Have A Little Talk With Jesus,The Lord's Prayer in the Old Testament 3

Q. Would you mind sharing your knowledge of God's word on just how we relate to Jesus during the time we are living? I believe conservative Christians avoid being a cult type "Jesus person" and avoid Him completely except for a closing to prayers. Do we only talk thru Him as our mediator or do we also talk to Him directly? I don't want to ignore Him but I don't want to assume a relationship that is in any way disrespectful. - JWW.
- - answer page #3

JESUS WAS UNDER THE LAW. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4,5).

Prayer And Relationship. We are considering what our relationship to our Lord Jesus is. Some would assert communicationⁱ is a basis for a true relationship.ⁱⁱ One writer, in mentioning a book entitled Communionⁱⁱⁱ with God, says such a title “is another old-fashioned way of saying ‘relationship with God.’”^iv He interprets that a relationship cannot be a one-sided communication. Not only should one listen to the other but we should in turn speak to the other.^v This is true with a relationship with God.

Jesus had such a relationship with God. When Jesus spoke with Heaven, the chief word used is “praying.^vi” Jesus “prayed” alone in the morning while it was still dark.^vii He “prayed” alone when evening came.^viii He would pray all night.^ix He prayed for Simon’s faith. He prayed in the garden close but separate from others.^x He prayed in the hearing of others for the Father to forgive His adversaries.^xi Jesus had confidence that the Father always heard Him.^xii

“Christian Prayers”? What is the first “Christian” prayer in the New Testament that comes to mind? Is it not what is usually called “the Lord’s Prayer”? To Christendom this prayer is decidedly “our” basic prayer. “The most common prayer among Christians (sic) is the ‘Lord's Prayer’, which according to the gospel accounts is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray.”^xiii One large denomination considers it a brief paraphrase of the whole gospel.^xiv Another group stresses that “Jesus Christ himself gave all of us a pattern for prayer: The Lord's Prayer - Christ's model for all of us.”^xv

But are these views of the Lord’s Prayer correct? It is important to be cautious in applying Jesus’ words. Just because Jesus taught it does not place it under the umbrella of Christianity.^xvi Remember that Jesus like John the Baptist taught repentance toward the Law of Moses. That repentance meant that they needed to stop sinning against the Law of Moses and go back to obeying it. For example, “And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them” (Matthew 8:4b). Christians are not expected to “shew themselves to the [Temple] priest.” “Obeying” Moses’ commands does not make one a Christian.

Just because Jesus is speaking does not automatically mean His comment is applicable to His kingdom which as He verbally says in the prayer was “yet to come.” Our text in Galatians 4 specifically says that Jesus was born (made) “under the Law”; i.e., “lived under the Jewish Law” (Good News Bible Version).^xvii Even though the Law was in its consummation, yet, the Lord’s Prayer was simply given “under the Law”

The Lord’s Prayer Is Considered Identical To The Prayers Under The Law. The “Lord’s Prayer” is actually a brief prayer given at the very end of the Old and is equivalent to and/or compatible with the Law and Prophets of the OT. Jesus gives it twice, once in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 6:9-13) and once privately to his apostles (Luke 11:1-4). Some think that “It contains three common elements of Jewish prayers: praise, petition, and a yearning for the coming kingdom of God.”^xviii Jewish Rabbis have been quoted as saying that one can find each of the seven petitions in their Bible. Rowan Douglas Williams, a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet has written, “If you take the Lord's Prayer bit by bit, there's probably not a great deal that you wouldn't find somewhere in the Old Testament or in Jewish prayers.”^xix

The Lord’s Prayer Is Equivalent To King David’s Prayer. It is identical in many ways to King David’s prayer in the OT (1 Chronicles 29:10-18) in preparation for the Temple and reign of his son King Solomon:

• 5th petition: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

• 6th petition: “And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”

• Doxology: “For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours forever. Amen.” (In Matthew only).^xx

David: “Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.“ (v. 10).

David: “Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel” (v. 10). “Now therefore, our God, we thank thee and praise thy glorious name.” (v. 13).

David: “Thine is the kingdom, o Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.” (v. 11). “And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart” (v. 19).

Comparison: Similar. Both are anticipating a new reign but God is over all. Solomon in prayer recognized his reign was of God: “And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead” (2 Chronicles 1:8).

David: “You have pleasure in uprightness” (v. 18). “Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee.” (v. 18).

David: “Both riches and honour come of thee … and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all” (v. 12). “… and is all thine own.” (v. 16). “for all things come of thee … our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” (v. 14, 15).

David: “As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.”

Comparison: [Forgiveness in OT was contingent on the store offerings and animal sacrifices that were a shadow of Christ’s death and His forgiveness. David mentions this. “They had offered (stores) willingly” (v.9). “And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD on the morrow”(v. 21)].

– as we forgive our debtors. This basis is not included in the David’s prayer.

Contrast: David does not mention this. “As we forgive our debtors” is tied specifically to our forgiveness in the gospels (“as Jesus forgave us”). The equivalency would be in the OT command to “love”: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:16-18). “Love covers an offense” (Proverbs 17:9). Also, such directions as in “helping your enemy” (Exodus 23:4-5).

Sixth petition: Lead us not into temptation (trials) but deliver us from the evil.

David: “I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness.” (v. 17). “Keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee.” (v. 18).

David: “Thou reignest over all; and in thie hand is power and might” (v. 12) “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.” (v. 11 ).

When we consider what a Christians’ relationship to the Lord is, we cannot let the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” be a limiting guide any more than using David’s prayer in the Old Testament. The Lord’s Prayer was given under the Law even though it was at its consummation. I want to yet look at when and to whom the Lord’s Prayer was given.

i Communication: “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

ii Three foundations for a “relationship”: “Some may say it's honesty, some may say it's communication, but I believe it to be trust.” - https://www.theodysseyonline.com/trust-underlying-basis-relationships

iii Communion: “intimate fellowship or rapport: communication” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

iv https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-relationship-with-god

v “A person who does all the talking and never listens ends up with a very one-sided friendship—or no friendship at all. So besides talking to God, we need to hear what He has to say.” -

https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/building-a-better-relationship-with-god

vi Basically means “to supplicate” (ask for something) – Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

xiv https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/december-web-only/should-lords-prayer-be-changed.html

xvi “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: … that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Where does the gospel begin? 1 Corinthians 15:1-6. What does Paul say he delivered first of all concerning the gospel? What is referred to as the “beginning”? (Acts 11:15 comparing with Acts 2).

xvii In the previous chapter (Galatians 3:15ff) this Law was explained to be the one given “430 years after (Abraham).” This was Moses’ Law. Jesus was subject to that Law. So were they all, said Paul, “kept under the law, shut up unto → the faith which should afterwards be revealed” (Galatians 3:23). Did not the Law last until “the faith” was come (3:23)? “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24).

xix Williams also wrote, “If somebody said, give me a summary of Christian faith on the back of an envelope, the best thing to do would be to write Our Lord's Prayer.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/prayer/lordsprayer_1.shtml

xx Based on an article’s analysis https://mrstorage.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/a-brief-exegetical-study-of-the-lord %E2%80%99s-prayer/

Relating To Our Lord #3