke 5:12-16)

The Centurian’s Prayer for the Healing of His Servant (Matthew 8:5-7, 13, and Luke 7:3-5, 10) Prayer of Two Blind Men for Healing (Matthew 9:27-31)


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Jesus’ Prayer before Feeding 5000 People and Walking on the Water (Matthew 14:17-33, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:16, and John 6:14-15)

The Prayer of a Caananite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:25-30) Jesus’ Prayer at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-30)

Prayer of the Friends of the Deaf Man (Mark 7:33-37) Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving before Feeding 4000 People (Matthew 15:35-38 and Mark 8:1-9) Prayer of the Blind Man’s Friends at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)

Prayer of the Boy’s (with the Demon) Father (Matthew 17:14-20, Mark 9:17-29, and Luke 9:38-42)

Prayer of the Ten Lepers for Cleansing (Luke 17:11-19) The Blind Man’s Prayer to Jesus for Healing (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, and Luke 18:35-43) Jesus’ Teaching about Prayer at the Withered Fig Tree (Matthew 21:21-22 and Mark 11:21-25)

Jesus’ Laying of Hands on the Little Children (Matthew 19:13-15 and Mark 10:13-16) Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15)

Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) Jesus’ Prayer when Raising Lazarus (John 11:38, 41-42)

Jesus’ Lament over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-38) Jesus’ Prayer after His triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (John 12:27-32)

Jesus’ Prayer at the Last Supper – the “High Priestly Prayer” (John 17) Jesus’ Prayer Foretelling Peter’s Denial (Luke 22:31-34)

Jesus’ Prayer on the Night that He was Arrested (Matthew 26:36-42, Mark 14:32-42, and Luke 22:39-46)

Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross for His Tormentors – for Us (Luke 23:34) The Crucified Thief’s Prayer to Jesus on the Cross (Luke 23:39-43)

Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “Eli, Eli” (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34) Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30)

Jesus’ and His disciples’ Prayers at His Ascension (24:50-53)

Jesus’ Prayers for Us after His Ascension and Now

Jesus’ Prayers for Us after His ascension and Now (John 17, Romans 8:23, 26-27; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 12:24; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1)


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Prayers before Jesus’ Birth

Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of His Cousin, John the Baptist Luke 1:5-23

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared. 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. (ESV) Discussion of Luke 1:5-23

Luke 1:5-23 tells the story of events leading to the birth of John the Baptist. According to the narrative, the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. To be so, they must have been prayerful people. Certainly Zechariah, being a priest, prayed in the temple. When he entered the temple to burn incense he was surrounded by prayer - a multitude of the people were praying outside.

It is apparent that God is interested in us if we are interested in what interests Him. Think of the people whom we have met of whom we think most highly. Chances are they showed interest in us. So it may also be with God. Likewise, we cannot expect Jesus’ interest in interceding for us if we do not pray, and pray with our spirits, and be persistent in prayer. Nor can we expect that any of our prayers should gain acceptance, and bring in an answer of peace, except by the mediation of Christ, who ever lives, interceding for us.

Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (ESV)


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While Zechariah was burning incense in the temple a crowd were praying outside. The priests of the course that then served were constantly in the temple, at the hour of prayer. If it were the Sabbath day, priests of the course that had been in waiting the week before, the Levites that served under the priests, and many others left their employments for that time, to be present at the service of God. That would have been a large crowd on Sabbaths and feast-days. The true Israel of God were always a praying people. Prayer is the principal service by which we honor God, obtain favors from Him, and keep up our communion with Him. When rituals and ceremonies were in progress – such as this of burning incense - moral and spiritual duties were required to go along with them. For example, David knew that when he was at a distance from the altar his prayer might be heard without incense.

Psalm 141:2: Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (ESV)

But, when he was compassing the altar, the incense could not be accepted without prayer any more than a pea without the pod.

It is not enough for us to be where God is worshipped if our hearts do not join in in all parts of the worship. No matter how pertinent, judicious, and lively a prayer is, if we are not praying as in conversation with God, it is useless muttering. All the prayers we offer up to God are acceptable and successful only in virtue of the incense of Christ’s intercession in the temple of God in heaven. The use of incense in the temple service seems to be an allusion to Revelation.

Revelation 8:1-5: When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. (ESV)

Prayer at the Foretelling of the Birth of Jesus Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For


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nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 1:26-38 In Luke 1:26-38 and 1:46-45 we read of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary the forthcoming birth of her son Jesus and her subsequent visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Mary must have been a prayerful person, participating in family prayers during the feasts and attending synagogue with the women. Her response to Gabriel - “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your word.” – must be seen as a prayer of humility and obedience.

Mary could not be indifferent to God’s blessing and for what He promised. Mary had to pray as a way of putting an “Amen” on God’s promise. Here we are taught to guide our desires by the word of God, and ground our hopes upon it as Mary did. We are to pray “let it be to me according to Your word”.

Luke 1:46-55 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 1:46-55 Mary went to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth said that John had leapt in her womb upon Mary’s approach. Mary, animated by Elizabeth's address and clearly by the Holy Spirit, offered this prayer of thanksgiving, praise, and obedience, “The Magnificat”. She knew herself to be a sinner who needed a Savior and rejoiced in God with interest in His salvation through the promised Messiah.

Zechariah's Prophecy (Prayer) at the Birth of John the Baptist Luke 1:67-80

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet


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into the way of peace.” 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 1:67-80 In Luke 1:67-80 we have the song of Zechariah’s prayer of praise to God for the birth of His messenger, John recorded that Zechariah blessed God for the work of salvation that was to be wrought out by the Messiah Himself.

Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. God graciously forgave him his unbelief and distrust, filled him with the Holy Spirit, and put this honor upon him, to employ him for His honor. God got him (Zechariah) interested in what He (God) was interested in. Zechariah did not pray for the private concerns of his own family - possible reproach for what might seem to others as a scandal, the birth of this child to parents so late in years. Doubtless he must have found time with his family to give thanks to God for this, but in this song he is completely taken with the kingdom of the Messiah, and the blessings to be introduced by it. Just as Old Testament prophecies were often expressed in praises and new songs, so is the beginning of New Testament prophecy.

Luke 1:68-69: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. (ESV) Psalm 128: 3, 5, and 6: Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. … The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel! (ESV)

Joseph’s Doubt over Mary’s child

Matthew 1:19-25 9 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 1:19-25 In Matthew 1:19-25 we read about Joseph’s doubts concerning Mary and the angel telling him to marry her, that she is blessed by God. Matthew says that Joseph considered these things. How do we consider things about which we are challenged? One way is to worry. Worry is a denial of Jesus’ presence in our lives and a confession of a lack of trust in God. Another way is to pray. Joseph must have prayed, because we are told that he was a just man who did not seek a resolution by the Law of Moses but by mercy and love.


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Prayers after Jesus’ Birth

The Angels’ and Shepherds’ Prayers at the Birth of Jesus Luke 2:13-14, 20

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” … 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (ESV) Discussion of Luke 2:13-14, 20

In Luke 2:13-14, 20 we read of how the angels sang praise to God after telling the shepherds of Jesus birth. Later the shepherds go away praying prayers of praise to God after visiting Jesus.

The shepherds were wide-awake, and could not be deceived in what they saw and heard. They were not engaged in acts of devotion but in the business of their calling. They were keeping watch over their sheep, to secure them from thieves and beasts of prey. In other words, they had a divine visitation while just doing their daily work. We are not out of the way of divine visits when we abide with God in our calling. The shepherds were plain, honest men who could not be suspected of complicity in any human fabrication. What they had said was likely to be true, and, if true, they could not but wonder that the Messiah would be born in a stable and not in a palace, that angels should bring news of it to poor shepherds and not to the chief priests. They wondered, but never enquired any further about the Savior, their duty to Him, or advantages by Him, but apparently let the incident drop as a novelty that lost its appeal after a few days. However, they did make Jesus’ birth a matter of public praises. They praised God for what they had heard from the angel and for what they had seen. They thanked God that they had seen the Savior. We may note the depth of Jesus’ humiliation, first in a manger and later on the cross. Some see these events as foolishness and a stumbling block, but others see in them the wisdom and power of God and the power of God to be admired and praised.

The Virgin Mary made these events a matter of her private (i.e., prayerful) meditation. She said little, but kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. The truths of Christ are worth keeping; and the way to keep them safe is to ponder them. Meditation is the best help to memory.

Psalm 1:2: [a person’s] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (ESV)

Prayers of Simeon and the Prophetess Anna, at Jesus’ Circumcision Luke 2:25-38 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and


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blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 2:25-38 In Luke 2:25-38 we read of Simeon’s prayer of thanksgiving to God for having let him see the Savior so that he can die in peace. Anna the prophetess had led a prayerful life for many years and began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Simeon showed them what reason they had to rejoice. He pronounced them blessed who had the honor to be related to this child. Joseph and Mary were entrusted with the bringing Him up. Simeon prayed for them, that God would bless them, and would have others do so too. They had reason to rejoice, for this child should be, not only a comfort and honor to them, but also a public blessing.

Simeon also showed them they had to rejoice with trembling. Psalm 2:11: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (ESV)

Lest Joseph and Mary especially be lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, he offers a thorn in the flesh for them Men will be judged of by the thoughts of their hearts, their thoughts concerning Jesus. Are they for him, or are they for his adversaries? Anna was a prophetess of a great age, a widow of about eighty-four years. She was in constant attendance at the public worship and had many private devotions, for she served God with worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. She spent her time in religious exercises which others spent eating, drinking, and sleeping. She not only observed the hours of prayer, but also prayed night and day. She lived a life of prayer, gave herself to prayer, was frequent in exclamations, in solemn prayers, and very particular in her intercessions. She served God with prayer, and God put a value upon them. She served God, and aimed at His honor, in fasting and praying. She came in when Jesus was presented and Simeon was talking about Him. She also gave thanks to the Lord, just as Simeon had done, perhaps like him, wishing now to depart in peace. Those to whom Jesus is made known have reason enough to give thanks to the Lord for so great a favor; and we should be excited to that duty by the praises and thanksgivings of others. Why should not we give thanks likewise, as well as they? Anna concurred with Simeon and made a profession of her faith concerning this child. She, as a prophetess, instructed others concerning him. She spoke of him to all them that believed the Messiah would come, and with him looked


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for redemption in Jerusalem. Redemption was the thing wanted, waited for, and wished for; redemption in Jerusalem, for thence the word of the Lord was to go forth.

Isaiah 2:3: and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (ESV)

Prayers of the Wise Men

Matthew 2:9-11 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 2:9-11 The visitors worshipped Jesus. Worship is adoration, a form of prayer.

Perhaps they were disappointed when they fond that He did not live in a palace. However, they clearly believed the signs they had read about and seen, and they may have heard Herod’s people telling of the prophecy of Micah.

Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (ESV)

The bearing of gifts for a king is not surprising. In the eastern nations, when they paid homage to their kings, they made them presents.

Psalm 72:10 [Speaking of God] May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! (ESV)

Isaiah 60:6 [Speaking of Israel and the Messiah] A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord. (ESV)

[Note: We do not know how large the wise men’s caravan may have been. We may infer from the apparent worldly importance of the wise men and their ability to have an audience with Herod, that it was probably not small.]

1 Kings 10: 10-2 [and additional verses not quoted here] Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. (ESV)

We really do not know why the wise men visited Jesus other than what is written in the Bible. We just know that the wise men from the east worshipped Jesus and can only wonder why. Like the Queen of Sheba, did they intend to ask Him questions? Having trusted in what they had read and seen, they believed that they found the King they sought, and they presented their gifts to Him. Perhaps they were humble when confronted by the evidence that their studies had led to. Perhaps God met needs that Joseph and Mary had by providing them valuable gifts that could be sold or exchanged for needed items. If so, we learn again about humility in worship, and that our


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heavenly Father, who knows what his children need, uses some as stewards to supply the wants of others, and can provide for them, even from the ends of the earth.

Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Fleeing Israel Matthew 2:13-15

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 2:13-15

Joseph and Mary must have prayed for safety when fleeing Israel and for sustenance in Egypt. After the ceremony of presenting the child, and purifying the mother Joseph and Mary returned into Galilee. Luke relates no more concerning them, until they returned to Galilee. Matthew’s gospel relates that from Jerusalem they returned to Bethlehem, where the wise men of the east found them, and there they continued till they were directed to flee into Egypt, to escape the malice and rage of Herod

Prayers of Joseph and Mary when Returning to Israel Matthew 2:19-23 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 2:19-23 We assume that Joseph and Mary must have prayed for safety when returning to Israel and for sustenance in their new life. According to Matthew’s gospel the angel informed Joseph in a dream of the death of Herod and his accomplices. They are dead, which sought the young Child’s life. Matthew’s gospel relates that, returning from Egypt when Herod was dead, they were directed to go to their old home in Nazareth, from where they had been absent a few years. King Archelaus reigned in Herod’s stead, not over the entire kingdom as his father did, but only over Judea. So, there were still enemies. Joseph and Mary were well known in Nazareth, and were among their relations and probably safe there. Perhaps Jesus was moved further from Jerusalem, because His kingdom and priesthood were to have no association with the present government of the Jewish church or state. Instead, He was sent into a place of obscurity and reproach; for in this, as in other things, He was humbled and of no worldly reputation.

John 1:46: Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (ESV) This can be equated with how popular stereotypes and their prejudices continue to oppose Jesus.


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Prayers of Jesus Early in Life

Prayers of Jesus as a Youth Luke 2:39-52

39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (ESV) Discussion of Luke 2:39-52

Jesus must have prayed while growing up. In Luke 2:39-52 we have the only story recorded concerning our blessed Savior from his infancy to the day of his showing to Israel. Although we must be cautious not to read too much into this, for example by delving into noncanonical works such as the Gnostic First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ and the spurious Thomas's Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ. However, we might surmise something, very generally, about Jesus’ boyhood by the following facts.

In the days of Jesus the Jews gave much care to the education of their children. Their schools were connected with the synagogues, or places of worship, and the teachers were called rabbis, men who were supposed to be very learned. They probably taught many things from tradition that were not necessarily what God had taught through His prophets.

God’s Holy Spirit must have instructed Mary how to bring up His Son. Mary had the responsibilities of the household. Jesus learned the Holy Scriptures at home and at synagogue, and He learned to read and study them for Himself. Jesus may also have loved to study the wonderful things which God had made in the earth and in the sky. In God’s creation He could see the trees and plants and animals, and the sun and the stars. Day by day He could see them and may have tried to learn lessons from them, and to understand the reason of things. Presumably Jesus learned His earthly father’s trade, that of a carpenter.

When we read Luke 2:39-52, we must be aware of the life of a Jewish family and assume that Jesus, like other Jewish children, learned to pray at home and in the synagogue. He must have prayed in order to grow in wisdom and have the favor of God upon Him. His behavior in the


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temple shows clearly that He read and understood the Scriptures, and that He was aware of His mission.


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Prayers during Jesus’ Ministry

Jesus’ Prayer at His Baptism Luke 3:21-23

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 3:21-23 Jesus prayed at His baptism. In Luke 3:21-23 we read the only instance anywhere in the Bible of the presence of the entire Godhead - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - simultaneously at any event. We are told that Jesus was praying at His baptism. Perhaps He was praying to understand and be true to His mission? It is here said that, when all the people were baptized, then Jesus was baptized. It seems that Jesus was baptized last, after and among the common people. Jesus humbled himself as one of the least - even as less than the least. Seeing that the crowds waited to receive him, He appeared. He could not have confessed sin as others did, because He had none to confess. But, he prayed as others did to stay in communion with His Father. We receive grace by prayer through the sacraments as the outward and visible signs of grace. Prayer must always accompany the sacraments. Perhaps Jesus prayed for the manifestation of God’s favor to Him which immediately followed - that His Father would show His favor to him and the Spirit would descend on Him. We can wonder: Does the gospel tell us, in other words, that Jesus, had to obtain by prayer what was promised to Him? Jesus put an honor upon prayer, tied us to it, and encouraged us in it. This reminds us of John 14

John 14:14: If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (ESV) When Jesus prayed, the heaven was opened. He who by His power had parted the waters to make a way through them to Canaan now by His power parted the air to open communications between Heaven and the earthly “Canaan”. A new and living way into heaven was opened to Jesus, and by Him to us. Sin had shut up heaven, but Jesus’ prayer opened it again. Prayer is an ordinance that opens heaven.

Mathew 7:7: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (ESV)

The Holy Spirit witnessed to the bystanders. Luke 3:21: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (ESV)

That harkened back to Psalm 2. Psalm 2:7: I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” (ESV)


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Jesus’ Prayer in the Wilderness Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus prayed in the wilderness. Matthew 4:1-11 tells us that Jesus prayed in the wilderness. Throughout Scripture prayer and fasting are mentioned together. The responses that Jesus gave to Satan indicate that He had prayed about His mission. There also must have been prayer when the angels came to minister to Him.

We must pray not to be led into temptation, and must keep out of harm’s way. God’s Spirit might sanctify and recommend fasting to us, when God in his providence wants it, or when we are reduced to poverty and are destitute of daily food, or when we need it to mortify our bodies, or to prompt prayer. Those are all excellent preparations for temptation. If good people are brought low, if they want friends and comfort, it may comfort them that Jesus Himself was also tempted. A person may be hungry and yet be a favorite of heaven and under the protection of the Holy Spirit. This teaches us that we must learn to rely upon God in times of our direst need. We must rejoice in the Lord. We must not think to command what we will but must humbly pray for what he thinks fit to give us, and be thankful for what we receive..

Jesus’ Prayer while Preaching in Galilee Mark 1:35

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (ESV)

Discussion of Mark 1:35 Jesus prayed while preaching in Galilee. Mark 1:35 tells us that after healing Peter’s mother-in-law he prayed in preparation for preaching in Galilee. The time of day - rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark – is instructive. We should pray at the very start of our day to get centered in God and focus our day on serving Him.

Jesus prayed alone. This sets an example of secret prayer for us.


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Matthew 6:6 and Luke 6:12 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (ESV)

As God He was prayed to. As man he prayed to His Father. Although he was glorifying God and doing good in His public work, yet He found time to be alone with His Father. When did Jesus pray?

It was in the morning. Could it have been the morning after the Sabbath? For further discussion, let’s say it was. When a Sabbath day is past, we must not think that we should not pray till the next Sabbath. We must go to the throne of grace, every day in the week to preserve the good impressions of the day. He sanctified the morning after a Sabbath – the morning of the first day of the week - by another sort of rising early. It was early, well before day. When others were asleep he was praying - a genuine Son of David, who seeks God early who prays in the morning, and who rises at midnight to give thanks. Mornings, when our spirits are freshest and liveliest, we should take time for prayer.

Psalm 5:3: Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. (ESV)

Psalm 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (ESV)

Here are some other observations about when to pray - - “It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night. Guard yourself carefully against those false deluding idea which tell you ‘Wait a little while. I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or to that’. Such thought get you away from prayer into other affairs which so hold your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day.” (Martin Luther, A Simple Way to Pray)

“It may well be that you may have some tasks which are as good or better than prayer, especially in an emergency. There is a saying ascribed to Jerome that everything a believer does is a prayer and a proverb. ‘He who works faithfully prays twice.’ … Yet, we must be careful not to break the habit of true prayer and imagine other works to be necessary which, after all, are nothing of the kind” (Martin Luther, A Simple Way to Pray) “Pray each morning upon awakening, ‘Good morning, Lord. What are you up to today? Please count me in on it. Amen.’” (Dr. Robert A. Cook)

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way. (ESV)

“Pray or read some Scripture first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. That way you’ll be right with the Lord in both waking and sleeping hours.” (Dr. Robert A. Cook)

Psalm 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. (ESV)

Where did Jesus pray? He went to a solitary place away from other people. He set an example to his own rule. Prayer may be made secretly.


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Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (ESV)

Those that have the most business in public sometimes need to be alone with God to converse and keep in touch with Him. (Martin Luther, A Simple Way to Pray)

Jesus’ Prayer before Selecting His Apostles Luke 6:12-16

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 6:12-16 Luke 6:12-16 tells us that Jesus prayed before selecting His Apostles from among the many disciples. He prayed in secret (v. 12). Luke records frequent retirements of Jesus. That gives us an example of secret prayer, by which we maintain our daily communion with God, and without which it is impossible for our souls to prosper. He went to pray when his enemies were filled with hatred of Him and were plotting against Him - like David

Psalm 109:3-5 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. (ESV)

Jesus was alone with His Father on a mountain all night in prayer where He might have no disturbance. Are we ever really alone when we are alone with God? Often we think one half hour a great deal to spend praying. Jesus spent a whole night in meditation and secret prayer. We really have a lot of business to conduct at the throne of grace, and we should take a great delight in communion with God. Both of these could sometimes keep us long at prayer. After he had spent all night in prayer, He did not rest and get some sleep. Rather, as soon as anybody was stirring, He called His disciples together. A lesson for us here is that in serving God, we should take great care not to lose any time, but to make the end of one good duty the beginning of another. Pastors and other ministers of the Gospel are to be ordained with prayer more than with ordinary solemnity.

Jesus’ Prayer after Instructing His Apostles Matthew 11:25-30 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am


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gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 11:25-30 After Jesus’ instructed His newly selected disciples, He instructed them and offered a prayer of gratitude – thanksgiving - to the Father for those who had the gospel revealed to them. It may have been as if He was refreshing Himself after cursing the towns which had not believed in Him despite His miracles there. It teaches us that when we have no other answer ready to the suggestions of grief and fear, we should thank God for all His blessings. As the hymn goes: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

[Note: “Count Your Blessings is a hymn by Ira D. Sankey, pianist for Dwight Moody in the 1800s.]

By praying to the Father, Jesus emphasized that we are to address God personally as our Father; with confidence because He can do for us whatever we need or can desire, to defend us from all evil, and to supply us with all that is good.

Jesus unburdened us from the ceremonial law, an intolerable yoke which had been made even more so by the tradition of the elders. He taught us to understand the law in terms of the burden, guilt, and power of sin. The lesson for us is to come to Him personally to accept His help and give up ourselves Him entirely, freely willing to be saved by him in His own way, and upon His own terms. Jesus wants us to be interested in what He is interested in. Even further, Jesus promised to give us who come to Him the blessing of rest from the terror of sin in a well-grounded peace of conscience, rest from the power of sin, and rest in God’s love with a complacency of soul.

Peter’s Prayer and Jesus’ Response at the Catch of Fish Luke 5:7-10 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 5:7-10 Peter was so astonished - perhaps more than the others, or perhaps he expressed his emotions more - that he fell down at Jesus’ knees and exclaimed Jesus’ goodness and his own sinfulness in a most humble manner. This prayer was not one of evil spirits, as we read elsewhere, wanting Jesus to depart and let them alone. No, rather Peter recognized Jesus’ goodness and declared himself to be unworthy of such company. It was the language of Peter’s humility and self-denial. It was the same kind of situation as in the Old Testament in which people feared and shook at the extraordinary display of the divine glory and majesty. Here are a few examples.

Genesis 22:12 He [God] said [to Abraham], “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (ESV)


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Genesis 28:17-18 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” (ESV) Exodus 3:6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (ESV) Exodus 14:30-31 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. (ESV) 2 Samuel 6:8-9 And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” (ESV)

Psalm 8:1-4 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (ESV) Psalm 19:12-13 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. (ESV)

Psalm 139:1-7 O Lord, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (ESV)

Like Peter, we must admit to our own sinfulness and recognize that Jesus could justly depart from us. But we trust His promise to be with us always and pray that he will not depart

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

The lesson for us here is not to ask Jesus to leave us in our sin as if we did not trust His forgiveness, but rather to pray for His forgiveness and invite Him into our hearts by faith, that he may transform and cleanse them. The wrong way is to despair like Judas. The right way is to trust like Peter.

The Official’s Prayer for His Son’s Healing John 4:46-54

46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49


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The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. (ESV) Discussion of John 4:46-54

The father was an official or nobleman, but his son was sick. Social position is no security from sickness and death. People who are the greatest in the eyes of the world must go beg from God.

Matthew 20:16 “… So the last will be first, and the first last”. (ESV) Matthew 19:30 “… But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (ESV)

The nobleman in this story persisted in his request until Jesus granted it. However, he had first to discover the weakness of his faith in Jesus’ power. We are often tempted to view distances of time and place to be impediments to the knowledge, mercy, and power of our Lord Jesus. The father left for home satisfied that his son would be healed. The lesson here is that our prayers must be accompanied by absolute trust in the One to Whom we are praying.

Matthew 21:21-22 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV) Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (ESV)

Note the evangelizing power of Jesus’ word. Bringing healing to a member of a family brought salvation to the entire family. The power of one word of Jesus may settle the authority of Him in our souls. The whole family believed in Jesus. The miracle made Jesus dear to them. The knowledge of Jesus still spreads through families, and people find health and salvation for their souls.

The Leper’s Prayer to Jesus and Jesus’ Prayer after Cleansing Him Matthew 8:2-3

2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (ESV) Mark 1:40-41 40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” (ESV)


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Luke 5:12-16 12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 8:2-3, Mark 1:40-41, and Luke 5:12-16 Luke 5:12-16 tells us that Jesus answered the leper’s prayer for cleansing. Let us look at that physical illness also as at a spiritual one, sin. The story of the leper’s healing gives us insight into how can we be healed - -

We seek Jesus, acquaint ourselves with Him, and discover Him in the Gospel. We humble ourselves before Him, as the leper did.

We are ashamed of our sin. We earnestly desire to be cured of the disease of sin which renders us unfit for communion with God. We firmly believe Christ’s ability to cleanse us not doubting His merit and grace.

We are persistent in prayer for pardon, mercy and renewing grace. We call upon the good will of Jesus.

Reflecting on verse 14 we may ask what Jesus requires from us when we are forgiven and cleansed. Has He sent his word and healed us? We are to be humble. We are not forbidden to tell of our healing, but we must not “blow our own horn” as if we had something to do with it. We must, as we say among ourselves in our worldly undertakings, “give credit where credit is due”.

Romans 13:7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV)

We are to be thankful and gratefully acknowledge His divine grace just as Jesus told the leper to go, and offer sacrifice for his cleansing. Christ did not charge him, but told him to bring the sacrifice of praise to God.

We are to keep close to our duty. When any affliction has kept us from work, worship, or other activities to which we are called, then we should resume them diligently when the affliction is removed. Jesus prayed after cleansing the leper. He taught, preached, and healed, but then it was time for prayer. He went out into the wilderness, and prayed. He was not trying to avoid distraction or ostentation, but He was setting the example for us. It is wisdom to order our affairs so that our daily activities and our secret prayer may not interfere with each other.

Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (ESV)


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The Centurian’s Prayer for the Healing of His Servant Matthew 8:5-13, and Luke 7:3-10

Mathew 8:5-13 - 5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. (ESV)

Luke 7:3-10 - 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 8:5-13, and Luke 7:310 The centurion’s request was a prayer for help, a prayer of supplication. Here we have a centurion, an officer in the Roman army of occupation, a person who should have been hated. Yet, because of his charitable ways, and perhaps an observable spiritual nature, he had the respect of the Jewish community around him. The lesson in this is that nobody’s calling or position in society can be an excuse for the sins of unbelief, impiety, or immorality. None of us will be able excuse ourselves in Judgment that we could not have been religious because of our occupation, profession, or social status. Jesus has ransomed people of all occupations, professions, and social status. That the centurion’s servant was the patient, instructs us that there is no respect of persons with God. In Jesus there is neither Jew nor gentile, neither servant nor master, neither employee nor employer.

1 Corinthians 7:19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. (ESV)

By pleading for help for his servant, the centurion demonstrated that he was interested in what God wants us to be interested in.


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Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV)

There are differences between the two versions of the story - he came himself, he sent emissaries. It is tempting to imagine that he was so concerned with the welfare of his servant that he sent people to Jesus, became impatient, and then went himself. That thought would indicate that the servant was also a friend, and that the centurion wanted to leave nothing to chance. That thought could also be stretched to an interpretation that we are not to pray through earthly intermediaries, but rather that we must go to our heavenly Mediator, Jesus Himself.

Prayer is faith in action. The centurion demonstrated faith in action. Regardless of what he believed about Jesus, he believed in Jesus’ authority and had faith in it.

James 1:5-7 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; (ESV)

Prayer of Two Blind Men for Healing

Matthew 9:27-31 27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 9:27-31

At that time the Jews expected that the Messiah would appear some day. These blind men knew and proclaimed in the streets of Capernaum that He had come and that Jesus was He. They followed him crying their prayer aloud. A lesson for us here is that even those who are physically blind may, by the grace of God, have the eyes of their spirit and mind enlightened to understand - to “see” - the truth.

Isaiah 6:8-9 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’” (ESV)

Isaiah 44:17-18 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. (ESV) Isaiah 52:13-15 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you - his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind - so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. (ESV)


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Mathew 13:10-11 and 16-17 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. … But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (ESV)

Mark 4:11-12 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (ESV) Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ …” (ESV)

[Note: “Hearing” is beyond just the ability to understand. It means also to receive His teaching in order to obey it. In Hebrew, the word for hear, “sh’ma,” also means to “obey.” In fact, almost every time the word “obey” is found in English, it has been translated from “sh’ma.” That is how one can hear, but not “hear”. Only those who have been given the eyes to perceive and the ears to hear (i.e. only those to whom God gave the capacity to understand) would understand. All the rest are deliberately blinded through the judgment of God. It God who has blinded their eyes so that they shall not see. It is God who has hardened their heart so that they shall not perceive. It was the design of God that they should not be healed. The Lord sometimes taught via parables in order to reveal the truth to those who were willing to believe in Him, all the while concealing the truth from those who were not. In Luke 8:9-10 Jesus told His disciples, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ” Christ’s parables are like a two-edged sword. They cut two ways. They enlightened those who anxiously sought the truth, but blinded those who stubbornly refused to do so. This can remind jus also of Revelation 1:16: In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.]

Another lesson may be that we are to persist in prayer and not give up because we believe we have not been heard. We are to believe that we are being heard and are awaiting a response from God. Luke 18:1-8 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (ESV)

For whatever our wants and burdens are, we need no more than to share in the mercy of our Lord Jesus. In Jesus there is enough for all.

Note the evangelical tone in these verses. The two men who could now see went and spread the word of what had happened to them, that Jesus has healed them.

[Note: At this point in His ministry Jesus wanted to conceal his miracles, in order not to mislead the people who were expecting their Messiah to be a temporal prince, and not tempt people to attempt sedition and revolt against established worldly authority.]


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Jesus’ Prayer before Feeding 5000 People and Walking on the Water Matthew 14:17-33

17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (ESV) Mark 6:35-44

35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. (ESV)

Luke 9:16 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. (ESV) John 6:14-15

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (ESV)


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Discussion of Matthew 14:17-33, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:16, and John 6:14-15 According to Matthew 14:17-33, Jesus prayed before feeding 5000 people. Afterwards He sent his disciples away so that He could be alone a long time in prayer. Later He walked on water toward the boat and invited Peter to walk to Him. Peter became frightened and prayed “Lord, save me”. Jesus looked up to heaven when He said a blessing. This teaches us to look upon God as a Father in heaven when we pray and also to look upon Him when we receive our blessings as if we were taking them personally from God’s hand, and depending on him for all good things.

After feeding the crowd, He went up a mountain alone to pray. He sometimes chose to be alone despite all the work He had before Him. That is an example for us. Are we truly Jesus’ followers if we do not care to be alone to enjoy God and our own hearts? Although Jesus is God the Son and Lord of all and prayed to, yet He, as man, had the form of a servant, of a beggar, and prayed. Once again Jesus set an example of secret prayer. When the disciples went to sea, their Master went to prayer.

He was alone a long time - from evening apparently until near morning, the fourth watch of the night. Night came. It was a stormy, tempestuous night, yet he continued in prayer. This teaches us thus to not restrain prayer, but to pray in all situations. As Eliphaz told Job:

Job 15:4 But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. (ESV)

While Peter kept his eye fixed upon Jesus, and was focused on His word and power, he walked on the water with no difficulty. But, when he was suddenly overcome by fear for the danger he was in, he lost sight of Jesus and of focus on His word. This teaches us that looking at difficulties with an eye of “common sense” more than with an eye of faith is at the root of all our unfounded fears.

Romans 4:19 … [Abraham ] did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. (ESV)

Abraham disregarded the discouragement, recognized that God’s promise was still there, and kept his eye on God’s power. Peter, when he saw the waves and wind, should have remembered what he had seen when Jesus stilled the storm.

Matthew 8:26 Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. (ESV)

When faith is weak, prayer should be strong. Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (ESV)

In his distress, Peter had recourse to the old, tried, and approved remedy - prayer. He cried, “Lord, save me”.

Faith may be true, and yet weak. It may be small at first like a grain of mustard-seed. Peter had faith enough to bring him upon the water but not enough to carry him through. We learn from


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this that our discouraging doubts and fears are all due to the weakness of our faith. We doubt, because we have little faith. Faith resolves the doubts of “common sense” so that we can “keep our heads above water”. The more we believe, the less we doubt. This is tough.

The Prayer of a Caananite Woman

Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:25-30 Matthew 15:21-28 - 21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (ESV) Mark 7:25-30 - 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. (ESV)

[Note: Syrophoenician seems to mean that the woman was of Canaanite descent, a native of the Phoenician seaboard, Greek in religion, and probably also in speech. The names Syria and Phoenicia are both applied to the same region in Acts 21:2,3. Syrophoenician may therefore denote simply an inhabitant of these parts. According to the Greek philosopher Strabo (64/63 BC - ca. 24 AD), this district was called Syrophoenicia to distinguish it from the North African Lybophoenicia.]

Discussion of Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:25-30 Even people from remote places and people who are perceived to be unbelievers can come to Jesus for help. Personal distress of a gentile woman’s family brought her to Jesus just as our needs and those of people who believe differently from us can also bring us to Jesus for help. The woman may not have understood Scripture and who Jesus was. However, she did understand mercy and saw, or heard of, Jesus’ healing powers and merciful nature. She could offer no personal merit - specifically, that of being a male Jew – but she asked nevertheless for mercy from the person Whom she believed - Whom she knew - could grant it.

At least one lesson that we learn from this story is the reminder that we are to pray for our children. It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and to be earnest in prayer for them, especially for their souls. Nowadays we may be praying for children who seem to have walked away from the Gospel. Worse yet, we may be praying for children to whom we had not imparted a caring for the Gospel. Our secular culture does not readily admit of evil spirits - or even any kind of spirits other than the cartoon types like Caspar. However, we know from Scripture that they are real, and we must pray to be protected from them.


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Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (ESV)

This story give us an unusual insight into God’s providence, especially of his grace, in dealing with his people, which may be explained by this story. There may be love in Jesus’ heart while there are frowns in his face. This encourages us to trust in Him even when we know that He could snuff out our lives in a blink.

Of all graces, faith honors Jesus the most. Therefore of all graces Jesus honors faith the most. Jesus cured the woman’s daughter. Another lesson here is that when we seem to receive no gracious answer from the Lord, we can turn even our unworthiness and discouragement into pleas for mercy.

Jesus’ Prayer at the Transfiguration Luke 9:28-30

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (ESV) Discussion of Luke 9:28-30

Luke 9:28-30, tells of Jesus’ prayer on the mountain and the appearance of Moses and Elijah. Jesus was honored by the appearance of Moses and Elijah when he was praying. He had gone up into a mountain to pray, as he frequently did, and as he prayed he was transfigured. Jesus was exalted when He humbled himself to pray. He knew before that this was designed for Him at this time, and therefore sought it by prayer. It is astounding that Jesus Himself had to pray for the favors that were both intended for Him and promised to Him.

Psalm 2:8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. (ESV)

By His actions He placed honor upon the duty of prayer and recommended it to us. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty if we lift up our hearts to it so as in prayer to behold the glory of the Lord.


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2 Corinthians 3:18 [We] all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. By prayer we gain the wisdom, grace, and joy, which can make our faces shine. (ESV)

By sleeping, Peter and John lost an opportunity of seeing that work of wonder. They were asleep now, when Jesus was in His glory, as afterwards they were, when he was in His agony. We often can be easily distracted or become drowsy when trying to pray even realizing that we need the grace of God. We need to pray to God for the grace to make us not only alive but also lively! Peter and John awoke in time to see the end of the scene and later be able to pass on an account of it. They were competent witnesses of that sign from heaven to those that demanded one.

2 Peter 1:18 We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (ESV)

Prayer of the Friends of the Deaf Man Mark 7:32-37

32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (ESV) Discussion of Mark 7:33-37

This is the story of a cure by Jesus which is not recorded by any other of the evangelists. This story may be construed to represent prayer, because the deaf man’s friends must have asked Jesus for his healing. Jesus granted them their desire. Why? Perhaps Jesus was opening the man’s ears to receive the word of God, and opening the mouth in for prayer and praises.

Isaiah 35:4-5 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped …” (ESV)

Note the evangelical tone in these verses. The formerly deaf and speech impaired man who could now hear and speak clearly went and spread the word of what had happened to him, that Jesus has healed him.

Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving before Feeding 4000 People Matthew 15:35-38 and Mark 8:1-9 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. (ESV)


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Discussion of Matthew 15:35-38 and Mark 8:1-9 We see the following aspects of this story.

Jesus had a great following. People flocked to where He was. It was difficult for people to follow Him. He went to remote areas where there was no food or creature comforts. Jesus has compassion with people who follow Him. Those whom the proud Pharisees (i.e., the “world”) looked upon with disdain, the humble Jesus looked upon with pity and tenderness. Our doubts are sometimes made to magnify the power of Jesus. The disciples could not imagine whence so many people could be fed in the wilderness. Jesus may act to relieve His people at the “eleventh hour”. When things were at their worst, Jesus provides for us. The bounty of Jesus is inexhaustible. He performed a similar miracle for 5000 people.

He used all the bread he had and fed all the people he had. A lesson for us is to use what we have, and make the best of that which is.

In our Father’s house there is bread enough, and to spare. There is a fullness in Jesus which he communicates to all that go to Him.

It is good for those that follow Christ, to keep together. The people in the story stayed together, and Jesus fed them all. As the body of Christ our needs will be met.

Prayer of the Blind Man’s Friends at Bethsaida Mark 8:22-26

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (ESV) Discussion of Mark 8:22-26

The blind man’s friends brought him to Jesus. We are not told what faith the blind man may have had or if he prayed for this healing. His friends clearly believed that they could bring him to Jesus and ask Him for help. A lesson here is that if people, not necessarily those who are physically or spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet their family and friends should pray for them; that if they do, Jesus will respond. Note also that Jesus personally led the blind man to the place of His healing. Apparently Jesus will show us the way if our friends ask Him to help us, even if we do not. Digressing briefly from the topic of prayer, it is interesting to note that Jesus’ method of healing this blind man was a gradual one, unlike how He performed the rest of His miracles. Why?

A spiritual interpretation is that Jesus demonstrated the method of completely healing, by grace, those who are spiritually blind. At first, their new sight - knowledge and understanding -


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is confused but, like the early morning light, it is clearer as the daylight increases, and then they see all things clearly.

An historical interpretation could be that Jesus took him out of town purposely and told him not to re-enter it because, as He told us, the town of Bethsaida did not appreciate His mighty work.

Matthew 11:21-22 and Luke 10:13-14 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” (ESV)

Note that there is no mention of the townspeople trying to follow Him to see the healing. Scripture does not suggest that Jesus prohibited them from doing so, but does suggest that either He did not want them because of their attitude toward His works, or they did not want Him due to lack of belief or interest.

Prayer of the Boy’s (with the Demon) Father

Matthew 17:14-20, Mark 9:17-29, and Luke 9:38-42 Matthew 17:14-20 - 14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (ESV) Mark 9:17-29 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “’If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (ESV)


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[Note: The KJV reads: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”]

Luke 9:38-42 - 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 17:14-20, Mark 9:17-29, and Luke 9:38-42

Jesus responded with annoyance at the man’s sense of urgency and persistence in prying for the healing of his son.

Perhaps annoyance was a natural human reaction considering that He had just before been transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah, and this was a sudden return to worldly reality. He may have been annoyed at His disciples for not having sufficient faith to work the healing, although His words to them seem to indicate that they had not understood how to heal the boy. His outburst may have been a rebuke to the scribes, who gloried in the disciples’ disappointment and hoped to undermine their credibility with it. However, Jesus’ annoyance may really have been impatience prompted by another frustration, that of preaching salvation only to have masses of people looking upon Him only as the miracle worker.

As in the healing of the Canaanite woman’s son, we are taught again here that is our duty to pray for our children, especially for their souls.

The father’s plea - “I believe; help my unbelief!” - reflects human weakness. We may say we believe. We may even say and believe that we believe firmly, but our nature holds us back from the full belief that Jesus told us to have. Only His power can give that to us. The lesson here is to acknowledge in our prayer that we believe and also to acknowledge the limitations of our belief, and to ask for help in believing entirely. Jesus replied to the father - “’If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” The father pled - “I believe; help my unbelief!” By this exchange, Jesus checks the weakness of the father’s faith and graciously encourages the strength of his desire. The father asked for the strength to more firmly rely upon the assurances he had of the ability and willingness of Jesus to save.

There is a lesson on prayer here also for those who are spiritual leaders and teachers (e.g., pastors, ministers, priests, lay ministers). Those who preach and teach the gospel in public need to keep up a private conversation with Jesus to bare their own weakness and shortcomings, and to ask for help to identify and correct the causes of them. We should all take advantage of our accessibility to Jesus alone to be free and specific about our shortcomings. Such questions as the disciples put to Jesus, we should also put to ourselves in looking into our own hearts.

The lesson for ministers of the gospel applies also to all of us. Often, when we sense that preaching of the Word seems to be lacking or less than useful, some of us tend to fault with the


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ministers, and some ministers tend to find fault with the people. However, each of us - clergy and laity - must search for our own faults. Ministers, in reproving, must discourage people from judging others. They must do this by teaching all to prayerfully judge themselves.

Prayer of the Ten Lepers for Cleansing

Luke 17:11-19 11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 17:11-19 The ten lepers prayed to Jesus from a distance. Historically, they stood away from Jesus because they were “untouchable”. Touching them would make a Jew ritually unclean, and maybe also transmit their disease. However, we may infer a spiritual lesson from that social situation. We should be humble whenever we want to draw near to Jesus in prayer. God will meet us with mercy, when we are found to be humble and obedient.

Another lesson is to be assertive and persistent in our prayer. Perhaps this assertiveness is what Jesus meant when He referred to taking the kingdom of heaven by violence.

Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (ESV)

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (KJV)

The ten lepers were certainly assertive. They met Jesus as he entered into a certain village. They did not stay till he had refreshed himself for some time after the fatigue of his journey, but addressed Him from a distance as he entered the town, weary as he was. Martin Luther has been quoted as saying that “Prayer is indeed a continuous violent action of the spirit as it is lifted up to God. This action is comparable to that of a ship going against the stream.”

Dr. Vic Reasoner interpreted this verse this way. “Yet, while the kingdom of Christ is growing, the requirements for entrance have not changed. The way into the kingdom is still so narrow that the baggage of the old life must remain outside. Literally, Jesus said in Luke 13:24, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door.’ In Matthew 11:12 when Jesus said that forceful men were seizing or taking the kingdom by force, he used a strong word which is related to our word for ‘rape’. This Greek verb is only used twice in the New Testament. Because this is descriptive of the kingdom of heaven, and because of the parallel passage in Luke 16:16, I interpret this more difficult passage in Matthew as a positive action. Therefore, the violence which Jesus described is: aggressive agonizing, desperate determination, earnestness, fervency, intensity, perseverance,


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persistency, zeal. A share in the heavenly kingdom is sought for with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.” (Vic Reasoner, “Violence and Victory”)

Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (ESV)

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. …” (ESV)

Luke 16:16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.” (ESV)

Thomas Watson interpreted this verse - “the violent take it by force” - like this. “The exercises of the worship of God are contrary to nature; therefore, there must be a provoking of ourselves to them. The movement of the soul toward sin is natural, but its movement toward heaven is violent. The stone moves easily to the center. It has an innate propensity downward, but to draw up a millstone into the air is done by violence because it is against nature. So to lift up the heart to heaven in duty is done by violence and we must provoke ourselves to it. What is it to provoke ourselves to duty? It is to awaken ourselves and shake off spiritual slothfulness. Let us then examine whether we put forth this holy violence for heaven. Do we set time apart to call ourselves to account and to try our evidences for heaven? … Do we take our hearts, as a watch, all in pieces to see what is amiss and to mend it? Are we curiously inquisitive into the state of our souls? Are we afraid of artificial grace, as we are of artificial happiness? Do we use violence in prayer? Is there fire in our sacrifice? Is the wind of the Spirit filling our sails, causing unutterable groans? Do we pray in the morning as if we were to die at night? Do we thirst for the living God? Are our souls enlarged with holy desires? Do we desire holiness as well as heaven? Do we desire as much to look like Christ as to live with Christ? Is our desire constant? Is this spiritual pulse ever beating?” (Heaven Taken By Storm, “Holy Violence”)

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. (ESV)

Psalm 77:6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah. Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” (ESV) Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (ESV)

Charles Spurgeon interpreted this verse - “the violent take it by force” - like this. “So intense was their [the people’s] desire to hear the Savior that they pressed upon Him, insomuch that they trod one upon another. The crowd became so violent to approach His person, that some of the weaker ones were cast down and trodden upon. Now, our Savior, when he witnessed all this struggling round about to get near him, said, ‘This is just a picture of what is done spiritually by those who will be saved. As you press and throng about me,’ said Christ, ‘and thrust one another, with arm and elbow, to get within reach of my voice, even so must it be if ye would be saved’ … He pictured to himself a crowd of souls desiring to get to the living Savior. He saw them press, and crowd, and throng, and thrust, and tread on one another, in their anxious desire


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to get at Him. He warned His hearers, that unless they had this earnestness in their souls, they would never reach him savingly; but if they had it, they should certainly be saved. (Charles Spurgeon, Sermon 252, “Holy Violence”) Jesus sent the ten lepers to the priest, who was the judge of the leprosy, to be inspected by him, He did not tell them that they should be cured, but instructed them go show themselves to the priests. This was Jesus obeying the Law. This was a trial of their obedience.

Leviticus 14:1-3 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, …” (ESV)

Only one of those who were healed returned to give thanks when he saw that he was healed. He did this instead of continuing on to the priest to be declared clean by him and discharged from his confinement. Legal cleansing was the real aim of the others. This one returned to Jesus to give him the glory of his cure before he received the legal benefit of it. He returned to give thanks. This we may assume was an act and a prayer of thanksgiving. The lesson for us is to be humble in thanksgiving, as well as in other prayers. Jesus noticed that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan. The others may have got only the outward cure. The Samaritan got both the outward cure and the spiritual blessing.

The Blind Man’s Prayer to Jesus for Healing Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, and Luke 18:35-43

Matthew 20:29-34 - 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. (ESV) Mark 10:46-52 - 46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (ESV)

Luke 18:35-43 - 35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be


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brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, and Luke 18:35-43 These may be one or two stories. However, we learn from both of them the attitude with which we must pray – confidence – and how we must respond to answered prayer. Bartimaeus had heard of Jesus and his miracles. When he learned that Jesus was near, he hoped to recover his eyesight. He addressed Jesus as “Jesus, Son of David” indicating a belief in Jesus as the Messiah that he had learned of since youth – at least as the earthly Messiah according to his Jewish understanding (i.e., probably much like Peter’s and the other disciples’ understanding). Bartimaeus’ self abandon at crying out to Jesus with recognition of who he was is a lesson for us. When we come to Jesus for help and healing, we should look to Him as the promised Messiah unconcerned with our surroundings. Jesus encourages our hope, that if we come to him we shall have what we come for.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (ESV) Luke 11:9 “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (ESV) John 14:13-14 “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (ESV) Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, (ESV) and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

Another lesson is this. Jesus is “passing by” for us wherever the gospel is preached and the written words shared and read. That is our opportunity. Like Bartimaeus, it is not enough to ask for and receive what we ask for. Rather, when our prayers are answered, we must continue to follow Him - listen to and read His Word - that we may honor Him and receive instruction from him. With spiritual eyesight we can see the beauty in Christ which will draw us to run after Him.

Jesus’ Teaching about Prayer at the Withered Fig Tree

Matthew 21:21-22 and Mark 11:21-25 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV) Mark 11:21-25 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And


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whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 21:21-22 and Mark 11:21-25 The barren fig tree may be seen as a type of “imposter” appearing to be something which it is not. The disciples wondered - as we can do - why that fig-tree should wither away, why Jesus cursed it. Commentators tell us that the tree represented the state of the Israel’s religion at the time. They tell us also that Jesus’ cursing of the tree may be interpreted to represent God’s reaction to hypocrites in general. Accepting these interpretations, we may learn that all wither away who reject Jesus; that Jesus looks for the presence and power of religion - of true belief and faith - in those who profess it. A lesson here is that We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works.

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (ESV) Galatians 2:16 … yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (ESV)

[There is no contradiction between this and the other passages referenced here. Here, the apostle Paul was writing about relying on the Mosaic Law for salvation without faith in anything other than the supposed ability of the Law to save us.]

James 2:14-26 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” - and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (ESV)

Here, Jesus taught us to pray in faith. Faith justifies us. It removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies our hearts, removes mountains of corruption, and makes our hearts plain and open before the grace of God. It is interesting to note that Jesus referred to standing while praying. Standing is not an improper posture for prayer. It was generally the custom among the Jews to stand while praying. They called their prayers, their standings. The early Christians generally used the humble and reverent gesture of kneeling when praying. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “To kneel while praying is now usual among Christians. Under the Old Law the practice was otherwise. In the


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Jewish Church it was the rule to pray standing, except in time of mourning. … It is remarkable that the ‘orantes’ (praying figures) of early Christian art are in the catacomb frescoes invariably depicted as standing with arms extended.” Both the Old and New Testaments have references to posture for praying.

1 Samuel 1:26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord.” (ESV)

2 Chronicles 6:13 Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, (ESV) 1 Kings 8:54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. (ESV)

Ezra 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God, (ESV)

Nehemiah 9:3-5 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” (ESV)

Mark 1:40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” (ESV)

Luke 22:41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, (ESV)

Acts 7:59-60 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (ESV) Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise”. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. (ESV)

Acts 20:36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. (ESV)

Jesus’ Laying of Hands on the Little Children Matthew 19:13-15 and Mark 10:13-16 Matthew 19:13-15 - 13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away. (ESV)


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Mark 10:13-16 - 13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 19:13-15 and Mark 10:13-16

Jesus welcomed the little children. Matthew 19:13-15 tells the story of Jesus response when the little children were brought to Him. Likely it was the children’s parents, guardians, or nurses, that brought them intending that he should put his hands on them, and pray (v. 13). How much of this scene was prayer?

The adults showed their respect to Jesus and the value which they placed on His favor and blessing. This shows that when we glorify Jesus by coming to Him personally we can further glorify Him by bringing all that we have or have influence upon. We honor Jesus when we ask for and accept His blessings.

Just as Jesus placed His hands on the children, so he puts His hands on us when He prays for us in heaven.

Romans 8:34 … Christ Jesus is the one who … is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (ESV)

We can pray for a blessing. It is only Jesus who can give the blessing. As the saying goes: “Man proposes and God disposes.”

Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. (ESV)

The version of the story in Mark 10:13-16 does not mention the laying on of hands. But, it - and the story in Matthew - teaches us an important lesson apart from prayer per-se. We should guide children to the Savior as soon as they are able to understand His words. Also, we must receive the kingdom of God as little children; we must receive Jesus and His grace as little children receive gifts from their parents, nurses, and teachers. Jesus owned the children as members of His church. He came to set up the kingdom of God among men. He declared that kingdom admitted little children with the privileges of subjects.

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (ESV)

Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew)

Matthew 6:9-15 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (ESV)


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Discussion of Matthew 6:9-15 In the Gospel of Matthew 6:9-15 Jesus instructed His disciples on how to pray just after condemning praying in public in a pompous manner and the praying of set words with many repetitions.

The quality of prayer, as Jesus saw it, was false in the Gentile world and had deteriorated even in Judah. It was necessary to give a new direction for prayer. Jesus wanted to show His disciples the correct content and form of their prayer. He gives them a model for content and words that may also be used. We are not instructed to use this form and words only.

Jesus taught us to address His Father as our Father. The form of address in the original language is a very personal one, somewhat resembling “Daddy”.

As our Father, He will pity us for our weaknesses and infirmities. Psalm 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. (ESV)

As our Father, He will spare us.

Malachi 3:17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.” (ESV)

Our Daddy will make the best of our performances, though very defective, will deny us nothing that is good for us.

Luke 11:11-13 “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (ESV)

We may approach Him with boldness as to an earthy father. We have Jesus as our advocate with the Father. We are His adopted children.

We are to see God as a Father, as the prodigal son did. Jeremiah 3:19 I said, “How I would set you among my sons, and give you a pleasant land, a heritage most beautiful of all nations. And I thought you would call me, My Father, and would not turn from following me”. (ESV)

Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” (ESV)

What a blessing we have to beg for grace, peace, and the inheritance and blessing of God’s children! What an encouragement that we come to God, not as an unreconciled, avenging Judge, but as a loving, gracious, reconciled Father in Christ.

Jeremiah 3:4 “Have you not just now called to me, ‘My father, you are the friend of my youth’”. (ESV)

It is important for us, since the Ascension, to direct our prayers to heaven because Jesus, our Mediator is now in heaven with His Father.

Hebrews 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. (ESV)


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Jesus’ Prayer when Teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Luke) Luke 11:1-4

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” (ESV) Discussion of Luke 11:1-4

In Luke 11:1-4 we find Jesus himself praying in a certain place, probably where He used to pray. As God, He was prayed to. As man, he prayed. Although He was a Son, He was obedient in prayer. Luke took notice of Jesus’ praying more often than any other of the evangelists. Here He was praying in a certain place. Like David, He gave himself to prayer.

Psalm 109:4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. (ESV) From Luke we do not know whether or not Jesus was alone in prayer at this time. We know only that the disciples knew that he was praying. Perhaps they joined Him in prayer.

Luke 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, (ESV) Luke 5:16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (ESV)

Luke 6:12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (ESV)

Luke 9:18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (ESV)

Luke 9:28-29 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. (ESV)

The disciples wanted Jesus to each them to pray “As John taught his disciples”. It is thought that traditional prayers may have been mostly adorations, praises, and doxologies, and that John taught his disciples prayers that were more filled up with petitions and requests - that John’s disciples “made up prayers” rather than reciting traditional ones. We have some guidance in Luther’s Large Catechism. “It is our duty to pray because of God's commandment.”

Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (ESV)

“Therefore, we are required to praise that holy name, and call upon it in every need - that is, to pray. Calling upon the name of God is praying. Prayer is as strictly and earnestly commanded as all other commandments. We may not think that it is all the same whether we pray or not, as some people do, who ask, ‘Why should I pray? Who knows whether God heeds or will hear my prayer? If I do not pray, someone else will.’ With that attitude they fall into the habit of never praying, and frame a pretext, as though we taught that there is no duty or need of prayer, because we reject false and hypocritical prayers.” (Luther’s Large Catechism)


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Jesus’ Prayer when Raising Lazarus John 11:38, 41-42

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. … 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (ESV)

[Note: The KJV renders verse 38 as “Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. …”

Discussion of John 11:38, 41-42 John 11:38, 41-42 tells the story of Jesus’ raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. The King James Version of the story states that in v 38 Jesus groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. What are we to make of Jesus’ groaning and being moved in the spirit?

Perhaps He was displeased at the unbelief of those who spoke doubtingly of his power, and blamed him for not preventing the death of Lazarus.

Perhaps He grieved for the hardness of the hearts of unbelievers. Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! (ESV)

Maybe He was moved by the emotions of Martha and Mary. Perhaps He groaned in spirit because, He was about to take His friend Lazarus from the rest into which he was newly entered and return him back into this sinful and troublesome world. We are left to wonder about this: If Lazarus had been let alone, Jesus could have gone to him into the other world but, being restored to life, Jesus left him behind in this world. At any rate, Jesus stirred himself up to offer His prayer with a strong cry.

Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (ESV)

Jesus also presented a lesson for pastors and other ministers of the Gospel to be moved by the sinful condition of those that they preach to and groan in themselves to think of it. Jesus addressed His prayer to His Father setting the example that we are to come to the Father in prayer as children. He taught us to enter into the holiest place by prayer. He taught us that we are to pray in confidence of the Father’s answer. Mathew 21:22: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Historically, He showed the objections of his enemies to be false. The Pharisees had blasphemously suggested that he wrought his miracles by compact with the devil. Now, to evidence the contrary, he openly addressed God, using prayers, and not charms, not peeping and muttering as those did that used familiar spirits.

Isaiah 8:19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living”? He addressed God with elevated eyes and voice professing his communication with Heaven, and dependence on Heaven. (ESV)


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Jesus’ Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 23:37-38

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (ESV)

Discussion of Matthew 23:37-38 Matthew Verses 37-38 are remarkable in this way. Jesus declared the miseries that the people of Jerusalem were about to bring upon themselves, but He did not mention the sufferings that He was to undergo. A hen gathering her chickens under her wings, is an apt emblem of the Savior’s tender love to those who trust in him and his faithful care of them. He called sinners to take refuge under his tender protection so he can keep them safe and nourish them to eternal life. This gives us the hint that deserved vengeance will fall on every church which is Christian in name only.

Jesus stands ready to receive all who come to Him. There is nothing between sinners and eternal happiness, but their proud and unbelieving unwillingness.

Jerusalem, the city of peace (so its Hebrew name implies), must now be the scene of war and confusion. Jerusalem, that had been the joy of the whole earth, must now be despised. Jerusalem, that had been a city compact together, shall now be shattered and ruined by its own evil. Jerusalem, the place that God has chosen to put his name there, shall now be abandoned to the spoil and the robbers.

Lamentations 1:1-6 How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave. She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress. The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to the festival; all her gates are desolate; her priests groan; her virgins have been afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly. Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper, because the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe. From the daughter of Zion all her majesty has departed. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture; they fled without strength before the pursuer. (ESV)

But wherefore will the Lord do all this to Jerusalem? Why? Jerusalem hath grievously sinned. She refused and rejected Christ, and gospel offers.

Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away. (ESV)


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Jesus’ Prayer after His triumphal Entry into Jerusalem John 12:27-32

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV) Discussion of John 12:27-32

Reading John 12:27-32 we can believe that Jesus was troubled by what suffering He knew lay ahead. Perhaps he was also troubled by the sins of our souls whom He was about to redeem as we can assume from His statement to the disciples later in John 14:21.

John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (ESV)

Although willing - and intending - to suffer for our sakes, yet He prayed to be saved from suffering. Prayer of supplication against trouble may well carry with it patience and submission to the will of God. Determination to do His Father’s will indicates to us once again that we need to be interested in what God is interested in!

For all of us, trouble of soul - “feeling “blue” or “down” - may often follow feelings of great happiness and even joy. In this world of change - of “ups and downs” - we expect happiness and joy to eventually be dampened. But, we also expect that there will again be periods of happiness and joy. These experiences teach us humility and can remind us of a verse in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Paul reminds us that we should look to Jesus as the model in dealing with our “highs and lows.”

1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. (ESV)

From God’s reply to Jesus we learn two things. The name of God had been glorified in the life of Christ, in his doctrine and miracles, and all the examples he gave of holiness and goodness. The name of God will be further glorified in the death and sufferings of Christ. Jesus will glorify his Father’s wisdom and power, justice and holiness, truth and goodness by satisfying the demands of a broken law. What God has done to glorify of His own name is an encouragement for us to expect that He will have wonderful surprises for us in our lives here and afterward. That God spoke in the hearing of all teaches us that God truly sent His son for the listeners and for us, and that as disciples and we can enjoy the comforts we need to see us through difficult times.


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Perhaps the most important lessons for us in this passage from John 12 are these: Satan was conquered; The sinful illness of the world had been cured; He was drawing us to Him.

Jesus’ prayer and His Father’s reply in John 12 remind us that Jesus was the fulfillment of Scripture.

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, (ESV)

Those that opposed Jesus as the Messiah emphasized the Scripture passages that spoke of the glories of the Messiah and Israel. Here are two examples.

Psalm 110:4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (ESV)

Psalm 89:29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. (ESV)

Those that opposed Jesus as the Messiah overlooked the Scripture passages that spoke of the suffering of the Messiah. Here are two examples.

Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (ESV)

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (ESV)

Jesus’ Prayer at the Last Supper – the “High Priestly Prayer” John 17 Overview

In John 17 we have the most fully recorded prayer of Jesus. It is truly our “Lord’s prayer” in that He prayed as our Mediator, as our Intercessor, and as an instruction and encouragement for our prayers. The Lord’s Prayer as we commonly know it was one He taught us to pray, but did not pray Himself, because He did not need not to pray for the forgiveness of sin. This prayer recorded in John 17, the “High Priestly Prayer”, was properly and specifically His. In the “High Priestly Prayer” Jesus prays for Himself (vv. 1-5) and prays for those that are His. This prayer includes both the general pleas with which he introduces his petitions for them (vv. 6-10) and the particular petitions that they might be kept (vv. 11-16), sanctified (vv. 17-19), united (vv. 11, 20-23), and glorified (vv. 24-26). After saying farewell to His disciples, He said this prayer which has these characteristics.

It was a prayer after a sermon. When he had spoken from God to them, He then turned to speak to God for them. He set an example for pastors and other ministers to pray for those to whom they preach. The word preached should be prayed over. God gives the increase.

It was a prayer after the sacrament. After He and His disciples had eaten the Passover and the Lord’s Supper together, and after He had given them a suitable exhortation, He closed with this prayer that God would preserve the sacrament with them.


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It was a family prayer. Jesus’ disciples were His family. He taught His household as a son of Abraham to set a good example.

Genesis 18:19 “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” (ESV)

He taught His household as a son of David, blessed his household and prayed for them and with them.

2 Samuel 6:20 And David returned to bless his household. (ESV)

It was a parting prayer. It is good to part from friends with prayer. Acts 20:36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. (ESV)

Jesus was parting by death, and He sanctified that parting by prayer. Dying Jacob blessed the twelve patriarchs (Genesis 49:1-28). Dying Moses blessed the twelve tribes (Deuteronomy 33:1-29). Here, dying Jesus blessed His disciples.

It was a prayer that prefaced His sacrifice which He was now about to offer on earth. Jesus specified the favors and blessings to be purchased by the merit of His death for those that were His. Jesus prayed as a priest offering sacrifice, a sacrifice in the virtue of which all prayers are to be made.

It was a prayer of His intercession, which He continuously makes for us while we are on earth. Now, in His exalted state He addresses Himself to his Father, not with humble petition as when He was on earth, but rather presenting His merit to His Father for all His chosen ones.

John 17:1-5

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (ESV)

Discussion of John 17:1-5 In John 17:1-5 Jesus prays to God as a Father indicating that it is our duty in prayer to see God as a Father, and to call him our Father. All that have the Spirit of adoption are taught to cry Father. Father.

Points made in this part of the prayer are as follows. Jesus, as God, had a being before the world was.

He was co-eternal with the Father. His glory with the Father is from everlasting to everlasting.

He laid down this glory for a time, as a pledge that he would go through with His mission according to His Father’s command.

In His exalted state he will resume this glory.


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Even His human nature will be advanced to the highest honor it was capable of, his body a glorious body, and that the glory of the Godhead might now be manifested in the person of the Mediator.

Jesus prayed for himself first. As a man He had to worship God. He had to ask for that which He later purchased for us that we will have what we can never merit. Jesus prays for that He might be glorified in this world because he is the Father’s Son. There are a few lessons to be learned here.

We must aim at the glory of God in all. We must glorify him on the earth. We must persevere in this to the end of our days.

Mark 12:28-30 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (ESV)

We must make it our business to do the work God has appointed us to do, according to our capacity and the sphere of our activity. We must each of us do all the good we can in this world.

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (ESV)

He finished the work that was given Him to do. Therefore, He is a complete Savior, and did not do his work by the halves. He finished His work for us and will finish it in us. Paul reminded us of this and applied it to his and our work.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (ESV)

Jesus’ being glorified includes all the honors, powers, and joys, of His exalted state. It is a glory with God to glorify Jesus’ name on earth and to glorify Him with His (Father’s) own self. It was paradise - heaven - to be with his Father. See how it is described elsewhere in Scripture.

Proverbs 8:25-31 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. … then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. (ESV)

Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. (ESV) Hebrews 8:1-2 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. (ESV)


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John 17:6-10 6 “I have manifested Your name to the people whom You gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they know that everything that You have given me is from You. 8 For I have given them the words that You gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given me, for they are Yours. 10 All mine are Yours, and Yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” (ESV)

Discussion of John 17:6-10 In John 17:6-10 we read that after praying for Himself, Jesus then prayed for those that are His, and He knew them by name. He did not pray for the world, the world being those who are opposed to the elect, and those who are governed by the spirit of this world. Rather, He prayed for the elect being given to Him out of the world. He prayed for those that were given Him, perhaps meaning primarily the disciples that ate the Passover with Him. However, we should understand “His” to apply to all who come under the same character, who receive and believe His words. He prayed for all that will in the future believe on him. All the petitions of this prayer must be construed to extend to all believers, in every place and every age, for He has a concern for them all. The prayer referred to the care Jesus had taken to teach His disciples and the good effect it had on them. He pled the Father’s - and His own - own interest in His disciples. (ESV)

John 17:11-16 7 “Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (ESV)

Discussion of John 17:11-16 In John 17:11-16 after we see the general pleas with which Jesus recommended his disciples to his Father’s care, we then see petitions of the following nature. They all relate to spiritual blessings in heavenly things and not earthly ones. He prayed that they might be kept from sin, equipped for their duty, and brought safely to heaven. This teaches us that the prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity.

They are blessings suited to the disciples’ situation then, to their challenges. This teaches us that Jesus’ intercession is always pertinent. Our advocate with the Father knows all the details of our


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wants, needs, desires, burdens, dangers, and difficulties. He knows how to accommodate his intercession to each of us as he later did to Peter’s danger of which Peter was not yet aware.

Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (ESV)

The petitions are “large” and “full” in their content thereby teaching us to be fervent, bold, and large in our prayers. Jesus here teaches us to be large and fervent in prayer, and dwell upon our errands at the throne of grace.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence [i.e., boldness] draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

John 17:17-19 17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (ESV)

Discussion of John 17:17-19 The next thing that Jesus prayed for His disciples (John 17:17-19) was that they might be sanctified, that is not only kept from evil, but made good. The Father’s Word is truth itself. This is a significant statement relating to Jesus’ ministry: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”.

John 18:37-38 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (ESV)

Jesus asks the Father to make the disciples holy to preserve them from evil. He tells His Father that He has given His disciples a mission: “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” He confers His merit upon them: “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

John 17:20-23 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (ESV) Discussion of John 17:20-23

In John 17:20-23 Jesus prayed for His disciples’ unity. What is this unity? We are to be as one as Jesus and His Father are one. Jesus’ prayer may be interpreted like this.

All may be incorporated into one universal Church.

All may be animated by one Holy Spirit.


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All may be knit together in the bond of love and charity, all of one heart - not in every little thing, but in the great things of God - and together in disposition and inclination. All may be one in (following God’s) desires, prayers, love, and affection.

We see that Jesus prayed not only for His disciples but also for each of us whom He draws to Himself. This indicates only those who are or will be interested in the mediation of Christ, and who do, or shall, believe in Him. This describes the character and duty of a Christian. They that lived then, saw and believed, but they in after ages have not seen, and yet have believed.

John 20:29 [addressed to Thomas] Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (ESV)

Some points made in these petitions are:

It is through the Word that souls are brought to believe in Jesus. For that purpose God appointed the scriptures to be written and set up a standing ministry to continue in the church for the raising up of a seed. Jesus knew who shall believe on him. He knew whom he prayed for, and the matter was reduced to a certainty by the divine omniscience and purpose. Jesus Christ interceded not only for great and eminent believers, but also for the meanest and weakest. He interceded not for those only that are to be employed in the highest post of trust and honor in His kingdom, but for all – even for those whom the world does not value.

John 17:24-26 24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (ESV)

Discussion of John 17:24-26 In John 17:24-26 we see a re-emphasis of the petition for the glorifying of all those that were given to Christ (v. 24), not only these disciples, but also all believers then and in the future. He had prayed that God would preserve, sanctify, and unite believers, and now He prays that the Father would crown all His gifts with their glorification. This gives us a method for prayer. We must pray, first for grace, and then for glory.

Psalm 84:6-12 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of Your anointed! For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You! (ESV)

[The Hebrew form of the word “baca” in Psalm 84:6 means “mulberry trees.” The psalmist, by a play on the name, refers to the similarly sounding word for “tears.” The Baca (mulberry) trees delight in a dry valley.]


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God will not glorify any whom he has not first sanctified. Jesus justified His request for sanctification and glorification for His disciples with the glory that the Father gave Him, because the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world. Jesus made His Father known to us so that God’s pleasure in His Son might be in us and become our pleasure. According to Piper in his book, The Pleasures of God:

“Imagine being able to enjoy what is most enjoyable with unbounded energy and passion forever. This is not now our experience. Three things stand in the way of our complete satisfaction in this world. One is that nothing has a personal worth great enough to meet the deepest longings of our hearts. Another is that we lack the strength to savor the best treasures to their maximum worth. And the third obstacle to complete satisfaction is that our joys here come to an end. Nothing lasts. “But if the aim of Jesus in John 17:26 comes true, all this will change. If God’s pleasure in the Son becomes our pleasure, Jesus will be inexhaustible in personal worth. He will never become boring or disappointing or frustrating. No greater treasure can be conceived than the very Son of God. Moreover, our ability to savor this inexhaustible reassure will not be limited by human weaknesses. We will enjoy the Son of God with the very enjoyment of His Father. God’s delight in His son will be in us and it will be ours. And this will never end, because neither the Father nor the Son ever ends. Their love for each other will be our love for them and therefore our loving will never die.”

Jesus’ Prayer Foretelling Peter’s Denial

Luke 22:31-34 Luke 22:31-34 - 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 22:31-34 Jesus gives Peter and the rest of the apostles notice of the devil’s design on them. Satan could not sift them unless God gave him leave. He desired to have them, as he had once begged God for permission to try and tempt Job.

Job 1:6-12 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Jesus told Peter that He had prayed for him that his faith might not fail. There are lessons here for us. (ESV)


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If we keep our faith when tempted, though we may fall, yet we shall not be completely cast down. Faith will quench Satan’s fiery darts.

Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; (ESV)

We may have many failings in our faith, yet with God’s grace there will be no total and final failure of our faith. Our faith, although sometimes sadly shaken, is not sunk. We are kept by the mediation and intercession of Jesus. If we were left to themselves, we would fail. But, we are kept by the power of God and the prayer of Christ. Jesus’ intercession is not only general, for all that believe, but us particular believers. That is an encouragement for us to pray for ourselves, and an engagement upon us to pray for others too.

Jesus’ Prayer on the Night that He was Arrested Matthew 26:36-42, Mark 14:32-42, and Luke 22:39-46

Matthew 26:36-46 - 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand”. (ESV)

Mark 14:32-42 - 32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (ESV)

Luke 22:39-46 - 39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless,


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not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 26:36-42, Mark 14:32-42, and Luke 29:39-46

Jesus’ prayed on the night that He was arrested. It was in a place called Gethsemane. The name signifies a press for olives, like a winepress, where they trod the olives. There our Lord Jesus began his passion; there God bruised and crushed Him that the fresh oil of grace might flow from Him to all believers.

[Note: The word "Gethsemane" is derived from the Hebrew "gat shemanim" which means "oil press" - the implication being that the garden was in fact an olive grove.]

He took eleven disciples with him to the garden (not Judas), but took only Peter and John to be near Him while he prayed alone - reminiscent of Abraham leaving his young men behind while he went to sacrifice Isaac.

Genesis 22:5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Just as Jesus often prayed alone, this is an example that our prayers with our families must not excuse us from our own private devotions. (ESV)

In the garden, in prayer, Jesus must have engaged in an encounter with the powers of darkness. He bore our iniquities which the Father laid upon him. He subjected Himself to this undertaking. The sufferings he was entering upon were for our sins that were laid upon him, and he knew it. Jesus had a clear view of all the sufferings that were before him. He already knew of Judas’ treachery, Peter’s denial of Him, the malice and ingratitude of the people. He knew that he would be scourged in a few hours, be spit upon, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross. Jesus was denied the supports and comforts which later martyrs had. They were suspended for Him. He denied them to Himself, and his soul refused to be comforted - there would be God’s justice in his undertaking. The later martyrs could be cheerful under their cross due to the divine favor of Jesus’ cross. Jesus prayed alone - perhaps prostrate on the ground indicating both agony and humility. He asked the Father to take the imminent suffering away from Him, indicating that he was really and truly a man, and as a man He could not but be averse to pain and suffering. It is the first and simple act of man’s will to desire the prevention and removal of suffering and pain. The instinct of self-preservation rules until overruled by some other law. Jesus admitted and expressed a reluctance to suffer, to show that he was taken from among men, was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and also tempted as we are - even though He had no sin.

David had also asked for relief from suffering. Psalm 39 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a


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sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (ESV)

Jesus prayer was characterized by the following which sets an example for us: He addressed God as His Father. He begged a favor. He was entirely submissive to the will of God. He wanted what God wanted. Jesus returned to Peter and John twice asking for their support in prayer. The second time, He spoke to them intimating to them their folly in sleeping away the time which they should have spent in prayerful preparation. Then the event found them unready, and was a terror to them. There is also a lesson in this for us to “watch and pray.”

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (ESV)

There is a modern Christian hymn that sings of this, “Watch and Pray”

Christian, seek not yet repose, Hear thy gracious Savior say; Thou art in the midst of foes: Watch and pray. Principalities and powers, Mustering their unseen array, Wait for thy unguarded hours: Watch and pray. Gird thy heavenly armor on, Wear it ever night and day; Ambushed lies the evil one: Watch and pray.

Hear, above all, hear thy Lord, Him thou lovest to obey; Hide within thy heart His word: Watch and pray. Watch, as if on that alone Hung the issue of the day; Pray, that help may be sent down: Watch and pray. Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/765#ixzz2AK3EQTXR

Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross for His Tormentors – for Us Luke 23:34

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (ESV) Discussion of Luke 23:34

Jesus’ prayer for his enemies was the first of seven remarkable statements that He mad while on the cross. He interceded for transgressors, as was foretold in Isaiah.

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (ESV)

The lessons for us here are: Jesus died to purchase and procure for us the forgiveness of sin.


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Jesus intercedes for all that repent and believe in the virtue of his satisfaction; His blood asks “Father, forgive them”.

The greatest sinners may, through Christ, upon their repentance, hope to find mercy. Though they were his persecutors and murderers, he prayed “Father, forgive them”.

Jesus pled, “For they know not what they do”. If they had known, they would not have crucified him.

1 Corinthians 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (ESV)

There is a kind of ignorance can partly excuse sin - ignorance through a lack of the means of knowledge or of a capacity to receive instruction. This can be through shortcomings in education. The crucifiers of Jesus had been kept in ignorance by their rulers, and had prejudices against him instilled into them, so that they believed to serve God by what they did against Jesus and his doctrine

John 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. (ESV)

We are to pity and pray for such persons. This prayer of Jesus was answered not long after, when many of those that had a hand in his death were converted by Peter’s preaching. The lessons for us here are:

We must in prayer call God Father, and come to him with reverence and confidence, as children to a father.

The great thing we must beg of God, both for ourselves and others, is the forgiveness of sins. We must pray for our enemies, and those that hate and persecute us, must extenuate their offences, and not aggravate them as we must our own. We must be earnest with God in prayer for the forgiveness of all sins, ours and their sins against us Remember Jesus’ rule.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (ESV)

If Jesus loved and prayed for such enemies, what enemies can we have that we are not obliged to love and pray for?

The Crucified Thief’s Prayer to Jesus on the Cross Luke 23:39-43

Luke 23:39-43 - 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God,


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since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 23:39-43 Matthew 26:38, 44 tell us that two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. … And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Mark 15:31 tells us a similar story - that Those who were crucified with Him also reviled Him.

Why do Matthew and Mark indicate that the “thieves” (plural) reviled Jesus, while Luke mentions only one who insulted Him? The are some plausible explanations. Perhaps both thieves reviled Christ initially, but then one of them repented after hearing Jesus’ words on the cross, and seeing His forgiving attitude. How many times have we asserted something about someone or something, but then retracted the statements after receiving more information? Possibly Matthew and Mark use the plural in place of the singular in their accounts of the thieves reviling Jesus. That is not an isolated figure of speech.

Genesis 8:4 in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (ESV)

Did the ark rest on several mountains at Ararat or on one?

Genesis 21:7 [Sarah asked,] “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." (ESV)

Remember that Sarah had but one child. In certain contexts, however, one might use this figure of speech to indicate one child as did Sarah.

In his confession of sin the thief discovered repentance towards God. In this petition he discovered faith specifically towards our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to regard Him as Lord, to have a kingdom, and to be going to that kingdom where He has and where those are happy whom he favors.

In his prayer, the thief was humble. He simply asked “Lord, remember me”. He did not pray, “Lord, prefer me” (as did the mother of James and John did). Compare Matthew 20:21 with Genesis 40:14.

Matthew 20:21 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”) It is a request like that of Joseph to the chief butler, “remember me”. (ESV)

Genesis 40:14 “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.” (ESV)

The big difference was that while the chief butler forgot Joseph, Jesus remembered this thief. In his prayer the thief was persistent and fervent. He prayed as if breathing out his soul as if to say “Lord, remember me, and I have enough. I desire no more. I am in your hands.’’


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Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “Eli, Eli” Matthew 27:46

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (ESV)

Mark 15:34 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (ESV) Discussion of Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

What a remarkable reminder of Psalm 22. Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? (ESV)

What a strange complaint from the mouth of our Lord Jesus was God’s elect, in whom his soul delighted and one in whom he was always well pleased.

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. The statement implies a prayer that is reminiscent of His prayer in the garden before His arrest. (ESV)

Matthew 26:39 “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (ESV)

The Father had forsaken Him for a time until His work was done. That may have been the most grievous of his sufferings. The Father loved him because He laid down his life for the sheep. He completed His mission as directed by the Father. He complied with the will of God. Ironically, Jesus’ opponents who had often demanded a sign from heaven now had one, but such a one as signified the blinding of their eyes. It was a sign of the darkness that was come, and coming, upon the Jewish church and nation. Note that He did not he complain of his disciples’ forsaking him, but of his Father’s forsaking Him. His wounded his spirit was hard to bear.

Proverbs 18:14 A man's spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? (ESV)

He was “drowning” in sorrow. Psalm 69:1-3 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. (ESV)

The bystanders mocked Jesus’ prayer because he cried, Eli, Eli. They said He calls for Elijah, though they knew very well what he said, and what it signified. We now might see the bystanders to be representing Him as praying to saints rather than to God - either because He had abandoned God, or God had abandoned him. Perhaps they thought that this would make him even more odious to the people.


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Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross, “It is finished” John 19:30

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (ESV)

Discussion of John 19:30 “It is finished” can be seen as a prayer of both worship and thanksgiving. As a prayer of worship, Jesus is making the final offering of Himself as the sacrifice to do His Father’s will. As a prayer of thanksgiving, it may be seen as gratitude for the end of His suffering.

[Note: “It is finished”. Of the four Gospels, John is believed to be the only one originally written in Greek, and while it is believed that Jesus spoke in Aramaic, there appears to be no record pof any Semitic words in this expression. “It is finished” is the translation of the Greek term “tetelestai”.]

What other meanings might there be of “It is finished”? Here are some. He had fulfilled the counsel and commandment of his Father concerning his sufferings.

He took care to see every iota and tittle of it exactly answered. Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (ESV)

All the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished.

[Note on “type”: Typology is a method of interpreting the Old and New Testament in light of each other. It is a form of comparing Scripture with Scripture. It is “a relationship which is inherent between the two matters compared because there is in fact an objective and historical relationship between them”. (C. Hassell Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms)]

The ceremonial law was abolished, and a period put to the obligation of it. The substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. Just now the veil is rent, the wall of partition is taken down, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.

Ephesians 2:14-15 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, (ESV)

The work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up. Sin is finished and an end made of transgression by the bringing in an everlasting righteousness. It seems to refer to Daniel 9.

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. (ESV)

It may also refer to Hebrews 9. Hebrews 9:26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (ESV)


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The Lamb of God was sacrificed to take away the sin of the world, and it is done. Jesus’ sufferings of both soul and body were now finished. All His pains and agonies are at an end, and He is just going to paradise, entering upon the joy set before Him. Let all of us who suffer for Christ, and with Christ, comfort ourselves with this, that yet a little while and we also shall say, “It is finished”. It was the end of the malice and enmity of his persecutors who had done their worst. Jesus is saying “I am now going out of their reach, where the wicked cease from troubling.” His life was now finished, and he was ready to breathe His last and be in this world no more.

Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (ESV)

Jesus’ and His disciples’ Prayers at His Ascension Luke 24:50-53

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God. (ESV)

Discussion of Luke 24:50-53 [Note: Bethany is from the name of a biblical town, possibly derived from Hebrew beit-te'enah meaning “house of figs”. Conversely it sometimes signifies a house of afflictions and poverty.]

A blessing like this is much like a prayer for God’s favor upon us. Think of Numbers 6. Numbers 6:19-27 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (ESV)

All those who love us, and pray for us, and instruct us, must eventually be parted from us on earth. Jesus expected adoration from those that receive blessings from Him. He blessed them, in token of gratitude for which they worshipped Him (i.e., prayers of worship). This fresh display of Christ’s glory drew from them fresh acknowledgments and adorations of it. He began to bless them on earth, but he went to heaven to continue blessing us. Jesus was sending his apostles to preach his gospel to the world, and he gave them His blessing, not for themselves only, but to be conferred in his name upon all that should believe on him through their word; for in him all the families of the earth were to be blessed.

The disciples also prayed. They paid their homage to him at his going away. They worshipped him. We believe that Jesus expects adoration from those that receive blessings from Him. He blessed them, in token of gratitude for which they worshipped him. This fresh display of Jesus’ glory drew from them fresh acknowledgments and adorations of it. They believed that though he was parted from them He did notice their adorations of him. The cloud that received him out of their sight did not put them or their services out of his sight.


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The disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy. There they were ordered to continue till the Spirit should be poured out upon them. They went al though it was into danger. When Jesus had told them that he must leave them, sorrow filled their hearts. But now that they see him go they are filled with joy, being convinced at length that it was expedient for them and for the Church that he should go away, to send the Comforter. They performed acts of devotion while they were in expectation of the promise of the Father. They attended the temple service at the hours of prayer. God had not yet forsaken the temple, and therefore they did not. They were continually in the temple as their Master had been when he was at Jerusalem. The Lord loves the gates of Zion, and so should we.

Psalm 87:2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. (ESV)

They knew that temple sacrifices were superseded by Christ’s sacrifice, but they likely joined in the temple songs.


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Jesus’ Prayers for Us after His Ascension and Now In earlier discussion we saw the following that it is important for us, since the Ascension, to direct our prayers to heaven because Jesus, our Mediator is now in heaven with His Father.

Hebrews 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. (ESV)

In His exalted state he has resumed his glory. Even his human nature was advanced to the highest honor it was capable of with a glorious body. The glory of the Godhead is now manifested in the person of the Mediator. Because the Trinity are one God, Jesus is in the Father, etc. The following passages assure us that He intercedes for us in heaven.

Romans 8:23, 26-27 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. … Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. See also he following passages. (ESV) Hebrews 8:6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (ESV) Hebrews 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (ESV)

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (ESV) 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (ESV)


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13 Biographies of Authors Cited in the Bibliography Paul the Apostle From Paul himself we know that he was born at Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 21:39), of a father who was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:26-28; cf. 16:37), of a family in which piety was hereditary (2 Timothy 1:3) and which was much attached to Pharisaic traditions and observances (Philippians 3:5-6). As he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin he was given at the time of his circumcision the name of Saul, which must have been common in that tribe in memory of the first king of the Jews (Philippians 3:5). As a Roman citizen he also bore the Latin name of Paul. It was quite usual for the Jews of that time to have two names, one Hebrew, the other Latin or Greek, between which there was often a certain assonance and which were joined together exactly in the manner made use of by Luke (Acts 13:9. It was natural that in inaugurating his apostolate among the Gentiles Paul should have adopted his Roman name, especially as the name Saul had a ludicrous meaning in Greek. Young Saul learned how to make tents (Acts 18:3) or rather to make the mohair of which tents were made. He was still very young when sent to Jerusalem to receive his education at the school of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Possibly some of his family resided in the holy city; later there is mention of the presence of one of his sisters whose son saved his life (Acts 23:16). From that time it is absolutely impossible to follow him until he takes an active part in the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60; 22:20). His journeys and adventures may be found in Acts.

Jerome Jerome was born at Stridon, a town on the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia, about the year 340-2 and died at Bethlehem, 30 September, 420. He went to Rome, probably about 360, where he was baptized, and became interested in ecclesiastical matters. From Rome he went to Trier, famous for its schools, and there began his theological studies. Later he went to Aquileia, and towards 373 he set out on a journey to the East. He settled first in Antioch. From 374-9 Jerome led an ascetical life in the desert south-west of Antioch, and was ordained priest at Antioch. He traveled to Constantinople and Rome. He made bitter enemies and was compelled to leave Rome. By way of Antioch and Alexandria he reached Bethlehem, in 386. He settled there in a monastery and led a life of asceticism and study. Jerome owes his place in the history of exegetical studies chiefly to his revisions and translations of the Bible (i.e., the Latin Vulgate).

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was born on 13 November, 354 at Tagaste, now Souk-Ahras, about 60 miles from Bona (ancient Hippo-Regius), which was at that time a small free city of proconsular Numidia which had recently been converted from Donatism. Although eminently respectable, his family was not rich, and his father, Patricius, one of the curiales of the city, was still a pagan. However, the admirable virtues that made Monica the ideal of Christian mothers at length brought her husband the grace of baptism and of a holy death, about the year 371. He lost his faith and later converted back to Christianity. At forty-two, became a bishop and occupied the See of Hippo for thirty-four years. He understood well how to combine the exercise of his pastoral duties with the austerities of the religious life, and although he left his order, his episcopal residence became a monastery where he lived a community life with his clergy, who bound themselves to observe religious poverty. The episcopal house of Hippo became a veritable nursery which supplied the founders of the monasteries that were soon spread all over Africa and the bishops who occupied the neighboring sees. Augustine earned the title of patriarch of the religious, and renovator of the clerical, life in Africa.

Cyprian of Carthage Nothing is known of the birth and early life of Cyprian of Carthage (Thaschus Cæcilius Cyprianus), Bishop and martyr. At the time of his conversion to Christianity he had, perhaps, passed middle life. He was famous as an orator and pleader, had considerable wealth, and held, no doubt, a great position in the metropolis of Africa. He was not a thinker, a philosopher, a theologian, but eminently a man of the world and an administrator, of vast energies, and of forcible and striking character. His conversion was due to an aged priest named Caecilianus, with whom he seems to have gone to live. Caecilianus in dying commended to Cyprian the care of his wife and family. While yet a catechumen Cyprian decided to observe chastity, and he gave most of his revenues to the poor. He sold his property, including his gardens at Carthage. His baptism probably took place c. 246, presumably on Easter eve, 18 April.

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (Chrysostomos, "golden-mouthed" so called on account of his eloquence), Doctor of the Church, was born at Antioch, c. 347 and died at Commana in Pontus, 14 September, 407. He is generally considered the


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most prominent doctor of the Greek Church and the greatest preacher ever heard in a Christian pulpit. His natural gifts, as well as exterior circumstances, helped him to become what he was. He attained considerable Greek scholarship and classical culture, which he did not disown in his later days. He became a deacon and priest at Antioch and the bishop of Constantinople. He was falsely accused of crimes, exiled to an area near modern day Armenia, and eventually dies after a forced march.

Tertullian Tertullian (Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus), an ecclesiastical writer in the second and third centuries, was born probably about 160 at Carthage, the son of a centurion in the proconsular service. He was evidently by profession an advocate in the law-courts, and he shows a close acquaintance with the procedure and terms of Roman law. After writing more virulently against the Church than even against heathen and persecutors, he separated from his religious order and founded a sect of his own. The remnant of the Tertullianists was reconciled to the Church by Augustine. A number of the works of Tertullian are on special points of belief or discipline. According to Jerome he lived to extreme old age. He wrote against the abuse of Imperial power, against heresy, and for catechumens.

John Cassian John Cassian, a monk and ascetic writer of Southern Gaul, and the first to introduce the rules of Eastern monasticism into the West, was born probably in Provence about 360 and died about 435, probably near Marseilles.

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican priest of the Roman Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism He came from one of the noblest families of the Kingdom of Naples, with the title of “counts of Aquino”. He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, and the father of Thomism. His influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy was conceived in development or refutation of his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory. Thomas Aquinas is held in the Catholic Church to be the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood and the highest expression of both natural reason and speculative theology. He is one of the 35 Doctors of the Church, he is considered the Church's greatest theologian and philosopher.

Martin Luther Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben in the Holy Roman Empire - in what is today southern Germany. He was the second son born to Hans and Margarete (Lindemann) Luther. He later entered the Augustinian Monastery at Erfurt. In 1513, he began his first lectures on the Psalms. In these lectures, Luther's critique of the theological world around him began to take shape. Later, in lectures on Paul's Epistle to the Romans (in 1515/16) his critique became more noticeable. It was during these lectures that Luther finally found the assurance that had evaded him for years. The discovery that changed Luther's life ultimately changed the course of church history and the history of Europe. He had discovered (or recovered) the doctrine of justification by grace alone.

Matthew Henry Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714) was an English commentator on the Bible and Presbyterian minister. He was born at Broad Oak, a farmhouse on the borders of Flintshire and Shropshire. His father, Philip Henry, had just been ejected under the Act of Uniformity 1662. Unlike most of his fellow-sufferers, Philip possessed some private means, and was thus able to give his son a good education. Matthew went first to a school at Islington, and then to Gray's Inn. He soon gave up his legal studies for theology, and in 1687 became minister of a Presbyterian congregation at Chester. He moved again in 1712 to Mare Street, Hackney. Two years later (22 June 1714), he died suddenly of apoplexy at the Queen's Aid House (41 High Street) in Nantwich while on a journey from Chester to London.

Thomas à Kempis

Thomas à Kempis , C.R.S.A., (Thomas van Kempen or Thomas Hemerken or Haemerken, litt. "small hammer"); (c. 1380 – 25 July 1471) was a canon regular of the late medieval period and the probable author of The Imitation of Christ, which is one of the best known Christian books on devotion. His name means “Thomas of Kempen”, his hometown, and in German he is known as Thomas von Kempen. He also is known by various spellings of his family name: Thomas Haemerkken; Thomas Hammerlein; Thomas Hemerken and Thomas Hämerken. He was born at the Lower Rhine town of Kempen, Germany, in the sovereign Prince-Archbishopric of Cologne about A.D. 1380.


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John Nicholas Lenker John Nicholas Lenker - (November 28, 1858–May 16, 1929). B. Sunbury, Pennsylvania; educ. Wittenberg Coll. and Hamma Divinity School, Springfield, Ohio, and Leipzig, Ger.; ordained 1880; pastor Grand Island, Nebraska, 1882–86; with Bd. of Christian Extension of Gen. Syn. 1886–94; prof. Trin. Sem. of the United Dan. Ev. Luth. Ch. in Am. (see Danish Lutherans in America, 5), Blair, Nebraska, 1900–04; settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1904, and served as pastor and miss. in and near the city; founded Luther Press. Founded and ed. Northern Review; other works include Lutherans in All Lands; Lutherans in All Lands, Supplement; Die Lutherische Kirche der Welt; tr. of M. Luther's works into Eng.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer (4 February 1906 - 9 April 1945) was a theologian, martyr, a spiritual writer, a musician, a pastor, and an author of poetry and fiction. The integrity of his Christian faith and life, and the international appeal of his writings, have received broad recognition and admiration, all of which has led to a consensus that he is one of the theologians of his time whose theological reflections might lead future generations of Christians into creating a new more spiritual and responsible millennium. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian famous for his stand against Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. His beliefs and convictions ultimately cost him his life in a Nazi concentration camp. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the most famous theologians and martyrs of the 20th century.

John Piper John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946) is a Calvinistic Baptist Christian preacher and author currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sam Walter Foss Sam Walter Foss was born in rural Candia, New Hampshire. He lost his mother at age four, worked on his father's farm and went to school in the winter. He graduated from Brown University in 1882, and would be considered illustrious enough to warrant having his name inscribed on the mace. Beginning in 1898, he served as librarian at the Somerville Public Library in Massachusetts. He married a minister's daughter, with whom he had a daughter and son. Foss used to write a poem a day for the newspapers, and his five volumes of collected poetry are of the frank and homely “common man” variety.

William H. Gross No biography of William H. Gross could be found on the Internet.

Dwight L. Moody Dwight L. Moody (February 5, 1837 – December 22, 1899), also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts (now Northfield Mount Hermon School), the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.

Thomas L. Constable, Th.D. Thomas L. Constable, Th.D. is the founder of Dallas Seminary’s Field Education department (1970) and the Center for Biblical Studies (1973), both of which he directed for many years before assuming other responsibilities. Today Dr. Constable maintains an active academic, pulpit supply, and conference-speaking ministry around the world. He has ministered in nearly three dozen countries and written commentaries on every book of the Bible. Dr. Constable also founded a church, pastored it for twelve years, and has served as one of its elders for over thirty years.

Edward W. A. Koehler Edward W. A. Koehler (1875-1951) was a faculty member at Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Illinois (now Concordia University) frlm1999 to 1951.

Henry C. Thiessen Henry C. Thiessen taught at Dallas theological Seminary and served as chairman of the Faculty of the Graduate School at Wheaton College.

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson Dr. Ralph F. Wilson is an Evangelical Christian who is the director of Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries. He has an intense interest in using the Internet to teach the Bible and train disciples.

Petey Prater


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Petey Prater is a retired nurse who writes the Web site Prayer Power from Beaverton, OR, where she has lived for thirty-five years, all of them in the same home. She is married to Don, her husband of forty-eight years, who is an engineer. In addition to her Prayer Power column Petey has co-written or contributed to several books and published poetry, devotionals and articles. Many have appeared in LIVE, Daily Bread, Pathways to God, and Bible Advocate. She belongs to Oregon Christian Writers where it has been her joy to co-chair the intercessory prayer team for over 10 years. A weekly prayer meeting has convened in her home for over forty-five years. These corporate and personal prayer times provide much of the insight for her prayer column.

Peter M. Berg No biography could be found of Peter M. Berg other than a very short obituary.

Bryan Vinson, Sr., Bryan Vinson, Sr., was editor of Truth Magazine. Not much more information could be found on the Internet.

Thomas Watson Thomas Watson (c. 1620 - 1686) was an English, Nonconformist, Puritan preacher and author. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen-year pastorate at St. Stephen's, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in a plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released in 1652, and was reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook. He obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for Nonconformity. Notwithstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret.

Charles H. Spurgeon Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was a British Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". He was a strong figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition, defending the Church in agreement with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith understanding, and opposing the liberal and pragmatic theological tendencies in the Church of his day.

C. Hassell Bullock Clarence Hassell Bullock (born 1939) is an American professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Illinois and current president of the Evangelical Theological Society. He received his B.A. in English from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in 1961. Afterward, he earned a B.D. from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1964, and he then went on to earn his Ph.D. in Old Testament from the Jewish Institute of Religion at Hebrew Union College in 1970. He has served as both a pastor and a professor. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Birmingham in 1972 and since, he has served as the part-time pastor at nine different churches in Illinois as well as the full-time pastor at First United Presbyterian Church of Trussville in Trussville, Alabama. As an educator, Bullock has taught at Bible and theology-related schools in seven different foreign countries, including Israel, Jamaica, Romania, and Japan. In the United States, he has also taught at Birmingham Extension Seminary and Lee College.

H.C.G. Moule Handley Carr Glyn Moule was the youngest of eight sons of the vicar of Fordington, Dorchester. He was educated at home with his brothers prior to attending university at Cambridge, where he excelled in his studies. He was ordained in 1867 and was curate at Fordington before being appointed as sub-dean of Trinity College, Cambridge in 1873. He became first principal of Ridley Hall Theological College, Cambridge, in 1881, and Norrisian Professor of Divinity in 1899. In 1901, he succeeded B.F. Westcott as Bishop of Durham. Moule was a convinced evangelical, but was understanding of other views. He represented evangelicals at the Round Table Conference on Holy Communion (1900) and, in 1908, chaired the missionary section of the Pan-Anglican Congress. He was closely associated with the Keswick Convention. Although he was a profound scholar, he could speak and write for ordinary people. He wrote many hymns and poems; and his works include expositions and commentaries on nearly all the Epistles, as well as books on devotion and a down-to-earth work on theology, Outlines of Christian Doctrine.

Hans-Joachim Kraus


142

Hans-Joachim Kraus (December 17, 1918 in Essen - November 14, 2000 ) was a German Reformed theologian. He was known for his historical work on the historical-critical biblical scholarship and commitment to Jewish-Christian dialogue.

Dr. Vic Reasoner Dr. Vic Reasoner is a Methodist theologian and pastor. He is also involved with the Fundamental Wesleyan Society and the Arminian Magazine.

Michael Stoltzfus Michael Stoltzfus is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Valdosta State University. He teaches courses in the areas of world religions, religion and culture.

Fulton J. Sheen Fulton John Sheen (born Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 - December 9, 1979) was an American archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. For 20 years he hosted the night-time radio program The Catholic Hour (1930–1950) before moving to television and presenting Life Is Worth Living (1951–1957). Sheen's final presenting role was on the syndicated The Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968) with a format very similar to that of the earlier Life is Worth Living show. For this work, Sheen twice won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality. Starting in 2009, his shows were being re-broadcast on the EWTN and the Trinity Broadcasting Network's Church Channel cable networks Due to his contribution to televised preaching Sheen is often referred to as one of the first televangelists.


143

14 Bibliography

Church Fathers J.G. Cunningham, Trans., St. Augustine, Letter 130, accessed October 10, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1102130.htm.

C.S. Gibson, Trans. John Cassian, The First Conference of Abbot Isaac, “On Prayer”, Accessed October 17, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/350809.htm.

C.S. Gibson, Trans. John Cassian, The Second Conference of Abbot Isaac, “On Prayer”, Accessed October 17, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/350809.htm.

George Prevost, Trans., St. John Chrysostom, “Homily 19 on Matthew”, Accessed October 18, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200119.htm.

Robert Ernest Wallis, Trans. St. Cyprian of Carthage, “Epistle 7 To the Clergy, Concerning Prayer to God”, Accessed October 19, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050607.htm.

S. Thelwall, Trans., Tertullian, Accessed October 17, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0322.htm,

S. Thelwall, Trans., Tertullian, Apology, Accessed October 29, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0301.htm.

W.H. Fremantle, Trans., Jerome, Letter 46, Accessed October 29, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3001046.htm.

Church Doctors Translator Unknown, Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part, “Question 21”, accessed November 5, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4021.htm.

Early Commentators Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, accessed January 4, 2012, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/kempis/imitation.html.

Reformers Theodore G. Tappert, Ed. and Trans., Luther’s Works, Table Talk, (Fortress Press, Philadelphia, PA) 18, 38, 52-53, 85, 259, 340, 439, 454.

Christopher Boyd Brown, Ed., Luther’s Works, Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, Chapters 17-20, (Concordia, St. Louis, MO) 18-19.

Dr. Henry Cole, trans., Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, (Internet Archive) accessed March 29, 2012, http://archive.org/details/lutherscommentar01luth. (John Nicholas Lenker, D. D., ed., Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, Sunbury, PA, 1903.)

Dr. Henry Cole, trans., “Preface to the Revised Edition of the German Psalter” found in Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, (Internet Archive) accessed March 29, 2012, http://archive.org/details/lutherscommentar01luth.

John Nicholas Lenker, D. D., ed., Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, (Sunbury, PA, 1903.)

Trans. Unk, Martin Luther, “A Simple Way to Pray”, (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY,2011).

Trans. Unk, Martin Luther, “A Simple Way to Pray”, accessed October 13, 2012, http://www.hope-aurora.org/docs/ASimpleWaytoPray.pdf.

Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert, Ed., The Book of Concord, the Small Catechism, “The Lord’s Prayer” (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, MN, 2000) 356-358.


144

Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert, Ed., The Book of Concord, the Large Catechism, “The Lord’s Prayer” (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, MN, 2000) 440-456.

Trans. Unk, The Book of Concord, the Large Catechism, “The Lord’s Prayer”, accessed October 9, 2012, http://bookofconcord.org/lc-5-ourfather.php.

Rev. Robert E. Smith, Ed., Martin Luther, The Large Catechism, XI. Part Third, “Of Prayer”, http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/catechism/web/cat-11.html.

Dr. Henry Cole, trans., Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, (Internet Archive) accessed March 29, 2012, http://archive.org/details/lutherscommentar01luth. (John Nicholas Lenker, D. D., ed., Luther's Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, Sunbury, PA, 1903.) 25-56

Later Commentators Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete), Psalms 1-75, (Bible Study Tools) accessed September 24, 2012, http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/psalms-1-75/.

Charles Spurgeon, Sermon 252, “Holy Violence”, accessed November 26, 2012, http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0252.htm.

Fulton J. Sheen, Lift up Your Heart, “Prayer and Meditation”, (Image Books, Garden City, NY, 1954), 178-199.

John W. Doberstein, trans., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, “The Secret of the Psalter”, (San Fransicso, CA, Harper 1954) 44-51.

Kevin Perrotta, Praying with Jesus, (Loyola Press, Chicago, IL, 2002).

Dwight L. Moody, “Prevailing Prayer: What Hinders It?”, accessed October 26, 2012, http://www.bibleteacher.org/moodypray1.htm.

Desiring God Foundation, “A Summary Theology of Prayer”, accessed October 27, 2012, http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/a-summary-theology-of-prayer.

Thomas L. Constable, Talking to God: What the Bible Teaches about Prayer - A Biblical Theology of Prayer, accessed October 27, 2012, http://www.soniclight.com/constable/prayer/prayer.pdf.

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, “Psalms in Worship throughout the Centuries” accessed October 29, 2012, http://www.jesuswalk.com/psalms/psalms-worship.htm.

Dwight L. Moody, Reading God’s Word, Chapter 3, accessed October 29, 2012, http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/bofbooks/booksch3.htm.

H.C.G. Moule, Secret Prayer, accessed January 16, 2013, http://archive.org/details/secretprayer00moul.

Later Theologians John Piper, The Pleasures of God (Multinomah, Portland. OR, 1991) 24.

Edward W. A. Koehler, A Summary of Christian Doctrine, (Concordia, St. Louis, MO, 2006), 224-225.

Henry C. Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1979), 227-228.

Michael Stoltzfus, “Martin Luther: A Pure Doctrine of Faith”, accessed December 5, 2012, http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Journal-of-Lutheran-Ethics/Issues/January-2003/Martin-Luther-A-Pure-Doctrine-of-Faith.aspx.

Hans-Joachim Kraus, Theology of the Psalms, as cited in C. Hassell Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms, (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001) 46.

General Research Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, “Prayer”, accessed October 5, 2012, http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/prayer.html.


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Paul J. Achtemeier, Gen. Ed., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, “Music”, “Prayer”, “Poetry”, “The Psalms”, “Psalms of Solomon”, “Psalter”, (Harper and Row, San Francisco, CA, 1985), 665-671, 804-806, 816-817, 833-837.

Merrill C. Tenney, Gen. Ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume Four, “Prayer”, (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI), 835-844.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, “Prayer”, accessed October 5, 2012, http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/prayer.html

The Catholic Encyclopedia, “Prayer”, accessed October 5, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12345b.htm The Catholic Encyclopedia, “An attitude or posture at prayer”, accessed November 28, 2012, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06423a.htm.

A Report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, “Theology and Practice of Prayer, A Lutheran View”, (The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, St. Louis, MO, November 2011).

Harry Wendt, Praying like Jesus the Messiah, (Crossways International, Minneapolis, MN, 2005) 33.

Dr. Robert A. Cook, Accessed October 20, 2012, http://www.walkwiththeking.org/.

Ray Stedman.org, Sam Walter Foss, “The Prayer of Cyrus Brown”, accessed October 12, 2012, http://www.raystedman.org/thematic-studies/prayer/the-nature-of-prayer

William H. Gross, “Prayer - Overview”, accessed October 26, 2012, http://www.onthewing.org/

Petey Prater, “Hindrances to Prayer – Distractions”, accessed November 6, 2012, http://www.womenofthecross.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10.

Untitled and undated sermon, unidentified preacher, from St. Mark's Lutheran, West Henrietta, New York, pertinent to “The Paradox of Both law and Gospel”, NY, accessed November 8, 2012, http://www.saintmarkslutheran.org/. [May not be accessible via Church’s Web site. Google the term “The Paradox of Both Law and Gospel” and look for an MS Word document.]

Peter M. Berg, Hope Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Fremont, California, “The Eucharist Petition” accessed November 8, 2012, http://hopelutheranfremont.org/motley/v2n3_a5.htm.

Bryan Vinson, Sr., Truth Magazine VI: 7, “God’s Mindfulness of Man”, accessed November 18, 2012, http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume6/TM006076.htm.

Thomas Watson, Heaven Taken By Storm, “Holy Violence”, accessed November 26, 2012, http://www.evanwiggs.com/revival/prinpray/violence.html.

Dr. Vic Reasoner, “Violence and Victory”, accessed November 27, 2012, http://fwponline.cc/v22i1/reasoner.html.

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