Rabbi Teach Us To Pray - Ebook

WHAT THE
JEWISHNESS OF JESUS
CAN TEACH CHRISTIANS
ABOUT PRAYER
WHAT THE
JEWISHNESS OF JESUS
CAN TEACH CHRISTIANS
ABOUT PRAYER
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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Service of the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Conversation with the Creator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
The Hour of Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Turning toward Jerusalem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
In Yeshua’s Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Seeking the Kingdom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
The Bread of Tomorrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
          v
Introduction
Prayer in the World of Jesus
W hat is a disciple?
Discipleship already existed as a well-established insti-
tution within Judaism long before the appearance of Jesus and his
followers. All the great sages, rabbis, leaders of the Pharisees, and
teachers of the Bible had disciples. The Hebrew word for “disciple”
is talmid, a word that simply means “student.” A disciple’s job was
to learn everything his master had to teach.
The association between disciple and master was much deeper
than the typical teacher-student relationship today. Disciples mem-
orized their teachers’ interpretations, explanations, and exegesis
of Scripture. They memorized the stories, parables, illustrations,
and anecdotes their teachers told.
Disciples learned through imitation. They learned to live out
the Bible’s instructions by mimicking their teachers and incorpo-
rating their manner of observance into their own. Disciples kept
the commandments the way they learned from their teachers.
A disciple endeavored to become like his or her teacher: “A disciple
is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will
be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
This explains why Jesus’ disciples were so eager to learn from
the Lord about prayer:
IIntroductio          1
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he fin-
ished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to
pray, as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1)
Praying is such a natural, simple act. Prayer is talking to God.

It is what we were created to do. Is it necessary to study and research
something so basic?
Jesus’ disciples had grown up as observant Jews; they had been
praying all their lives. Nevertheless, they knew that there was more
for them to learn, and they wanted to imitate their Master in prayer.
While prayer is a simple concept, it is worthy of deep, lifelong study.
We followers of Jesus today also desire to be true disciples. We
wish to follow Jesus’ teachings, imitate his actions, and let his words
flow easily from our lips. We want to pray as he prayed.
Those of us in the Western world face somewhat of a cul-
tural barrier. We follow a Jewish rabbi named Yeshua who lived
thousands of years ago in the land of Israel. As artistic depictions
throughout the centuries have shown, it is much easier to make
Jesus seem like one of us than it is for us to become like him.
Becoming like him does not mean that non-Jewish Christians
need become or act like first-century Jews. However, for us to relate
Jesus’ teachings to our culture and time, we must recognize and
understand the Jewish culture that permeates the New Testament.
Just as a verse can be taken out of context, so the entire Bible is out
of context if it is divorced from the Jewish people.
By the same token, we can gain such a richness and depth
by restoring the Jewish context of the Gospels. Like the Jewish
people who are returning to the land of Israel and thriving today,
it is inspiring to see the words of our Master come alive when they,
too, return to their native soil.
2 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

Service of the Heart
The Intense Connection

between Prayer and Sacrifice
The young man’s white linen robe shone in the morning sun;
his sharp knife glistened as he bent down to the restrained
animal. He paused for a moment; one wrong thought would
render this sacrifice useless. Glancing toward the court of
Israel, he spotted the man who had sent the animal stand-
ing just below the Levitical platform. A burnt offering for
the LORD, he thought in his heart, and in a smooth, swift
motion, the knife opened the goat’s neck.
= = =
I n the ancient Temple the priests performed many duties in

connection with the sacrifices and offerings. They slaughtered,
flayed, skinned, and butchered animals. Sacred portions went
up in smoke on the altar, while the remaining meat was cooked
and eaten. In modern Western culture most of us have no qualms
about processing meat, but it would seem bizarre and foreign to
those in our society to do so as an act of worshiping a deity.
SServicSSeSSerSeServ          3
The Heartbeat of the Whole Earth
Christians are most familiar with sacrifices as they relate to sin,
atonement, and forgiveness. But the Jewish sacrifices were much
more than that. The Hebrew word for sacrifice, korban, has the
basic meaning of “drawing near.” Sometimes this drawing near
served as a remedy for the distance between people and God
caused by sin or negligence. Other times it was a simple act of
love, devotion, or thanks.
The priests had many other duties as well. Removing ashes,
hauling firewood, preparing and offering the aromatic incense,
and preparing and lighting the lamp stand (called the menorah)
are some examples. The Bible describes the sacrifices and other
tasks using the Hebrew word avodah, which literally means “ser-
vice” or “work.”
Scripture uses this term in other ways as well. Deuteronomy
10:12 reads,
Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of

you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his
ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all
your heart and with all your soul?
What does it mean to serve God with our hearts? If “service” in

the Temple means offering sacrifices, then what type of “service”
would we do in our own hearts? The ancient rabbis pondered this
question and concluded that the phrase “service of the heart” must
refer to prayer.
But wait—does this term suggest that, while prayer is done with
heartfelt intention, the sacrificial rituals in the Temple were merely
mindless motions? This cannot be since even the sacrifices had to
be performed as expressions of sincere love for God and with full
concentration. Also, we express prayer with our mouths; we do

not merely ponder or feel it in our hearts. So how could prayer be
considered service of the heart but sacrifice not be?
The “heart” does not refer to an organ used to perform prayer.
Rather, it is the place where the service of God happens. Likewise,
the Levitical duties are not the service of the hands; they are the
service of the altar.
In the Temple at the time of Jesus, the altar was a massive stone
platform. Priests carried golden vessels of blood and splashed
some of the blood against the sides of the altar, then poured the
remainder into drains at the altar’s base. From there the blood
flowed out through underground channels into the Kidron Valley,
one of Jerusalem’s streambeds. The priests ascended the altar by
a huge ramp and placed sacred portions of meat on one of the
large fires that burned on its top. Ancient Jewish sources reported
that the smoke from those sacrifices rose like a pillar into the sky,
untouched by the wind.
In some way beyond human understanding, this process caused
the presence of God to connect with a physical place on earth. The
Tabernacle in the wilderness and, later, the Temple in Jerusalem
were spaces where one could encounter the Creator of the universe.
Prayer has the same effect, except instead of drawing the Spirit
of God into a courtyard or building, it moves him to take residence
inside our hearts.
The correspondence between sacrifice and prayer is remark-
able. The daily rhythm of the sacrifices mimics the lub-dub cours-
ing of blood through our hearts but on a monumental scale. The
Temple, as it were, is like the beating heart of the whole earth. In
the absence of the Temple, this heartbeat nonetheless continues
among those who draw near to their Creator in prayer.
Let My Prayer Be Counted as Incense
Sitting under the open sky in the Temple court, the pale stone
platform-like altar was the size of a house. Within the Sanc-
tuary was a much different kind of altar. A little more than
waist high, its ornate gold designs enclosed a wooden interior.
Freshly arranged coals glowed atop the golden altar’s square

surface. An elderly priest stood with his cupped hands full of
reddish powder. His colleague stood at the doorway, peering
out and waiting for the correct moment. “Burn it!” he called,
and then departed, leaving the priest alone in the holy place.
Immediately the old man reached out over the coals and
began to let the powder sift through his fingers. He started
on the far side, drawing his hands back toward his body so
that the rising smoke would not burn them. As the fine dust
hit the coals, it billowed and sparked with a crackling noise,
sending a pungent, bittersweet fragrance into the air. The hot
smoke raced toward the ceiling.
The old man gasped as a humanlike figure to his right caught

his eye. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has
been heard.”
= = =
Prayer and sacrifice have strong parallels, but they are not entirely
the same. The sacrificial service serves to draw the entire world
collectively near to God, so it happens externally in a central loca-
tion. Prayer connects each individual with our Father in heaven,
and this takes place within each one of us.
The two are not interchangeable or redundant. To the contrary,
prayer was always to accompany the sacrifice. To sacrifice without
sincere prayer would have been pointless and empty.

On the other hand, prayer stands on its own. Even in situations
in which sacrifice is not possible, prayer is worthwhile and effec-
tive. Prayer is a powerful opportunity to meet with the Creator of
the universe in the comfort of our own hearts.
When the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 CE and the
sacrificial services could no longer take place, the leading Jewish
voices at that time assured their community that prayers could
continue nonetheless. They based this on Hosea 14:3[2]:
Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to

him, “Forgive all iniquity, and accept what is good. Let
us exchange bulls for our lips.” (author’s translation)
The Hebrew of this biblical passage is difficult but clever. The

word for “exchange” sounds as if it means, “bring a peace offering.”
The word “bulls” is similar to the word “fruit,” making a phrase
reminiscent of “the fruit of our lips.”
Hosea pleaded with Israel at the time when the Northern
Kingdom had fallen into apostasy and was worshiping false gods.
The people’s sacrifices to God were meaningless because of their
unfaithfulness. Hosea explained that the solution was not to offer
more empty sacrifices. Rather, he said, “For I desire steadfast love
and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offer-
ings” (Hosea 6:6). Hosea’s desire was for the people to repent by
turning to God with prayer and changing their ways.
The author of Hebrews also picks up on this theme, comparing
words and good deeds to sacrificial offerings:
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice

of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowl-
edge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share
what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
(Hebrews 13:15–16)
King David expressed the connection between the offering of
incense and his prayers as well:
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the

lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (Psalm
141:2)
This theme appears once again in Revelation:
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.
(Revelation 8:3–4)
This spiritual reality should encourage us. Just as the sacrifices

were powerful and effective in bringing the presence of the infinite
God to our finite earth, so too, prayer draws the Spirit of God into
our hearts. However, sacrifice requires elaborate preparation, a
sanctified priesthood, and an undefiled environment. How are
we to emulate this in prayer, especially when we feel unprepared
and unworthy?
The writer of Hebrews gives us hope that the Messiah has
already prepared the way, allowing us to engage in prayer—the
service of the heart—with confidence and assurance:
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, and since we have a great priest
over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with
pure water. (Hebrews 10:19–22)

Let’s not take this opportunity lightly. When we draw near to
God in prayer as disciples of Yeshua of Nazareth, we capture the
attention of the infinite, all-powerful Being who created us, chose
us, and loves us.
Conversation with
the Creator
Extemporaneous Prayer
in the Jewish Faith
Malka stood in the cool shade of the Western Wall’s stones.

So many Jewish tears had been shed in this sacred spot that
Gentile onlookers had taken to calling it the “Wailing Wall,”
but to Malka it was the Kotel HaMa’aravi, the ancient retain-
ing wall that had once formed the base of the Holy Temple.
The melodious sound of the morning prayers rung out from

the men’s section across the divider. Malka held her prayer
book near her face, but only to block out the commotion and
create a miniature private sanctuary. She poured out her
heart to God in her own words.
What she said was not particularly poetic, profound, or

well organized, but it certainly was heartfelt. At times she
bubbled over with gratitude and love; other times she sounded
more like an unsatisfied customer trying to explain why she
deserved a full refund. Just about everything came up: her
children, her finances, her parents in America, victims of
a recent terror attack, her social anxiety, her brother in the
Israel Defense Forces, her sister’s recent surgery, the elections …
= = =
CConversatioCConvCConCoConverC          11
P rayer is talking to God. Conversational, extemporaneous
prayer is the oldest kind of prayer; it goes all the way back to
Adam. Over time poets, prophets, and scholars have composed
powerful and inspiring odes, psalms, hymns, and petitions that
are treasured by the Jewish community, but they have never lost
the art of simple conversation.
Constant Awareness
Jewish life is designed to remind a person of the presence of God.
Observant Jewish men wear a skullcap called a yarmulke; its name
relates to the Hebrew words for “fear of the king,” and it serves as
a continuous reminder that God is above. Tassels known as tzitzit
dangle from a four-cornered undershirt; the Bible explains that
their purpose is for Jews “to look at and remember all the com-
mandments of the LORD, to do them” (Numbers 15:39).
Before tasting any food, when seeing a rainbow, after hearing
thunder, and even after using the bathroom, Jews utter a brief
expression of thanks. Many Jews try to be cognizant of even the
smallest, most mundane details of life and carry them out in a way
that acknowledges the presence of God.
These habits have the potential to make one’s whole life feel like
a conversation with our Father in heaven. At the very least, it calls
to our attention the fact that he is always listening and interested
in what we do and say. It reminds us to be full of gratitude for even
the basic things in life.
Pray without Ceasing

Scripture instructs us that prayer should be constant in our lives:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all cir-
cumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). This verse expresses the Jewish attitude
toward prayer. When one remains aware of God’s presence, all of
life becomes a constant conversation with him.
The “constant conversation” mode of Jewish prayer is depicted
(albeit somewhat caricatured) in Fiddler on the Roof as Tevye freely
includes God in his everyday life. While not every observant Jew
communicates with God in this manner throughout the day, some
certainly do, and this is natural within Jewish life. Mothers with
small children may not find many opportunities to complete the
formal daily prayers at their set times, but by speaking with God
throughout the day, they maintain an intimate connection with
him. The ancient sage Rabbi Yochanan said, “Would that a man
pray all day long!”
Perhaps we do not feel eloquent enough to pray. But prayer
does not require poetry. Our private prayers should be in our native
language, in the type of speech that is most natural for us, because
it should express what is in our hearts. Our goal is not to impress
God with our vocabulary but to open communication with him. We
can think of ourselves as small children with our mother or father.
In any case, if we do not have the words to pray, then that is
what we should pray about. We should tell our Father in heaven
that we can’t think of what to say and why. If we feel inadequate
or unworthy or overwhelmed, we can tell him that and ask him
for help.
Conversational prayer dispels the excuse “I don’t have time
to pray.” We can talk with God in this way while walking, driving,
washing dishes, or gardening. Jews do not have the custom of
bowing heads or folding hands when praying. Just talking, as when
talking to any friend, is good enough.
Wrestling in Prayer
The soil had turned to dust. The children’s mouths were
parched. The drought had gone on too long, so there was no
water for the crowds arriving in Jerusalem for Passover. In
desperation the people turned to Honi, a man whose prayers
had proven to be effective.
Honi prayed, but no rain fell. Honi then traced a circle in the
dust and stepped inside. “I will not move from this place until
you have compassion on your children!” he cried out to God.
= = =
We might feel too distant from God to speak to him. This becomes
a self-fulfilling notion, of course. Even if we feel utterly rejected
by God, we have to fight back. We have to demand that our Father
take us back—and to keep doing so no matter how long it takes. He
wants us to do this. Prayer, from a Jewish perspective, is a struggle.
It is a struggle within ourselves, and it is a struggle with God.
Moses did exactly this when God threatened to reject Israel.
He struggled with God and actually won.
After the incident of the golden calf, God told Moses, “Let
me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may
consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you”
(Exodus 32:10). But when Moses refused God’s order, “the LORD
relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his
people” (Exodus 32:14).
How was it possible for Moses to win against the Creator of
the universe? It was possible precisely because God wanted him
to win. Because Moses was willing to take up the challenge, God
gave him the tools to do so.
Ponder this for a moment. Why would God tell Moses to “let
him alone” so he could destroy the people? Wasn’t God powerful
enough to carry out his will regardless of what Moses did?

But read between the lines. In essence, God was hinting to
Moses, “If you do not let me alone, my wrath will not burn against
them.” In other words, “I have granted you the power to intervene
and prevent me from carrying out my wrath.”
As disciples of Jesus, we can use our connection to him to our
advantage. It can become our ultimatum, our trump card, our
checkmate. That’s what it is for. “I may not be worthy to serve you
and experience your love and favor, but I put my trust in your Son,
and I cling to him. That means you cannot reject me—you cannot
be distant from me without rejecting him! Now take me back, and
draw me close to you!”
It sounds audacious. It sounds demanding. In Yiddish we Jews
might say it sounds chutzpadik. Welcome to the world of Jewish
prayer.
Is praying in such a manner appropriate or even permitted? In
a sense, standing uninvited before the all-powerful King of all kings
should not be permitted at all, let alone setting before him a list
of demands! But we should see ourselves like Queen Esther, who
barged in before her husband to plead for her life. It is permitted
precisely because we have no other choice. Prayer is our lifeline.
This is how Jesus prayed and how he taught us to pray. He
instructed us to cry to God day and night, like a widow demanding
justice before an unjust judge, harassing him until he relents and
grants her request (Luke 18:1–8).
As for Honi in his circle, eventually a faint drizzle began to fall.
“I did not ask for this but for water to fill the cisterns!”
The sky broke open, and a destructive rainstorm threatened
the land. “I did not ask for this but for rain of favor and blessing!”
A gentle, steady rain began to water the land, just as he had
asked.
The other Jewish scholars at the time did not approve of Honi’s
tactics, but what could they say? “You are like a child who throws
a tantrum before his father, and his father does whatever he asks.”
Psalms: The Bible’s Prayerbook
As the bus pulled away from the station, Malka turned to
the back cover of her book of Psalms and retrieved a worn,
folded piece of notepaper. Opening it, she glanced over the
list of names of loved ones in need of healing. She smiled in
gratitude as she noticed how many names had been crossed
out. Then she found Psalm 20, on a well-worn page, and
began to recite.
The words came out with minimal effort; occasionally she

glanced down at the page. Though King David had penned
the words, they took on new meaning as she focused her
heart on the names from her list.
She concluded with a brief prayer that God would heal each
person on her list, bringing restoration to every organ and
connection in each one’s body as well as complete spiritual
restoration. “Thank you, Abba,” she uttered with a smile as
she stood to exit the bus.
= = =
From a Jewish perspective, the Scriptures are not just for reference
purposes. As the sacred words of God, they deserve in their own
right to be studied and read aloud. Reading and studying Scripture
is an expression of worship in and of itself. It pleases God to hear
his words read aloud to him in an audible, human voice.
The psalms are special in this regard because even though they
are God’s Word, they are prayers. They are expressed in the voice
of humanity. How much more, then, is it appropriate for humans
to utter them in prayer! The psalms are a powerful source of guid-
ance. They make it possible for us to pray in alignment with God’s
will even when words fail us.

In the days of the apostles, the book of Psalms constituted the
hymnal of the Levites, who recited its passages in the Temple as a
musical accompaniment to the sacrifices. For example, many of
the psalms speak of offering a “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” which is
a category of animal sacrifice outlined in Leviticus 7:11–18. Psalm
100, which is subtitled “A Psalm for giving thanks” (yes, the sub-
title is in the original Hebrew text), was one of the psalms that the
Levites recited as they offered these animals on the Temple altar.
In Jewish practice, psalms can be selected topically for certain
circumstances. However, many Jewish people follow a schedule
that allows them to read the entire book of Psalms once a month or
even once a week. Sometimes a women’s prayer group will divide
the chapters among everyone in attendance and team up to recite
the entire book in one meeting.
Psalms also make up the bulk of the traditional prayers in the
Siddur, the daily prayer book. They serve as expressions of praise,
mourning, supplication, thanksgiving, hope, and devotion. Because
the psalms occur so frequently as part of the daily prayers, it is
common for many observant Jews to have memorized several of
them in Hebrew.
The love and intimate familiarity that the first generation of
Jesus’ followers had for the psalms are apparent in the book of Acts.
The prophetic and insightful words of the psalms quickly came to
their minds and flowed from their lips.
Christianity inherited the practice of praying the psalms from
Judaism through the apostolic community. Many Christians pray
through the book of Psalms to this day; this practice is something
precious that Christianity and Judaism have shared in common.
In earlier generations it was not uncommon for Christians to mem-
orize the entire book of Psalms. Because of its use as a Christian
prayer book, the book of Psalms is often bundled together with
printed editions of the New Testament.
Part of the love that both Christians and Jews have for the
psalms stems from their deep connection with messianic proph-
ecy. King David, the progenitor of the Messiah, wrote many of the
psalms. Some are even written in the Messiah’s voice.
By virtue of the messianic nature of the psalms, which are in
the voice of Messiah and which the Messiah surely prayed, we
participate with Jesus in his own prayers. As such, praying the
psalms affords us an effectual and transformative opportunity for
an intimate connection with Jesus.
To this day the psalms are a powerful arsenal in the hands of
Jewish and Christian petitioners. Whether we are in distress, in
need of healing or comfort, or overflowing with thanks, the psalms
put eloquent words to our thoughts.
Sounding an Alarm
The olive leaves shuddered in the midnight breeze; the full
moon’s light flickered. The Master lay with his face in the dust,
crying out in broken sobs; Peter, James, and John averted their
eyes in discomfort. They were still weary from the Passover
wine; the aftertaste of the bitter herbs still lingered in their
mouths. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
= = =
When life presents challenges, our first instinct should be to

cry out to God for help. We should not say, “I got myself into this
mess; I’ll get myself out.” Nor should we assume that because
God already knows our needs, it is pointless to call on him. We
must certainly not say, “I don’t deserve to ask God for help now
because I did not pray when things were going well.” Rather, God
is eager to hear the prayers of all those who raise their voices to
him and ask him for help.

Many scriptures express this notion, but the ancient rabbis
derived it from a surprising source:
When you go to war in your land against the adver-

sary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm
with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before
the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your
enemies. (Numbers 10:9)
They noted that before engaging in combat, the Israelites were

to “sound an alarm” in order to gain God’s attention. This is not
talking merely about trumpet blasts but about prayer.
The verse says “that you may be remembered.” God is not for-
getful or oblivious, so what is the point of such a prayer? It is our
acknowledgment that God is in control of outcomes. While we may
march forth in battle, through prayer we admit that success and
failure are not in our hands, nor are they a matter of chance or fate.
We must never hold an indifferent posture toward God wherein
we attribute our trials to mere accidents and coincidence. By doing
so, we fail to recognize his supreme control over all things in life.
As such, it is critical that we rush to our Father in prayer at all
times of distress, whether our problems are personal or community-
wide. We should also examine our lives to make sure that we are
carrying out God’s will rather than our own:
He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.

Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what
you will.” (Mark 14:36)
We might think that the Son of God would have an easy time
getting his wishes fulfilled. Instead we learn,
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and sup-

plications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able
to save him from death, and he was heard because of his
reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience
through what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:7–8)
The matriarchs of the Jewish people, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel,

and Leah, were all barren. Why was this so? The ancient rabbis
suggested, “Because the blessed Holy One longs for the prayers of
the righteous.” It is not that God enjoys our suffering, but when we
pray in times of difficulty, it has a transformative effect and binds
us in closeness to our Creator. Children who are born to barren
parents after intense prayer are sure to be raised with special
dedication to God.
Receiving a gift from God in answer to fervent prayer, then, is
far superior to receiving gratuitous blessings.
There Is No Other
When adversity comes, sometimes spiritually inclined people
make the mistake of attributing independent power to the devil.
While they would not consider the devil to be as strong as God,
they seem to put the two on a level playing field by supposing that
the Almighty has let an attack sneak by.
From the perspective of Judaism, this would constitute a major
error bordering on idolatry. Moses explained to the Israelites,
To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD
is God; there is no other besides him. Out of heaven he
let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you …
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. (Deuteronomy 4:35–39)
Difficulties in our lives are not outside the sovereignty of God;

somehow they serve a greater purpose. Occasionally at the end of

it all, we can perceive that purpose, but in some cases it is beyond
our ability to grasp in this life.
The concept that “there is no other besides him” means that
we should not see hardships as outside attacks but as tests that
provide us with the opportunity to grow:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of

various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its
full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
in nothing. (James 1:2–4)
We might think that if calamity comes to us under the sover-

eignty of God, then who are we to resist it? By all means, we must
resist evil and do whatever we can to alleviate suffering, both
through our actions and through prayer. If we find ourselves in a
position to work and pray to end suffering, then we are assuredly
there “for such a time as this” to involve ourselves in God’s process
of redemption. Such testing provides opportunities for us to rise to
the challenge that our Father has set before us. When we cry out to
God, we confess that he alone has the power to change outcomes.
There is no other.
The Hour of Prayer
How the Daily Times of Prayer

Can Transform Our Lives
The rugged and seasoned military officer peered westward.

From this rooftop in Caesarea, he could not see his homeland
in faraway Italy—only the afternoon sunlight that glimmered
on the cresting waves. Cornelius turned away and faced the
southeast, toward the place the Jews called the “holy city.”
This was the hour of prayer; it was his chance to lift his voice
to the Creator in concert with the smoke of the sacrifices and
the songs of the Levites.
Just then, “he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come

in and say to him, ‘Cornelius.’ And he stared at him in terror
and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers
and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God’”
(Acts 10:3–4).
= = =
G od orchestrated this world with natural rhythm. He declared

that the sun, moon, and stars would be “for signs and for
seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14).
TThThTheTThThThe HT          23
The Rhythm of Creation
Some people might not like the idea of God being so predictable.
Yet according to Scripture, he made a calendar and filled it with
yearly appointments. The Bible lists these festivals (such as Pass-
over and the Day of Atonement) in Leviticus 23. It describes them
with the Hebrew word mo’ed, which means “appointment” or
“meeting.” These appointed times both memorialize and rehearse
the interactions between God, his people Israel, and the entire
world.
On the biblical calendar, the phases of the moon signal the
turn of the months. The appearance of the first sliver marks a
day of celebration (Numbers 10:10). Likewise, the seventh day of
each week is like a sanctuary in time, a day that God set apart and
blessed (Genesis 2:3).
In recent years many Christians have begun to participate in
these holy days. They find inspiration in the rich messianic symbol-
ism as well as the opportunity to meet with God at the holy times
he designated.
The Daily Appointments

Holy times occur not only on a yearly, monthly, or weekly basis.
Some appointed times occur every single day:
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the

people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food
for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be
careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’” (Numbers
28:1–2)
This passage goes on to describe a burnt offering that was to

take place twice each day. Each offering consisted of a lamb, grain,
and wine. The priests offered one in the morning as the first sacri-

fice of the day. The other, the last sacrifice of the day, took place in
the afternoon. (Although some Bibles say “twilight” or “evening,”
“afternoon” is a more accurate interpretation.)
Like the annual festivals, this twice-daily sacrifice was to take
place at an “appointed time”; this phrase comes from the same
Hebrew word mo’ed as before. As the priests were to be “careful”
about offering them, the timing of these sacrifices was clearly
important to God. In establishing these daily appointed times,
God built a rhythm of worship into each day.
As we have noted, there is a close relationship between sacrifice
and prayer. As the burnt offerings ascended in smoke to heaven,
the Israelites on earth poured out their hearts before God. Thus
these times became known as the hour of prayer. Prayer at these
times continued even when sacrifices were not possible.
In addition to the morning and afternoon prayers, ancient Jews
also developed a custom of praying in the evening as well. While
this does not correspond to a sacrifice, it relates to the sacrificial
leftovers that smoldered on the altar all night. The nighttime prayer
is inspired by the words of Psalm 134:
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,

who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up
your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! (Psalm
134:1–2)
One can pray at any time of the day. These particular times each
day, however, are when Jewish people join for prayer.
Biblical Times of Prayer

The Scriptures refer to these times of prayer. King David wrote,
“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and
moan, and he hears my voice” (Psalm 55:17).
The Prophet Daniel lived in Babylon during a time when the
Jewish people could not offer sacrifices. When King Darius signed
a decree prohibiting prayer to anyone but himself, Daniel was not
fazed. “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he
went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber
open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a
day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done
previously” (Daniel 6:10).
Luke describes a typical morning in the Temple: “The whole
multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense”
(Luke 1:10). This incense went up in smoke together with the morn-
ing burnt offering at sunrise.
Jesus himself rose early to pray: “Rising very early in the morn-
ing, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate
place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jewish writings describe
an ancient custom of meditating for an hour before praying at
sunrise, which may correspond to this practice of Jesus.
The book of Acts depicts the disciples on their way to the Temple
for the afternoon prayers: “Peter and John were going up to the
temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour” (Acts 3:1). The “ninth
hour” is a conventional, ancient Jewish way to express the time
of day.
Solar Noon
6 7
5 8
4 9
10
3
11
2
Sunrise
Sunset
12
1

To calculate hours in the Jewish system of time, we divide the
daylight period from sunrise to sunset into twelve equal portions.
The ninth hour describes not an exact minute but a slice of the day
in mid-afternoon.
This afternoon hour of prayer was the same time of day at which
Cornelius offered his prayer (Acts 10:30).
The Additional Prayer

Peter took in a deep breath of fresh sea air as he climbed the
stone stairs. It was only the tanner’s house, not the tannery,
and yet the putrid smell inside squelched his appetite. There
on the housetop the midday sun cast a small, crisp shadow
beneath his feet.
“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your

praise” (Psalm 51:15), Peter whispered as he began his new
moon prayer.
= = =
Numbers 28 teaches about the daily burnt offering, then continues

by describing other related time-based offerings. These offerings
did not occur every day but only on the weekly Sabbath, monthly
new moons, and yearly festivals. The priests presented these offer-
ings in addition to the twice-daily sacrifice.
In keeping with the pattern, this additional sacrifice on holy
days inspires an additional opportunity for prayer. In synagogues
today congregations meet for morning prayers every day of the
week. On the Sabbath, new moons, and festivals, an extra prayer
accounts for this additional sacrifice.
When the Temple stood, the priests typically presented this
sacrifice during the sixth hour of the day. In theory, however,
the priests could bring this additional offering any time after the
morning sacrifice.
In the absence of sacrifices today, it is no longer customary
to wait until the sixth hour for this prayer. Instead, people usually
recite it shortly after the morning prayer. But when the Temple
stood, it would have been ideal to synchronize one’s prayer with
the actual offering:
The next day, as they were on their journey and approach-

ing the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the
sixth hour to pray. (Acts 10:9)
This is why Peter went up on the rooftop to pray at the sixth

hour—too late for the morning prayer and too early for the after-
noon. We might even presume that Peter’s vision occurred specifi-
cally on the new moon. Had it been a Sabbath or a festival day, we
would see some detail to this effect, and the story would likely have
taken place in the synagogue. The day of the new moon, on the
other hand, is not much different from a typical day of the week,
apart from the additional prayer.
The Messiah’s Sacrifice

The sacrifices of the Temple beautifully prefigure the suffering and
death of the Messiah. This is true not only regarding the Passover
lamb the ancient Jews roasted and ate at their Passover meals.
All the many sacrifices and offerings connect in some way to the
atoning suffering and death of Messiah.
For example, the sacrifices involve the shedding of blood,
and they also have a certain ability to purify and draw one near
to God. Beyond this, there is a remarkable correspondence even
in their timing:

It was the third hour when they crucified him. (Mark
15:25)
Jesus was placed on the cross at the third hour. The third hour
corresponds to the conclusion of the morning sacrificial service.
It was at this time of day when, fifty days later, the disciples gathered
on the Festival of Shavu’ot, also known as Pentecost (Acts 2:15).
When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over
the whole land until the ninth hour. (Mark 15:33)
Darkness covered the land at the sixth hour. The sixth hour
corresponds to the time of the additional festival offering. Jesus
died at the time of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
As with all the festivals, an additional offering was prescribed for
this time (Numbers 28:16–25).
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?” (Mark 15:34)
Jesus died at the ninth hour of the day. His death corresponds
to the daily afternoon offering, the final sacrifice of each day. After
this offering, the doors of the Sanctuary were closed.
Even the evening prayer reflects Jesus’ suffering in some way.
It was at night that he was arrested, accused, and beaten.
This correspondence suggests that by praying at the times of
sacrifice, we are in a sense memorializing the Messiah and his
suffering on our behalf.
Three Times a Day

The Jewish practice of daily prayer carried forth into Christian
practice in later centuries. The Didache is a manual of practice
for Gentile followers of Jesus, and it dates back to the first century.
This document instructed Gentile disciples of Jesus to pray the
Lord’s Prayer three times each day—a simple way to involve new
Gentile followers of the Messiah in the rhythm of Jewish worship.
Over time this practice evolved into the canonical hours still
practiced by Catholic and Orthodox churches. Yet when Paul spoke
of these, he was referring to the prerogatives of the Jewish people:
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the

glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship
[literally: “service”], and the promises. (Romans 9:4)
That is not to say that Gentiles cannot participate in this pattern

of worship as well. It is just that when they do, they are participat-
ing in something Jewish. They are joining in, reverberating with,
and responding to the rhythm and pace set by the Jewish people.
As the earth spins on its axis, these daily appointed times flow
across its surface like rippling waves. As they sweep over each town
and city, Jewish people assemble in synagogues and enthrone the
name of God in unison. These waves have been circling the earth
continually for thousands of years.
When disciples of Jesus join in with this chorus of worship,
we have the opportunity to infuse it with the power of the name
of the Messiah.

Turning toward
Jerusalem
The Geographical Center of God’s

Interaction with His World
Hannah’s quivering hands stroked the infant’s head; Simeon’s

arms cradled the baby Yeshua. Simeon exclaimed, “My eyes
have seen your salvation [yeshu’ah] that you have prepared
in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:30–32).
Hannah overflowed with the news to everyone around her
that this child was the hope of the redemption of Jerusalem.
This was Jesus’ first visit to Jerusalem but certainly not his
last. As observant Jews, Mary and Joseph made the pilgrim-
age to Jerusalem year after year (Luke 2:41). Although Jesus
grew up in the Galilean town of Nazareth, Jerusalem was
his spiritual home.
= = =
J ews all over the world turn to face Jerusalem for prayer. This
custom has a strong biblical basis and goes back to ancient
times.
TTurninTTurninTuTurning T          31
Jerusalem is centered on Mount Moriah, where Isaac was pre-
pared as a sacrifice. Its Hebrew name, Yerushalayim, is a combina-
tion of the names that Abraham and Melchizedek gave it: Abraham
called it Adonai Yireh (“the LORD will see”), and Melchizedek
called it shalem (“whole,” “peaceful”).
In the time of Moses, God anticipated Jerusalem’s sacred role
as his dwelling place. He commanded, “You shall seek the place
that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his
name and make his habitation there” (Deuteronomy 12:5).
Ever since King David established Jerusalem as the united
capital of the tribes of Israel and made it the home of the ark of the
covenant, Jerusalem has been the focal point of Jewish spiritual
life on earth.
Despite his awareness that our physical universe cannot con-
tain its Creator, King Solomon knew that this city would somehow
be a place where man and God could meet. Solomon perceived
Jerusalem not only as a pilgrimage site but as a physical focal point
for prayer. In his prayer at the dedication of the Temple, he asked
that God would hear the prayers made toward the Temple, the city,
and the land of Israel (1 Kings 8:23–61).
Furthermore, this holy site was not just the Jewish capital but
the spiritual center of the entire world. Solomon asked God to
hear the prayers of foreigners who prayed toward Jerusalem (1
Kings 8:41). Even when Jews were driven away from the land of
Israel, Solomon indicated that they would turn and face the land
of Israel (1 Kings 8:48).
Though the Temple lay in ruins and Daniel was far away in
Babylon,
He went to his house where he had windows in his upper

chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his
knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks
before his God, as he had done previously. (Daniel 6:10)

Can a geographical place on earth be a dwelling place for an
infinite God? Apparently in some sense it can.
No wonder why Jesus stayed behind in his “Father’s house”
when the others had turned back to Nazareth, why Mary and Joseph
made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem every year, why Simeon waited
there, and why Hannah never left the Temple courts. It explains why
Jesus wept over Jerusalem as he prophetically beheld its destruc-
tion (Matthew 23:37–39; Luke 13:34–35).
All these were aware that even though God transcends the uni-
verse and the whole earth is full of his glory, Jerusalem is special.
It is a place where one can hear the heartbeat of God.
Jerusalem’s Future
The eleven disciples stood breathless with mouths open, star-
ing into the sky. Their feet remained firmly planted in their
sandals atop the Mount of Olives, but where the Messiah
had just been standing were now only empty footprints. Not
only had Jesus soared into the sky from Jerusalem’s Mount
of Olives, but Zechariah 14:4 confirmed that this was where
he would return “in the same way as [they] saw him go into
heaven” (Acts 1:11).
= = =
Jerusalem by no means lost its significance after the death, burial,

resurrection, and ascension of Jesus took place there. It remains
the starting place and focal point for God’s activities on earth,
especially as we near the end times.
The prophets depict for us a beautiful future when the Messiah
returns. He will establish the kingdom of heaven on earth, which
will span the entire world; Jerusalem will be the capital, where
Jesus will establish his throne. This message of the kingdom of God
was at the core of the gospel that Jesus taught, and that is why he
proclaimed his message so strongly in Jerusalem.
The list of end-times prophecies involving Jerusalem is far too
extensive to include here, but we will mention a few.
Often the prophets endearingly referred to Jerusalem by the
name “Zion,” after one of the city’s great hills.
In the Messianic Kingdom, living water will flow out from
Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:8). The city will be rebuilt, never to be
destroyed (Zechariah 14:11).
Ultimately Jerusalem will be the site of the annual pilgrimage
for all nations:
Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have

come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to
worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the
Feast of Booths. (Zechariah 14:16)
Isaiah envisioned Jerusalem as the hub of knowledge and

justice in the messianic future:
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain

of the house of the LORD shall be established as the
highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above
the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 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 forth the law, and the
word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2–3)
The Prophet Joel described Jerusalem as the dwelling place

of God:
The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from
Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But

the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the
people of Israel. So you shall know that I am the LORD
your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And
Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again
pass through it. (Joel 3:16–17)
Considering these prophecies, it is no surprise that in the book

of Revelation, God promises to send down a New Jerusalem from
heaven. This promise shows that Jerusalem is and always will be
at the center of God’s interaction with the world.
When we turn to face Jerusalem in prayer, we envision it not as
it is but as it will be when Jesus returns. Doing so places our prayers
in the context of the Messianic Kingdom and expresses our hope
in the soon-coming Messiah. It shows that we await God’s solution
to all our problems: the redemption of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem in the Early Church

About 120 Jewish men and women, followers of Jesus of
Nazareth, gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade under
the shade of its cedar beams. They assembled for prayer in
the Temple courts alongside Jews from all over the world in
honor of the biblical festival called Shavu’ot, or Pentecost.
In obedience to Jesus’ command, these disciples had

remained in Jerusalem after the Lord’s ascension. It was
there in the city that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In Jerusalem they were transformed from a small band of
disciples into a true ekklesia (“assembly”).
= = =
Just before his ascension, Jesus told his followers that they would
be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Notice how Jesus himself envisioned
the world with Jerusalem at its center.
Jerusalem is mentioned no less than fifty-eight times in the
book of Acts alone. The followers of Jesus met regularly in Solo-
mon’s Portico, an area within the Temple courts. And even as the
message spread across the region, Jerusalem remained the home
base of the apostles. Paul collected donations from other commu-
nities of believers and brought them to the apostolic community
in the holy city.
Like other Jews, first-century followers of Messiah faced Jeru-
salem when they prayed. The city represented for them the hope
of redemption and the second coming of Jesus.
As the church began to distance herself from her Jewish roots,
reverence for Jerusalem was lost. Instead of facing Jerusalem in
prayer, Christians began to adopt the more universal custom of
simply facing east regardless of location. This is the custom among
Orthodox Christians to this day.
But today more and more Christians recognize Jerusalem as
the “apple of God’s eye,” knowing that this will be the place of Mes-
siah’s glorious return. It makes sense for non-Jewish believers to
stand in solidarity with the Jewish people in our day and return to
the ancient practice.
Spiritual Jerusalem
Why turn to face a physical place? Didn’t Jesus say to the Samari-
tan woman that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit
and in truth (John 4:23)? Isn’t the present Jerusalem “in slavery,”
while the Jerusalem above is “our mother” (Galatians 4:25–26)?
Doesn’t the body of Messiah now constitute the Temple and dwell-
ing place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19–22)?
In speaking to the Samaritan woman, Jesus confirmed that the
Jewish people possessed the true revelation of God. He told her,

“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know,
for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). But Jesus was aware that
only one generation later the Romans would ransack the Temple
and tear it down to its foundation. Despite the Temple’s holy,
chosen status and glorious future, it would not always be physically
possible to pray there. Nevertheless, we worship in spirit, turning
our hearts toward Jerusalem and anticipating God’s future plans.
(Thank God, in our time Jerusalem is inhabited by Jews once more,
and people once again worship there every day!)
In Galatians Paul contrasts the “present Jerusalem” with the
“Jerusalem above.” But this is not a new idea that originated with
Paul. The ancient rabbis also knew and talked about the “Jerusalem
above.” This idea in no way minimizes the importance of physical
Jerusalem—actually, it emphasizes it. After all, how many cities
have a heavenly version? It just shows that our Jerusalem on earth
is a physical representative of a tremendous spiritual reality.
Similarly, the concept of a spiritual temple did not originate
with Christianity. For example, the ancient rabbis looked closely at
the verse, “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their
midst” (Exodus 25:8). In Hebrew this verse can also be understood
as, “They will make me a sanctuary, but I will dwell within them.”
In other words, God’s faithful people have always constituted a
dwelling place for his Spirit.
This interpretation illustrates an important concept in the
Jewish frame of mind: physical and spiritual realities can exist
simultaneously. The heavenly Tabernacle already existed before
God commanded Moses to build one on earth; the heavenly Taber-
nacle was the “pattern” God showed him on the mountain (Exodus
25:9). One does not negate or obviate the other.
Turning the Heart
If a person doesn’t know which way Jerusalem is, or if turning
toward the city is just not practical in someone’s time and place,
not to worry. We do not pray to Jerusalem; we pray to our Father
in heaven. We should direct our hearts toward him.
There is nothing magical about facing a certain direction in
prayer. God can hear our prayers even if we speak into a hole in
the ground! It certainly has no bearing on our salvation.
Prayer is communication. Communication takes place not only
through the words we speak but also through our body language.
Think of what it conveys when a person faces away from us while
speaking or when someone’s eyes are darting around the room.
What would that kind of distraction look like in prayer?
The author of Hebrews invokes Zion and Jerusalem as symbolic
of the new covenant enacted through our Messiah:
You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the

living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumer-
able angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of
the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God,
the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made
perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word
than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22–24)
By turning to face Jerusalem, we express to God our desire to

step into line with his plans and purposes in this world. We show
that he has our full attention. We communicate that we are eager
to see Messiah return.
When Christians turn their hearts and faces toward the holy
city, anticipating its redemption and transformation through Mes-
siah, they stand in unity with their Jewish brothers and sisters all

across the world. They unite with countless generations of Jewish
people going back to the earliest followers of Jesus.
In Yeshua’s Name
How the Righteousness of Jesus

Grants Us Access to God
In a small village in a great kingdom was a simple innkeeper.

He wanted to make a request before the king, but how could
he do so? One day a nobleman was passing through the
village and stayed in the inn. The innkeeper thought, “If I
treat this nobleman well, perhaps he can take my request
to the king.” So he gave the nobleman the best treatment he
could offer.
“Thank you for your splendid service,” the nobleman said.
The innkeeper seized his opportunity. “Would you bring a

request of mine to the king?”
“I will do better than that,” the nobleman insisted. He brought

the innkeeper into his carriage, dressed him in fine clothes,
and took him to the king’s palace to make the request himself.
= = =
J esus taught us to address our prayers to the Father. He said,

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven …’” (Matthew 6:9).
Yet we have a problem. Who are we to speak before the King of
IIInIn YeIIInIn I          41

the universe? How does a mortal and sinful man dare to make
requests before God?
As disciples of Jesus, we need not worry. We can come confi-
dently before God because, according to the New Testament, Jesus
is our mediator in prayer.
There are two possible kinds of mediator. One kind, which we
might refer to as an intermediary, is a go-between. When such an
intermediary is present, the two parties communicating remain
separate and speak only through the third party. In contrast, a true
mediator is one who brings two parties together, reconciling them
and eliminating the distance and barriers between them.
By these definitions Jesus is a true mediator, not an interme-
diary. His righteous life, sacrificial death, and post-resurrection
intercession on our behalf pave the way for us to have direct access
to God our Father with no barriers and no person in our way.
First John 2:1 calls Jesus our “advocate.” The ancient rabbis
used this word to explain a pattern they noticed in the book of
Leviticus: one must always bring a sin offering first before a burnt
offering. Why would this be? Why couldn’t a person offer a burnt
offering alone?
The rabbis explained it by comparing it to a person who wishes
to bring a gift to the king but does not have the king’s favor. Accord-
ing to the rabbis, a sin offering is like an advocate who enters the
king’s palace first to gain his favor on behalf of the person. Once
the advocate has gained the king’s favor, the person may bring his
gift. The advocate uses his own standing and merit to provide the
petitioner direct access to the king.
Likewise, a sin offering comes first because it provides rec-
onciliation. It paves the way for the burnt offering, which is an
expression of love.
Paul taught in a similar way about Jesus when he said, “For
our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him
we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Did Jesus become sin? How does this even make sense? By
reading this verse with the mindset of the Hebrew language, it
becomes clearer. The Hebrew word for “sin” is also the word for
“sin offering.” Jesus was without sin, so he became a sin offering
on our behalf. Like a sin offering, he reconciles us to God through
his own merit and by acting as our advocate.
Representatives of Messiah
What does it mean to ask the Father “in Jesus’ name?” Many people
treat this as a formula for prayer that we say just before signing
off: “In Jesus’ name, amen.” There is nothing wrong with saying
this, but Jewish wisdom provides access to the deeper meaning
behind this concept.
The idiom “in the name of” in Hebrew means “as a represen-
tative of” or “on the authority of.” If we ask God for something in
Jesus’ name, we are asking the Father to respond to us because of
our association with Jesus. In a way, we are merely the messenger;
the request actually belongs to him. When we ask in Jesus’ name,
it is not Jesus who represents us before God; it is we who represent
Jesus:
In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say

to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the
Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have believed that I came from God. (John 16:26–27)
It is a little bit like a person who receives a company credit

card. He makes purchases on behalf of the company because he
has been delegated the authority to do so. The payment, as large as
it may be, can be made because it is drawn on the company credit
card. In the same way, as disciples of Jesus, we have the privilege
of drawing on Jesus’ credit as we make our needs known to God.

This example implies two things. First, God accepts the petitions
on our lips due to the merit and virtue of Yeshua—not our own.
Second, asking in Jesus’ name is not a license to name and claim
whatever we like. Instead, we have license to ask only for things that
pertain to our capacity as Jesus’ agents in the world, and whatever
we do receive in his name ultimately belongs to him and not to us.
Praying in his merit and as his representative is what it means
to pray in Jesus’ name. It does not require saying the words “in
Jesus’ name” as a formula or that every prayer must end with “in
Jesus’ name, amen.” On the other hand, it is quite common in
Judaism to include legal formalities when praying, and thus it is
appropriate to mention Jesus and request that God answer our
prayers on his behalf.
The Tzaddik
Surely God was accessible and answered prayers before Jesus
came. This raises questions about how Jesus benefits us as a medi-
ator and why it is necessary for us to ask for things in his name.
Psalm 145:18–19 promises,
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call
on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear
him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
Furthermore, we can see examples of individuals who called

upon God and were answered. Elijah is just such an example: his
prayers stopped and started the rain. Was Jesus his mediator?
These examples notwithstanding, we know from experience
and history that scriptures such as these describe an ideal principle
rather than an inviolable law of the cosmos. It often happens that
individuals pray but do not receive the answer they desire.

Jewish literature contains stories about how in times of dis-
tress, the sages of Israel sought out individuals whose prayers God
frequently answered:
Once it happened that the son of Rabban Gamliel

became sick. He sent two scholars to Rabbi Chanina
ben Dosa to pray for mercy on his behalf. When he saw
them, he went to the upper room and prayed for mercy
on his behalf. When he came back down, he told them,
“Go; the fever has left him.” They asked him, “How would
you know that? Are you a prophet?” He told them, “I am
not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet, but this
is what I have learned: If my prayer is smooth in my
mouth, I know that it is accepted, but if not, I know that
it is denied.” They sat down and took note of the exact
moment when this happened. When they returned to
Rabban Gamliel, he told them, “I swear that you have
not added or subtracted a single moment! That was the
very time that the fever left him and he asked us for
water to drink.”
This story is only one of numerous accounts of healings and

miracles performed by Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa and a few other
individuals like him. A student of the Gospels cannot help but
notice the similarity these stories bear to events that took place
during Jesus’ ministry.
Passages like this raise a few questions. Why did Rabban Gam-
liel have to send scholars to Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa? Couldn’t
Rabban Gamliel have prayed on his own? Couldn’t the two scholars
have prayed and received an answer for themselves?
The scholars recognized that there was something unique about
Rabbi Chanina. His prayers were frequently answered because he
was an exceptionally righteous individual. Though he was human
like everyone else, Rabbi Chanina had merit and standing before

God that most people did not. The same goes for individuals in
the Bible like Elijah.
The Hebrew word for a righteous person is tzaddik. Can a
person be righteous?
Surely we all fall short and rely on God for mercy and salva-
tion. Yet the Scriptures provide several examples of people who are
righteous and gain God’s favor. Noah is a good example:
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.

Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)
Noah may not have been perfect, but the Bible calls him a tzad-
dik, a righteous man, and he found favor in God’s eyes (Genesis
6:8). Thus, it was through Noah that God saved the world.
For this reason people naturally turn to righteous individuals
for prayer. Moses was able to gain forgiveness for the Israelites
who had sinned because he found favor with God (Exodus 33:17).
The people turned to the Prophet Jeremiah to ask for prayer after
Ishmael killed Gedaliah (Jeremiah 42:1–4). The people turned to
Samuel to ask him to pray for them for the sin of asking for a king
(1 Samuel 12:19).
The New Testament attests to this concept. James teaches us,
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one

another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righ-
teous person [i.e., a tzaddik] has great power as it is
working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and
he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three
years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then
he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth
bore its fruit. (James 5:16–18)
This instruction from James accords well with other Jewish

teachings on this topic. The ancient rabbis taught that one who
is sick should seek the prayers of the elders, based on Proverbs

16:14: “A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man
will appease it.”
Centuries later, many Jews still embrace this idea. Paul Philip
Levertoff was a Jewish believer in Jesus who was raised in a pres-
tigious Chasidic Jewish family. Here is how he explained the belief
among Chasidic Jews:
The tzaddik is the pet or favorite of heaven, the instru-

ment through which God sends his grace into the world.
Through his communion with God, he is the connection
between God and creation, and as such, he is the bearer
and mediator of blessing and grace. The love that man
has for the tzaddik is therefore the means through which
God’s grace is won. The duty of every Chasid is this: that
he loves the tzaddik and listens to his word.
Understood this way, Jesus is the ultimate tzaddik. He has

earned merit and favor before God that not even Elijah or Rabbi
Chanina achieved. It is not as though God will not hear our prayers
directly, but rather, does he have a good reason to answer them?
By clinging to Jesus—that is, identifying with him, following him,
and trusting in him—we benefit from his merit, and God answers
our prayers on his account.
However, it bears repeating that we do not bring our requests
to Jesus so that he may in turn relay them to our heavenly Father,
as the scholars did with Rabbi Chanina. Rather, his merit benefits
us directly, because when we pray to God, we do so as disciples
of Jesus.
Although as individuals we are faulty and undeserving, God
accords us the honor due to a tzaddik because we stand before
him in the capacity of Jesus’ official representatives. And just as
God shows such favor to us, we, too, should treat fellow disciples
as bearing the merit of Jesus, even if they do not deserve it in and
of themselves.

Seeking the Kingdom
The Most Important

Prayer in Jewish Life
The king’s fury burned against his son for his defiance. He
sent his son out of the palace empty-handed.
Penniless, the exiled prince wandered from village to village

begging for bread. Finally, a local villager extended a hand
and offered him employment as a servant. The king’s son
worked hard for several years in exchange for meals and
boarding. Over time, however, his master reduced his rations
while demanding harder and harder work.
Years later the king wondered about the welfare of his son,
so he set out to the villages to find him. Wherever he went,
crowds came to him to ask him to settle their grievances.
When the king came to his village, the exiled prince also
stood in line with his own request.
When the prince finally stood before the king, his father’s
face lit up. “What is your request?” he asked.
“Please, your highness, tell my master to give me bread to eat

and not to treat me so harshly,” the prince asked.
SSeekinSSeeSeSeekinS          49
The king was astonished. “Have you forgotten who you are?
Why are you asking for a stale piece of bread? Ask to be
restored to your home in the palace!”
= = =
O ften when we pray, we focus on our acute problems.

Expenses, relationships, ailments, and other day-to-day
problems occupy our minds. It is good to pray about those things,
but are we seeking treatment for the symptoms while neglecting
the disease?
Jesus taught,
Do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What

shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gen-
tiles 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. (Matthew 6:31–33)
At the core of Jesus’ message is the prophetic hope of redemp-

tion. The history of Israel has been tumultuous and difficult, but
the prophets foretold a time of peace and prosperity. When that
time comes, Israel will dwell in security on her own land. The Mes-
siah will be seated on the throne of David in Jerusalem, dispens-
ing justice and godly wisdom to the whole earth. All nations will
recognize the God of Israel as the only true God and King of the
whole universe. The ancient Jewish sages referred to this ideal future
as “the days of Messiah.” Jesus called it “the kingdom of heaven.”
Such a hope is still clear in the pages of the Bible and the teach-
ings of Jesus, and the Jewish community today still holds it dear.
This kingdom is not merely something that happens beyond
our control. We strive for it. We seek to enter it. We pray for this
kingdom to come. Scripture even teaches that by our conduct we
should be “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12).

Because of this, Jewish prayer tends to be grand in its aspira-
tions. Instead of merely praying for healing for a specific ailment,
why not pray for the complete spiritual and physical healing that
will come to all in the Messianic Kingdom? Instead of asking only
for a particular financial need, why not ask for the overwhelming
abundance of the coming Messianic Era?
Audience with the King

In the Western world today, we can hardly comprehend the notion
of a king. We perceive our governmental leaders as people much
like ourselves. Checks and balances limit their authority and
guarantee that they submit to the rule of law. Standing in the
presence of our national leaders, the average person may feel a
bit star-struck, but that is all.
This sense of human equality is a positive development of our
society. However, in the process of gaining it, we have lost the expe-
rience of overwhelming awe, reverence, and fear in the presence of
majesty. We tend to gravitate to notions of God as our loving Father
and companion—both of which he surely is. But our generation
tends to be uncomfortable envisioning him as the supreme power
who deserves and demands complete submission and servitude.
In the Jewish mind, prayer is audience with the King of the
universe. When Jews pray, they enter his palace and stand before
his throne. Though this is spiritual, it is a reality. As such, Jewish
custom is to prepare oneself mentally, spiritually, and physically for
prayer. Just as one would not dare insult a mortal king by appearing
before him in dirty clothes or in a poor state of mind, so observant
Jews clean up and focus their minds for prayer.
Prayer services in the synagogue reflect a spiritual journey
into the heavenly Temple. The preliminary prayers represent the
outer courts. With each prayer, one moves closer and closer into
the most sacred chambers. Corresponding to the holy of holies,
an ancient prayer called the Amidah is the high point of every
synagogue service.
Most Jewish prayers are to be recited aloud in a clear voice.
The Amidah, however, is uttered in a mere whisper. This custom
reflects the concept that God is intimately close and attentive at
the holy moment of its pronouncement.
The Hebrew word amidah means “standing.” The prayer gets
its name from the custom of standing to recite it, just as we envi-
sion ourselves standing before the throne of God. Jesus referred to
this posture in prayer when he said, “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” (Mark 11:25).
This prayer existed in some form well before the coming of
Jesus. He and his disciples would have been intimately familiar
with it. Early church writings show that Christians as late as the
fourth century CE were still reciting prayers based on the Amidah.
The Amidah prayer is a series of nineteen blessings. The first
three blessings are expressions of praise. The last three are expres-
sions of thanks. The thirteen in the middle are petitions. Each of
these petitions relates in some sense to the glorious return of Mes-
siah and the establishment of his kingdom on earth.
The Sabbath and Jewish festivals are spiritual glimpses of the
coming Messianic Kingdom—a “shadow of the things to come”
(Colossians 2:17). Accordingly, on those days the thirteen petitions
are replaced by a single blessing thanking God for the holiness of
the day, leaving a total of seven blessings.
Here are the topics covered in this prayer:
1. Promises and covenants

We praise God for his promises and the covenants that he made
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is on the basis of these cov-
enant promises that God has sustained, blessed, and protected

the Jewish people. Among these promises, God swore to send the
Messiah to redeem his people and the entire world.
2. Miracles and resurrection

We acknowledge that God’s power transcends nature. It is in God’s
character to restore, heal, and revive. This blessing expresses faith
that he takes care of his creatures by upholding those who fall,
healing the sick, and releasing people from bondage. He even
brings the dead back to life!
3. The holiness of God’s name

We describe and take part in the heavenly worship of the angels.
As Isaiah saw in his vision and John in his Revelation, the angels
surround God’s throne continually, crying, “Holy, holy, holy!” In
this prayer we ask God to sanctify his name on earth just as it is
sanctified in heaven.
4. Knowledge
We ask God that he give us all greater wisdom, discernment, and
knowledge. In Jewish thought knowledge implies an intimate,
firsthand experience. Our goal in life is to know God and be in
relationship with him. When the Messiah returns, the whole world
will know God (Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 31:34).
5. Repentance
We ask God to open our hearts and the hearts of everyone to
repent. This acknowledges that even our ability to turn from sin
is a gift from God.
6. Forgiveness
We admit that as God’s people, we have fallen short. We ask for his
forgiveness, that he relinquish his anger toward us. We also ask for
his pardon, that he wipe away any debt we owe him on account of
our sins. This is similar to what Jesus taught us to pray: “Forgive us
our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).
7. Redemption
The world is full of suffering. Slavery and captivity still exist in
many forms. We ask God to fight on behalf of victimized and
exploited people, freeing them from bondage. Just as Jesus cared
for the downtrodden in his first coming, when he returns, he will
grant freedom and victory to all those who are suffering.
8. Healing
We know that true healing comes from God, who restores us both
physically and spiritually. We ask him to heal everyone of all our
ailments. When the Messiah came to Israel, he healed the sick,
blind, and crippled as well as those with mental illness, spiritual
oppression, and broken hearts. The same healing will characterize
the entire world when he comes again.
9. Abundant harvest
We ask that this would be a year of abundant crops and food, that
rain will fall where it is needed. By extension, we can ask that
abundance and blessing will replace poverty and need in all areas
of life. Just as Jesus multiplied food to feed thousands, when he
comes again, hunger will no longer plague the world.

10. Ingathering
Jesus taught that at his coming “he will send out his angels with
a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31). In
saying this he echoed the words of the prophets, who foretold the
gathering of the scattered Jewish people into the land of Israel.
We have begun to see just such an ingathering with the estab-
lishment of the modern State of Israel and the waves of Jewish
immigrants. We ask that the great shofar (ram’s horn) would sound
and all Jewish people would be brought back to the promised land.
11. Justice
Corruption, greed, and a distorted sense of right and wrong domi-
nate this world. We ask God to restore this world to true justice
and that God’s rule would prevail in compassion and fairness.
We ask him to restore honest judges. Jesus said that his disciples
would “sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke
22:30). We long for the day when this takes place.
12. Victory over evil

In every generation there are those who attempt to destroy the
Jewish people and oppose the kingdom of God in this world. While
we share God’s desire that sinners turn to him in repentance, we
also ask that the evil forces that oppose God would be vanquished
and brought to an end.
13. The reward of the righteous

In this world those who do what is good rarely receive their reward.
We know that they will indeed receive their treasures stored up in
heaven when the kingdom of God comes. We ask that God would
have compassion on the faithful and let us see that day soon.
14. The restoration of Jerusalem
God promised through the prophets that Jerusalem would be
rebuilt and restored to glory, never to be destroyed again. We
catch a glimpse of the ultimate fulfillment of this in Revelation
21 as the New Jerusalem descends from heaven adorned like a
bride. In the meantime, we pray for the peace and well-being of
Jerusalem, longing for the day when it is restored.
15. The Davidic kingdom

In the most explicitly messianic prayer of all, we ask God to restore
the kingdom, setting the Branch of David upon his throne. We
express to God that we long for and anticipate his salvation.
16. Acceptance
We ask for compassion and favor. We desire that God not be like
the unrighteous judge who was bothered by the obnoxious voice of
the claimant but that our voice would move him to true compas-
sion. Just as God “heard our voice” at the time of the exodus from
Egypt (Deuteronomy 26:7), we ask him to take pity on us today.
17. Worship
We ask for God’s Sanctuary to be established on earth and that the
sacrificial worship of the Jewish people be accepted as it once was.
This prayer echoes many of the words of the prophets regarding
the Messianic Kingdom (for example, see Ezekiel 37:26; Malachi
3:3–4).
Although this seems a bit like a petition, it is an expression of
thanks in that the purpose of these services is to give thanks to God.

18. God’s goodness
We thank God for the good things he does for us constantly. Some-
times these are overt miracles and answers to desperate prayer.
Other times they are seemingly small things that happen every
day. All these are miracles for which God is entitled to our thanks.
19. Peace
Finally, we thank God who fills our lives with true shalom (peace).
We ask him to continue to grant us peace, goodness, blessing,
grace, kindness, and compassion. Shalom is not the mere ces-
sation of war; it is complete health, wholeness, and well-being.
Disciples of Jesus know that this comes through him.
An Outline for Prayer

In some cases Christians might feel as if they already possess the
answers to the prayers above. This makes sense, because if one is
a disciple of Jesus, then that one is a member of his kingdom even
now. Nonetheless, by participating in these prayers, Christians
are not just asking on their own behalf; they are interceding for
the Jewish people and the entire world.
All the same, it is good to mention our personal needs along
with related petitions. For example, it is customary during the
prayer for healing to mention the names of specific people who
need healing and to ask for their complete recovery.
Many scholars have noted similarities between the structure
and content of the Amidah and the Lord’s Prayer. They share several
common themes.
Whether or not non-Jewish believers choose to follow an out-
line like this in their prayer lives, it is good to consider expanding
one’s vision. We are to pray not only for our immediate needs but
to seek the coming kingdom of God.
The Bread of Tomorrow
The Lord’s Prayer in Its
Jewish Context
The teacher and his disciples gathered for morning prayers in

the study hall. After the service ended, one of the students eagerly
asked, “Rabbi, how do you pray?”
Rabbi Eliezer stared off into the distance, and his body swayed
as he tapped his memory. In a sing-song tone he uttered, “If your
prayer becomes a rigid habit, it is no longer a true supplication.”
His disciple furled his brow in confusion. “How should it not

be a habit? Are we not to say the Prayer three times each day?”
Rabbi Eliezer smiled. “One’s prayer should not be like mindlessly

reading a letter. In my prayer I include something new each day.
And at the end of the Prayer, I say,
Let it be your will, O LORD our God, that you let love, brother-
hood, peace, and companionship take up residence in our lives.
Let our boundaries expand with disciples. Let us successfully
finish with a future and hope, and make a place for us in the
Garden of Eden. Affirm us with a good friend and a good incli-
nation in your world. Let us rise each morning and find that
the yearning in our heart is to fear your name. Let our spiritual
needs come before you for the good.
= = =
TThThThe TThThThe BreT          59

T o one who is familiar with the language of Jewish prayer,
there is no denying that the Our Father, otherwise known as
the Lord’s Prayer, is woven of Jewish fabric. Many of the rabbis of
the first and second centuries, such as Rabbi Eliezer, appended
a personal touch to the end of the Amidah, which they taught
their disciples. Often these prayers use similar wording to what
we find in the Gospels.
I once watched an online video of a man who, though teaching
in English, spoke Hebrew as his first language, so he had a thick
accent and limited vocabulary. I could understand him because
I am familiar with the Israeli accent, but I decided to try reading
the automatically generated subtitles. Because of his accent the
site believed that he was speaking fluent Dutch. It then took the
initiative to translate that into English for me. The result, of course,
was gibberish.
The same thing can happen with the words of Jesus. The lan-
guage of the Lord’s Prayer is Jewish in its essence. If we read it as
a Jewish prayer, its true meaning shines out. But one who is not
familiar with Jewish prayers, expressions, and ways of thinking
may not realize what he is missing.
It should not surprise us that the Lord’s Prayer contains the
same style of language as other Jewish prayers of its time. After all,
Jesus was a faithful and observant Jew, and he taught his disciples
in the context of the Jewish faith and culture. Familiarity with other
Jewish prayers will help us perceive and understand the meaning
of this prayer.
At the same time, the prayer that Jesus taught is unique and
powerful. While it contains the same building blocks as other
Jewish prayers, it has a special message that pertains to us, Jesus’
disciples. In particular, the Lord’s Prayer places a strong focus on
the kingdom of heaven.
Most Christians are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer in the King
James version or a derivative of it. Because it is such a common

feature in Christian liturgy, it may be jarring to hear other inter-
pretations. A person should not let this prevent him from hearing
it with fresh ears.
Of course, Jesus did not speak English at all. In his daily life he
spoke a hybrid Hebrew-Aramaic that was common among Jews in
his day. When praying or telling a parable, he would have followed
the common convention of switching to pure Hebrew. Jews have
always considered Hebrew to be the holy language.
To help spread his message to a wider audience, Jesus’ disciples
interpreted his words and teachings in the Greek language. Their
Greek interpretation is the text that we have today in the New Testa-
ment. However, even in Greek, the words of Jesus bear indications of
their original languages and preserve Hebraic patterns of thought.
Our Father which Art in Heaven

The phrase “Our Father who is in heaven” is a common Jewish
way to address God, found in many prayers and writings.
Addressing God as “Father” draws attention to his compas-
sion. This idea is in keeping with the gentle words of Psalm 103,
which comforts us by saying, “As a father shows compassion to his
children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him”
(Psalm 103:13). We say “who is in heaven” simply to differentiate
God from a human father.
Hallowed Be Thy Name

“Hallowed” means “sanctified” or “treated as holy.” Another way
to word this line is “Let your name be sanctified.” It is not a dec-
laration or expression of worship; it is a petition.

The Kaddish, a famous and ancient Jewish prayer, opens with
a similar line: “Let God’s name be magnified and sanctified in the
world that he created as he willed.”
The Prophet Ezekiel teaches,
When they came to the nations, wherever they came,

they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them,
“These are the people of the LORD, and yet they had to
go out of his land.” (Ezekiel 36:20)
“Profaned” is the opposite of “sanctified.” As long as God’s

people suffer in exile, it seems to the surrounding nations that God
is unable or unwilling to fulfill his promises. When God acts on his
promises and fulfills them, his name is sanctified:
I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has

been profaned among the nations, and which you have
profaned among them. And the nations will know that I
am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you
I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. (Ezekiel 36:23)
What does it look like when God redeems his people and sanc-
tifies his name?
== There is a miraculous ingathering: “I will take you

from the nations … and bring you into your own
land” (Ezekiel 36:24).
== There is a prophetic purification: “I will sprinkle
clean water on you” (Ezekiel 36:25).
== There is a spiritual regeneration: “I will give you a
new heart, and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 36:26).
In other words, when Ezekiel spoke of God sanctifying his name,

he was referring to the new covenant promises of the Messianic

Kingdom. Some of these things we have already begun to experi-
ence. Most of it, however, we will see when the Messiah returns.
This is also the meaning of Jesus’ words. As long as God’s
redemptive promises remain unfulfilled, his name is profaned. By
asking for God’s name to be sanctified, we plead for divine interven-
tion in this world and the realization of God’s prophetic promises.
Thy Kingdom Come

Again, the Lord’s Prayer bears similarity to the Kaddish, which
asks, “May he inaugurate his kingdom.” This kingdom refers to
the Messianic Era when all humanity will know and accept the
sovereignty of God.
Zechariah 14 describes the messianic future, saying, “The LORD
will be king over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9). Obadiah likewise
says, “The kingdom shall be the LORD’s” (Obadiah 21).
Do these verses imply that the LORD is not currently King? The
ancient Jewish interpreters were careful to clarify that God is and
always has been King but that his kingdom is not yet revealed on
earth. In the Messianic Era, “every knee shall bow” (Isaiah 45:23;
Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10), which is why Jesus refers to the
Messianic Era as “the kingdom of God.”
Thy Will Be Done

Likewise, “Let your will be done” is a plea for the Messianic Era.
In our present age, God hides himself. He refrains from doling out
reward and punishment. But in the future world, God’s desires
will be expressly carried out.

In Earth, as It Is in Heaven
This phrase connects to all three of the previous requests. In other
words, we should interpret this as:
== Let your name be sanctified—in earth, as it is in

heaven.
== Let your kingdom come—in earth, as it is in
heaven.
== Let your will be done—in earth, as it is in heaven.
In heaven the angels who surround God’s throne sanctify his

name. In heaven the angels recognize him and revere him as King.
In heaven the angels carry out his will perfectly and without hesita-
tion. We desire to see these dynamics of heaven taking place here
on earth. These things will happen at the second coming when we
see Jesus “seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the
clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).
Thus, the first long sentence of the Lord’s Prayer is a plea that
the Messianic Era will arrive. This goes hand in hand with what
Jesus taught us: “Seek first the kingdom.” It makes perfect sense
that he would tell us to pray in this way.
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

After focusing on the grand arrival of the Messianic Kingdom, it
is strange to ask, “Give me something to eat.” Is that what Jesus
truly meant, or is there a deeper meaning?
The English phrase “daily bread” seems straightforward. How-
ever, many modern translations contain footnotes explaining that
this phrase can also be translated “bread for tomorrow.” How can
it mean both?
The Greek text is not that clear. The Greek word typically trans-
lated as “daily” is epiousion (επιούσιον). But this is not the normal

way to say “daily” in Greek. What’s more, it is not even a valid Greek
word. Even the early church fathers who natively spoke Greek
acknowledged that the word was made up. It does not appear in
any other Greek literature.
To understand what this strange word means, we must break it
into its component parts. We know that the first part is a versatile
prefix (epi), which can mean “over” or “after.”
The second part is where opinions vary. In one view the second
root word is einai, which means “being.” The resulting interpretation
is “over-being.” This conclusion is the source of the “daily bread”
interpretation as if to say “the bread for the time being.”
However, this interpretation causes a grammatical problem in
Greek. If this were the root word, the compound word should be
epousion, not epiousion. (The first iota should disappear.)
Another possibility is that the second root word is ienai, which
means “coming.” The resulting interpretation is “coming-after.”
A similar word shows up in the Greek version of Proverbs and
means “tomorrow.” By this interpretation the verse means, “Give
us today our ‘tomorrowly’ bread,” that is, our bread of tomorrow.
The fourth-century theologian Jerome and several other church
fathers occasionally referred to a document called the Gospel of
the Hebrews. It was a collection of sayings and stories about Jesus
used by his Jewish disciples, written in the Hebrew language. Unfor-
tunately, this document is no longer extant. According to Jerome,
this version used the Hebrew word for “tomorrow,” not “daily.”
In all, the evidence is quite strong that “tomorrow” is the correct
reading. While scholars are aware of this, people are so accustomed
to the interpretation in the King James that anything else would
seem wrong to them.
It also raises the question, why would we ask for tomorrow’s
bread today? Jesus taught us not to be anxious about tomorrow.
But the “bread of tomorrow” is not talking about regular food. As
Jerome explained,

The Hebrew Gospel according to Matthew reads, “Give
us today the bread of tomorrow,” in other words, the
bread that you will give us in your kingdom, give today.
So this “tomorrowly” bread is the bread of the Messianic King-

dom. The kingdom is frequently described in terms of a great ban-
quet. Someone reclining at a meal with Jesus once reacted to his
teachings by exclaiming, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread
in the kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15). In the book of Revelation
Jesus promises that “to the one who conquers [he] will give some
of the hidden manna” (Revelation 2:17).
Thus, by asking for the bread of tomorrow to come to us today,
we are asking for the substance of the Messianic Era to be pres-
ent in our daily lives even as we strive in the current age. We also
express the hope that today is the day when we will finally feast at
the lavish banquet of the Messianic Kingdom.
Forgive Us Our Debts, as We

Forgive Our Debtors
When others wrong us, we often feel as if they owe us some kind
of repayment or are liable for our suffering. In the same way, when
we sin, we owe a debt to God. Yet this is not so much a prayer for
personal forgiveness. As in many Jewish prayers, this phrase is
spoken in the collective voice, speaking of the entire nation.
The choice of “debt” here as a reference to sin is significant. In
the ancient world, when a person fell deeply into debt he could not
repay, he became a slave. In Jewish terminology, freeing slaves by
releasing them from their debts is “redemption”:
If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his prop-

erty, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem
what his brother has sold. (Leviticus 25:25)

God instructed through Moses that Jewish debtors were not
to remain slaves forever. Every seven years there was to be a year
of forgiving debts:
At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release.

And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall
release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not
exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the LORD’s
release has been proclaimed. (Deuteronomy 15:1–2)
While this commandment makes no sense from a worldly per-

spective, God promised to bless the people of Israel tremendously
if they would observe this law.
Jesus encouraged us to be generous in our forgiveness of others
and to prioritize forgiveness always. At the same time, when Jesus
spoke about forgiving debts in the Lord’s Prayer, he alluded to the
idea of the year of release.
The Sabbath day is a foretaste of the Messianic Kingdom each
week. In the same way, the seventh year is also a vivid picture of the
ultimate redemption of the world when the Messiah comes again.
We extend grace and forgiveness to others, releasing them from
their debts to us, and we ask for God to be no less merciful to us.
We ask him to release the entire world from its current condition
of bondage and send the Messiah to bring ultimate freedom.
Lead Us Not into Temptation,

but Deliver Us from Evil
The Hebrew word for temptation also means “test” or “trial.” This
term refers to difficulties that test our faith, such as the difficult
choices that Abraham endured (Genesis 22:1).
This line bears a striking resemblance to other Jewish prayers.
For example, one such prayer asks,

Lead us not into the power of sin,
Nor into the power of disobedience or iniquity,
Nor into the power of trials,
Nor into the power of disgrace;
And do not let the evil inclination rule us.
The idea behind this is not to ask that God will prevent us from
encountering tests but rather that we will overcome them. What
Jesus meant by “lead us not into” was that we not be given over to
their influence.
Many Jewish prayers also ask that we be delivered from evil
things, particularly influences that may harm us or sway us to turn
away from God. Prominent among these is the “flesh,” the animal-
istic and selfish drive within each person. In Jewish terminology
this is the “evil inclination.”
It is well known in Jewish belief that the world will encounter
such difficulties and trials before the redemption takes place. These
are sometimes called “the birth pangs of Messiah.”
For Thine Is the Kingdom, and the

Power, and the Glory, Forever, Amen
Scholars note that this line does not appear in the oldest manu-
scripts. It appears to be an addition from an early generation of
Jesus’ followers. This phrase, too, has a common Jewish form,
most likely inspired by the blessing of King David:
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the

glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in
the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the king-
dom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.
(1 Chronicles 29:11)

The early Jewish disciples knew that the Lord’s Prayer reflected
on and sought the glorious coming kingdom of God. The ancient
Hebrew prophets spoke about how the Messiah would usher in
a time of peace, prosperity, and the revelation of God—the Mes-
sianic Kingdom.
Yeshua of Nazareth came proclaiming that the kingdom was
near and would be revealed if the people would turn their hearts
to him in repentance.
God is the true King, but his kingship is currently concealed.
Instead, materialism, corruption, and death dominate the world
today.
Jesus began a revolutionary movement of people whose citi-
zenship does not belong to this world but to the coming kingdom.
We refuse to bow to the current world’s regime; we stand strong
and wait for our King to arrive—the God of Israel and his Mes-
siah—and reconquer what belongs to him. Today, just as the first
Jewish followers of Jesus did, we declare, “Yours is the kingdom.”

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."
(Luke 11:1)
Prayer is simply talking with God. Nonetheless,

the grown men who followed Jesus felt as if they
had something yet to learn. As true disciples,
they wanted to pray just as their Rabbi did.
In ancient Judaism, disciples sought not

only to learn their master’s teachings and
interpretations; they endeavored to imitate
their rabbi in every detail. Rabbi Yeshua
taught, “A disciple is not above his teacher,
but everyone when he is fully trained
will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
What does prayer look like in a Jewish context?

How did Jesus pray? This book provides
Christians with an insider’s view of Jewish
prayer. Learn how the beauty and wisdom of
Jesus’ own people can inspire all his disciples
to draw near to our Father in heaven.
First Fruits of Zion

Israel / United States / Canada
800–775–4807
www.ffoz.org

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WHAT THE

Publisher grants permission to reference short quotations (less than 400

First Fruits of Zion is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit educational organization.

Printed in the United States of America

The prayer text in this book, which includes Scriptural passages, is an

Cover design: FFOZ

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First Fruits of Zion

Comments and questions: www.ffoz.org/contact

Rabbi Teach Us To PRay_TeXT.indd; 04-06-2017;

Service of the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Conversation with the Creator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

The Hour of Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Turning toward Jerusalem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

In Yeshua’s Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Seeking the Kingdom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

The Bread of Tomorrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Prayer in the World of Jesus

Praying is such a natural, simple act. Prayer is talking to God.

2 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

The Intense Connection

I n the ancient Temple the priests performed many duties in

Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of

What does it mean to serve God with our hearts? If “service” in

4 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

Freshly arranged coals glowed atop the golden altar’s square

The old man gasped as a humanlike figure to his right caught

6 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to

The Hebrew of this biblical passage is difficult but clever. The

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the

This theme appears once again in Revelation:

Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden

This spiritual reality should encourage us. Just as the sacrifices

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter

8 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

Malka stood in the cool shade of the Western Wall’s stones.

The melodious sound of the morning prayers rung out from

What she said was not particularly poetic, profound, or

Pray without Ceasing

12 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

14 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

The words came out with minimal effort; occasionally she

16 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

When life presents challenges, our first instinct should be to

18 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

When you go to war in your land against the adver-

They noted that before engaging in combat, the Israelites were

He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and sup-

The matriarchs of the Jewish people, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel,

Difficulties in our lives are not outside the sovereignty of God;

20 Rabbi, Teach Us to Pray

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of

We might think that if calamity comes to us under the sover-

How the Daily Times of Prayer

The rugged and seasoned military officer peered westward.

Just then, “he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come

IIInIn YeIIInIn I          41

IIInIn YeIIInIn I          43

IIInIn YeIIInIn I          45

IIInIn YeIIInIn I          47