IN JESUS’ TIME —and also now—Jews were taught to pray ritualistically. For Jews, prayer as a service of the heart is in principle a Torah-based commandment. Traditionally, three prayer services were recited daily: Morning prayer, the “prayer of the dawn;” afternoon prayer, asking blessing on Temple sacrifices performed by the priests in Jerusalem; and evening prayer, the “bringing on of night.”
But Jesus prayed differently. In addition to the prayers of ritual, he would go off alone to pray directly to his Father; this did not go unnoticed by his disciples: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’” (Mark 1:35-37) He prayed often to his Father for them, in front of them. “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:9) And, he prayed for them individually during their times of need. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)
The disciples had never experienced anyone praying like this before. It was novel to them that someone could pray directly to God in such a familiar and conversational way, unguided by ritual or time of day; their interest had been stimulated. “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” (Luke 11:1)
That which we call the Lord’s Prayer is much shorter in the Luke version. The prayer in Matthew is not only longer, but the introduction prefaces the specific teaching of the prayer with critical teaching about the attitudes of the heart necessary for intimate prayer with the Father. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” (Matt. 6:5a) Unlike them, disciples are to “Go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matt. 6:6) Some have mistakenly taught from this that all prayer is to be done in secret, but that is not the case. The point of Jesus’ admonition is cautionary. Disciples are not to pray in such a way that they are seeking public acclaim.
Paul says, in respect to Christian communal life, that we are to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18) In Acts, when Peter was miraculously released from prison, “The church was earnestly praying to God for him.” (Acts 1:5) When he came to his senses and recognized that he was actually on the street, not dreaming in his cell, he went to the house of Mary, John Mark’s mother, “Where many people gathered and were praying.” (Acts 12:12)
The first differentiating aspect of Matthew’s version of the Lords’ Prayer is in the inclusion of the word “Our.” (Matt. 9a) This moves the prayer from personal to communal, and adds a deep foundational theological premise; the God to whom Jesus prays, and to whom his disciples pray, is Father to all. Every barrier between race, gender, age, and social status is struck down by this one word. Next, “Our Father” (Matt. 9a) binds us together as a common humanity in union with God. This does not mean all of humanity. Jesus has made it clear elsewhere that “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) When Jesus prays “Your kingdom come,” (Matt. 10a) he opens a glimpse of heaven, and a fulfillment in part of Isaiah’s prayer, “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!” (Isa. 64:1) The God who had always been transcendent, far away in the unseen heavenly realm, is now being made immanent, present in time and place, close enough to pray to and be heard.
Further, in Matthew’s rendition Jesus significantly prays “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 10b) This is a heart-cry across the ages, the prayer of all believers, that finally God will rule not only in the heavens, but also manifestly on the earth, after its tawdry history of self-rule comes to the inevitable end. We see this now through Paul’s informed view, “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:20-21)
Finally, Matthew’s version is an enhanced understanding of sin and forgiveness, which includes “Deliver us from the evil one.” (Matt. 13b) as an outcome of both repentance and forgiveness. This deliverance is specifically from the power given Satan to tempt; when we repent of our own sins, and forgive those who sin against us, we have effectively closed a door through which Satan may otherwise legitimately tempt us. (cf. 1 John 1:9)
The Lord’s Prayer has been called a model prayer for good reason. And it is good for us to revisit it often. But it is not meant to become the only way we pray, for then it becomes just another ritual, and we are liable to treat it as such. Instead, we see in it a pattern for prayer: worship and adoration, followed by the acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God, followed by petition and/or intercession. It is a good way to learn to pray confidently; it is also a doorway into effective prayer in both personal and communal prayer. Through practicing the Lord’s Prayer, we grow into confidence in coming before our Father in a treasured relationship in which we may righteously ask for our needs and those of others.
Father, this day I ask on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ for a deeper knowledge of your will as they each grow daily in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray for new expanse in width, depth, and breadth of prayer life for all of us. I pray this, Father, as I worship you and give thanks for your presence and daily guidance. Amen.
Q. How do I know that the Lord hears my prayers?
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