NEWSTUDIESINBIBLICALTHEOLOGY38

CallingonthenameoftheLord

NEWSTUDIESINBIBLICALTHEOLOGY38

Serieseditor:D.A.Carson

CallingonthenameoftheLord

ABIBLICALTHEOLOGYOFPRAYER

J.GaryMillar

APOLLOS

INTERVARSITYPRESSDOWNERSGROVE,ILLINOIS60515

ForLucy,SophieandRebekah(thenoisiestpray-ersIknow)

prayingthatyouwillcallonthenameoftheLordfortherestofyourlives

Contents

Seriespreface

Author’spreface

Abbreviations

Introduction:prayerandthegospel

1Thedayprayerbegan:prayerinthePentateuch

Thedayprayerbegan

CallingonthenameofYahweh

Interimconclusions:theessentialnatureofbiblicalprayer

PrayerinthePentateuch–athesistested

Conclusion

2Bigprayersandthemovementsofhistory:prayerintheFormerProphets

PrayerinthebookofJoshua

PrayerinthebookofJudges

PrayerinthebooksofSamuel

PrayerinthebooksofKings

Conclusion

3Prayinginthelightofthefuture:prayerintheLatterProphets

Longprayersandlargebooks

Shortprayersandshort(ish)books

Conclusion

4Prayingforanewcovenant:prayerintheWritings

Thewisdomofprayer

Prayingthroughtheexile

Prayingforanewcovenant(prayerinEzra–NehemiahandChronicles)

Conclusion

5Thepsalms,theMessiahandthechurch

Arethepsalms‘prayers’?

Whoseprayersarethese?

Doesthepsalterhaveamessage?

Howdoesthepsaltercontributetoabiblicaltheologyofprayer?

6Jesusandprayer:prayerintheGospels

ThebirthofJesusandprayer

TheteachingofJesusandprayer

TheparablesofJesusandprayer

ThelifeofJesusandprayer

7Thechurchatprayer:prayerinthebookofActs

PrayerinJerusalem

PrayerinJudeaandSamaria

Prayerattheendsoftheearth

Conclusion

8Churchplantingandprayer:prayerinPaul’sletters

PrayingforotherswithPaul

Paul’steachingonprayer

Paul’sexhortationstopray

Conclusion

9Theendofprayer:prayerinthelaterNewTestament

PrayerandHebrews

PrayerandJames

PrayerandPeter

PrayerandJude

PrayerandJohn

Conclusion

Afterword:whythismatters–(re)learningtopraybigprayers

Introduction

Analysis:Whateverhappenedtoevangelicalsandprayer?

Diagnosis:Whyisthechurchprayingless?

Relearningtopray

Bibliography

Indexofauthors

IndexofScripturereferences

Titlesinthisseries

Notes

AbouttheAuthor

MoreTitlesfromInterVarsityPress

CopyrightPage

Seriespreface

New Studies in Biblical Theology is a series of monographs that address keyissuesinthedisciplineofbiblicaltheology.Contributionstotheseriesfocusonone or more of three areas: (1) the nature and status of biblical theology,including its relationswithother disciplines (e.g. historical theology, exegesis,systematictheology,historicalcriticism,narrativetheology);(2)thearticulationand exposition of the structure of thought of a particular biblical writer orcorpus; and (3) the delineation of a biblical theme across all or part of thebiblicalcorpora.

Above all, these monographs are creative attempts to help thinkingChristians understand their Bibles better. The series aims simultaneously toinstructandtoedify,tointeractwiththecurrentliteratureandtopointthewayahead.InGod’suniverse,mindandheartshouldnotbedivorced:inthisserieswewilltrynottoseparatewhatGodhasjoinedtogether.Whilethenotesinteractwiththebestofscholarlyliterature,thetextisunclutteredwithuntransliteratedGreekandHebrew,and tries toavoid toomuch technical jargon.Thevolumesare written within the framework of confessional evangelicalism, but there isalways an attempt at thoughtful engagement with the sweep of the relevantliterature.

Many books have been written on prayer. Not a few are of the ‘how to’variety. Some are almost mystical. Others carefully work through biblicalpassages–theprayersofPaul,forinstance,orofDavid.StillotherssurveythemanydifferentkindsofaddresstoGodfoundintheBible.TheapproachofDrGaryMillar, in this volume, is unique: he combs through the entire Bible todiscover the focus of prayers in each book or corpus of the Bible: this is abiblicaltheologyofprayer.Atonelevelwhatheuncoversisscarcelysurprising:thevastmajorityofbiblicalprayersaretiedinonefashionoranothertoGod’spurposes across the sweepof redemptivehistory, culminating in Jesus and the

gospel. At another level what he finds is revolutionary: a great deal ofcontemporary Christian praying is centred on individual anxieties, needs andpreferences,andnotonthepurposesandpromisesofGod.Thisisnotsomuchwicked (after all, Peter tells his readers, ‘casting all your anxieties on him,becausehecaresforyou’,1Peter5:7)ashorriblyimbalanced.Inotherwords,Gary Millar’s work not only informs us about prayer in the Bible, but also,rightlyabsorbed,drivesustoprayerthatisinlinewithGod’ssavingpurposes.AndsuddenlyitbecomesclearerwhatitmeanstoprayinJesus’name.

D.A.CarsonTrinityEvangelicalDivinitySchool

Author’spreface

All theologyneeds tobepreachedand lived.That iswhywritinganacademicbookonprayerisadeeplychallengingexperience,anditiswhyIamsogratefulto Fiona, my wife, for her partnership in the gospel and all of life, and herconstantencouragementtoliveoutwhatIhavebeenteachingandwritingduringthe past couple of years. It is also why I gladly dedicate this book to mydaughtersLucy,SophieandRebekah,whosharewithus(andcreate!)theuniquedelightsanddisastersoffamilyprayertime,adailyreminderinourhouseofourneedtocallonthenameoftheLord.

Thinkingandwriting aboutprayer, aswell as seeking togrow inmyowncommitmenttoandenjoymentofprayer,hasalsoleadmetoreflectonandthankGodforthepeoplewhohavetaughtmemostaboutprayerovertheyears.Iamdeeply thankful formyparents, JohnandLornaMillar, forencouragingme toprayfrommyearliestdays;formyyouthfellowshipleadersatmyhomechurchinLisburn,NorthernIreland,whointroducedmetoprayingwithothers;formyfellow students in the Christian Union groups at Queen’s in Belfast andAberdeen;fortheuniqueandlife-changingexperienceofcongregationalprayermodelled on Saturday nights by William Still and the church family atGilcomstonSouth,Aberdeen;formyin-laws,WarnerandSheenaHardie,whointroducedmetothedelightsofprayingforworldmissionaroundthebreakfasttable; and for the faithful ‘prayer warriors’ at Hamilton Road PresbyterianChurch,Bangor.OurexperienceovertwelveexcitingyearsinDublinheightenedourcommitmenttoprayforgospelfaithfulnessandgospelgrowth,andwewillnever forget the times of prayer we enjoyed in Howth, and MalahidePresbyterianChurchinbothgoodtimesandbad.

Writingthisbookhasalsodeepenedourgratitudeforthosepreciouspeoplewhohaveprayed forus so faithfullyovermanyyears–weneed itmore than

ever,andhopetheywillbeencouragedtoprayonforGodtodohisworkinandthroughusbytheSpiritthroughreadingthesepages.

SincemymovetoAustraliain2012,manypeoplehavelistenedtome‘thinkout loud’ about prayer, and helped me to sharpen that thinking. I am deeplygrateful to those involved in the Tasmania Christian Convention, IgniteConference in Brisbane, Coffs Harbour Presbyterian Church in New SouthWales, the Ministry Training and Development Conference of the AnglicanDiocese of Sydney, Queensland and Northern New South Wales ChurchMissionarySocietySummerSchoolandthechurchesofthecentralcoastofNewSouthWales,whohaveallbeenexposed to thedeveloping ideas in thisbook,andhavehelpedmakeitbetterthanitotherwisewouldhavebeen.

IamalsogratefultomycolleaguesatQueenslandTheologicalCollege,whohave listened to random extracts of the argument of the book (and oftensharpened them), helped track down resources and set me free to write. ThepeerlessAnnetteMcGrath,our librarian,hasbeenan immensehelp.A specialword of thanks is also due to the students/graduates who helped in the latterstages of production–KaminaWust,KatieAllan,MelindaSmith andLorissaAchjian. It is a privilege to be part of a godly and supportive community likeQueenslandTheologicalCollege,whichiscommittedto‘callingonthenameoftheLord’tokeepthepromiseshehasmadetousinthegospel.

DonCarsoncontinues tobeanexampleandanencouragement tome,andthisbookismuchbetterthanitwouldhavebeenbecauseofhim.PhilipDuceatInter-VarsityPresshasbeenapleasure toworkwith,asalways.MythanksgoalsotoEldoBarkhuizen,whoserigorousandgraciouscopy-editingbroughtnewclaritytotheargument.

MyprayeristhateventhroughthisbookourGodandKingwillcontinuetoglorifyhisnameinalltheearth,ashemovespeoplelikeustocallonhisname.

GaryMillarAugust2015

Abbreviations

AB AnchorBibleAcBib AcademiabiblicaANE ancientNearEast(ern)AOTC ApollosOldTestamentCommentaryAYB AnchorYaleBibleBCOTWP BakerCommentaryontheOldTestamentWisdomandPsalmsBECNT BakerExegeticalCommentaryontheNewTestamentBECOT BakerExegeticalCommentaryontheOldTestamentBTCB BrazosTheologicalCommentaryontheBibleBZAW BeiheftezurZeitschriftfürdiealttestamentlicheWissenschaftCC ContinentalCommentariesDCH DictionaryofClassicalHebrew,ed.D.J.A.Clines,6vols.,

Sheffield:SheffieldPhoenix,1993–2008DOTP DictionaryoftheOldTestament:Pentateuch,ed.T.D.

AlexanderandD.W.Baker,DownersGrove:InterVarsityPress;Leicester:Inter-VarsityPress,2003

EBC TheExpositor’sBibleCommentaryECC EerdmansCriticalCommentaryFOTB FocusontheBibleFOTL TheFormsoftheOldTestamentLiteratureGKC Gesenius’HebrewGrammar,ed.E.Kautzsch,rev.andtr.A.E.

Cowley,Oxford:Clarendon,1910HALOT TheHebrewandAramaicLexiconoftheOldTestament,ed.L.

KoehlerandW.Baumgartner,tr.anded.underthesupervisionofM.E.J.Richardson,5vols.,Leiden:Brill,1994–2000

HBT HorizonsinBiblicalTheologyJSOTSup JournalfortheStudyoftheOldTestament,SupplementSeriesLHB/OTS LibraryoftheHebrewBible/OldTestamentStudiesMLBS MercerLibraryofBiblicalStudiesMT MasoreticTextNAC NewAmericanCommentaryNIBC NewInternationalBiblicalCommentaryNICNT NewInternationalCommentaryontheNewTestamentNICOT NewInternationalCommentaryontheOldTestamentNIDOTTE NewInternationalDictionaryofOldTestamentTheologyand

Exegesis,ed.W.A.VanGemeren,5vols.,Carlisle:Paternoster;GrandRapids:Zondervan,1997

NIGTC NewInternationalGreekTestamentCommentaryNIVAC NewInternationalVersionApplicationCommentaryNSBT NewStudiesinBiblicalTheologyNT NewTestamentNTS NewTestamentStudiesOBT OverturestoBiblicalTheologyOT OldTestamentOTL OldTestamentLibraryPNTC PillarNewTestamentCommentaryPTW PreachingtheWordSBET ScottishBulletinofEvangelicalTheologySBLDS SocietyofBiblicalLiteratureDissertationSeriesSHBC Smyth&HelwysBibleCommentaryTynB TyndaleBulletinTHOTC TheTwoHorizonsOldTestamentCommentaryTNTC TyndaleNewTestamentCommentariesTOTC TyndaleOldTestamentCommentariesVT VetusTestamentumWBC WordBiblicalCommentary

WBC WordBiblicalCommentaryZECNT ZondervanExegeticalCommentaryontheNewTestament

Introduction:prayerandthegospel

Itisadifficultandformidablethingtowriteonprayer,andonefearstotouchtheArk.Perhapsno-oneoughttoundertakeitunlesshehasspentmoretoilinthepracticeofprayerthanonitsprinciple.Butperhapsalsotheefforttolookintoitsprinciplemaybegraciouslyregardedbyhimwhoeverlivethtomakeintercessionasitselfaprayertoknowbetterhowtopray.

(P.T.Forsyth,TheSoulofPrayer)

Forvariousreasons,includingthoseexpressedsobeautifullybyP.T.Forsyth,Ihadnointentionorambitiontowriteabookonprayer.Overthepastfewyears,however,severalinterrelatedconcernshavedrivenmetothisunexpectedplace!Attherootofmyinterestissimplyadesiretopraymoreandmoreeffectivelyasonewhobelongsto,iscalledtoandisenabledtopraybytheLordJesusChrist.TothatisaddedagrowingsenseofdisquietatthemarginalizationofprayerinlocalchurchesacrosstheEnglish-speakingworld.InthecirclesImoveintherehasclearlybeenasignificantincreaseinexpositorypreaching,forwhichIthankGod. Evangelism has become more thoughtful, relational and clearly gospel-centred, which is hugely encouraging. The quality of engagement with thebiblical text in small groups is, I think, significantly richer thanwas the case,say, in the1980s.All this ismassivelyencouraging.But there isanother trendthatoftengoesunnoticed–thechurchinmanyplaceshasstoppedpraying. 1

I amnot suggesting that thishasbeenapolicydecision,or the result of ablatantdeclarationofself-reliance.Inmostcases,Isuspect,ithasjusthappened

–oftenasaresultofthelaudablegoalofgettingmorepeopleengagedinthelifeof the local church.Wehavedecentralized, and theprayergatheringhasbeenreplaced by a small-group programme. And the net result when it comes toprayer?Alltoooftenprayerisrelegatedtothatslotsomewhereafter9.30p.m.,where the group leader (of which I have often been a prime example) sayssomething like ‘Oh, I didn’t realize itwas so late.We’d better stop there andprayforacoupleofminutesbeforewego.’Thefactthattherushedprayersthatfollow are often dominated by concern for someone’s next-door neighbour’sgrandmotherwhomayormaynotbeaChristianandhasbeendiagnosedwithcancer (important though it is to pray for people like this) simply serves tohighlightthelackofgospeldepthinourviewofprayer.

These twin concerns of personal growth, and a sense that prayer wasslippingofftheagendaofthechurch,werefuelledbytheobservationthatbooksonprayerseemedat least tohave lost theirplace in thepantheonofmust-readChristian classics. So, for example,when Iwas a student from the late 1980sonwards, no respectable member of the Christian Union would ever haveadmitted to not having read Ole Hallesby’s classic book Prayer 2 and wouldprobably earnestly have been working through Don Carson’s more recentlypublished A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and HisPrayers. 3Evenamong theologicalstudents todayIamstruggling to thinkofatitleonprayerfromanygenerationorwrittenatanylevelthatcommandssuchattention. 4When Idecided severalyears ago toplunge in at thedeependandgiveaseriesoffiveconferenceaddressesonprayer,Istruggledtofindabookthat simply dealtwith the biblicalmaterial on prayer, beginningwithGenesisandfinishingwithRevelation.TherewerehelpfulstudiesontheLord’sPrayer,andPaul’sprayers,andsomeexcellentbookson thepracticeofprayer,butnosingle comprehensive treatment of the unfolding story of what the Bible saysaboutprayer. 5

AsIcontinuedtotrytothinkthroughtheseratherdisparateconcerns,IcameacrossthesestatementsinCalvin’sdiscussionofprayerinTheInstitutesof theChristianReligion,3.20.1–3:

Justasfaithisbornfromthegospel,sothroughitourheartsaretrainedtocall upon God’s name [Rom. 10:14–17]. And this is precisely what [theapostle]hadsaidalittlebefore:theSpiritofadoption,whosealsthewitnessofthegospelinourhearts[Rom.8:16]raisesupourspiritstodaretoshowforthtoGodtheirdesires,tostirupunspeakablegroanings[Rom.8:26],andconfidentlycry,‘Abba!Father!’[Rom.8:15]. 6

SotrueisitthatwedigupbyprayerthetreasuresthatwerepointedoutbytheLord’sgospel,andwhichourfaithhasgazedupon. 7

Butthey...donotobservetowhatendtheLordhasinstructedhispeopletopray,forheordaineditnotsomuchforhisownsakeasours. 8

ForCalvin it is clear that there is anunbreakable linkbetweenprayer and thegospel.Andwith thatsimple,butcompellinglyprofound, insight the trajectoryofthisstudywasset.Whatfollowsinthesepagesisanexpositionofthefactthatprayer in theBible is intimately linkedwith thegospel –God’spromised andprovided solution to the problem of human rebellion against him and itsconsequences.ThegospelshapeofprayerisevidentfromtheopeningpagesoftheBible– and inparticular from the firstmentionofprayer inGenesis4:26,whenpeoplefirstbeginto‘callonthenameofYahweh’–rightthroughtotheend,whenthechurchprays,‘Come,LordJesus!’(seeRev.22:20).

ThisstudywillfollowthecontoursoftheBible’steachingonprayer.Afterdefiningprayeras‘callingonthenameof theLord’,myintentionissimplytodemonstratehow thebiblicalmaterialbuildson thisbasicunderstanding.Asaresult,morebiblicaltextwillbequotedthanisnormalinanNSBTvolume.Thisis deliberate. Even careful readers of the Bible often overlook significantteaching on prayer because it is deeply embedded in passages of narrative orpoetry where the main emphasis lies somewhere else. Prayer is an importantbiblical-theological‘thread’runningthroughtheScriptures,butit isonethat iseasilymissed in the tangleofothermaterial.Myhope is that thisvolumewill

make a small contribution to help the church rediscover the persistent biblicalwitnesstotheimportanceofprayer.

Initiallythefocuswillbeonshowinghow‘callingonthenameofYahweh’,orprayerthatasksGodtodeliveronhiscovenantalpromises,isthefoundationfor all that the Old Testament says about prayer. On moving to the NewTestament it will become apparent how calling on the name of Yahweh isredefined by Jesus himself, and how, after his death and resurrection, theapostles understood praying in the name of Jesus to be the new covenantexpressionofcallingonthenameofYahweh.PrayerthroughouttheBible,itwillbeargued,istobeprimarilyunderstoodasaskingGodtocomethroughonwhathehasalreadypromised;asCalvinexpressedit,‘throughtheGospelourheartsaretrainedtocallonGod’sname’. 9

At the conclusion of this volume I have added an afterword. While notstrictlyfollowingthelogicoftheargument,it isavitalpartofthewhole.Thisbook is, atone level, anacademicexercise.Butat another itwouldbewhollydisingenuoustoundertaketowriteonprayerwithoutbothattemptingtoliveoutwhat iswritten and to apply it to the life of the church.The lastword in thisvolume, then, is reserved for a brief attempt to apply the previous chapters’insightstothechallengeswefaceasthechurchofJesusChrist,callingonhiminthemiddleofourbrokenworld,asweawaithisreturn.

ChapterOne

Thedayprayerbegan:prayerinthePentateuch

ThedayprayerbeganTheearlychaptersofGenesisarecriticalforanydiscussionofbiblicaltheology.It is here – in creation, Eden and beyond – that the building blocks forunderstanding the storyline of the Bible are found. And it is here (notsurprisingly)thatprayerbegins.

Where is the first prayer in the Bible? Sometimes it is suggested that theconversationsbetweenAdam,EveandGodinEdenareprayer.Butthetextdoesnotpresenttheminthisway–theyaredescribedusingthenormallanguageofconversation. 1 In the sameway that the relationshipwithGod isnotexplicitlydescribed as a ‘covenant’ because ‘covenant’ categories in theOld Testamentare generally pressed into service when God is initiating steps to restore abroken relationship, these pre-fall, natural conversations are not described as‘prayer’. 2NorareanyoftheinteractionssurroundingCainandAbel’ssacrificescalled prayer. 3 It is onlywhenwe come to the end ofGenesis 4 thatwe findanythingthatlooksunambiguouslylikeprayer.

Genesis4:25–26states:

AndAdam knew hiswife again, and she bore a son and called his nameSeth, for she said, ‘Godhas appointed formeanotheroffspring insteadofAbel, forCainkilledhim.’ToSethalsoasonwasborn,andhecalledhisnameEnosh.AtthattimepeoplebegantocalluponthenameoftheLORD. 4

Thisisthedaythatprayerbegan.The key phrase is ‘at that time, [men] began to call upon the name of

Yahweh’. The construction emphasizes that this moment saw the definitebeginning of something new. 5 However, in the flow of Genesis the mostsignificantquestionissurelywhythisnewbeginningissign-postedhere.Whyisthe beginning of prayer triggered by the birth of Enosh?This is an intriguingquestion.

Thereseems tobeno intrinsicsignificanceattached toEnoshhimself. 6Heplaysnopart in theunfoldingnarrative,andafter this ismentionedonlyinthegenealogiesofGenesis5and1Chronicles1.Sowemustlookelsewhereforarationale.CommentatorshaveoftennotedtheapparentlyinexplicableinclusionofthisnoteafterCain’sfamilytreeinGenesis4;sovonRad:‘Thenoticeaboutthebeginningof theYahwehcult is strangeandcannotbe rightlyexplained.’ 7

Thosewhohavetriedtoexplainthephrasehavegenerallydonesoasacommenton the development of ancient religion (e.g. Wenham, Westermann et al.),althoughCalvin tried to trace it back to the godly parenting of Seth. 8 On thewhole, however, there has been little or no attempt to root this phrase in itstheologicalcontextoftheearlychaptersofGenesis.

In the immediate context I would argue that the focus of the unfoldingnarrativeisfixedfirmlyontheimportanceofdescendants–or,tobemoreexact,onwhichdescendantwouldbetherecipientofYahweh’sblessing.Thisdynamicisclearlypresent in theCainandAbelnarrative.However, Iwouldgo furtherandsuggest thatasearlyas3:15 thesearch isonforoneparticular ‘offspring’(zera‘). 9

WithinthenarrativeworldofGenesis1–11itislikelythatthefulfilmentofpromiseof3:15istobesought,inthefirstinstanceatleast,inoneofAdamandEve’sownchildren.Thetensionofthenarrativeatthebeginningofchapter4ispredicatedonthefactthatthereaderwantstoknowifeitherCainorAbelcouldbethe‘serpentcrusher’of3:15.Theshockfactor,then,flowsfromthefactthatAbel,thegodlyoffspring,isterminated(thusinstantlyobviatinganyclaimtobethe offspring), while the murderous Cain remains. Given how the narrativeunfoldsinGenesis,itisconceivablethatamurdererwouldbepartofthelineof

promise–however,atthisstageoftheprimevalhistorytheemphasisisnotontheuniversalsinfulnessofhumanity,butonthedeterminationofGodtokeephispromise,whichbringsusbackto4:25–26.

AftertheCainitegenealogy‘closesoff’thesignificanceofthispartofthefamilyfortheunfoldingplanofGod(inexactlythesamewayasthegenealogiesof Ishmael and Esau do later in the book), the birth of Seth in 4:25 instantlyeasesthetension.Itis,however,extremelysurprisingthatSethreceivesnomoreattention in the narrative. His sole contribution to the developing story is tofatherEnosh.Thisstrangeomissionisbarelydiscussedintheliterature.

The simplest explanation of the passing reference to Seth is that he is oflimitedsignificancetotheflowofGenesisbecause(whetherornotheisgodly)heshowsnosignofdoinganythingresemblingcrushingtheheadoftheserpent.Hecomes,andhegoes–however,hedoesproduceason,Enosh.AndEnosh’scontributiontothenarrative?Itisacaseoflikefatherlikeson,ashetoosimplycomesandgoes.

This means that, theologically speaking, the context of the innovation of4:26isoneofsalvation-historicalanticlimax.Thereisagrowingsensethatthepromise of 3:15may not be fulfilled immediately. The expected offspring isclearlyneitherCain,norAbel,norSeth,norEnosh.Itseemsthatatthispointtherealization begins to dawn on the Adamic community that the fulfilment ofpromisemaytakesometime.Incontext this is themostnaturalexplanationofthefactthatEnosh’sbirthleadstopeople‘callingonthenameofYahweh’.

CallingonthenameofYahwehAtthispointwedoneedtospendalittletimeteasingouttheprecisenuanceofthephrase‘callingonthenameofYahweh’.Onekeylexiconsuggeststhatthisdenotes ‘entering into an intensive relationship as someone who calls’. 10

However, this seems to be overreaching slightly.On the other hand,Clowneyreducesthesignificanceofthephraseto‘callinghisnamealoud’. 11Thisseemsreductionist.Sowhatistheimportofthisphrase?

ThesimpleanswerseemstobethatitreferstocryingouttoGodinprayer.The beginning of the post-Eden ‘conversation’ between humanity and Godbegins with ‘crying out to God’ (or ‘calling on the name of Yahweh’). This,then,Iwouldargue,providesuswithabiblical-theologicaldefinitionofprayer.ThisissupportedbytheotherOldTestamentoccurrencesofthephrase. 12

There is substantial discussion on the significance of the slightlycircumlocutoryexpression‘thenameofYahweh’.Essentially,‘the“nameoftheLORD”(yhwh)ismetonymicalforthenatureoftheLord’. 13However,theprecisenuanceof theuseof thisphrasehas tobedeterminedbybiblicalusage, ratherthangeneralHebraic(orANE)usage.

WhenthisphraseisusedintheOldTestament,itisaskingGodtointervenespecificallytodoonething–tocomethroughonhispromises. 14InGenesis12:8and13:4Abram‘callsonthenameofYahweh’atkeymomentsinthenarrative–modellinga‘faithresponse’toGod’spromisesandshowingthatashemovesinto the land he does so relying on Yahweh himself to do what he has said.Similarlyin21:33,attheclimaxoftheagreementwithAbimelechthePhilistine(whichleadsbothtoAbraham’sreceivingthetitletothewellatBeershebaandtheneutralizingofthePhilistinethreattohis‘occupation’oftheland),Abrahamplants a tamarisk tree and ‘calls on the name of Yahweh’. In the only otheroccurrence inGenesis Isaac responds toYahweh’s reiteration of the covenantpromisesin26:24bybuildinganaltaratBeershebaand‘callingonthenameofYahweh’. To call on the name of Yahweh in Genesis, then, is to respond toGod’spromise-makinginitiativebyaskinghimtoacttofulfilhispromises.

This isalsothecaseintherestof theOldTestament.Elijah’schallengetotheprophetsofBaalin1Kings18:24(‘Andyoucalluponthenameofyourgod,andIwillcalluponthenameoftheLORD,andtheGodwhoanswersbyfire,heisGod’) fitsneatly into thispattern. It is alsoclear that (1)Elijahunderstandsthis phrase as describing prayer, and (2) the prayer he prays revolves aroundGod’spromisestothepatriarchs:

Andatthetimeoftheofferingoftheoblation,Elijahtheprophetcamenearandsaid,‘OLORD,GodofAbraham,Isaac,andIsrael, letitbeknownthisday thatyouareGod in Israel,and that Iamyourservant,and that Ihavedoneallthesethingsatyourword.Answerme,OLORD,answerme,thatthispeoplemayknowthatyou,OLORD,areGod,andthatyouhaveturnedtheirheartsback.’(1Kgs18:36–37) 15

In the prophetic literature it is equally clear that ‘calling on the name ofYahweh’isnotavaguetermtocoverallkindsofinteractionwiththedivine–itisintimatelyconnectedwithYahweh’sdeclaredplanstorescuehispeopleandtoactinjudgmentandsalvation.Isaiah12:3setsthetone:

Withjoyyouwilldrawwaterfromthewellsofsalvation.Andyouwillsayinthatday:

‘GivethankstotheLORD,calluponhisname,

makeknownhisdeedsamongthepeoples,proclaimthathisnameisexalted.’

Infact‘callingonthenameofYahweh’isthedefinitivemarkofthepeopleofGod.Thiscanworknegatively(seeJer.10:25)ormorepositively:

AnditshallcometopassthateveryonewhocallsonthenameoftheLORDshallbesaved.ForinMountZionandinJerusalemthereshallbethosewhoescape,astheLORDhassaid,andamongthesurvivorsshallbethosewhomtheLORDcalls.(Joel2:32)

ForatthattimeIwillchangethespeechofthepeoplestoapurespeech,

thatallofthemmaycalluponthenameoftheLORDandservehimwithoneaccord.

(Zeph.3:9)

Theywillcalluponmyname,andIwillanswerthem.

Iwillsay,‘Theyaremypeople’;andtheywillsay,‘TheLORDismyGod.’

(Zech.13:9)

In each case there is a clear connection between Yahweh’s prior covenantalcommitment to save his people and ‘calling on the name of Yahweh’. Ifanything,thisbecomesclearerinthefinalpropheticexample,wheretheservantoftheLord(heredepictedasaPs.2kindoffigureofdivinejudgment)turnsouttobetheonewhodefinitively‘callsonYahweh’:

Istirreduponefromthenorth,andhehascome,fromtherisingofthesun,andheshallcalluponmyname;

heshalltrampleonrulersasonmortar,asthepottertreadsclay.

(Isa.41:25)

Beholdmyservant,whomIuphold,mychosen,inwhommysouldelights;

IhaveputmySpirituponhim;hewillbringforthjusticetothenations.

(Isa.42:1)

Itseemsincreasinglyclearthatthephrase‘callingonthenameofYahweh’isused todepictprayer,butnot simply in ageneric sense.Rather, the ideaofcallingonthenameofYahwehisintrinsicallyrelatedtoGod’scommitmentto

rescuehispeopleanddeliveronhispromises.This isborneout in theway inwhichthephraseisusedinbothChroniclesandPsalms.

The phrase occurs only once in Chronicles, but it does so at a highlysignificant moment in the narrative. As the chronicler’s insistence that Israelboth desperately needs atonement and that God has already put the ‘buildingblocks’ of a decisive act of forgiveness in place begins to emerge, Davidrecommissions a version of the tabernacle (1 Chr. 16:1–7). At this pointChronicles records an intense burst of Davidic (psalmic) praise, which startswiththecall

OhgivethankstotheLORD,calluponhisname;makeknownhisdeedsamongthepeoples!

(1Chr.16:8) 16

Thecontextisexplicitlycovenantal(seee.g.1Chr.16:15–18),andtheprayerisbasedonGod’skeepinghispromises.

Aswemightexpectbynow,thispatternisreplicatedinPsalms,eventhoughthephraseoccurssurprisinglyfewtimes.ItisusedtodemarcatethosewhotrustinYahwehfromthosewhodonot:

Pouroutyourangeronthenationsthatdonotknowyou,

andonthekingdomsthatdonotcalluponyourname!

(Ps.79:6)

Thenweshallnotturnbackfromyou;giveuslife,andwewillcalluponyourname!

(Ps.80:18)

Those who call on the name of Yahweh are those who have tasted hissalvation,andareenjoyinghiscovenantblessings.ThisismadeclearbyPsalm116,which is virtually ameditation onwhat itmeans to ‘call on the nameofYahweh’:

IlovetheLORD,becausehehasheardmyvoiceandmypleasformercy.

Becauseheinclinedhiseartome,thereforeIwillcallonhimaslongasIlive.

Thesnaresofdeathencompassedme;thepangsofSheollaidholdonme;Isuffereddistressandanguish.

ThenIcalledonthenameoftheLORD:‘OLORD,Ipray,delivermysoul!’...

WhatshallIrendertotheLORD

forallhisbenefitstome?IwillliftupthecupofsalvationandcallonthenameoftheLORD...

Iwilloffertoyouthesacrificeofthanksgiving

andcallonthenameoftheLORD.(Ps.116:1–4,12–13,17)

It isclear, then, thatas theOldTestamentunfolds, to‘callon thenameofYahweh’ is not simply to ‘pray’ in anygeneric sense.To call on thenameofYahweh is tocry toGod tocome throughonhispromises, andspecifically torescue and give life to his covenant people. It is a prayer for salvation, or anexpression of the fact that one is relying on God for salvation. To put itanachronistically,‘callingonthenameofYahweh’intheOldTestamentdenotes‘gospel-shapedprayer’.

ThisconvictionfindssomewhatunexpectedsupportintwoseminalpassagesintheNewTestament.BothPeter,preachingontheDayofPentecostinActs2,andPaul, in themiddleofhisdiscourseonhow thepromisesofGod relate toIsraelinRomans9–11,drawonJoel2:32insumminguptherequisiteresponsetothegraceofGodlongpromisedandrevealedintheLordJesusChrist. 17

Interimconclusions:theessentialnatureofbiblicalprayerOnonelevelitissurprisinghowinfrequentlythephrase‘callingonthenameoftheLORD/Lord’isusedintheBible.Butontheotheritisclearthatwhenitdoesoccur,itcarriessignificanttheologicalweight.ThissupportsthecontentionthatGenesis 4:25–26 is not simply a historical note, but is a ‘load-bearing’ verse,which establishes the trajectory for at least a significant strand of the Bible’steaching on prayer. This has at least three far-reaching implications forconstructingabiblicaltheologyofprayer.

Thisistheprimarybiblicaltrajectoryofprayer

It is rarelynoted that theprimarybiblical trajectoryofprayer isnotpraise, orlament,orintercession,ormeditationonthewordofYahweh.PrayerbeginsintheBibleasacryforGodtodowhathehaspromised–todealwiththerealityofsinbydeliveringonhiscovenantpromises.EvenifonedoesnotacceptthattheProtevangelium(Gen.3:15)liesbehindthecriestoGodofGenesis4:26,thelink between God’s promises and prayer becomes clear in the AbrahamnarrativesbeginninginGenesis12.

Thisisahelpfulorientationfortherestofmydiscussion.Itwill,ofcourse,benecessarytomakesomecommentonthevarietyofmaterialusuallyincludedunderthegeneralcategoryof‘prayer’,butwemusttakecarenottocollapseallthebiblicalmaterial into a single nebulousmass.This studywill focuson themaintrajectoryofthebiblicalmaterial,whichisaskingGodtodowhathehas

already committed himself to do, and will attempt to show how other moreperipheral categories (e.g. lament) take their meaning (and their boundaries)fromthiscentral,‘covenantal’strand. 18

Fromthebeginning,prayerandthegospelcannotbeseparated

Prayerisestablished(perhapsevendefinedas)callingonGodtocomethroughon his promises. To pray is to ask God to do for us what we cannot do forourselves. It is to admit our weaknesses and appeal to his awesome strength.According to Genesis, people start to pray because they see both God’scommitment to us and their own helplessness. They pray because they knowGodisforthem,becausehehassaidso,andthattheyareweakbecausehehassaidso.Inotherwordsprayerstartswith thegospel.Italwayshasandalwayswill. Oncewe recognize this, it will ensure thatwe avoid the simple but far-reachingmistakeofseparatingwhatGodhasjoined–prayerandthegospel. 19

Surprisingly, this connection is seldom noted, either in commentaries onGenesis or in discussions of prayer (whether at an academic ormore popularlevel). A marvellous exception is the comment of John Calvin noted in theintroduction:‘Justasfaith isbornfromthegospel,sothroughitourheartsaretrained to call uponGod’s name [Rom.10:14–17].’ 20The startingpoint of allourdiscussionofprayershouldbetheinitiativeofGodinthegospel.

AclearpointertothisisthefactthatlongbeforehumanitybegantocallonthenameofYahweh,Yahwehhimselfhadspokentohisfallencreatures.Intheimmediateaftermathofthefallwereadthis:

AndtheyheardthesoundoftheLORDGodwalkinginthegardeninthecooloftheday,andthemanandhiswifehidthemselvesfromthepresenceoftheLORDGod among the trees of thegarden.But theLORDGod called to themanandsaid tohim,‘Whereareyou?’Andhesaid, ‘Iheard thesoundofyouinthegarden,andIwasafraid,becauseIwasnaked,andIhidmyself.’(Gen.3:8–10)

AfterrejectingYahweh,Yahwehstillseekshiscreatures.Hecallstothemlongbeforetheystarttocallouttohim. 21

Insteadofeasily,naturally,delightinginYahwehandenjoyinghispresence,AdamandEvehide.TheyavoidGod.Insteadoffeelingjoy,theyareashamedattheverysoundofhisfootsteps.Theyareafraid,onedge.Theypretend.Theylie.Theyjustifythemselves.Evenastheyspeak,ahugechasmopensbetweenthemandGod,as themostsevereshockinhistoryhits.BeforeoureyesahugegulfopensbetweenusandGod.Butwhathappens?GodcallstoAdamlongbeforeAdamcalls on him.Prayer startswith the gospel and ismade possible by thegospel.

Prayerisclearlydesignedforafallenworld

Thethirdandfinalpreliminaryobservationis,again,seldomnoted.Itisthefactthatprayerisdesignedforafallenworld.Ifwearecorrectinassertingthattheconversations in thegardenare,strictlyspeaking,somethingother thanprayer,thenprayerisclearlypartoflifeinapost-fallworld.

It is almost self-evident that prayer is necessary only in a fallen world.Genesis4:25–26isbuiltontherecognition(flowingoutofGen.3)thatdespitetheprofoundbreakinourrelationshipwithYahwehhecontinuestospeaktohiscreatures, and makes it possible for us to respond to him. We can call onYahweh,butonlybecausehehascalledonus.Wecancryouttohimtocomethroughonhispromisesonlybecausehehasalreadymadehispromises.Inthissenseallbiblicalprayeriscovenantal–allprayerisgospeldriven.

That should shape our expectationswhenwe pray.On the one hand,Godthroughthegospelhasmadeitpossibleforustospeaktohim.Butontheother?In theBibleGoddrawscloseand invitesus to ‘callonhisname’.ThismeansthatprayerintheBiblehasaverydifferenttonefromallotherANEprayers.WecanseeandfeelthatintheancientSumero-Akkadianprayer‘Aprayertoeverygod’,writtenaboutthetimeofMoses:

ThelordinhisangerofheartlookedatmeThegodintherageofhisheartconfrontedme

ThegodintherageofhisheartconfrontedmeWhenthegoddesswasangrywithmeshemademebecomeillThegodwhomIknowordonotknowhasplacedsufferingupon

meAlthoughIamlookingconstantlyforhelp,no-onetakesmeby

thehand.WhenIweep,theydonotcometomyside.Iutterlamentsbutno-onehearsme. 22

ThisisfarfromthesituationintheBible.Godcallsus,andinvitesustocallonhisname.

Itisimportant,however,torealizethatthebiblical-theologicalimplicationsofthisaresignificant.Inparticularithighlightsthefactthatprayerisaninterimmeasure. Prayer is what we do now – and until God intervenes to straighteneverything out. Prayer isGod’s gift to help us copewith lifewith him in themess–aworldwhereweacheandgetdistractedandstrugglewithsin,andfailrepeatedly.Prayerisdesignedforaworldinwhichwehurtpeopleandgethurt,whereweletGoddownandignorehim,eventhoughwebelongtohim.Prayerisatemporarybalminaworldwherewesooftenfeelcutofffromhim,wherewe feel alone and discouraged and frustrated. But prayer will not always benecessary.

Thebook,letterorvisionofRevelationalludestoseveralprayers(e.g.Rev.5:8). 23However,theseprayersareprayedinJohn’spresent.When,attheendofthebook,Johnisshownthenewheavensand thenewearth, rather thandoingnothing but praying, there is no suggestion that we will pray at all. All theapparatusofearth-boundreligionisreplacedbytheLambhimself,anditseemsreasonable to assume that, as in the first ‘garden temple’, immediateconversation(alongwithcelebration)takesawayanyneedto‘callonthenameofYahweh’. 24

IfprayerintheBibleisgospel-shaped,covenantalprayer,aswecallonthename of Yahweh to come through on his promises, then this is exactly what

wouldbeexpected.However,weneedtoaskif thisunderstandingofprayerisreflectedbythetextoftherestofthePentateuchitself.

PrayerinthePentateuch–athesistestedSofar,onemightbeforgivenforthinkingthatratheralothasbeenbuiltononeslightly cryptic phrase (calling on the name of Yahweh) in Genesis 4. If,however, it becomes clear that this same understanding of prayer is reflectedelsewhereinthePentateuch,thatsignificantlystrengthensmyargument.

PrayerinGenesis

It is interestingthatprayerdoesnotplayahugelysignificantroleinGenesis–manyofthekeyincidentsunfoldwithoutanyreferencetoanythingresemblingprayer. 25 However, that does not mean that the narrative has nothing tocontributetoabiblicaltheologyofprayer.

In the midst of the furore created by his fathering a son with Hagar,Abrahamprays for the first time.AfterGodannounces thatSarai (nowSarah)willconceiveandbearhisheir,thechildofpromise,Abrahamfallsonhisface,laughing,andsays,‘OhthatIshmaelmightlivebeforeyou!’(Gen.17:18).Thesubjectofhisprayeris,ofcourse,thefulfilmentofYahweh’spromise–apointunderlined byGod himself in the very next verse: ‘God said, “No, but Sarahyourwifeshallbearyouason,andyoushallcallhisnameIsaac.Iwillestablishmycovenantwithhimasaneverlastingcovenantforhisoffspringafterhim.”’This connectionbetweenprayer andcovenant (or, as Ihaveexpressed itmoregenerally,betweenprayerand thegospel),dominates theprayers in the restofthebook. 26

AfterGodhimselfalludes toprayerasheappears toAbimelek inadream(20:4–7), 27thenextpersontoprayistheunnamedbutgodlyservantwhoissentbyAbrahamtoprocureawifeforIsaac:

Andhemadethecamelskneeldownoutsidethecitybythewellofwateratthe time of evening, the timewhenwomengo out to drawwater.Andhesaid,‘OLORD,GodofmymasterAbraham,pleasegrantmesuccesstodayandshowsteadfastlovetomymasterAbraham.’(24:11–12;seealsovv.26–27)

Giventhewidercontext,thefocusoftheseprayersisundeniablythefulfilmentof thecovenantpromises– theGodwhogaveAbrahamthissonofpromise isnowcalledupon toprovideawife forhim, therebyensuring that thecovenantfamilycontinues. 28

Isaac’sown subsequentprayer life, it is fair to say, is limited. In fact it islimited to asking God to work to ensure the continuance of the life of thecovenant family: ‘AndIsaacprayed to theLORD forhiswife,becauseshewasbarren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived’(25:21).Theverbhereis‘tr(entreat),anditispairedwithitsownniphalforminthesecondhalfof theverse (‘andYahwehgranted ’).Prayer isdepictedquitestraight-forwardly as Isaac’s requestingandGod’s fulfillinghis request in linewithhispriorcovenantalcommitment.

It is important not to overstate this – there is clearly significant overlapbetweenthepersonaldesiresofIsaac(andtheotherpatriarchs)andtheurgencyofpreservingandextendingthelineofpromise.Theirprayersdoreflectdeeplypersonal longings, and these are brought to Yahweh. However, this does notmitigate the fact that the emphasized focus in the text is tied to the history ofredemptionandthesurvivalofthecovenantline.

ThisunderstandingofprayerinGenesisfindsitsmostcompellingexampleinJacob’sprayerinchapter32.Thisisthelongestrecordedprayerinthebook,andJacob’sfirst. 29

Itisworthincludingthisprayerinfull:

AndJacobsaid,‘OGodofmyfatherAbrahamandGodofmyfatherIsaac,OLORDwhosaidtome,“Returntoyourcountryandtoyourkindred,thatI

maydoyougood,”Iamnotworthyoftheleastofallthedeedsofsteadfastloveandall the faithfulness thatyouhaveshown toyourservant, forwithonly my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.Pleasedelivermefromthehandofmybrother,fromthehandofEsau,forIfear him, that hemay come and attackme, themotherswith the children.But you said, “Iwill surely do you good, andmake your offspring as thesandofthesea,whichcannotbenumberedformultitude.”’(Gen.32:9–12)

Oncemore,thepreoccupationoftheprayeristhesurvivalofthecovenantline.In many ways this is the high point of ‘patriarchal spirituality’. It is hardlyrepletewithextravagantpraise,butisbuiltonasenseofpersonalunworthiness,gratitude for past interventions and a plea forYahweh to honour his covenantpromises. These words of Jacob are the perfect expression of the emergingbiblicaltheologyofprayerthatthischapterhassoughttohighlight. 30

PrayerinExodus

The opening chapters of Exodus are closely tied to the book of Genesis,providing a transition from the Joseph Cycle to the advent of Moses. Thisbridgingsectionconcludeswiththesewords:

During thosemany days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israelgroanedbecauseoftheirslaveryandcriedoutforhelp.Theircryforrescuefrom slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and Godremembered his covenantwithAbraham,with Isaac, andwith Jacob.GodsawthepeopleofIsrael–andGodknew.(Exod.2:23–25)

The vocabulary differs from that of Genesis, but the thought is exactly thesame. 31 To pray is to cry out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob forrescue. 32

This sameunderstanding is reflected consistently in the prayers ofMoses,whicharescatteredthroughouttheExodusnarratives. 33So,forexample,in5:22Moses‘turns’toYahweh:

ThenMosesturnedtotheLORDandsaid,‘OLord,whyhaveyoudoneeviltothispeople?Whydidyoueversendme?ForsinceIcametoPharaohtospeak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have notdeliveredyourpeopleatall.’(5:22–23)

HiscomplaintisessentiallythatYahwehhasnotkepthispromises.ThisisconfirmedbythespecificresponsefromGod:

ButtheLORDsaidtoMoses,‘NowyoushallseewhatIwilldotoPharaoh;forwithastronghandhewillsendthemout,andwithastronghandhewilldrivethemoutofhisland.’

God spoke toMoses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared toAbraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name theLORDIdidnotmakemyselfknowntothem.IalsoestablishedmycovenantwiththemtogivethemthelandofCanaan,thelandinwhichtheylivedassojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israelwhom theEgyptianshold as slaves, and Ihave rememberedmycovenant.Say therefore to thepeopleof Israel,“IamtheLORD,andIwillbringyouout from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and Iwill deliver you fromslavery to them, and Iwill redeemyouwith anoutstretchedarmandwithgreatactsofjudgement.Iwilltakeyoutobemypeople,andIwillbeyourGod,andyoushallknowthatIamtheLORDyourGod,whohasbroughtyououtfromundertheburdensoftheEgyptians.IwillbringyouintothelandthatIsworetogivetoAbraham,toIsaac,andtoJacob.Iwillgiveittoyouforapossession.IamtheLORD.”’(Exod.6:1–8)

Therehas,ofcourse,beenmuchdiscussionof theoriginsof thismaterial,andthe perceived problems created by 6:2 in reconstructing the history ofYahwism. 34However,wemustnotmisstheobviouspointthewriterismakingabout prayer – Moses’ prayer is based on confidence in the commitment ofYahwehtohispeople,andGod’sanswerdoesnotdisavowhimof thatnotion.Rather, Yahweh answers by affirming his commitment to the covenant, andthereforeunderlinesthathewill,infact,answerMoses’prayer.

Thesamecouldbesaidoftheinteractionsinchapters17and32:

SoMoses cried to theLORD, ‘What shall I dowith this people?They arealmostreadytostoneme.’AndtheLORDsaidtoMoses,‘Passonbeforethepeople,takingwithyousomeoftheeldersofIsrael,andtakeinyourhandthestaffwithwhichyoustrucktheNile,andgo.Behold,IwillstandbeforeyouthereontherockatHoreb,andyoushallstriketherock,andwatershallcomeoutofit,andthepeoplewilldrink.’AndMosesdidso,inthesightofthe elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah andMeribah,becauseofthequarrellingofthepeopleofIsrael,andbecausetheytestedtheLORDbysaying,‘IstheLORDamongusornot?’(Exod.17:4–7)ButMoses implored theLORD hisGodand said, ‘OLORD,whydoesyourwrathburnhotagainstyourpeople,whomyouhavebroughtoutofthelandof Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should theEgyptians say, “Withevil intentdidhebring themout, tokill them in themountainsandtoconsumethemfromthefaceoftheearth”?Turnfromyourburningangerandrelentfromthisdisasteragainstyourpeople.RememberAbraham,Isaac,andIsrael,yourservants,towhomyousworebyyourownself,andsaidtothem,“Iwillmultiplyyouroffspringasthestarsofheaven,andallthislandthatIhavepromisedIwillgivetoyouroffspring,andtheyshallinherititforever.”’(Exod.32:11–13)

In both caseswhat is at stake is the survival of the newly formed ‘people ofGod’.InExodus17thethoughtisthatwithoutthepresenceofYahwehnotonlywill the people fail in every project, but they cannot lay claim to beingconsidered Yahweh’s people at all. In chapter 32 the connection with thecovenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is more explicit. But in both casesMoses’prayerisfocusedonthecontinuationofthecovenant,andthesurvivalofhopeinthepromisesofGod.

Thefinal‘prayer’inExoduscomeslaterinthesamechapter.OnthesurfacethesentimentsexpressedbyMosesseembroadlysimilar,butthereareprofounddifferences.Rather than simply askingYahweh to honour his commitments toIsrael,Mosesraisesthepossibilityofmakingatonementforthepeople:

ThenextdayMosessaid to thepeople, ‘Youhavesinnedagreatsin.AndnowIwillgouptotheLORD;perhapsIcanmakeatonementforyoursin.’SoMoses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Alas, this people has sinned agreatsin.Theyhavemadeforthemselvesgodsofgold.Butnow,ifyouwillforgivetheirsin–butifnot,pleaseblotmeoutofyourbookthatyouhavewritten.’ But the LORD said toMoses, ‘Whoever has sinned againstme, Iwill blot out ofmy book.But now go, lead the people to the place aboutwhich I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you.Nevertheless,inthedaywhenIvisit,Iwillvisittheirsinuponthem.’(Exod.32:30–34) 35

Inseekingto‘makeatonement’(apielcohortativeformofkpr)MosesmayreflectthecommonthinkingoftheANE. 36Whatisfascinating,however,isthatMosesbringsnooffering(or religiousactivity) tocause this forgiveness,otherthanaplaintiverequestthathebeblottedoutinplaceofhispeople.Itseemsasif he is trapped somewhere between traditionalANEmodes of thought and aYahwistic (grace-based) approach. 37 The fact that Yahweh effectively ignoreshisrequestinverses33–34andsimplyassertshisdivinerightandcommitmentto keeping his promises to those who have not abandoned him draw these

threadsofcovenantandatonementtogether,inawaythatcreatesanintriguinglinkwiththematerialthatfollowsinLeviticus.

PrayerinLeviticus

OneoftheintriguingfeaturesofLeviticus,thesacraltextparexcellenceintheOldTestament, is the fact that there isnot a single reference to prayer in theentire book. 38 This is not often noticed, although both IsraelKnohl and JacobMilgrom have highlighted the issue. 39 Knohl contends that there was neithermusicnorprayerinthepre-Hezekian(sic)temple.Milgrom,however,dismisseshisargumentas‘anargumentfromsilence’,andinsiststhattherearenogroundsatallforconceivingofanIsraelitetempleritualthatwassilent.

Istronglysuspect thatMilgromisright toassert that theremusthavebeenboth prayer and music in the temple. In particular Leviticus 16:21 at leastimpliesthatsomethingclosetoprayerwasinvolvedintheDayofAtonement. 40

Theweaknessinhisdiscussionis thatwhileexposingtheproblemsinKnohl’sposition,hegivesnoadequateexplanationfortheabsenceofprayerinthebook.Giventheall-pervasivenatureofprayerinothersimilarANErituals,itishardtobelievethatthisissimplyaccidental,ortheresultofafocusonthemechanicsofsacrifice. 41

ThisiswheretheunfoldingtheologyofprayerinthePentateuchprovidesuswithacredible(ifnotyetcompletelycompelling)explanationofthe‘silence’inLeviticus when it comes to prayer. In Exodus 32 Moses has alreadyinadvertently highlighted the fact that Yahweh alone can provide atonement.Performingritualactions(includingprayer)cannotinfluencetheGodofIsrael,norcaneventhemostgodlyindividualactasasubstitute.ThelogicofLeviticustakesusfurtheralongthistrajectory.Theneedforatonementisabundantlyclear.However, the shortfall in provision in the sacrificial system 42 leading to thenecessityoftheDayofAtonementasaprolepticcelebrationofGod’sintentionto provide the ultimate sacrifice and the comprehensive symbolism of theHolinessCodeunderlinethefactthatGodalonehasthepowertoatoneforthesinsofIsrael.ItisalsopossiblethattheabsenceofprayerinLeviticusisbuilton

theideathatIsraelisa‘kingdomofpriests’whereaccesstoYahweh(callingonhisname)isnotsimplylimitedtothepriestlyclass. 43

Tosummarize,giventhematerialonprayerinGenesisandExodus,itmaywell be that the absence of prayer in Leviticus functions both to distinguishprayerinIsraelfromprayerintheANE(whichtypicallyconsistedofpleadingwith the gods to be favourable) and to establish that prayer does not lead toforgiveness. This, of course, is completely consistent with the thoroughlyLevitical idea that only a perfect sacrificial death can possibly achieveatonement.

PrayerinNumbers

When reading through the Pentateuch canonically, the ‘silence’ in LeviticusbecomesallthemorenoticeablewhenwereachNumbers,andthekeysectionofNumbers11–14inparticular.

ThenotionofMoses’prayingforthepeopleisintroducedin11:1–2:

And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about theirmisfortunes,andwhentheLORDheardit,hisangerwaskindled,andthefireof theLORDburnedamong themandconsumedsomeoutlyingpartsof thecamp.ThenthepeoplecriedouttoMoses,andMosesprayedtotheLORD,andthefiredieddown.

There isaclear(anddeliberate)contrastbetweenthepeople(whocomplain toeach other ‘in the hearing of Yahweh’, and then cry out in an intensifiedcomplaintaboutYahwehtoMoses)andMoseshimself,whoistheonlyonewhoaddresses God. 44 The implication seems to be that onlyMoses is thinking incovenantalterms,andthereforeistheonlyonetowhomitoccursto‘callonthenameofYahweh’.

However, the situation becomes more complex when, in the wake of therabble’singratitude(11:4–9),firefromGodfallsagain,andMosesrailsagainst

him:

Moses said to the LORD, ‘Why have you dealt illwith your servant?AndwhyhaveInotfoundfavourinyoursight,thatyoulaytheburdenofallthispeopleonme?DidIconceiveallthispeople?DidIgivethembirth,thatyoushouldsaytome,“Carrytheminyourbosom,asanursecarriesasucklingchild,”tothelandthatyousworetogivetheir fathers?WhereamI togetmeattogivetoallthispeople?Fortheyweepbeforemeandsay,“Giveusmeat, that we may eat.” I am not able to carry all this people alone; theburdenistooheavyforme.Ifyouwilltreatmelikethis,killmeatonce,ifIfind favour in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.’ (Num.11:11–15)

Moses’prayerisextremelyforthright–sowhatisitthatgiveshimtheright(oratleasttheboldness)toexpresshimselftotheLordofall insuchbluntterms?Theanswerisfoundinverse12–Moses’complaint(orperhapsbetter,rant)isbasedon the implications ofGod’s covenant commitment to his people.Onceagain,prayerisbasedonthepriorfactofGod’spromise.

Inchapter12theexistenceofthecovenantpeopleisoncemoreunderthreat–thistimebecauseofthesinfulattitudeofMiriamandAaron,whoalongwithMosescarrytheburdenofleadershipofthenation.Theirresentment(whichwasamixtureofjealousyandnakedracism)spillsoverintoanimplicitrejectionofthewordofGodhimself:

‘With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and hebeholdstheformoftheLORD.WhythenwereyounotafraidtospeakagainstmyservantMoses?’And theangerof theLORDwaskindledagainst them,andhedeparted.

When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam wasleprous,likesnow.(Num.12:8–10)

In the ensuing dialogue Aaron pleads with Moses as the leader of Israel tointercedeonbehalfof their sister,whichMosesdoes. 45However, it isvital toseethatthisprayerforhealing(thefirstintheBible)cannoteasilybeextricatedfrom its context – (1) it is a prayer in direct response to an intervention ofYahwehtopunishMiriaminrealtime,(2)itisdeeplyembeddedinanarrativeinwhichthefutureof thecovenantpeopleofGodisunder threat,and(3) it istied to the complaints of the people in the previous chapter,making the pointthat rebellion is endemic among the Hebrews under Moses. It then becomesclear that this is not a ‘prayer for healing’ in any straightforward sense – thisprayerispartofanexusofeventsinwhichGodreassertshisleadership(throughMoses) of the covenant people. Even this prayer cannot be separated fromcovenantalconcerns.

Thisbecomesevenmoreobvious in theclimax to this section inNumbers14.The events atKadeshBarnea call into questiononcemore the viability ofGod’s ‘covenant project’ given the propensity of the people to disobey. ThewordsofYahwehhimselfareominous:

AndtheLORDsaid toMoses,‘Howlongwill thispeopledespiseme?Andhowlongwilltheynotbelieveinme,inspiteofallthesignsthatIhavedoneamongthem?Iwillstrikethemwiththepestilenceanddisinheritthem,andIwillmakeofyouanationgreaterandmightierthanthey.’(Num.14:11–12)

AtthispointMosesintervenes.Once more, it is not completely clear that Moses is praying, rather than

‘speaking with Yahweh face to face’, 46 but either way his words serve tounderline the theologicalpoint that interactionwithYahweh(includingprayer)ispredicatedonhiscommitmenttohispeoplethroughhispromises:

ButMoses said to the LORD, ‘Then the Egyptianswill hear of it, for youbroughtupthispeopleinyourmightfromamongthem,andtheywilltelltheinhabitantsofthisland.Theyhaveheardthatyou,OLORD,areinthemidst

ofthispeople.Foryou,OLORD,areseenfacetoface,andyourcloudstandsoverthemandyougobeforethem,inapillarofcloudbydayandinapillaroffirebynight.Nowifyoukillthispeopleasoneman,thenthenationswhohaveheardyourfamewillsay,“ItisbecausetheLORDwasnotabletobringthispeopleintothelandthathesworetogivetothemthathehaskilledthemin thewilderness.”Andnow,please let thepowerof theLordbegreat asyouhavepromised, saying, “TheLORD is slow to anger and abounding insteadfastlove,forgivinginiquityandtransgression,buthewillbynomeansclear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to thethird and the fourthgeneration.”Pleasepardon the iniquityof this people,accordingtothegreatnessofyoursteadfastlove,justasyouhaveforgiventhispeople, fromEgyptuntilnow.’Then theLORD said, ‘Ihavepardoned,accordingtoyourword.’(Num.14:13–20)

Yahweh answers Moses’ prayer not because of the character of theintercessor,norhisnegotiatingskill,butonthebasisthatappealismadetohisprior‘gospel’commitments. 47ThisalsoundergirdsMosesandAaron’sresponseto the rebellionofKorah in16:22, andMoses’ request thatYahwehappoint agodlysuccessorin27:16–17,whenMosesistoldofhisimpendingdeathoutsidetheland.PrayerismadeandansweredinNumberspurelyonthebasisofappealtoGod’spromises,andforthewell-beingofhispeople.

PrayerinDeuteronomy

The final piece in this covenantal puzzle is found in Deuteronomy. The onlyuniqueprayerinDeuteronomyistheprayerofMosesbeforehisdeath,reportedin3:23–26: 48

AndIpleadedwith theLORD at that time, saying, ‘OLordGOD,youhaveonlybeguntoshowyourservantyourgreatnessandyourmightyhand.Forwhatgodisthereinheavenoronearthwhocandosuchworksandmighty

acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond theJordan, thatgoodhillcountryandLebanon.’But theLORDwasangrywithmebecauseofyouandwouldnot listen tome.And theLORD said tome,‘Enoughfromyou;donotspeaktomeofthismatteragain.’

ThisisthefirstexampleofaprayerintheBiblethatisexplicitlyrejected.Notonly does Yahweh refuse to answer this prayer, but he is ‘angered’ by therequest.Whyisthis?Thisisavitalquestion,asanyattempttooutlineabiblicaltheology of prayer must say something about the delicate and pastorallysensitiveissueof‘unansweredprayer’.SowhyistheprayerofMoses,thegreatintercessor, portrayed in such anegative light, andwhydoes it receive such asevererebukefromYahweh?

Yahweh’sresponsehereiscompletelypredictable,becauseitiscompletelyconsistentwith everythingwehave seenaboutprayer in theopeningbooksoftheBible.Prayerisinherentlycovenantal,andisbothdrivenbyandbasedonthecommitmentsYahwehhasmadeconcerning the futureofhis covenantpeople,andhisplanstorevealhisglorytoallnations.HowdoesMoses’prayerfitwithallthis?Theshortansweris,‘Itdoesnot!’DespitebeginningwithanadmirablestatementofthegreatnessofGod,itmovesquicklyontoarequestthatcanonlybedescribedas‘selfish’.Moses’prayermaybecompletelyunderstandablefromahumanpointofview,but,forthefirsttimeinthePentateuchwehaveaprayerthat has no essential connection with the progress of the plans of Yahweh.Moses,itseems,shouldhaveknownbetter. 49

The other statement in Deuteronomy that demands some attention (eventhough it is not a prayer itself) comes in the fascinating declaration of 4:5–8,which celebrates the uniqueness of Yahweh’s dealings with Israel. In 4:7–8Mosesexclaims,‘ForwhatgreatnationistherethathasagodsoneartoitastheLORDourGod is tous,wheneverwecalluponhim?Andwhatgreatnation isthere,thathasstatutesandrulessorighteousasallthislawthatIsetbeforeyoutoday?’OneofthetwinprivilegesenjoyedbyIsraelistheproximityofYahweh

when they ‘call on him’, which clearly carries with it the implication that hehearsandanswers,actingontheirbehalf. 50AsDanielBlockvividlyexpressesit:

When other people pray to their gods they remain both aloof and silent.Craftsmenmaydesignthemwithbigears,buttheyremainsilent.Ironically,althoughtheIsraelites’Godwasnotrepresentedbyimagestheycouldsetupintheirhomesoranywhereelse,hewasnear,andalthoughhehadnoears,heheardtheircrieswhenevertheycalledonhim. 51

Yet again, prayer is understood in the context of Yahweh’s covenantcommitmenttohispeople. 52

ConclusionIn most previous studies of prayer in the Pentateuch discussion has beendominated either by a ‘history of religions’ approach to the text, or bydiscussions of the types of prayer presented. I would suggest that theseapproacheshavemissedsomething fundamental to the textaswenowhave it.Reading these five books canonically, it is startlingly obvious that a coherentbiblical-theologicalapproachtoprayeremerges,which,aswewillsee,setsthetrajectoryfortherestoftheBible.PrayerinthePentateuchisrestrictedtotextspredicated on God’s covenantal initiative. Speaking in terms of biblicaltheology,then,prayerismadepossibleonlyby‘thegospel’.Allprayerisgospelprayer.ItiscallingonthenameofYahweh,whoistheGodofthecovenant,theGodofsalvation.Thishasprofoundtheologicalandpracticalimplications.AsIwillnowseektodemonstrate,thisviewofprayerisalsoborneoutaswemovethroughtherestoftheOldTestament.

ChapterTwo

Bigprayersandthemovementsofhistory:

prayerintheFormerProphets

Given the oft-noted continuity running fromGenesis to 2Kings, if the thesisproposedinchapter1iscorrect(thatprayeris‘callingonthenameofYahweh’),thenitseemsreasonabletoexpectthatthesame(‘Pentateuchal’)viewofprayerwouldbeobviousfromJoshuaonwards. 1Thisturnsout tobeexactlywhatwefind.

PrayerinthebookofJoshuaThe first prayer in the book of Joshua comes in the wake of defeat at Ai inchapter7: 2

ThenJoshuatorehisclothesandfelltotheearthonhisfacebeforethearkoftheLORDuntiltheevening,heandtheeldersofIsrael.Andtheyputdustontheirheads.AndJoshuasaid,‘Alas,OLordGOD,whyhaveyoubroughtthispeopleover theJordanatall, togiveus into thehandsof theAmorites, todestroyus?WouldthatwehadbeencontenttodwellbeyondtheJordan!OLord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before theirenemies!FortheCanaanitesandalltheinhabitantsofthelandwillhearofitandwillsurroundusandcutoffournamefromtheearth.Andwhatwillyoudoforyourgreatname?’(Josh.7:6–9)

The play on the linked fortunes of the ‘name’ of Israel and the ‘name’ ofYahwehin7:9isthekeytothisprayer,whichimmediatelyforgesastronglinkbetween theplaceofprayer in Joshuaand thePentateuch. 3 Joshua’sprotest ismadeonthebasisthatYahwehappearstohaveforgottenhiscovenantpromises,and has therefore put his good reputation in jeopardy. A vigorous (probablytheophanic) response ensues (Josh. 7:10–14). In effect, Joshua’s prayer is anexampleof the rightprinciple applied to thewrong situation, but there canbelittlemistakingthefactthathisunderstandingofthepurposeofprayercoheresperfectlywithallthatwehaveseensofar.

Slightly unusually, the next allusion to prayer comes in the context of animpliedrebuketoJoshuaandtheIsraelitesforneglectingtopray. 4Therootoftheir failure to see through the Gibeonites’ elaborate and understandablesubterfugeisascribedtothefactthat‘thementooksomeoftheirprovisions,butdidnotaskcounselfromtheLORD’(Josh.9:14).Thecourseofsalvationhistory

itseemsispotentiallythreatenedbythefailureofGod’speopletocrytohimsothathemightworkouthisagenda. 5

The final passage in Joshua where prayer plays a part is the remarkableaccount of the battle against theAmorites in chapter 10. There is perhaps nomiracleintheOldTestamentthatcausesmorepuzzlementamongcommentatorsthanthis. 6However,ourprimaryinterestisnotinhowGodallowedthebattletocontinuetothegreatadvantageofIsrael,butratherthesecondaryissuethatalltheseeventsunfoldedindirectresponsetotheprayersofJoshua:

At that timeJoshuaspoke to theLORD in thedaywhen theLORDgave theAmoritesovertothesonsofIsrael,andhesaidinthesightofIsrael,

‘Sun,standstillatGibeon,andmoon,intheValleyofAijalon.’

Andthesunstoodstill,andthemoonstopped,untilthenationtookvengeanceontheirenemies.

Is thisnotwritten in theBookof Jashar?The sun stopped in themidst ofheavenanddidnothurrytosetforaboutawholeday.Therehasbeennodaylike it before or since,when theLORD heeded the voice of aman, for theLORDfoughtforIsrael.(Josh.10:12–14)

On thisoccasion Joshua simply speaks toYahweh.There isnoexplanationofwhathe said, let aloneofhowYahweh responded.But theoutcome is clear–Joshuacommandsthesunandmoontostandstill,andthebattlecontinuesuntilthe victory is complete. The verdict in Joshua 7:14 is striking (esp. given theambiguousencounterin5:13–15).Joshua’sprayerhasbeenheard.Yahwehhasheard their cries, intervenedand fought forhispeople, just ashedid inEgyptaccordingtoJoshua24:7.Hisplanofsalvationremainsontrack.

PrayerinthebookofJudgesGiven the darkness of the book of Judges (and the period of the judges ingeneral),onewouldhardlyexpect it tobea rich sourceofmaterialonprayer,andyetitprovestobeprobablythemostimportantoftheFormerProphetswhenitcomestoformulatingabiblicaltheologyofprayer. 7

Theopening statement of the book sets the tone – calling on the nameofYahwehissettobeakeythemeinthisbook:

AfterthedeathofJoshua,thepeopleofIsraelenquiredoftheLORD,‘Whoshall goup first forus against theCanaanites, to fight against them?’TheLORDsaid,‘Judahshallgoup;behold,Ihavegiventhelandintohishand.’(Judg.1:1–2)

The prayer of the people and the answer of Yahweh are intertwined in theoutworking of God’s covenant project, as his people continue the judicialcampaignagainst theCanaanites.However, theconnectionbetweenprayerandthe safety/victory of Israel is not limited to the initial conquest. The repeatedcallingonYahwehbyIsraelisoneofthekeyfeaturesofthisbook: 8

Butwhen thepeopleof Israelcriedout to theLORD, theLORD raisedupadelivererforthepeopleofIsrael,whosavedthem,OthnielthesonofKenaz,Caleb’syoungerbrother.(Judg.3:9)ThenthepeopleofIsraelcriedouttotheLORD,andtheLORDraisedupforthemadeliverer,Ehud,thesonofGera,theBenjaminite,aleft-handedman.ThepeopleofIsraelsent tributebyhimtoEglonthekingofMoab.(Judg.3:15)

Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twentyyears.(Judg.4:3)And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people ofIsraelcriedoutforhelptotheLORD.

When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of theMidianites...(Judg.6:6–7)And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, ‘We have sinnedagainstyou,becausewehaveforsakenourGodandhaveservedtheBaals.’(Judg.10:10)

In each case the cycle of rebellion and divine punishment leads eventually torepentanceand‘cryingouttoYahweh’.Interestingly,however,afterJudges10thecyclegrindstoahalt.CommentingonJudges10:11–14,BarryWebbwrites,‘Clearly the relationshipbetween the twoparties has reached amajorpoint ofcrisis, with a complete breakdown of it looking like a real possibility,’ 9 withYahwehdeclaringinverses13–14,‘Yetyouhaveforsakenmeandservedothergods;thereforeIwillsaveyounomore.Goandcryouttothegodswhomyouhave chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.’ 10 Significantly,therearenofurthernationalcriesformercy,nordoesYahwehrescuehispeopleinthesamedefinitivewayduringtherestoftheperiodofthejudges.

Itwouldbeamistake toassume that thisemphasisonprayer is limited tonational, corporatepleasofdesperation.Prayerpunctuates the entirenarrative,withseveralof themostprominent judgesprayingonmore thanoneoccasion.Whatismoststrikingisthealmostuniversalconnectionbetweentheprayersofthejudgeandthedesirefor‘salvation’. 11

SoDeborahconcludesthesongofJudges5withthisprayer:

Somayallyourenemiesperish,OLORD!Butyourfriendsbelikethesunasherisesinhismight.

(Judg.5:31)

Gideon,not renownedforhis theologicalacumen, takespart in the remarkableinterchangeofJudges6:36–40:

ThenGideonsaidtoGod,‘IfyouwillsaveIsraelbymyhand,asyouhavesaid,behold,Iamlayingafleeceofwoolonthethreshingfloor.Ifthereisdewon the fleecealone,and it isdryonall theground, then I shallknowthatyouwillsaveIsraelbymyhand,asyouhavesaid.’Anditwasso.Whenheroseearlynextmorningandsqueezedthefleece,hewrungenoughdewfromthefleecetofillabowlwithwater.ThenGideonsaidtoGod,‘Letnotyourangerburnagainstme;letmespeakjustoncemore.Pleaseletmetestjustoncemorewiththefleece.Pleaseletitbedryonthefleeceonly,andonallthegroundlettherebedew.’AndGoddidsothatnight;anditwasdryonthefleeceonly,andonallthegroundtherewasdew.(Judg.6:36–40)

AsBolingcomments,‘Atthispoint,thedepictionoftheJudgesperiodbeginstoresemble themodern theatreof theabsurd.’ 12Gideonasksfor,and,evenmoresurprisingly, receives, an utterly unnecessary commitment from Yahweh that,yes,heiscommittedtosavinghispeople.This principle is played out repeatedly in the rest of the book, as Yahwehgraciously responds to some highly deficient prayers, offered by highlymisguidedsupplicants.

Manoah,Samson’sfather,knowsenoughtoaskforhelp,butlittlemore.Thehelpisgraciouslyprovided. 13Samsonhimself,despitebeingtheveryantithesisof amodel judge, does pray on twooccasions.On eachone his prayers showsome awareness that prayer is amatter of calling on the name of Yahweh todeliverhispeople:

Andhewasverythirsty,andhecalledupontheLORDandsaid,‘Youhavegrantedthisgreatsalvationbythehandofyourservant,andshallInowdieofthirstandfallintothehandsoftheuncircumcised?’(Judg.15:18)

Similarly, at his death, while his prayer is hardly a model of piety, 14 hisprayerisstillheard,asYahwehactstoeasethecircumstancesofhispeople:

ThenSamsoncalled to theLORD andsaid, ‘OLordGod,please remembermeandpleasestrengthenmeonlythisonce,OGod,thatImaybeavengedon the Philistines formy two eyes.’And Samson grasped the twomiddlepillarsonwhichthehouserested,andheleanedhisweightagainstthem,hisrighthandontheoneandhislefthandontheother.AndSamsonsaid,‘Letmediewith thePhilistines.’Then he bowedwith all his strength, and thehouse fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. (Judg.16:28–30)

Even though the remaining chapters of Judges are, arguably, the mostdepressing chapters of the Bible, it is striking that God in his grace has notabandonedhispeople,andwhentheycrytohimhecontinuestolisten(despitethewarning of Judg. 10:13).When the civilwar breaks outwithBenjamin inchapter20,wereadthesewords:

ThepeopleofIsraelaroseandwentuptoBethelandenquiredofGod,‘Whoshall go up first for us to fight against the people ofBenjamin?’And theLORDsaid,‘Judahshallgoupfirst.’

Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped againstGibeah.AndthemenofIsraelwentout tofightagainstBenjamin,and themenofIsraeldrewupthebattlelineagainstthematGibeah.ThepeopleofBenjamincameoutofGibeahanddestroyedonthatday22,000menoftheIsraelites. . . .AndthepeopleofIsraelwentupandweptbeforetheLORDuntiltheevening.AndtheyenquiredoftheLORD,‘Shallweagaindrawneartofightagainstourbrothers, thepeopleofBenjamin?’AndtheLORDsaid,‘Goupagainstthem.’

So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin thesecondday.AndBenjaminwentagainstthemoutofGibeahthesecondday,

anddestroyed18,000menofthepeopleofIsrael.Alltheseweremenwhodrewthesword.ThenallthepeopleofIsrael,thewholearmy,wentupandcametoBethelandwept.TheysattherebeforetheLORDandfastedthatdayuntil evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before theLORD. And the people of Israel enquired of the LORD (for the ark of thecovenantofGodwasthere in thosedays,andPhinehasthesonofEleazar,sonofAaron,ministeredbefore it in thosedays), saying, ‘Shallwegooutoncemoretobattleagainstourbrothers,thepeopleofBenjamin,orshallwecease?’AndtheLORDsaid,‘Goup,fortomorrowIwillgivethemintoyourhand.’(Judg.20:18–21,23–28)

Thisstrangecycleofeventsisnoteasytofathom.WithhisinimitableclarityDaleRalphDavissumsuptheissue:

IfYahwehwasactinginjudgmentonBenjamin,whydidIsraelsufferthosetwo laming defeats, especially when they had received direction fromYahwehbothtimes?...Thereisanotherpossibility:Israel’sinitialdefeatsmaynotpointtothesufferingofYahweh’sjudgmentbuttothemysteryofhisways. 15

After the book of Judges it would not be possible to assume that prayerworksautomatically–alreadyithasbeenmadeveryclearthatYahwehanswersprayerbygracealone,butalsothatinhissovereigntytheremaybetimeswhenhenolongerlistensor,worse,actsinjudgmenteveninthefaceoftheprayersofhispeople.Nonecantakehimforgranted;andyetevenasJudgescomestoanend, he is still acting in response to his people’s cries in order to keep hispromisesandpourouthiscovenantblessingsonhisundeserving(anddivided)people:

And the people came toBethel and sat there till evening beforeGod, andtheylifteduptheirvoicesandweptbitterly.Andtheysaid,‘OLORD,theGodof

Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribelackinginIsrael?’(Judg.21:2–3)

PrayerinthebooksofSamuelIt is interesting that, relatively speaking, prayer has been a greatly neglectedthemeinthebooksofSamuelandKings.Thisisdoublysurprisinggiventhefactthat the books of Samuel open with the remarkable prayers of Hannah, themotheroftheeponymoushero.

The very human drama of a dysfunctional household and the pain ofchildlessnesshasoften led readers tomiss the stunning impactof1Samuel2.The writer is tantalizingly brief on the content of Hannah’s vow-prayer inchapter 1, and the reason why her prayers are so angst-ridden. We aredeliberately left to assume that this is simply an extreme case of a womanlongingtostartafamily:

Andshevowedavowandsaid,‘OLORDofhosts,ifyouwillindeedlookontheafflictionofyourservantandremembermeandnotforgetyourservant,butwillgivetoyourservantason,thenIwillgivehimtotheLORDallthedaysofhislife,andnorazorshalltouchhishead.’ 16

AsshecontinuedprayingbeforetheLORD...(1Sam.1:11–12)

However,thefactthatEli,theleaderofIsrael,appearstolackanyspiritualdiscernmentwhenitcomestorealpietyalertsustothefactthatthis‘everydaystory’isanythingbutthat.Thisbecomesextremelyobviouswhenwecometo1Samuel2:1–10.

ThemostremarkablefeatureofthisprayeristhevirtuallackofreferencetoHannah’sownsituation. 17 It isnot thetypicalprayerofawomanwhohasjustconceived and given birth. So crucial is this to my argument that it is worthreproducingherprayerinfull:

AndHannahprayedandsaid,

‘MyheartexultsintheLORD;myhornisexaltedintheLORD.

Mymouthderidesmyenemies,becauseIrejoiceinyoursalvation.

‘ThereisnoneholyliketheLORD:thereisnonebesidesyou;thereisnorocklikeourGod.

Talknomoresoveryproudly,letnotarrogancecomefromyourmouth;

fortheLORDisaGodofknowledge,andbyhimactionsareweighed.Thebowsofthemightyarebroken,

butthefeeblebindonstrength.Thosewhowerefullhavehiredthemselvesoutforbread,

butthosewhowerehungryhaveceasedtohunger.Thebarrenhasborneseven,

butshewhohasmanychildrenisforlorn.TheLORDkillsandbringstolife;

hebringsdowntoSheolandraisesup.TheLORDmakespoorandmakesrich;

hebringslowandheexalts.Heraisesupthepoorfromthedust;

heliftstheneedyfromtheashheaptomakethemsitwithprinces

andinheritaseatofhonour.ForthepillarsoftheeartharetheLORD’s,

andonthemhehassettheworld.‘Hewillguardthefeetofhisfaithfulones,

butthewickedshallbecutoffindarkness,fornotbymightshallamanprevail.

TheadversariesoftheLORDshallbebrokentopieces;againstthemhewillthunderinheaven.

againstthemhewillthunderinheaven.TheLORDwilljudgetheendsoftheearth;

hewillgivestrengthtohiskingandexaltthehornofhisanointed.’

(1Sam.2:1–10)

ThisisoneofthemostremarkableprayersinthewholeBible.Butwhatareitscentralconcerns?Theprayerisfullofallusionsto(oranticipationsof)otherOldTestamentpassages.Hannah’sprayerbreathesintheworldofDeuteronomy32andPsalm2. 18Intriguingly,theclimaxoftheprayerisnotthebirthofSamuelbutthecomingofamessiah/king.

Thistextisoftentakentobeapieceofmonarchicalpropaganda. 19However,whenonereads1Samuel2inthelightoftheunfoldingpictureofprayerinthePentateuch,JoshuaandJudges,thechapterlooksverydifferent.HereisanotherprayerinthespiritofGenesis4–fortheGodofJudgestosendarescuer,whoisnowidentifiedexplicitlyasamessiah.

It is worth pointing out that this towering prayer, which, apart from thepossibleexceptionof theSongofMoses, is the longestandmost theologicallyrichwehaveencounteredsofar,isprayedbyawomanwhohasnorelationshipto the central cult or the priesthood.This is extremely unusual in the ancientworld, andcannotbeanaccident in themasterlyaccountof Israel’shistory inSamuelandKings.Rather,itisareminderthatprayeris,inessence,callingonthenameofYahwehtodeliveronhiscovenantpromises.

This perspective finds substantial support in the very next chapter. In thewell-knownnarrativeofyoungSamuel’sfirstencounterwithYahweh,alongsidethe repeatedemphasison ‘hearing’ (šm‘)and the ‘word’ (dbr)ofYahweh isapronounced play on ‘calling’ (qr’). Despite Eli’s obvious failure to ‘call onYahweh’ (and his initial failure to discern thatYahweh is speaking),YahwehrepeatedlycallsonSamuel.TheinitiativeYahwehhadtakeninthegardenwithAdamafterthefallwas,itseems,notaone-off.ThesamebalanceofjudgmentandhopepronouncedinGenesis3ispresentin1Samuel2:27–36:Godreveals

to Samuel that the Elide dynasty is finished, but also reveals himself ‘by thewordofYahweh’atShiloh,asheestablishesanewkindofleadership. 20

Right at the beginning of Samuel–Kings, then, prayer that is essentiallycovenantal(preciselythekindofprayerdescribed,andbyimplicationprescribedinthePentateuch)isonceagainfrontandcentre.

Aswe continue to read through the books of Samuel, the validity of thisunderstandingofprayerisconfirmedoverandover.Afterthelossandrecoveryof theArk in chapter6,1Samuel7 records anational repentance that, on thefaceofitatleast,seemstobeofalmostDeuteronomicproportions(1Sam.7:4).Thismomentof‘covenantrenewal’israpidlyfollowedbyprayer–specifically,prayer for deliverance from the Philistines. Samuel prays (pll) and cries toYahweh (z‘q), but although the vocabulary varies, the content of the requestremainsconstant–SamuelisaskingYahwehtocomethroughonhiscovenantpromisesandrescuehispeopleoncemore(‘ThenSamuelsaid,“GatherallIsraelatMizpah,andIwillpraytotheLORDforyou”’). 21Thisistheunderstandingofprayerinthehistoricalbooks.

This explains the otherwise slightly puzzling response of Samuel to therequestforakingin1Samuel8:6–8:

But the thingdispleasedSamuelwhen they said, ‘Giveus a king to judgeus.’AndSamuelprayedto theLORD.AndtheLORDsaid toSamuel, ‘Obeythevoiceofthepeopleinallthattheysaytoyou,fortheyhavenotrejectedyou,buttheyhaverejectedmefrombeingkingoverthem.Accordingtoallthedeedsthattheyhavedone,fromthedayIbroughtthemupoutofEgypteventothisday,forsakingmeandservingothergods,sotheyarealsodoingtoyou.’

ItwouldbeeasytooverlookthislittlenoteinthemidstofsuchaclimacticmomentinthehistoryofIsrael.WhydoesSamuelpray?Theprophetisclearlyaware of theMosaic prohibition on such kings, sowhy not simply correct orconfront the people, pointing themback to thewords ofDeuteronomy? It can

onlybebecauseSamuelsees thisrequestasa threat to thecovenant itself,andso,quitenaturally,criestotheGodofthecovenanttocometotherescueofhispeople.

WhenSamuelbrieflyreturnstocentrestagein1Samuel12,itbecomesevenclearer(ifthatwerepossible)thatprayerisinextricablylinkedtothecovenant.After a long rehearsal of covenant history (1 Sam. 12:6–17), Samuel ‘calledupontheLORD,andtheLORDsentthunderandrainthatday,andallthepeoplegreatly feared theLORD andSamuel’ (12:18).Thismicro-covenantcurse leadsthe people to beg Samuel to pray for them (6:19), culminating in the strikingwordsof12:23–25:

Moreover,asforme,farbeitfrommethatIshouldsinagainsttheLORDbyceasingtoprayforyou,andIwillinstructyouinthegoodandtherightway.OnlyfeartheLORDandservehimfaithfullywithallyourheart.Forconsiderwhatgreatthingshehasdoneforyou.Butifyoustilldowickedly,youshallbesweptaway,bothyouandyourking.

WhatisSamuelcommittinghimselftopray?Itcanbeonlyonething–Samuelisprayingcovenantally.TheprophetisprayingthatGodwillequiphiscovenantpeople to live inaway that fitswith thecovenant.He ispraying thatYahwehwill come through on his promises. This begs an important question: Inwhatsense will Samuel be ‘sinning against Yahweh’ by failing to pray for them?There is nothing in the text to suggest that Samuel has been given a specialministryofintercessiononbehalfofthepeople. 22AbetterexplanationissimplytosaythatitisafundamentalresponsibilityofGod’scovenantpeopleto‘callonthe name of Yahweh’, crying out to God to keep his promises to his people,including that most basic of covenantal promises to be with his people,strengtheningandequippingthemtokeepinstepwithhim.

In marked contrast to Samuel, Saul is not depicted as either grasping orpractising‘biblical’prayer.TheonlyreferencetoanythingclosetoprayerintheSaul narratives comes in 1 Samuel 14 in the wake of Saul’s rash vow. For

Israel’s first king ‘prayer’ is a means of extracting the requisite guidance orinformationfromYahweh. 23Saulenquires(theverbsharesthesamerootasthename ‘Saul’) ofGod in verse 36, and then complainswhen the answer is notforthcoming.WhilethelanguageofenquiringofGodisnotpejorative, 24inthecontext the introductionof theUrimandThummim,Saul’spreoccupationwithhisownimmediateconcerns(ratherthanthoseofthenationperse)addedtothefactthattheprayerleadstotheexposureofhissinandstupidityallsuggestthathisunderstandingofprayerishighlydeficient.

WhenYahweh finally reveals his ‘verdict’ onSaul’s reign in 15:10–11, itleadsSamuel to cry toYahweh all night in anger.The text does not spell outwhetherSamuelisangrywithSaulorwithYahweh(onbalance,itseemsmorelikelythatheisangrywithSaul 25),buteitherwayhisresponsetothisdivinelyallowed covenantal crisis is to cry out to Yahweh all night. Although manycommentatorssimplysaythatthecontentofhisprayerisunknown, 26thereisnoneedforsuchuncertainty.Thenarrativeof1SamuelsofarhasmadeitclearthatSamuel’skeyconcerninallthis(despitehisownpersonalissues 27)isthefutureprogressofYahweh’scovenant,whichisnowinjeopardythankstothefoolishactionsoftheungodly‘people’schoice’.However,as1Samuel16makesplain,Yahwehhimselfwillnotstandbyandallowhispeopletolosetheirway.

Theremainingreferencestoprayerin1Samuelandthoseintheearlypartof2Samuel are a littlemore puzzling. Formally, at least,David’s approaches toYahweh in 23:1–5, 30:7–10 (in which David puts on the ‘ephod’ beforeenquiring of Yahweh), 2 Samuel 2:1–2 and even 5:19 seem to have more incommon with Saul’s methods than Samuel’s. David routinely enquires ofYahwehandYahwehgiveshimvictory(usuallyoverthePhilistines).However,twothingsneedtobeborneinmind:(1)thefactthatthenarratorisatpainstostress the fact that David enquires of Yahweh (rather than simply Elohim)immediately sets his prayers apart from those of Saul; (2) during David’s‘wildernessperiod’,thenarrativeinterestisfocusedonthepreservationofDavidasIsrael’s‘messiah’,andhiseventualreturntoJerusalemintriumph.Again,incontrasttoSaul,David’sinterestisnotsimplyinself-preservation,butinservingYahweh (see explicitly in 1 Sam. 30:6) and in living obediently (within the

covenant), albeit in a unique and abnormal situation. David’s prayers here,despite first appearances, fit neatly with the emphasis on covenant that is soobviousearlierin1Samuel. 28EachvictoryoverthePhilistinesisareminderthatYahwehwillovercomehisenemies,andwillinstallhiskingoverhispeople.

ThisthemeispickedupinoneofthemostimportantprayersnotjustintheFormer Prophets but in the entire Bible – the prayer of David in response toYahweh’s dynastic promise in 2 Samuel 7:18–29. This prayer merits slightlymoredetailedconsideration.

In 2Samuel 7:18David goes in and sits beforeYahweh.This is a highlyunusualposture forprayer,whichpresumablyunderscores the fact thatDavid,Yahweh’s messiah-king is speaking to his Lord. This has already been madeclear by the preponderance of first-person statementsmade byYahweh in thepreviousverses.ItisobviousthatoncemoreitisYahwehwhoistakingalltheinitiative (inmarked contrast to the normalANEpattern 29).The courseof therestofDavid’sprayerisdeterminedbytheconnectionbetweenthepromisejustmade tohim (concerninghis ‘house’) and thegrand sweepofYahweh’sgreatcovenantproject.The languageofverses22–24 is typicallyDeuteronomicandleadstotheheartofDavid’spetitioninverse25. 30AndwhatdoesDavidaskofYahweh? Simply that he dowhat he has already promised through his word:‘And now, O LORD God, confirm for ever the word that you have spokenconcerningyourservantandconcerninghishouse,anddoasyouhavespoken.’Thistakesusrighttotheheartofbiblicalprayer.Prayeris,inessence,callingonYahwehtodowhathehassaid.ThisisconfirmedoncemoreintheconclusionofDavid’sprayerinverses28–29:

Andnow,OLORDGod,youareGod,andyourwordsaretrue,andyouhavepromisedthisgoodthingtoyourservant.Nowthereforemayitpleaseyoutoblessthehouseofyourservant,sothatitmaycontinueforeverbeforeyou.Foryou,OLordGOD,havespoken,andwithyourblessingshallthehouseofyourservantbeblessedforever.

It isworth pointing out, however, thatYahweh is silent onDavid’s (probablyinstinctive)commitment tobuilda ‘house’ (temple) forYahweh.According to7:13,thisdoesnotseemtobepartoftheplan,andjarsslightlywiththerestofDavid’sprayer,whichissodeterminedtorootallthathashappenedinthefirmgroundofYahweh’ssovereignty.

Of the remaining possible references to prayer in 2 Samuel, bqš occurstwice: in the first occurrence David ‘sought God’ (2 Sam. 12:16), and in theother he ‘sought the face of the LORD’ (2 Sam. 21:1); whereas in the finalreference to prayer David simply speaks to Yahweh, confessing his pride. Ineach case it is important to realize that the prayers have dynastic (or perhaps,better, covenantal overtones.)David prays for his sick infant son, and for thenation in the face of famine, and for his own ‘house’ in thewake of his ownarrogantpresumption.Eveninthesebriefreferencestoprayeritseemsthattheconnectionwithcovenantcannotbebroken.

PrayerinthebooksofKingsInthebooksofKingstherearefewerpassingreferencestoprayer,butasimilaramountofspaceisdevotedtolongprayersatkeypointsinthenarrative(notablythoseprayedbySolomonandHezekiah).InadditionthroughouttheElijahandElishanarrativesthesignificanceofprayerisrepeatedlyhighlighted.Thisshapewillguideourdiscussion.

TheprayersofSolomon

ThereisasenseinwhichSolomon’s‘prayer’ in1Kings3shouldbeexcludedfrom our discussion, in that it is not a prayer at all. The interaction betweenSolomon and Yahweh in 1 Kings 3:1–15 takes place in a dream. However,ensuing events make clear that this ‘dream sequence’ has ‘real-world’consequences, as Solomon’s request is answered. Although normal prayer

language ismissingfromthenarrative, itseemsreasonable to include it inourdiscussion,notleastbecauseofparallelswithotherprayers(e.g.2Sam.7).

ThewordingofSolomon’srequest isofteninterpretedprimarilyasthegiftofapersonalattribute.Solomonhimself,however, isquick to linkhispetitionboth to the legacy of his father, David, and to the fulfilment of the promisesmadetoAbraham,theirforefather:

And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to yourservantDavidmy father, because hewalked before you in faithfulness, inrighteousness,andinuprightnessofheart towardsyou.Andyouhavekeptforhimthisgreatandsteadfastloveandhavegivenhimasontositonhisthrone this day.And now,OLORDmyGod, you havemade your servantking inplaceofDavidmyfather,althoughIambuta littlechild. Idonotknowhow togooutor come in.Andyour servant is in themidstofyourpeoplewhomyouhavechosen,agreatpeople,toomanytobenumberedorcountedformultitude.Giveyourservantthereforeanunderstandingmindtogovernyourpeople, that Imaydiscernbetweengoodand evil, forwho isabletogovernthisyourgreatpeople?’(1Kgs3:6–9)

Thisprayerissomeconsiderabledistancefromapersonalrequestfortheabilitytomakegooddecisions.Thisisarequestfordivinehelpindischargingtheroleof messiah. 31 Yahweh is delighted with this suggestion precisely becauseSolomon is themessiah – the wisdom supplied is to enable Solomon to leadYahweh’speoplewellandpromotecovenantfaithfulness.Thenecessityofsuchwisdom is evidenced both in 1 Kings 2 (where in both v. 6 and v. 9 DavidchargesSolomontoact‘wisely’bykillingJoabandShimei,tocleanupsomeofthepoliticalfalloutcreatedbyDavidhimself)andin1Kings3:16–28(wherethenationaldeclensionisseeninthefactthatbrothelsarehardlyworthyofremark,never mind censure 32). This covenantal perspective is confirmed by 1 Kings3:11–15,whereYahweh himself confirms that this prayer is answered so that

Solomonmaybeakingwithoutequal,andthathehimselfmaywalkincovenantfaithfulness,evenmanagingtohandleunparalleledwealth.

In passing, it isworth noting that this goes a littleway to easing the oft-observedtensionbetweenthefactthatSolomonisthewisestmanontheplanetandhispersonallife,whichshowsevidenceofsomedubiouschoices(seee.g.1Kgs7:8;11:1–8).Solomon’swisdomisgivenbyYahwehtohisanointedkingtoleadhispeople incovenant faithfulness. 33 Ithingeson thedegree towhichhelistenstoYahweh.Allthisisobviousfromthemomenthedreamstotheendofhisreign.Anditisobviousinthecentralpillaroftheaccountofhisreignin1Kings8.

InmanywaysthisisthehighpointoftheOldTestament.Toomanysheeptobe counted are sacrificed before the party gets started, and then later a mere142,000 are added. This is a Feast of Tabernacles unlike any other, abreathtakingmomentinthehistoryofGod’speople,asthelong-awaitedtempleis commissioned. But there is something deeply surprising about Solomon’sprayerofdedication– itbarelymentions the temple itself.This isnotaprayeraboutsacrifice,ritualorpriesthood,orevenatonement.Itisaboutcovenant. 34

That fact is everywhere in 1 Kings 8. The prominence of theArk of theCovenantintheopeningsectionsetsthetoneforallthatfollows.Theemphasisis on God’s people assembling, just as they did on Mount Sinai when theybecame a nation proper. Theword ‘Israel’ is used thirty-five times.There areconstantreferencestoGod’skeepingthepromiseshemadetoDavid(8:15,20,24–25, 66) and the covenant promisesmade at Sinai (8:21, 53, 56), and thepromises made to Abraham (8:40, 48), and the characterization of God as acovenant-keepingGodin8:23.

ThisemphasisonthecovenantiscrucialinunderstandingthedeepparadoxattheheartofSolomon’sprayer.Theparadoxisspelledoutin8:27–30:

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highestheavencannotcontainyou;howmuchlessthishousethatIhavebuilt!Yethaveregardtotheprayerofyourservantandtohisplea,OLORDmyGod,

listeningtothecryandtotheprayerthatyourservantpraysbeforeyouthisday,thatyoureyesmaybeopennightanddaytowardsthishouse,theplaceofwhichyouhavesaid,‘Mynameshallbethere’,thatyoumaylistentotheprayerthatyourservantoffers towardsthisplace.Andlistentothepleaofyourservantandofyourpeople Israel,when theypray towards thisplace.Andlisteninheavenyourdwellingplace,andwhenyouhear,forgive.

This is a very strange prayer to pray at a temple dedication. But this tensionbetween the transcendence and immanence of God is right at the heart ofDeuteronomic covenant theology, 35 andmakes clear that the temple is not anendinitself,buttheservantofamuchbiggeragenda. 36

This strikingemphasisoncovenant (rather than templeor sacrificeper se)continues inverse31,whereSolomonpicksup a list of covenant curses fromDeuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. In one way this is deeply pessimistic, yetthere is also the possibility of forgiveness. But once again, drawing onDeuteronomy, Solomon links this forgiveness not to temple rituals, but tocovenantalrepentance:

yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carriedcaptive,andrepentandpleadwithyou in the landof theircaptors,saying,‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly’, if they repentwithalltheirmindandwithalltheirheartinthelandoftheirenemies,whocarriedthemcaptive,andpraytoyoutowardstheirland,whichyougavetotheir fathers, thecity thatyouhavechosen,and thehouse that Ihavebuiltforyourname,thenhearinheavenyourdwellingplacetheirprayerandtheirplea, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinnedagainst you, and all their transgressions that they have committed againstyou, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried themcaptive,thattheymayhavecompassiononthem(fortheyareyourpeople,andyour heritage,whichyoubrought out ofEgypt, from themidst of theironfurnace).(1Kgs8:47–51)

Ifoneneededanyfurtherevidencethatthismostpowerfulofbiblicalprayersisessentially covenantal, the repeated appeals to actions and promises throughMoses (8:52–54), and the startlingprovision for foreigners (with the attendantexpectation thatYahwehwill hear theirprayers too;8:41–43,60), presumablyfulfilling thepromisemade toAbraham,puts thematterbeyondall reasonabledoubt. 37When Solomon prays, he prays for Yahweh to come through on hiscovenantpromises.

TheprayersofElijahandElisha

The largestclusterof references toprayer inKingscomes in theElijah–Elishanarratives. Elijah prays for the resuscitation of a dead boy (17:20–24), forvindicationinhiscontestwiththeprophetsofBaalonMountCarmel(18:36–37)and for God to end his life (19:4). In each case the prayer is connected in asignificantwaytothepromisesofYahweh.

Whenthesonof thewidowofZarephathisraised,notonlyis thisanotherexampleofblessingaccruingtopeopleoutsideIsrael(ZarephathisintheheartofJezebelcountry)andademonstrationofthesupremacyofYahweh,theGodofthecovenant,overBaalandAnat, 38butthemiraclealsoactsasavindicationof thedivinewordasdeliveredby theprophet (1Kgs17:24: ‘AndthewomansaidtoElijah,“NowIknowthatyouareamanofGod,andthatthewordoftheLORDinyourmouthistruth”’).Inthecontextof1Kings(and,aswehavejustseen,particularlyinthelightof1Kgs8)itisimpossibletospeakaboutthewordof Yahweh without also invoking the presence of Yahweh, the covenant Godwhosays,‘IwillbeyourGodandyouwillbemypeople.’Thisisacovenantalmiracle.

When praying mid-confrontation onMount Carmel, Elijah makes explicitreferencetothecovenantwithAbraham,IsaacandJacob:

OLORD,GodofAbraham,Isaac,andIsrael,letitbeknownthisdaythatyouareGodinIsrael,andthatIamyourservant,andthatIhavedoneallthesethingsatyourword.Answerme,OLORD,answerme,thatthispeoplemay

knowthatyou,OLORD,areGod,andthatyouhaveturnedtheirheartsback.(1Kgs18:36–37)

Elijah’sprayerisatrootaprayerforGodtoacttovindicatehimselfandkeephiscommitments.

EvenElijah’s prayer of desperation in 1Kings 19:4 cannot be adequatelyunderstoodwithoutreferencetoacovenantalcontext.IfIamrightinproposingthat the verb in 19:3 should be read with theMT as ‘saw’ (rather than ‘wasafraid’), 39 it is almost certain that Elijah’s motivation is not one of fear orpersonal collapse, but of frustration at his own failure, following on from theepicfailuresofgenerationaftergenerationofhisforebears.DespitetheeventsofCarmel, nothing has changed. Like those who have gone before, he too hasfailed to call God’s people back to covenant obedience. That same note isechoed in verses 10 and 14, where, when he is taken back to Horeb, thatcovenant place par excellence, Elijah says twice that God’s people ‘haveforsakenyour covenant’.Yet againwe see that theunderstandingofprayer intheOldTestamentiscallingonGodtodowhathehasalreadycommittedtodoinhiscovenantpromises.

Likehismentor,Elishaalsopraysforadeadson(2Kgs4:32–37).AlthoughthelanguageismuchlessexplicitlycovenantalintheElishaincident,thecloseparallelswiththeElijahencountermakeitclearthatthewriterofKingswantsustounderstandthatYahwehisstillactingtobringlifeoutofdeath,andtoupholdhis commitments to his people. In 2Kings 6:15–19 the linkswith covenantalthought are much clearer – Elisha prays, and then God acts to preserve hispeople–openingtheeyesof theservant to the‘real’situation,andclosingtheeyesoftheSyrianarmytoensuretheirdefeat,andallowingthemtobeledsafelyintotheheartoftheIsraelitegarrison!Prayer,itseems,cannotbeeasilyreducedtoanythinglessthanaskingGodtodowhathehaspromised.

TheprayersofHezekiah

The finalpieceof thepuzzle inconstructing theFormerProphets’ theologyofprayerisfoundintwonarrativesconcerningKingHezekiahofJudahin2Kings19and20.Inthefirst,Hezekiahrespondswell toathreatfromAssyria; inthesecond, he responds badly to his own impending death. The contrast betweenthesetwoprayersprovidesyetmoreevidencethatintheOldTestamentprayerisaskingYahwehtocomethroughonhispromisestothenation.

In2Kings19Hezekiah’sreactiontothearroganceoftheRabshakeh(whoasserts,amongotherthings,thatYahwehcannotbetrustedtocomethroughonhis promises, 19:10) is highly commendable. 40Hegoes to the temple, spreadsout the letter before Yahweh and prays. His prayer is based on the fact thatYahwehisboththeGodofIsraelandtheGodofallnations.HisconcernisforYahweh’s honour, which he understands is bound up with the fate of hiscovenant people. In that, his prayer in 19:14–19 fits the pattern that has beenestablished very well. As we might expect, Yahweh answers this prayerdramatically(19:35),andexplicitlyonthebasisofhiscovenantwithDavid:‘ForIwilldefendthiscitytosaveit,formyownsakeandforthesakeofmyservantDavid’(19:34).

However, Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 20 stands in stark contrast. Eventhough Yahweh continues to operate on a covenantal basis, it seems thatHezekiah’sconcernsfailtoriseaboveselfpity: 41

HezekiahturnedhisfacetothewallandprayedtotheLORD,saying,‘Now,OLORD,pleaserememberhowIhavewalkedbeforeyouinfaithfulnessandwith a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ AndHezekiahweptbitterly.(2Kgs20:2–3)

WhatisinterestingisthateveninhisdespairHezekiahstillpraysonthebasisofthecovenant(whetherornothewasjustifiedinprayingsuchaprayer).WhatisevenmoreinterestingisthebasisonwhichYahwehresponds–oncemore,itisthecovenantwithDavid:

Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says theLORD, theGodofDavidyourfather:Ihaveheardyourprayer;Ihaveseenyourtears.Behold,Iwillhealyou.OnthethirddayyoushallgouptothehouseoftheLORD,andIwilladdfifteenyearstoyourlife.IwilldeliveryouandthiscityoutofthehandofthekingofAssyria,andIwilldefendthiscityformyownsakeandformyservantDavid’ssake.(2Kgs20:5–6)

SuchisYahweh’scommitmenttohiscovenant(andhiscovenantking)thatheisevenwillingtomakeshadowsgobackwards(2Kgs20:10;thewritertoKingsdoesnot explainwhetherGoddistorts the spacetimecontinuum inorder todothis, or simply makes the shadow shorten) in order to convince him of hiscommitment.

Forourpurposesneithertheutterlyself-preoccupiedreactionofHezekiahtoIsaiah’s prophecy nor his foolishness in inviting Merodach-Baladan into histreasury changes the fact that when he prays, Hezekiah calls on the name ofYahwehtodeliveronhiscovenantcommitments.Thereare‘good’prayersand‘bad’prayers,worthyprayersandunworthyprayers–butGodanswersbothinlinewithhiscommitmentstohiskingandkingdom. 42

ConclusionWhileitwouldbeoverstatingittosaythatprayerisoneofthemajorthemesofJoshuato2Kings,itisfairtosaythatthereisaconsistentstrandofteachingonprayerinthesebooks.FromJoshuathroughJudgesandallthroughthebooksofSamuelandKingsthereisaninsistencethatoneofthegreatneedsofthepeopleofYahwehistocallonhisname;thatis,toaskhimtodowhathehassaidhewilldoandtokeephiscovenantpromises.

This isgenerallyhowprayer isunderstood,describedandpractised in thispart of theOldTestament.The theologyof prayer, if one can call it that, laiddown in the Pentateuch is developed and applied consistently through these

books with a remarkable degree of unity. Prayer is calling on the name ofYahweh,ourcovenantGod.

ChapterThree

Prayinginthelightofthefuture:prayerintheLatterProphets

PrayerprobablyisnotthefirstsubjectthatcomestomindwhenwethinkofthewritingprophetsintheBible.Rathersurprisingly,however,asignificantamountoftheirmaterialhasabearingonmydiscussion.

Obviously, to step into the world of the ‘Latter Prophets’ is to enter aminefield of critical and historical issues, which I cannot hope to begin toaddresshere. 1Myapproachwillessentiallybesynchronic, treatingeachof theMajor Prophets as awhole, and then discussing thematerial on prayer in theBookoftheTwelveinabroadlysimilarfashion.

Longprayersandlargebooks

Isaiah

Surprisingly,thefirstmentionofprayerinthebookofIsaiahisastatementfromYahwehhimselfthroughhisprophet,warningthepeoplethattheirpetitionsarecompletelyineffective:

Whenyouspreadoutyourhands,Iwillhidemyeyesfromyou;

eventhoughyoumakemanyprayers,Iwillnotlisten;

yourhandsarefullofblood.

yourhandsarefullofblood.(Isa.1:15) 2

Thissilencedominateslargetractsofthebook.Thetheophany(ortheophanicvision)inIsaiah6doescontainconversation

withYahweh–however,itishardtosaywhetherornotthisshouldbeconstruedasprayer. If so, Isaiah’svisceral cry formercy fits broadly into thepatternof‘callingonthenameofYahweh’thatwehaveseenrepeatedlyuptothispoint.However, we have to wait until chapter 12 before we encounter the firstsubstantialcommunicationwithGodinthebook.

Isaiah12comesattheclimaxofthefirst‘movement’ofthebook,bywhichtimeYahwehhasmadeitclearthathewillintervenebysendingImmanuel,the‘shootfromthestumpofJesse’,tobringinhisvictoryandsummonthenationstobowbeforehim(see11:1–16).Chapter12thenprovidesthecapstoneofthissection.Theinterestingfeatureofthesectionisthat,ratherthan‘callingonthenameofYahweh’,praiseisofferedatsomepointinthefutureafterYahwehhasactedtorescuehispeople.Soisit,strictlyspeaking,aprayer?Iamnotsureitis.

It seems that the Old Testament maintains a distinction between prayer,whichiswhatwedoincryingtoGodfordeliverance,andpraise,whichiswhatwedoafterGodhasdeliveredus.Ofcourse,thisdistinctioncanbeoverplayed–conversationswithGodwhich are, on anyunderstanding,prayersoften freelymingleprayerandpraise,astheoneprayingmoveseasilyfrompastdeliveranceto appeal for future deliverance. But nonetheless there is significant value inmaintainingthedistinctioninprincipleatleast,particularlyasweseektoclarifyifinfactthereisaconsistentunderstandingofprayerintheOldTestament.

Thisdistinctionbecomesobviousinthesectionofthebookusuallyreferredto as the ‘Isaiah Apocalypse’. As both Isaiah himself and those who willexperiencetheeventshedescribesreflectonthem,theirstatementsfocusonthefactthatYahwehhasactedaccordingtohiscommitments,whichinthiscaseareexperiencedas‘curse’ratherthan‘blessing’.Thisisentirelyinkeepingwiththeprophet’swarninginIsaiah1:15thatGodhadstoppedlisteningtotheprayersofhispeople.Soin25:1–2weread:

OLORD,youaremyGod;Iwillexaltyou;Iwillpraiseyourname,

foryouhavedonewonderfulthings,plansformedofold,faithfulandsure.

Foryouhavemadethecityaheap,thefortifiedcityaruin;

theforeigners’palaceisacitynomore;itwillneverberebuilt.

Thiscouldbeunderstoodas‘anti-prayer’–whattosaytoGodwhenthetimeforaskingispast.Butitisclearthatthecontentofthispropheticpraiseisgovernedbyprecisely thesameconcernas theprayerswehaveseen– thepromisesandplansofGod.

ThisperspectiveismirroredintheenvisagedresponseinthelandofJudahtoGod’saction,asanticipatedbyIsaiahinchapter26.Thechapterbeginswithwhat is designated a ‘song’; but as the song progresses, there is amovementfrom simply reacting to the judgment ofGod towaiting for him to save.Onecould say that the song becomes a prayer. It isworth unpacking this in somedetail.

After celebrating the establishmentofZionpost-judgment as a stronghold,andenjoining their brothers and sisters to trustYahweh (26:1–7), the focusofthesongshiftstopetition.Atthispointitisdifficulttoseeanyformaldifferencebetween the song and prayer, particularly as the focus of the petitions is the‘nameofYahweh’:

Inthepathofyourjudgements,OLORD,wewaitforyou;

yournameandremembrancearethedesireofoursoul.

Mysoulyearnsforyouinthenight;myspiritwithinmeearnestlyseeksyou.

Forwhenyourjudgementsareintheearth,

Forwhenyourjudgementsareintheearth,theinhabitantsoftheworldlearnrighteousness.

Iffavourisshowntothewicked,hedoesnotlearnrighteousness;

inthelandofuprightnesshedealscorruptlyanddoesnotseethemajestyoftheLORD.

OLORD,yourhandisliftedup,buttheydonotseeit.

Letthemseeyourzealforyourpeople,andbeashamed.Letthefireforyouradversariesconsumethem.

OLORD,youwillordainpeaceforus,foryouhaveindeeddoneforusallourworks.

OLORDourGod,otherlordsbesidesyouhaveruledoverus,butyournamealonewebringtoremembrance.

(Isa.26:8–13)

The expressed desire (or prayer) of the song is that God’s enemies will beconfrontedwithhispowerandgreatness,thathisplansforhispeoplewillcometofruition,andthathisnamewillthereforebehonoured.ThefactthatGodhasalready acted in judgment (in the prophetic perspective of Isaiah) is evidencethatthiswillcometopass:

Theyaredead,theywillnotlive;theyareshades,theywillnotarise;

tothatendyouhavevisitedthemwithdestructionandwipedoutallremembranceofthem.

Butyouhaveincreasedthenation,OLORD,youhaveincreasedthenation;youareglorified;youhaveenlargedallthebordersoftheland.

(Isa.26:14–15)

Even thecounter-exampleof theprayersnotheard (again, inkeepingwith1:15), the prayers of God’s recalcitrant people, shows that the perspectiveunderlying these verses is that prayer is essentially calling on the name ofYahwehtodeliveronhispromises.

OLORD,indistresstheysoughtyou;theypouredoutawhisperedprayerwhenyourdisciplinewasuponthem.

Likeapregnantwomanwhowrithesandcriesoutinherpangswhensheisneartogivingbirth,

sowerewebecauseofyou,OLORD;wewerepregnant,wewrithed,butwehavegivenbirthtowind.

Wehaveaccomplishednodeliveranceintheearth,andtheinhabitantsoftheworldhavenotfallen.

(Isa.26:16–18)

ItisonlyafterjudgmentthatYahwehwillhearthecriesofhispeopleoncemore,and intervene decisively to bring both life and justice (26:19–21). It becomesincreasingly clear that even in the radically different perspective of Isaiah, aworldinwhichjudgmentisafast-approachingrealityandcallingonthenameofYahwehwill bring no relief in the short-term at least, prayer continues to beunderstood as intrinsically linked to God’s working out his covenantalpurposes. 3

The pivotal historical section of the book in chapters 36–39 includes twoprayers offered by Hezekiah (37:16–20; 38:2–3). Aside from the rhetoricalfunction of these chapters in Isaiah, 4 Hezekiah’s prayers bring together twoprominent ideas in any discussion of the biblical theology of prayer.His firstprayerfocusesonthefateofthenation,andthereforeonYahweh’scommitmenttohonourhispromisesmadetoAbraham,David,andsoon.Hissecondprayeris

focused entirely on Hezekiah’s own fate (a fact confirmed by his appallingreaction in 39:8). ThisDavidide has a singularly unhealthy view ofmessianicsuffering, which stands in marked contrast to the approach of Psalms to thissubject. 5

Thevirtualabsenceofanyreference toprayercontinues throughIsaiahallthe way to chapter 55. Here, however, we find the prophet exhorting God’speopletoturntotheLordinrepentanceandobedience,seekinghispardon.Thiscalltoreturnshouldleadtoprayer: 6

SeektheLORDwhilehemaybefound;calluponhimwhileheisnear;

letthewickedforsakehisway,andtheunrighteousmanhisthoughts;

lethimreturntotheLORD,thathemayhavecompassiononhim,andtoourGod,forhewillabundantlypardon.

(Isa.55:6–7)

Asthesectioncontinues, itbecomesapparent that tofollowthis injunctionandcallonGod is toembrace the fact thathe is sovereign, and toaskhim toadvancehisagendainourworld(seefurtherIsa.55:8–11).Andtheoutworkingof this? It isnothing less than theoutpouringof theeschatologicalblessingofYahweh.Inotherwords,to‘callonthenameofYahweh’isseen,yetagain,tobeinseparablefromaskingGodtodowhathehaspromised:

Foryoushallgooutinjoyandbeledforthinpeace;

themountainsandthehillsbeforeyoushallbreakforthintosinging,andallthetreesofthefieldshallclaptheirhands.

Insteadofthethornshallcomeupthecypress;insteadofthebriershallcomeupthemyrtle;

anditshallmakeanamefortheLORD,aneverlastingsignthatshallnotbecutoff.

(Isa.55:12–13)

Thisviewisechoedatseveralpoints in theclosingsectionof thebook.Inmarked contrast to the command to stay silent, the watchmen are nowencouragedtokeepremindingYahwehhimselfofhiscovenantobligations:

Onyourwalls,OJerusalem,Ihavesetwatchmen;

allthedayandallthenighttheyshallneverbesilent.

YouwhoputtheLORDinremembrance,takenorest,

andgivehimnorestuntilheestablishesJerusalemandmakesitapraiseintheearth.

(Isa.62:6–7) 7

Isaiah 63:15 – 64:12 is the longest prayer in the book, and rather likeDeuteronomy 30 it envisages God’s people calling on Yahweh after thejudgmentofexile.Finally,in64:7–8thesilenceisbrokenandsomeonedoescallon thenameofYahweh,pleadingwithhim to turnback theclock to thedayswhen the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were being fulfilled. Thisstrikingprayerisworthincludinginfull:

Lookdownfromheavenandsee,fromyourholyandbeautifulhabitation.

Whereareyourzealandyourmight?Thestirringofyourinnerpartsandyourcompassionareheldbackfromme.

ForyouareourFather,

ForyouareourFather,thoughAbrahamdoesnotknowus,andIsraeldoesnotacknowledgeus;

you,OLORD,areourFather,ourRedeemerfromofoldisyourname.

OLORD,whydoyoumakeuswanderfromyourwaysandhardenourheart,sothatwefearyounot?

Returnforthesakeofyourservants,thetribesofyourheritage.

Yourholypeopleheldpossessionforalittlewhile;ouradversarieshavetrampleddownyoursanctuary.

Wehavebecomelikethoseoverwhomyouhaveneverruled,likethosewhoarenotcalledbyyourname.

(Isa.63:15–19)

Ohthatyouwouldrendtheheavensandcomedown,thatthemountainsmightquakeatyourpresence–

aswhenfirekindlesbrushwoodandthefirecauseswatertoboil–

tomakeyournameknowntoyouradversaries,andthatthenationsmighttrembleatyourpresence!

Whenyoudidawesomethingsthatwedidnotlookfor,youcamedown,them.ountainsquakedatyourpresence.

Fromofoldnoonehasheardorperceivedbytheear,

noeyehasseenaGodbesidesyou,whoactsforthosewhowaitforhim.

Youmeethimwhojoyfullyworksrighteousness,thosewhorememberyouinyourways.

Behold,youwereangry,andwesinned;inoursinswehavebeenalongtime,andshallwebesaved?

Wehaveallbecomelikeonewhoisunclean,andallourrighteousdeedsarelikeapollutedgarment.

andallourrighteousdeedsarelikeapollutedgarment.Weallfadelikealeaf,

andouriniquities,likethewind,takeusaway.Thereisnoonewhocallsuponyourname,

whorouseshimselftotakeholdofyou;foryouhavehiddenyourfacefromus,

andhavemadeusmeltinthehandofouriniquities.Butnow,OLORD,youareourFather;

wearetheclay,andyouareourpotter;wearealltheworkofyourhand.

Benotsoterriblyangry,OLORD,andremembernotiniquityforever.Behold,pleaselook,weareallyourpeople.

Yourholycitieshavebecomeawilderness;Zionhasbecomeawilderness,Jerusalemadesolation.

Ourholyandbeautifulhouse,whereourfatherspraisedyou,

hasbeenburnedbyfire,andallourpleasantplaceshavebecomeruins.

Willyourestrainyourselfatthesethings,OLORD?Willyoukeepsilent,andafflictussoterribly?

(Isa.64:1–12)

Thisplaintiveappealessentiallycomesdowntoonething–itisapleatoGodtorememberhiscovenantbeyondjudgment.Yahwehisurgedtoremembermercyin themidstofwrath.Wemustnotoverlook the fact that this is somethinghehasalreadypromised todo,whichputsIsaiah’s teachingonprayersquarely inthe centre of the flow of the teaching of the Old Testament as a whole. Theprophet’slastworddemonstrateshowradicallythesituationwillchangeinthatday:

BeforetheycallIwillanswer;

BeforetheycallIwillanswer;whiletheyareyetspeakingIwillhear.

(Isa.65:24)

Jeremiah

In theearlychaptersofJeremiahYahwehhimself raisesasimilar issue to thathighlightedinIsaiah–theprayersofGod’speoplewillnotbeansweredintheshort term,because they are offeredbypeoplewho, rather than repenting, arehell-bentonspiritualadultery:

Haveyounotjustnowcalledtome,‘Myfather,youarethefriendofmyyouth–willhebeangry

forever,willhebeindignanttotheend?’Behold,youhavespoken,

butyouhavedonealltheevilthatyoucould.(Jer.3:4–5)

The change of pronoun (from ‘you’ in 3:4 to ‘he’ in 3:5) is indicative of thedistanceinrelationshipbetweenYahwehandhispeople.Theirprayerswillnotbe heard, because the covenant relationship has already been impaired bypersistent disobedience and the absence of repentance. That notwithstanding,however,itdemonstratesthatinJeremiahprayerisconstruedyetagainascallingonthenameofYahwehtohonourhispromises.

This is confirmed by Yahweh’s own statement in 3:19–20. The idealscenarioisdepictedinthefollowingterms:

Isaid,HowIwouldsetyouamongmysons,

andgiveyouapleasantland,aheritagemostbeautifulofallnations.

AndIthoughtyouwouldcallme,MyFather,

AndIthoughtyouwouldcallme,MyFather,andwouldnotturnfromfollowingme.

Surely,asatreacherouswifeleavesherhusband,sohaveyoubeentreacheroustome,OhouseofIsrael,

declarestheLORD.(Jer.3:19–20)

As Jeremiah’s message of judgment unfolds, it becomes increasinglyobviousthathispeoplearebeyond‘callingonthenameofYahweh’,whichinturnprovidesthefoundationforthechillingcommandof7:16:‘Asforyou,donotprayforthispeople,orliftupacryorprayerforthem,anddonotintercedewithme,forIwillnothearyou.’Thedieiscast–thereisnopointinprayingforGod to pour out his blessings, because the curses of the covenant are alreadybeingrolledout:

Again theLORD said tome, ‘Aconspiracyexistsamong themenof JudahandtheinhabitantsofJerusalem.Theyhaveturnedbacktotheiniquitiesoftheirforefathers,whorefusedtohearmywords.Theyhavegoneafterothergodstoservethem.ThehouseofIsraelandthehouseofJudahhavebrokenmycovenant that Imadewith their fathers.Therefore, thussays theLORD,Behold, Iambringingdisasterupon themthat theycannotescape.Thoughthey cry tome, Iwill not listen to them.Then the cities of Judah and theinhabitants of Jerusalemwill go and cry to the gods to whom theymakeofferings,buttheycannotsavetheminthetimeoftheirtrouble.’(Jer.11:9–12)

Atthispoint,however,thebookofJeremiahtakesadramaticallydifferentturn.Rather thanlookingforwardtoadaywhentrueprayer isoffered(ontheotherside of the exile), Jeremiah enters into a plaintive and impassioned discussionwithYahwehhimself.IndoingsoJeremiahprovidesuswithoneoftherichestveinsofmaterialonprayerintheentirecanon.

The so-called confessions of Jeremiah (although they are not, strictlyspeaking, ‘confessional’ in any sense of the word) are carefully ordered toprovide a powerful indictment of Judah’s rejection of the word of Yahweh. 8

Formally, they fall broadly into the category of ‘laments’, although even thenthere is significant variation. 9 Forourpurposes these ‘confessions’ (11:18–23;12:1–6; 15:10–14, 15–21; 17:14–18; 18:18–23; 20:7–13, 14–18) provide aninsightintothetensionsattheveryheartofbiblicalprayer.

Gordon McConville, in his excellent work on Jeremiah Judgment andPromise,makesthetellingcommentthat‘ThefigureofJeremiah,especiallyintheConfessions...isextremelycomplex.Atonceherepresentsthepeople,herepresents YHWH, and he remains himself.’ 10 This brings significantcomplexitytotheprayersinthesechapters.SoMcConvillecontinues:

In14:9–22,forexample,hespeaksforthepeople.Indoingso,hecannotbutevoketheirfailuretotaketheprayertothemselvesinanygenuineway.Hiswords,therefore,areakindofcriticismofthenation,sealingtheirfate.Atthesametime,theyarewordswhichhe,Jeremiah,doessincerelytakeonhisownlips.Byvirtueofhisrepresentativerole,therefore,theprayerbecomes,after all, a genuine prayer of the people. Their participation in the prayer,however,with thehopeof salvation towhich itgives rise, is securedonlythroughtheprophet.

These prayers, then, are simultaneously representative, exemplary andaccusatory.

Despitethiscomplexity,however,inthecontextofthisstudythepointmadeby theseprayers is both clear and simple: themajor issue in the lifeofGod’speople is the fulfilment (or non-fulfilment) ofGod’s promises, and this is thepropersubjectoftheprayersofbothhisprophetandhispeople.Evenacursoryglancethroughtheconfessionsmakesthisobvious.

In the first of the confessions Jeremiah’s primary concern is with thepeople’s opposition to him, which flows from their rejection of the word of

Yahweh,andthereforetoYahwehhimself(Jer.11:18–20).Thisconcernspillsoverintothesecondintheseriesin12:1–6.Eventhough

thosewhoopposehimtakethenameofGodontheirlips(12:2),theirheartsarefar fromYahweh. The treachery of the people of God is front and centre, asJeremiahbeginstocometotermswiththefactthatjudgmentisinevitable:

Righteousareyou,OLORD,whenIcomplaintoyou;yetIwouldpleadmycasebeforeyou.

Whydoesthewayofthewickedprosper?Whydoallwhoaretreacherousthrive?

Youplantthem,andtheytakeroot;theygrowandproducefruit;

youarenearintheirmouthandfarfromtheirheart.

Butyou,OLORD,knowme;youseeme,andtestmyhearttowardsyou.

Pullthemoutlikesheepfortheslaughter,andsetthemapartforthedayofslaughter.

Howlongwillthelandmournandthegrassofeveryfieldwither?

Fortheevilofthosewhodwellinitthebeastsandthebirdsaresweptaway,becausetheysaid,‘Hewillnotseeourlatterend.’

‘Ifyouhaveracedwithmenonfoot,andtheyhaveweariedyou,howwillyoucompetewithhorses?

Andifinasafelandyouaresotrusting,whatwillyoudointhethicketoftheJordan?

Forevenyourbrothersandthehouseofyourfather,eventheyhavedealttreacherouslywithyou;theyareinfullcryafteryou;

donotbelievethem,

thoughtheyspeakfriendlywordstoyou.’(Jer.12:1–12)

The first in the second pair of confessions (15:10–14)makes it plain thatJeremiah’sinnerturmoilistheresultofhisconcerntoseethepromisesofGodfulfilled–helongstoseeblessingintheland,butonlyexperiencescurse:

Woeisme,mymother,thatyouboreme,amanofstrifeandcontentiontothewholeland!Ihavenot lent,norhaveIborrowed,yetallof themcurseme....‘Iwillmakeyouserveyourenemiesinalandthatyoudonotknow,forinmyangerafireiskindledthatshallburnforever.’(Jer.15:10,14)

Theaccompanyingprayerthatfollowsitisequallypassionate,astheprophetrehearseshowhisacceptanceofthewordofYahwehbothisolatedhimfromhispeersanddrewhimintotheexperienceofYahwehhimself:

OLORD,youknow;remembermeandvisitme,andtakevengeanceformeonmypersecutors.

Inyourforbearancetakemenotaway;knowthatforyoursakeIbearreproach.

Yourwordswerefound,andIatethem,andyourwordsbecametomeajoyandthedelightofmyheart,

forIamcalledbyyourname,OLORD,Godofhosts.

Ididnotsitinthecompanyofrevellers,nordidIrejoice;

Isatalone,becauseyourhandwasuponme,foryouhadfilledmewithindignation.

foryouhadfilledmewithindignation.Whyismypainunceasing,

mywoundincurable,refusingtobehealed?

Willyoubetomelikeadeceitfulbrook,likewatersthatfail?

(Jer.15:15–18)

Jeremiah’spainispalpableashetastestheapparent‘anguishofYahweh’.Thispain,expressedinprayer,flowsfromtherealizationthatthewordsthatbroughthim joy (which can only be the ‘gospel words’ of the covenant promises ofYahweh) have been rejected by the rest of his people, and therefore lead tojudgment and curse. 11 As a result of Jeremiah’s faithfulness he becomes aninterim answer to his ownprayers and longings, experiencing the salvation ofYahweh,sodecisivelyrejectedbyhispeople:

ThereforethussaystheLORD:‘Ifyoureturn,Iwillrestoreyou,

andyoushallstandbeforeme.Ifyouutterwhatisprecious,andnotwhatisworthless,

youshallbeasmymouth.Theyshallturntoyou,

butyoushallnotturntothem.AndIwillmakeyoutothispeople

afortifiedwallofbronze;theywillfightagainstyou,

buttheyshallnotprevailoveryou,forIamwithyou

tosaveyouanddeliveryou,declarestheLORD.Iwilldeliveryououtofthehandofthewicked,

andredeemyoufromthegraspoftheruthless.’(Jer.15:19–21)

(Jer.15:19–21)

Astheseriesofconfessionscontinues,JeremiahcallsonYahwehtorescuehim,lookingforhimtodeliveronhisword,whetherinsalvationorjudgment:

Healme,OLORD,andIshallbehealed;saveme,andIshallbesaved,foryouaremypraise.

Behold,theysaytome,‘WhereisthewordoftheLORD?Letitcome!’

Ihavenotrunawayfrombeingyourshepherd,norhaveIdesiredthedayofsickness.

Youknowwhatcameoutofmylips;itwasbeforeyourface.

Benotaterrortome;youaremyrefugeinthedayofdisaster.

Letthosebeputtoshamewhopersecuteme,butletmenotbeputtoshame;

letthembedismayed,butletmenotbedismayed;

bringuponthemthedayofdisaster;destroythemwithdoubledestruction!

(Jer.17:14–18)

This is one of the distinctives of prayer in Jeremiah (and the prayers ofJeremiah).Thedouble-edgednatureof thewordofGod (seee.g. Isa.6:8–10),whichhasbeenplayedout in thepropheticbooks,nowbecomesa controllingfeatureof theprayersof theprophet,as isdisplayedbythe increasinglyangst-ridden outpourings of 18:18–23. The mounting tension in Jeremiah’s prayersreaches fever pitch in chapter 20. In highly emotive language the prophetinitiallyrailsagainstYahwehformanipulatingandusinghim,beforereasserting

his confidence in Yahweh’s ability to act both in judgment and ultimately insalvation,thusfulfillinghisownpriorword,wherehepromisedfirstcurse,andthenblessing:

OLORD,youhavedeceivedme,andIwasdeceived;

youarestrongerthanI,andyouhaveprevailed.

Ihavebecomealaughing-stockalltheday;everyonemocksme.

ForwheneverIspeak,Icryout,Ishout,‘Violenceanddestruction!’

ForthewordoftheLORDhasbecomeformeareproachandderisionalldaylong.

IfIsay,‘Iwillnotmentionhim,orspeakanymoreinhisname’,

thereisinmyheartasitwereaburningfireshutupinmybones,

andIamwearywithholdingitin,andIcannot.

ForIhearmanywhispering.Terrorisoneveryside!

‘Denouncehim!Letusdenouncehim!’sayallmyclosefriends,watchingformyfall.

‘Perhapshewillbedeceived;thenwecanovercomehimandtakeourrevengeonhim.’

ButtheLORDiswithmeasadreadwarrior;thereforemypersecutorswillstumble;theywillnotovercomeme.

Theywillbegreatlyshamed,

Theywillbegreatlyshamed,fortheywillnotsucceed.

Theireternaldishonourwillneverbeforgotten.

OLORDofhosts,whoteststherighteous,whoseestheheartandthemind,

letmeseeyourvengeanceuponthem,fortoyouhaveIcommittedmycause.

SingtotheLORD;praisetheLORD!

Forhehasdeliveredthelifeoftheneedyfromthehandofevildoers.

(Jer.20:7–13)

At this point the unexpected downward turn of the final confession hascaused commentators all manner of problems. Jeremiah has been accused ofeverything frommental illness to simplecontradiction. 12However,placing thedarknessof20:14–18attheclimaxoftheserieshasaperfectlycomprehensiblerhetorical effect– itmakes sure thatweas readers appreciate that in the shorttermtherewillbeneitherreliefnorhope.Jeremiah’speoplewillfacethecursesof the covenant, and Jeremiah, their prophet, will suffer with them. As theprophetspeaks,he‘incarnates’therealityofjudgment:

CursedbethedayonwhichIwasborn!

Thedaywhenmymotherboreme,letitnotbeblessed!

Cursedbethemanwhobroughtthenewstomyfather,‘Asonisborntoyou’,

makinghimveryglad.Letthatmanbelikethecities

thattheLORDoverthrewwithoutpity;lethimhearacryinthemorning

lethimhearacryinthemorningandanalarmatnoon,

becausehedidnotkillmeinthewomb;somymotherwouldhavebeenmygrave,andherwombforevergreat.

WhydidIcomeoutfromthewombtoseetoilandsorrow,andspendmydaysinshame?

(Jer.20:14–18)

The prayers of Jeremiah reveal a deep personal struggle in the life andexperienceof theprophetwhichmirror that in the lifeof thepeopleof Judah.Undergirding his prayers are the dawning realization that in the short termcalling on Yahweh can lead only to the confirmation of his purposes injudgment.Thehopeofansweredprayerintheformofrenewedblessingliesonthe other side of the ultimate curse of exile. And in themeantime? The lonevoiceoftheprayeroftheprophetexposesboththepainintheheartofYahwehand sounds a truly prophetic note which will only reach a crescendo in thesalvationthatliesbeyondjudgment–aperspectiveencapsulatedintheprayerof14:19–22, which although not formally designated one of the confessionsnonethelesstakesustotheheartofthemessageofthebook:

HaveyouutterlyrejectedJudah?DoesyoursoulloatheZion?

Whyhaveyoustruckusdownsothatthereisnohealingforus?

Welookedforpeace,butnogoodcame;foratimeofhealing,butbehold,terror.

Weacknowledgeourwickedness,OLORD,andtheiniquityofourfathers,forwehavesinnedagainstyou.

Donotspurnus,foryourname’ssake;

donotdishonouryourgloriousthrone;rememberanddonotbreakyourcovenantwithus.

Arethereanyamongthefalsegodsofthenationsthatcanbringrain?Orcantheheavensgiveshowers?

Areyounothe,OLORDourGod?Wesetourhopeonyou,foryoudoallthesethings.

(Jer.14:19–22)

Althoughthefocusonprayerdiminishesasthebookcontinues,itdoesnotdisappear completely. Jeremiah’s purchase of a field in chapter 32 bothembodiesthemessageoftheconfessionsandbringsitbacktocentrestage:

AfterIhadgiventhedeedofpurchasetoBaruchthesonofNeriah,IprayedtotheLORD,saying:‘Ah,LordGOD!It isyouwhohavemadetheheavensandtheearthbyyourgreatpowerandbyyouroutstretchedarm!Nothingistoohard foryou.Youshowsteadfast love to thousands,butyou repay theguiltoffatherstotheirchildrenafterthem,OgreatandmightyGod,whosenameistheLORDofhosts,greatincounselandmightyindeed,whoseeyesare open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each oneaccording to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. You haveshownsignsandwondersinthelandofEgypt,andtothisdayinIsraelandamongallmankind,andhavemadeanameforyourself,asatthisday.YoubroughtyourpeopleIsraeloutofthelandofEgyptwithsignsandwonders,withastronghandandoutstretchedarm,andwithgreatterror.Andyougavethemthisland,whichyousworetotheirfatherstogivethem,alandflowingwithmilkandhoney.Andtheyenteredandtookpossessionof it.But theydidnot obeyyourvoiceorwalk inyour law.Theydidnothingof all youcommanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster comeuponthem.Behold,thesiegemoundshavecomeuptothecitytotakeit,and

becauseofswordandfamineandpestilencethecityisgivenintothehandsof theChaldeanswhoare fightingagainst it.Whatyouspokehascome topass,andbehold,yousee it.Yetyou,OLordGOD,havesaid tome,“Buythe field formoney and getwitnesses” – though the city is given into thehandsoftheChaldeans.’(Jer.32:16–25)

What is interesting about this prayer is the lackof anydirect request. Instead,Jeremiah apparently processes the logic behind the divine command inconversationwithYahweh,slowlycomingtotherealizationthattheinstructionto buy the field contains an implicit commitment to honour the promises toAbraham in the long term. Prayer, it seems, is intricately linked with theoutworking of God’s covenant commitments in the mind of the prophet – aconnectionunderlinedonemoretimeinthefinalprosesectionofthebook.

In Jeremiah42 the remnant finally approach the prophetwith a request tohearthewordofYahweh:

Thenallthecommandersoftheforces,andJohananthesonofKareahandJezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to thegreatest,camenearandsaidtoJeremiahtheprophet,‘Letourpleaformercycomebeforeyou,andpraytotheLORDyourGodforus,forallthisremnant–becauseweare leftwithbut a few, asyour eyes seeus– that theLORDyourGodmayshowusthewayweshouldgo,andthethingthatweshoulddo.’ Jeremiah the prophet said to them, ‘I have heard you. Behold, I willpray to the LORD your God according to your request, and whatever theLORDanswersyouIwilltellyou.Iwillkeepnothingbackfromyou.’ThentheysaidtoJeremiah,‘MaytheLORDbeatrueandfaithfulwitnessagainstusifwedonotactaccordingtoallthewordwithwhichtheLORDyourGodsendsyou tous.Whether it is goodorbad,wewill obey thevoiceof theLORD ourGod towhomwe are sending you, that itmay bewellwith uswhenweobeythevoiceoftheLORDourGod.’(Jer.42:1–6)

This time, unusually, both the prophet and the people associate prayer withseekingguidance fromYahweh.However, this isnot simplyaprescription forreplacingtheUrimandThummimwithaparticularkindofprayer.Thisprayerforguidancecomesatauniquemomentofsalvationhistory–God’sjudgmentisathand,anditis‘makeyourminduptime’forhispeople.Shouldtheystayorgo?God’sanswercomesbackunequivocally–theyshouldgotoBabylon.Butthey refuse, andmake forEgypt instead, and Jeremiah, the prophetwho livesandbreathesthewordofGod,goeswiththepeopleevenintheirdisobedience.

Thereis,itturnsout,asurprisingamountofspaceinthebookofJeremiahdevoted to the prayers of God’s most intense spokesman. As in Isaiah theprayers of the people are silenced by divine command, for the best they canmusterarehypocriticalramblings.TheprophetJeremiah,however,prayson.HepraysaboutYahweh’sdeterminationtobringdownhiscurseonhispeople.Heprays about the blessing still promised beyond the curse. He prays about hispurchase of land. He prays about the destination of Yahweh’s people. HisprayersrevolvearoundandaredominatedbythesovereignpurposesofGod.

Jeremiahrevisited?TheprayersofLamentations

AssumingforamomentthatJeremiahwasinsomewayconnectedwiththebookthat we know as Lamentations, it makes sense to consider this material now,rather than as part of the short discussion of the Writings in the followingchapter. 13

Asthetitlesuggests,thebookismadeupofaseriesof‘laments’.However,ofspecialinteresttousarethesectionsofthebookthatconsistofdirectaddresstoYahweh(prayers).Thesesectionsarespreadliberallythroughoutthetext.So,forexample,weread:

Look,OLORD,forIamindistress;mystomachchurns;

myheartiswrungwithinme,becauseIhavebeenveryrebellious.

Inthestreettheswordbereaves;

Inthestreettheswordbereaves;inthehouseitislikedeath.

Theyheardmygroaning,yetthereisnoonetocomfortme.

Allmyenemieshaveheardofmytrouble;theyaregladthatyouhavedoneit.

Youhavebroughtthedayyouannounced;nowletthembeasIam.

Letalltheirevildoingcomebeforeyou,anddealwiththem

asyouhavedealtwithmebecauseofallmytransgressions;

formygroansaremany,andmyheartisfaint.

(Lam.1:20–22)

Thewriter, ina Jeremiah-likewayas the representativeofGod’speople,bothfacesthepastrebellion,whichhasbroughtdownthejudgmentofYahweh,andcriestoGodforjustice(morespecificallyforjustpunishmentofthosewhohavecrushedJudah,namelytheBabylonians).

Thiskindof‘callingonthenameofYahweh’continuesinchapter2,wherethebrutalexperienceofconquestgivesrisetoplaintivecries:

Look,OLORD,andsee!Withwhomhaveyoudealtthus?

Shouldwomeneatthefruitoftheirwomb,thechildrenoftheirtendercare?

ShouldpriestandprophetbekilledinthesanctuaryoftheLord?

Inthedustofthestreetslietheyoungandtheold;

myyoungwomenandmyyoungmen

havefallenbythesword;youhavekilledtheminthedayofyouranger,

slaughteringwithoutpity.Yousummonedasiftoafestivalday

myterrorsoneveryside,andonthedayoftheangeroftheLORD

nooneescapedorsurvived;thosewhomIheldandraised

myenemydestroyed.(Lam.2:20–22)

There is no suggestion that this fate is ill deserved, or even that Yahwehshould have intervened. The sense ismore that of unremitting anguish as thepeopleofGodtrytocometotermswiththefactthatheappearstohaveturnedagainstthem:

Letustestandexamineourways,andreturntotheLORD!

LetusliftupourheartsandhandstoGodinheaven:

‘Wehavetransgressedandrebelled,andyouhavenotforgiven.

‘Youhavewrappedyourselfwithangerandpursuedus,killingwithoutpity;

youhavewrappedyourselfwithacloudsothatnoprayercanpassthrough.

Youhavemadeusfilthandrubbishamongthepeoples.

‘Allourenemiesopentheirmouthsagainstus;

panicandpitfallhavecomeuponus,devastationanddestruction;

myeyesflowwithriversoftearsbecauseofthedestructionofthedaughterofmypeople.’

(Lam.3:40–48)

However, the direct addresses to God take on a different hue asLamentationsmoveson.Induecoursethevisceralreactiontothehorrorsoftheexile is replaced by a healthy self-examination, a renewed call for justice andeventuallyevenanappealtoGodtosavehispeopleontheothersideofexile:

Icalledonyourname,OLORD,fromthedepthsofthepit;

youheardmyplea,‘Donotcloseyoureartomycryforhelp!’

YoucamenearwhenIcalledonyou;yousaid,‘Donotfear!’

Youhavetakenupmycause,OLord;youhaveredeemedmylife.

Youhaveseenthewrongdonetome,OLORD;judgemycause.

Youhaveseenalltheirvengeance,alltheirplotsagainstme.

Youhaveheardtheirtaunts,OLord,alltheirplotsagainstme.

Thelipsandthoughtsofmyassailantsareagainstmeallthedaylong.

Beholdtheirsittingandtheirrising;Iamtheobjectoftheirtaunts.

Youwillrepaythem,OLORD,accordingtotheworkoftheirhands.

Youwillgivethemdullnessofheart;yourcursewillbeonthem.

Youwillpursuetheminangeranddestroythemfromunderyourheavens,OLORD.

(Lam.3:55–66)

ThefinalchapterofLamentationsdrawsalltheseelementstogetherinawaythat is highly reminiscent of Jeremiah 14. The prayer is realistic about thesituationfacingYahweh’speople–theyareunderjudgment.Theydo,however,callonthenameofYahwehhimselftoreversetheirfortunes.Tomovebeyondcursetoblessing,andoncemoretofulfilhisancientpromises:

Remember,OLORD,whathasbefallenus;look,andseeourdisgrace!

Ourinheritancehasbeenturnedovertostrangers,ourhomestoforeigners.

Wehavebecomeorphans,fatherless;ourmothersarelikewidows.

Wemustpayforthewaterwedrink;thewoodwegetmustbebought.

Ourpursuersareatournecks;weareweary;wearegivennorest.

WehavegiventhehandtoEgypt,andtoAssyria,togetbreadenough.

Ourfatherssinned,andarenomore;andwebeartheiriniquities.

Slavesruleoverus;thereisnonetodeliverusfromtheirhand.

Wegetourbreadattheperilofourlives,becauseoftheswordinthewilderness.

Ourskinishotasanovenwiththeburningheatoffamine.

WomenarerapedinZion,youngwomeninthetownsofJudah.

youngwomeninthetownsofJudah.Princesarehungupbytheirhands;

norespectisshowntotheelders.Youngmenarecompelledtogrindatthemill,

andboysstaggerunderloadsofwood.Theoldmenhaveleftthecitygate,

theyoungmentheirmusic.Thejoyofourheartshasceased;

ourdancinghasbeenturnedtomourning.Thecrownhasfallenfromourhead;

woetous,forwehavesinned!Forthisourhearthasbecomesick,

forthesethingsoureyeshavegrowndim,forMountZionwhichliesdesolate;

jackalsprowloverit.Butyou,OLORD,reignforever;

yourthroneendurestoallgenerations.Whydoyouforgetusforever,

whydoyouforsakeusforsomanydays?Restoreustoyourself,OLORD,thatwemayberestored!

Renewourdaysasofold–unlessyouhaveutterlyrejectedus,

andyouremainexceedinglyangrywithus.(Lam.5:1–22)

Because the sovereignLord remains in control, and because somehowhisplansremainintact,hispeoplecanstillcallonhimwithhope.Ultimately,thisisthemessageofbothJeremiahandLamentations.

Ezekiel

InmarkedcontrasttotheextendedexamplesofprayerinJeremiah,prayerbarelyraises its head inEzekiel in any form.Theremaybe avery simple reason for

this.TheprophecyofEzekielisdesignedinlargemeasuretoreassuretheexilesthatthestoryofJudahisnotover–inotherwordsthebookiswrittentogivetheexilesareasontoprayratherthantoencouragethemtoprayperse.TheprayersoftheexilesshouldflowoutofreadingtheprophecyofEzekiel,ratherthanbecodifiedinthebook.

Thatsaid,itisstillremarkablethatthefourprayersofEzekielhimselfinthisbookalldealwithkeyissuesinsalvationhistory:

ThenIsaid,‘Ah,LordGOD!Behold,Ihaveneverdefiledmyself.FrommyyouthuptillnowIhavenevereatenwhatdiedofitselforwastornbybeasts,norhastaintedmeatcomeintomymouth.’(Ezek.4:14)Andwhiletheywerestriking,andIwasleftalone,Ifelluponmyface,andcried, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in theoutpouringofyourwrathonJerusalem?’(Ezek.9:8)And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son ofBenaiahdied.ThenIfelldownonmyfaceandcriedoutwithaloudvoiceandsaid,‘Ah,LordGOD!WillyoumakeafullendoftheremnantofIsrael?’(Ezek.11:13)ThenIsaid,‘Ah,LordGOD!Theyaresayingofme,“Ishenotamakerofparables?”’(Ezek.20:49)

It should be pointed out, of course, that each of these prayers is spontaneous.ThereislittleevidenceofthecarefulcraftingandarrangementoftheprayersofJeremiah, for instance. However, it is also clear that each of these prayersexpressesandengagestheangstexperiencedbytheJudahitesinexile.

Thefirstprayer(Ezek.4:14)isthepriestlyEzekiel’sprotestatbeingaskedtodefilehimselfinthecourseofhispropheticministry,throughwhichGodwillprovokehispeopleintobothfacingtherealityofexileandstartingtodealwithit

inagodlyway.Thiswasobviouslyahighlychargedissue,asitraisedissuesofcovenant,purityandelection.

The second brief prayer, in 9:8, is also occasioned by an outrageouspronouncementfromYahweh.ThistimeitseemsthatGodiswillingtoallowhispeopletobeobliterated,withoutevenatinyrumpofsurvivorsremainingtokeepthequicklyfadinghopesofhischosenpeoplealive.

The third, in11:13, is similar, although this timeoccasionedby the ratherstartlingandpermanentimpactmadebyEzekiel’spreachingamongtheexiles.

Thefinalprayer,in20:49,ispromptedwhenEzekiel’swordsmeetasimilarresponse to thoseofhispropheticpredecessors,andnooneappears towant tolistentothewordofYahweh,evenwhenclearlyproclaimed.Ineachcase,then,theprayersoftheprophetarepromptedbyashatteringannouncementorevent,whichgivesrisetofearsthat,asfarasthepeopleofGodareconcerned,thismaybetheendoftheroad.

ItispartofthefunctionofEzekieltobringthegoodnewstoGod’speoplethatthisisnotthecase.Infact,ratherthanclosingdowntheopportunitytopray(asbothJeremiahandIsaiahdo),itisEzekiel’sroletorecommissionprayer:

ThussaystheLordGOD:ThisalsoIwillletthehouseofIsraelaskmetodoforthem:toincreasetheirpeoplelikeaflock.Liketheflockforsacrifices,like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall thewastecities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am theLORD.(Ezek.36:37–38)

ThisrapidoverviewoftheplaceofprayerintheMajorProphetshasaddedanother level to the argument that prayer in the Old Testament is essentiallycalling on Yahweh to come through on his promises. Isaiah and Jeremiahdevelop this concept in nuanced and complex ways, seeking to enable God’speopletounderstandtheplaceofcurseaswellasblessing,andjudgmentaswellassalvation,whileencouragingthemtocontinuetocallonthenameofYahweh,clingingtohopeinadifficultworld.Ezekielmovesthediscussionastepfurther,

as he reopens the divine conversation after the traumatic events of the exile,encouragingGod’speopleoncemoretocallonthenameofYahweh.

Shortprayersandshort(ish)booksSince the publication of Paul House’s game-changing work The Unity of theTwelve in 1990, synchronic readings of the Minor Prophets as a whole haveproliferated. And while the scholarly jury is still out on the extent of theredactional unity of this ‘collection’, it is safe to say that significant thematicconnectionsbetween thesebookshavebeen established. 14 For the sakeof thisstudy we will assume both a substantial connection between these smallerpropheticbooksandtheveracityofHouse’soriginalobservation,thatthereisamovementfromwarningthroughjudgmenttohopeinthecollection. 15

Given the perspectives on prayer in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah andEzekiel, inwhichthepossibilityofprayer is initiallycloseddown,recalibratedandthenopenedupagain,onemightexpecttofindasimilar‘prophetic’patternintheBookoftheTwelve.Thisturnsouttobethecase.

Theendofprayer?

In the three larger pre-exilic minor prophets (Hosea, Amos and Micah) thepatternisverysimilartothatoftheirlargercontemporaries.

InHoseaprayerisvirtuallyabsent,apartfromthedesperate,self-justifyingcryof8:2,whichincontextisclearlyaprayertowhichYahwehwillnotlisten:

Setthetrumpettoyourlips!OnelikeavultureisoverthehouseoftheLORD,

becausetheyhavetransgressedmycovenantandrebelledagainstmylaw.

Tometheycry,‘MyGod,we–Israel–knowyou.’

Israelhasspurnedthegood;

Israelhasspurnedthegood;theenemyshallpursuehim.

(Hos.8:1–3)

This is entirely consistentwith the situation in the run-up to the exile in bothIsaiah and Jeremiah. God’s people occasionally ‘cry to him’ in self-servingpanic,buttheyneitherknownorservehim,andtheircryfallsondeafears.

TheprophetHoseaexperiencesaparalleltoYahweh’sownrejectionbyhispeople in his personal life, but Amos, like Jeremiah, works this throughexplicitly in the contextofdirect conversationwithGod.As inHosea there isvirtualsilencewhenitcomestoprayerinAmos,withthestrikingexceptionofAmos7:2–9.TheprophetencountersYahweh inasimilarcontext toMoses inGenesis 18 – however, rather than interceding for twin pagan cities, Amos iscryingoutforthepeopleofYahweh.WebreakintoAmos’visionashebaulksattheimpendingjudgmentofIsrael:

Isaid,

‘OLordGOD,pleaseforgive!HowcanJacobstand?Heissosmall!’TheLORDrelentedconcerningthis:‘Itshallnotbe,’saidtheLORD.

ThisiswhattheLordGODshowedme:behold,theLordGODwascallingforajudgementby fire, and it devoured thegreat deepandwas eatingup the land.ThenIsaid,

‘OLordGOD,pleasecease!HowcanJacobstand?Heissosmall!’TheLORDrelentedconcerningthis:‘Thisalsoshallnotbe,’saidtheLordGOD.

This iswhatheshowedme:behold, theLordwasstandingbesideawallbuiltwith a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said tome,‘Amos,whatdoyousee?’AndIsaid,‘Aplumbline.’ThentheLordsaid,

‘Behold,IamsettingaplumblineinthemidstofmypeopleIsrael;Iwillneveragainpassbythem;

thehighplacesofIsaacshallbemadedesolate,andthesanctuariesofIsraelshallbelaidwaste,andIwillriseagainstthehouseofJeroboamwiththesword.’

(Amos7:2–9)

In the same way that Jeremiah would several centuries later, Amos faces theemotionaltraumaofcomingtotermswiththerealityofjudgment.Interestingly,Micah’sexperience(andpresentation)isdifferentagain.

ThereisnoreferencetocallingonYahwehorprayerofanykindinthebookofMicahuntilthelaststanza.However,hereMicahanticipatesadaywhenthesilence will be broken once more, when people (initially in the guise of theprophet)willcallouttoYahwehagain,andexperiencehealingandforgivenessasafulfilmentofthepatriarchalpromises:

WhoisaGodlikeyou,pardoninginiquityandpassingovertransgressionfortheremnantofhisinheritance?

Hedoesnotretainhisangerforever,becausehedelightsinsteadfastlove.

Hewillagainhavecompassiononus;hewilltreadouriniquitiesunderfoot.

Youwillcastalloursinsintothedepthsofthesea.

YouwillshowfaithfulnesstoJacobandsteadfastlovetoAbraham,

andsteadfastlovetoAbraham,asyouhavesworntoourfathers

fromthedaysofold.(Mic.7:18–20)

ThatleavesmetocommentonlyontheshorterbookofJoel.ItisnotoriouslydifficulttofixtheprovenanceofJoel, 16butforthepurposesofthisstudyIwillsimplystate that inmyopinion it is almostcertainlypre-exilic, and leave it atthat.Aswewillsee,intermsofourunderstandingofprayer,notmuchhingesonthis.

Two prayers are included in Joel’s prophecy – the first is a prayer of theprophethimselfinthewakeofthedestructionthatprovokestheprophecy(1:19–20),andthesecondisaprayerprescribedfortheprieststopray(2:17).Inbothcases the subject of the prayer is the apparent gap between the currentexperienceofthepeopleofGodandthehistoricalunderstandingofthepromisesofGod:

Toyou,OLORD,Icall.Forfirehasdevoured

thepasturesofthewilderness,andflamehasburned

allthetreesofthefield.Eventhebeastsofthefieldpantforyou

becausethewaterbrooksaredriedup,andfirehasdevoured

thepasturesofthewilderness.(Joel1:19–20)

Betweenthevestibuleandthealtarletthepriests,theministersoftheLORD,weep

andsay,‘Spareyourpeople,OLORD,andmakenotyourheritageareproach,abywordamongthenations.

abywordamongthenations.Whyshouldtheysayamongthepeoples,

“WhereistheirGod?”’(Joel2:17)

Whydoestheprophetpraylikethis?Whyarethepriests topraylikethis?Because prayer is essentially calling on the name of Yahweh to keep hispromises,andtherealityoftheirexperienceisthatYahwehhasrenegedonthat.He is neither hearing nor answering their prayers. As the book progresses,however, itappears thatJoelshares thepreexilicpropheticperspective that thetimeforprayingisover–theonlythingthatGod’speoplecandoisreturntotheLordinthehopethathemayrelent(e.g.2:12).

Andyetevenhere,wherethenoteofjudgmentsoundslongandclear,thereisalsotheaccompanyinginsistencethatbeyondjudgmentliesanewday,whenonceagainpeoplewillcalluponthenameofYahwehandbesaved:

AndIwillshowwondersintheheavensandontheearth,bloodandfireandcolumns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and themoon toblood,before thegreat andawesomedayof theLORD comes.And it shallcome to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall besaved.ForinMountZionandinJerusalemthereshallbethosewhoescape,as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom theLORDcalls.(Joel2:30–32)

IshouldacknowledgeatthispointthatthreeoftheTwelvemakelittleornomentionofprayer.Twoof thebooks,ofcourse,address theenemiesofGod’speople.BothObadiah’sannouncementofjudgmentagainstEdomandNahum’spolemicagainsttheAssyriansbrooknoreply.ThereisnothingforthesenationstosaytoYahweh(although,seethediscussionofJonahbelow).Theyhaveactedagainst thepeopleofYahweh indeliberateanddecisiveways.Nowtheymustpaytheprice.Butthequestionis,doesthishaveanybearingonourdiscussionofprayerinthelifeofthepeopleofYahweh?

IfHouse et al. are justified in seeing some coherence in the ordering and‘message’oftheBookoftheTwelve, thenitmaywellbethattheinclusionofthesebooksattheheartofthecollectionis,inpart,areflectionofthesituationJudah themselves have experienced through the exile – having no answer andnothingtosay–inthefaceofboththecommandandthejudgmentofYahweh.Theyhave,inessence,beenreducedtothestatusofthe‘nations’.

Haggai is a slightly different case. It may simply be that the brevity andsubjectmatter of the bookmean thatHaggai has nothing to contribute to ourdiscussion.Ontheotherhand,itcouldbeanotherexampleofthedesperateneedfor the people of Yahweh to find their voices, and call again to Yahweh – atheme that, perhapsunexpectedly,growsever stronger asweprogress throughtheTwelve.

Therebirthofprayer

None of the ‘Minor Prophets’ has attracted so much attention both from thechurchandtheacademyovertheyearsasthebookofJonah.However,Jonah’scontribution to the Bible’s teaching on prayer has often been overlooked. Inaddition,intheflowoftheBookoftheTwelve,it isJonah’squirkyandopen-endednarrative thatmost compellinglypresents readerswith thepossibilityofthe‘rebirthofprayer’.

Forourpurposesthemostsignificantfeatureofthetextistherepetitionofcalling on the name of Yahweh. This is obvious on a cursory glance at bothchapters1and3:

Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And theyhurledthecargothatwasintheshipintotheseatolightenitforthem.ButJonahhadgonedownintotheinnerpartoftheshipandhadlaindownandwasfastasleep.Sothecaptaincameandsaid tohim,‘Whatdoyoumean,yousleeper?Arise,callouttoyourgod!Perhapsthegodwillgiveathoughttous,thatwemaynotperish.’...

ThereforetheycalledouttotheLORD,‘OLORD,letusnotperishforthisman’slife,andlaynotonusinnocentblood,foryou,OLord,havedoneasitpleasedyou.’(Jon.1:5–6,14)

ThenthewordoftheLORDcametoJonahthesecondtime,saying,‘Arise,gotoNineveh,thatgreatcity,andcalloutagainstit themessagethatI tellyou.’SoJonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. NowNinevehwas an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonahbegan togo into thecity,goingaday’s journey.Andhecalledout, ‘Yet fortydays, andNineveh shall be overthrown!’And the people ofNineveh believedGod.Theycalledforafastandputonsackcloth,fromthegreatestofthemtotheleast of them. The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from histhrone,removedhisrobe,coveredhimselfwithsackcloth,andsatinashes.AndheissuedaproclamationandpublishedthroughNineveh,‘Bythedecreeofthekingandhisnobles:Letneithermannorbeast, herdnor flock, taste anything.Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered withsackcloth,andletthemcalloutmightilytoGod.Leteveryoneturnfromhisevilwayandfromtheviolencethatisinhishands.Whoknows?Godmayturnandrelentandturnfromhisfierceanger,sothatwemaynotperish.’WhenGodsawwhattheydid,howtheyturnedfromtheirevilway,Godrelentedofthedisasterthathehadsaidhewoulddotothem,andhedidnotdoit.(Jon.3:1–10)

The pagan sailors initially call out to their god(s); but on discovering thatJonah’sGod is responsible for the storm, theyquickly readdress their pleas toYahweh. Their prayer shows a remarkable degree of theological sensitivity.Unlike Jonah’s countrymen, 17 the sailors are convinced of Yahweh’s power,sovereigntyandabilitytosave.

Similarly, when Jonah (probably enthusiastically) in obedience to thecommand of Yahweh in 3:4 ‘calls out’ judgment on the Ninevites, theseAssyrians unexpectedly respond – they ‘called for a fast’ and then ‘call outmightily’ to Jonah’sGod! 18God isusinganassortmentofpagans to teachhis

prophet–andhispeople–toprayagain.Yahwehisinvitinghispeopletocallonhisname.

Aparallelfeatureofthetext–andonethatdrivesusdecisivelytoreadthetextinthisdirection–isthewayinwhichJonahaddressesYahweh:

ThenJonahprayedtotheLORDhisGodfromthebellyofthefish,saying,

‘IcalledouttotheLORD,outofmydistress,andheansweredme;

outofthebellyofSheolIcried,andyouheardmyvoice.’

(Jon.2:1)

ButitdispleasedJonahexceedingly,andhewasangry.AndheprayedtotheLORD and said, ‘O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in mycountry?That iswhyImadehaste toflee toTarshish;forIknewthatyouareagraciousGodandmerciful, slowtoangerandabounding insteadfastlove, and relenting fromdisaster.Therefore now,OLORD, please takemylifefromme,foritisbetterformetodiethantolive.’(Jon.4:1–3)

Unlike the pagan sailors and Assyrians, Jonah prays (pll). However, I wouldsuggestthatinchapter2Jonah’stechnicallyandtheologicallycorrectaddresstoGodsimplyexposesthefactthathehasstoppedpraying.Inchapter4theologicalappropriatenessisleftfarbehind,asJonahexposestheissuesinhisownheartaswellasthoseintheheartofhispeople.

It is worth examining Jonah’s prayer in some detail, as the import of hisprayer is oftenmissed. It is often read at face value that Jonah comes to hissensesinthebellyofthefish.Iwouldarguestronglythatthereverseisthecase,and that, in fact, theorthodoxprayer heutters rather reveals thedepthsof hisissues! 19

IcalledouttotheLORD,outofmydistress,andheansweredme;

outofthebellyofSheolIcried,andyouheardmyvoice.

(Jon.2:2)

Oneofthepuzzlesofthetextisthatuptothispointtherehasbeennohintthat Jonah has had any intention of ‘calling out to Yahweh’ – in fact, in theprecedingnarrativehehasrefusedtodojustthat.Thiscould,ofcourse,simplymean that theprophethasbeenbrought tohissensesand isnowcryingout toGod with all sincerity; but the slightly odd tense of this prayer, 20 and, morecompellingly, the jarring note that Jonah’s claim sounds should at least raisequestions for the reader. This tension becomes increasingly apparent as Jonah‘prays’on:

Foryoucastmeintothedeep,intotheheartoftheseas,andthefloodsurroundedme;

allyourwavesandyourbillowspassedoverme.

ThenIsaid,‘Iamdrivenawayfromyoursight;

yetIshallagainlookuponyourholytemple.’

(Jon.2:3–4)

At this point poetic licence seems to turn into something resemblingpost-apocalypticdystopianteenagefiction.WhileitmaybetheologicallyaccuratetoclaimthatYahwehcasthimintothedeep,itisatbestonlypartofthestory.Toassertthat‘Iamdrivenawayfromyoursight’,however,leavestherealityofthesituationfarbehind.ThereisnoacknowledgmentthatJonahisfleeingYahweh

in disobedience, nor does he allude at any level to his refusal to engagewith‘his’Godontheship.Instead,wehavewhatseemstobeahighlymelodramaticaccount of his (admittedly traumatic!) experience (2:5–6), and a slightlyenigmatic reference to the ‘temple’. I would suggest that any adequateexplanationofthisprayerneedstodealsatisfactorilywiththissurprisingfeatureofthetext(whichrecursin2:7).

PerhapsthemostlikelyreasonforJonah’scitingtheJerusalemtempleatthispoint is toreinforcethefact thathisstronglynationalisticviewofYahwehhasnot changed. Despite the irony of his departure from Joppa in an attempt toescapetheGodofthetemple,Jonahtwiceexpressesthefactthatforhimthereisan inextricable link between Yahweh and Jerusalem, his capital city. This isconfirmed immediately by the ‘anti-idolatry’ statement of 2:8, and the self-congratulatory(andlegalistic)noteofverse9:

Whenmylifewasfaintingaway,IrememberedtheLORD,

andmyprayercametoyou,intoyourholytemple.

Thosewhopayregardtovainidolsforsaketheirhopeofsteadfastlove.

ButIwiththevoiceofthanksgivingwillsacrificetoyou;

whatIhavevowedIwillpay.SalvationbelongstotheLORD!

(Jon.2:7–9)

Jonah’s sloganeering notwithstanding, there are significant problems withthispartoftheprayerwhenreadinthecontextofthebookitself.Forexample,onlya fewversesearlier it is thosewhopay regard tovain idolswhoshowedspiritual discernment, genuine piety, fear of Yahweh and end up praying realprayers.Jonah,however,whoknows‘how’topray,whose‘templetheology’is

completely orthodox and who has a clear grasp on the fact that ‘Salvationbelongs to Yahweh’, is the one who seems to have significant problems incallingonthenameofYahwehinawaythatisauthentic–basedonrepentanceandflowingfromfaith.ChristopherSeitzcommentsthat‘PrayerthereforeistoaddressGodbyname.AndtonameGod’snameistodealwithGodashetrulyis,without remainder–yet alwaysunder theobligationofhaving invoked theoneholyandjealousGod.’ 21Jonahseemstobesomewayfromrealizingthis.

Thatisconfirmedbothbythelanguageandtheimportoftheclosingchapterofthebook.Wehavealreadyseentheoddjuxtapositionof4:1–2:

ButitdispleasedJonahexceedingly,andhewasangry.AndheprayedtotheLORD and said, ‘O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in mycountry?That iswhyImadehaste toflee toTarshish;forIknewthatyouareagraciousGodandmerciful, slowtoangerandabounding insteadfastlove,andrelentingfromdisaster.’

Theprophetwhohasbeen shownmercyhimself seems somewhat reluctant towelcomemercy being shown anywhere else.The fact of his anger shows thatoncemore(as inch.2),even thoughhe isaddressingGod,Jonah isstillsomeway from ‘calling on the name of Yahweh’. He even cites Yahweh’s classiccovenantal pronouncement against him, before, in an astonishing piece ofillogic,askingthegraciousandmercifulGodwhorelentsfromdisaster to takehislife!

Jonah,then,istheprophetwhocannot,andwillnot,pray.Inthatheistheperfectrepresentativeofhispeople.Italsoexplainswhythebookendsthewayit does. Yahweh’s invitation to Jonah to rejoin the conversation with him,perhapseventobegintoprayagain,tocallonhisnameforthefirsttimeinthebook,isleftsuspendedintheair.ItisreasonabletosuggestthatatleastapartofthepurposeofthisremarkablebookistoinviteGod’speopletobegintocallonhimagain.

Notsurprisingly,thisinvitationisechoedinseveralplacesintheBookoftheTwelve,notleastinthebookofHabakkuk.

Habakkukisoftenunderstoodasakindoftheodicy,albeitonedealingwiththeissueofunansweredprayer.Thisfindsprimafaciejustificationrightat thestartofthebook:

OLORD,howlongshallIcryforhelp,andyouwillnothear?

Orcrytoyou‘Violence!’andyouwillnotsave?

(Hab.1:2)

However, givenwhat we have already seen of the prophetic emphasis on thesilencingoftheprayersofGod’speople(bothbytheirfailuretocallonthenameofYahweh,andbyYahweh’sowninsistencethathewillnolongerlistenuntilhehaspouredoutthecursesofthecovenant),theremaywellbeasignificantlymorefruitfullineofapproach.

The question Habakkuk asks is not an abstract one, detached from allhistoricalconsiderations.Itisanissuethatarisesataparticularpointinsalvationhistory. 22 Rather than asking ‘Why does God not answer us?’, Habakkukaddresses the question ‘Why is God not answering us now?’ The answer thebookprovidesreiteratessomethingwehaveseenoverandoveragain–thereisno benefit in calling on the name of Yahweh until judgment has passed. Fornow,atleast,thedieiscast.

Thisemergesveryearlyoninthetext.Societyisbreakingdown.Habakkukcontinues to ‘call on the nameofYahweh’, askinghim to act in linewith hisprior covenantal commitments, but to no avail. His opening prayer (usuallycalleda‘complaint’)rehearsestheawfulnessofthesituationinJudah:

Whydoyoumakemeseeiniquity,andwhydoyouidlylookatwrong?

Destructionandviolencearebeforeme;

Destructionandviolencearebeforeme;strifeandcontentionarise.

Sothelawisparalysed,andjusticenevergoesforth.

Forthewickedsurroundtherighteous;sojusticegoesforthperverted.

(Hab.1:3–4)

ThesituationisasignificantdeclensionfromthatenvisagedbytheprophetinthelightofGod’spromises.AndYahweh’sresponse?Hisexplanationin1:5–11issimple–Habakkuk’sprayersarenotbeingheardandsocietycontinuestobreak down because God is on the point of acting in judgment through theChaldeans(Babylonians).Habakkukcontinuestopressforanswers(1:12–2:1),this timeonthequestionofhowitcouldbe justofYahwehtousesuchbrutalinstruments, a charge Yahweh quickly refutes with an assurance of ultimatejudgmentonthefutureoppressorsaswellastheoppressed.Thatbringsustotheheartandclimaxofthebook,theprayer(tĕpillâ)ofHabbakkuk.Itisthisprayerthatconfirmstheunderstandingsetoutabove.

The opening statement of Habakkuk’s prayer identifies the key issue atstake:

OLORD,Ihaveheardthereportofyou,andyourwork,OLORD,doIfear.

Inthemidstoftheyearsreviveit;inthemidstoftheyearsmakeitknown;inwrathremembermercy.

(Hab.3:2)

Habakkukhasgraspedthefactthat,asfarasGodisconcerned,‘servicehasbeentemporarilysuspended’.Thereisnopointinprayingformercynow,forthisisthedayofwrath.So,inchapter3,thetermsofhisprayershavechanged–now

he simply asksYahweh to ‘remembermercy’.Habakkuk asks effectively thatYahwehwillonedaybegintolistentotheprayersofhispeopleoncemore.

Drawing on imagery from elsewhere in the Old Testament, 23 Habakkukdescribes invividtermstheactionsofYahwehin judgmentandsalvation.Thedifference is that he nowunderstands thewider context. Even in judgment hecanperceivesalvificpurposes(aprinciplemadeclearasfarbackastheexodus):

Youwentoutforthesalvationofyourpeople,forthesalvationofyouranointed.

Youcrushedtheheadofthehouseofthewicked,layinghimbarefromthightoneck....

Youtrampledtheseawithyourhorses,thesurgingofmightywaters.

(Hab.3:13,15)

ThepointisnotsomuchthatHabakkukisnowconvincedthatYahwehanswersprayerafterall,butratherthanheunderstandstheflowofsalvationhistoryinanewway.HegraspsthefactthatthismaynotbethetimeforYahwehtoanswertheprayersofhispeople,butthatdaywillcomeagain–first,hewilljudgetheoppressors,andthenacttofulfilallhiseschatologicalpromises:

Ihear,andmybodytrembles;mylipsquiveratthesound;

rottennessentersintomybones;mylegstremblebeneathme.

YetIwillquietlywaitforthedayoftroubletocomeuponpeoplewhoinvadeus.

Thoughthefigtreeshouldnotblossom,norfruitbeonthevines,theproduceoftheolivefail

andthefieldsyieldnofood,theflockbecutofffromthefoldandtherebenoherdinthestalls,

andtherebenoherdinthestalls,yetIwillrejoiceintheLord;

IwilltakejoyintheGodofmysalvation.God,theLord,ismystrength;

hemakesmyfeetlikethedeer’s;hemakesmetreadonmyhighplaces.

(Hab.3:16–19)

AswiththebookofJonahthemessageofHabakkukisinextricablylinkedtotheidea thatGod’s people have stopped calling onYahweh’s name, andYahwehhasstoppedansweringifandwhentheydocall.Morethanthat,however,bothbooksenvisageadaywhenYahweh’speoplewillcryouttohimagain,andheisdelightedtorespondtotheircalls.

ThissameideaisfoundembeddedinthemessageofZephaniah.Thedoubleproblem in Josiah’sday,according to theprophet, is thatGod’speopledonotseekhimandYahwehhassilencedthem:

‘thosewhohaveturnedbackfromfollowingtheLORD,whodonotseektheLORDorenquireofhim.’

BesilentbeforetheLordGOD!ForthedayoftheLORDisnear...

(Zeph.1:6–7)

This situation is then resolved in 3:9, when Yahweh himself gives theundertakingthat

ForatthattimeIwillchangethespeechofthepeoplestoapurespeech,

thatallofthemmaycalluponthenameoftheLORDandservehimwithoneaccord.

(Zeph.3:9)

While prayer is not one of themain themes of the complex and powerfulprophecy of Zechariah, the same ideas on prayer continue to be played out.God’speoplearenolongercallingonthenameofYahweh,andYahwehisnolongerlisteningtohispeople.However,adayisenvisagedwhenthepeoplewillpray,andYahwehwillbedelightedtoanswer:

Theymadetheirheartsdiamond-hardlesttheyshouldhearthelawandthewords that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the formerprophets.ThereforegreatangercamefromtheLORDofhosts.‘AsIcalled,and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,’ says theLORDofhosts,‘andIscatteredthemwithawhirlwindamongallthenationsthattheyhadnotknown.Thusthelandtheyleftwasdesolate,sothatnoonewenttoandfro,andthepleasantlandwasmadedesolate.’(Zech.7:12–14)ThussaystheLORDofhosts:Peoplesshallyetcome,eventheinhabitantsofmanycities.Theinhabitantsofonecityshallgotoanother,saying,‘LetusgoatoncetoentreatthefavouroftheLORDandtoseektheLORDofhosts;Imyselfamgoing.’ManypeoplesandstrongnationsshallcometoseektheLORDofhostsinJerusalemandtoentreatthefavouroftheLord.ThussaystheLORDofhosts:InthosedaystenmenfromthenationsofeverytongueshalltakeholdoftherobeofaJew,saying,‘Letusgowithyou,forwehaveheardthatGodiswithyou.’(Zech.8:20–23)

IwillstrengthenthehouseofJudah,andIwillsavethehouseofJoseph.

IwillbringthembackbecauseIhavecompassiononthem,andtheyshallbeasthoughIhadnotrejectedthem,forIamtheLORDtheirGodandIwillanswerthem.

(Zech.10:6)

AndIwillputthisthirdintothefire,andrefinethemasonerefinessilver,

andrefinethemasonerefinessilver,andtestthemasgoldistested.

Theywillcalluponmyname,andIwillanswerthem.

Iwillsay,‘Theyaremypeople’;andtheywillsay,‘TheLORDismyGod.’

(Zech.13:9) 24

Thecumulativeeffectsofthesetextsissubstantial.Theideaoftherebirthofprayer–ofarestoredconnectionbetweenYahwehandhispeopleembodiedinthepeoplecallingonthenameofYahweh,andYahwehrespondingbypouringout the promised blessing of the covenant, is visible at many key points,especially in the second half of the Book of the Twelve. The only remainingquestionis,‘Doesthisemphasiscontinueall thewaythroughtotheendoftheMinorProphets?’

TheconcernofMalachiisnotsomuchwithprayer,aswiththecontradictionthatisthelifeofGod’speople(andthepriesthoodinparticular).ThewordswithwhichYahwehtakesissueinthebookarenotsomuchthoseaddresseddirectlyto him (although these are not free from problems; see e.g. 2:13) as thedeclarationsmadetootherpeople.However,attherootofmanyoftheproblemsof thisdiffidentgenerationisa lackofaweof thenameofYahweh(2:5). It iswhen peoplewho fearYahweh get together (and presumably begin to talk tohim) 25 that their concerns are heard, and the fulfilment of his eschatologicalpromisesbegins:

Then thosewho feared the LORD spokewith one another. The LORD paidattention and heard them, and a book of remembrancewaswritten beforehimof thosewho feared theLORD andesteemedhisname. ‘They shallbemine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasuredpossession,andIwillspare themasamanspareshissonwhoserveshim.Thenoncemoreyoushallseethedistinctionbetweentherighteousandthe

wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.’(Mal.3:16–18)

ConclusionIn this chapter we have covered a huge amount of prophetic ground. Despitecoveringawiderangeofgenresanddiversehistoricalsituations,boththeMajorProphets and the Book of the Twelve share a common view of the place ofprayerinandaroundthetimeoftheexile.Theprivilegeof‘callingonthenameofYahweh’ is temporarilywithdrawnas thecursesof thecovenantarepouredout on the recalcitrant people of God, and they are taken out of the landpromised to them into exile in Babylon. Coming to terms with this earth-shattering turn of events is not easy (as is evinced by Jeremiah andLamentations, as well as Habakkuk and even Jonah). But the prophets speakwithonevoice–thisisnotapermanentsituation.

Beyondthedayofjudgmentliesadayofhope,adaywhenoncemorethepeopleofYahwehwillcallonhisname,andhewillanswerthem.Thisisadaywhen ‘everyonewhocalls on thenameofYahwehwill be saved’ (Joel 2:32),and

BeforetheycallIwillanswer;whiletheyareyetspeakingIwillhear.

(Isa.65:24)

ChapterFour

Prayingforanewcovenant:prayerintheWritings

Havingestablishedacontinuity in the theologyofprayerdisplayedin theLawandtheProphets(boththeFormerandLatterProphets),wenowturntoexaminethewayinwhichprayerispresentedandpractisedintheWritings. 1

ThewisdomofprayerAside from the special case of Psalms, to which we will return, it would behighly misleading to suggest that prayer plays a major role in the WisdomLiterature. 2However,thatisnottosaythatthispartoftheBiblehasnothingtosayonthesubject.Proverbs,forexample,isinsistentthatthereisalinkbetweenanobedientlifeandYahweh’sansweringprayer:

ThesacrificeofthewickedisanabominationtotheLORD,buttheprayeroftheuprightisacceptabletohim.

(Prov.15:8)

TheLORDisfarfromthewicked,buthehearstheprayeroftherighteous.

(Prov.15:29)

Ifoneturnsawayhisearfromhearingthelaw,evenhisprayerisanabomination.

(Prov.28:9)

While phrased somewhat differently, this is similar to the perspective thatundergirdsthepropheticinsistenceintheyearsleadinguptothedestructionofIsrael and the exile of Judah thatYahwehwill not listen to the prayers of hispeopleanylonger,becausetheyarerebellingagainsthim.

Neitherthepre-evangelisticaddressofEcclesiastes, 3northeSongofSongs 4

containsanyreference toprayer. 5However, thebookofJobmakesupfor thisapparentlackofinterestinthesubject.

The main concern of Job has been characterized in a variety of differentways. For some it is the ultimate theodicy; for others it is a more focuseddiscussionoftheconceptofinnocentsuffering;forothersstillitisessentiallyapropheticbookdevelopingtheconceptoftherighteoussufferer,anticipatingthelife and work of the Lord Jesus. 6 But however the purpose of the book isconstrued,asignificantamountoftimeandspacealongthewayaredevotedtotheprayersofJob.Thiscannotbebyaccident.

Whilemuchof thedialogue inJob isdirectedatJobhimselforoneofhisfourfriends,atpointsthenarrativeblendsseamlesslyintoprayer,andJobstartstotakehiscomplaintsdirectlytoYahweh.Soforexampleinchapter7hemovessmoothlyfromchallengingBildadtochallengingYahwehhimself:

Rememberthatmylifeisabreath;myeyewillneveragainseegood.

Theeyeofhimwhoseesmewillbeholdmenomore;whileyoureyesareonme,Ishallbegone.

Asthecloudfadesandvanishes,sohewhogoesdowntoSheoldoesnotcomeup;

hereturnsnomoretohishouse,nordoeshisplaceknowhimanymore.

ThereforeIwillnotrestrainmymouth;Iwillspeakintheanguishofmyspirit;Iwillcomplaininthebitternessofmysoul.

AmIthesea,oraseamonster,thatyousetaguardoverme?

WhenIsay,‘Mybedwillcomfortme,mycouchwilleasemycomplaint’,

thenyouscaremewithdreamsandterrifymewithvisions,

sothatIwouldchoosestranglinganddeathratherthanmybones.

Iloathemylife;Iwouldnotliveforever.Leavemealone,formydaysareabreath.

Whatisman,thatyoumakesomuchofhim,andthatyousetyourheartonhim,

visithimeverymorningandtesthimeverymoment?

Howlongwillyounotlookawayfromme,norleavemealonetillIswallowmyspittle?

IfIsin,whatdoIdotoyou,youwatcherofmankind?Whyhaveyoumademeyourmark?WhyhaveIbecomeaburdentoyou?

Whydoyounotpardonmytransgressionandtakeawaymyiniquity?

FornowIshalllieintheearth;youwillseekme,butIshallnotbe.

(Job7:7–21)

This outpouring is gut-wrenchingly emotional, 7 but we must not miss thetheological underpinnings of expressing such sentiments to Yahweh. Job’sconviction is that (as in Ps. 8) humanity is created for relationshipwithGod,whichentailsbeingblessedbyGod.TheintensityofhisprayerflowsfromthefactthatinthelifeandexperienceofGod’sservantthereisnowscantevidenceofthis‘covenantal’blessing. 8

Thetenoroftheanticipatedprayerfrom10:2issimilarlyangstridden.Eventhough Job is aware of Yahweh’s creative action (10:3, 8–9, 11) and salvific

action (10:12), there is a huge disjunction between his theological convictionsandhisexperience: 9

Donotcondemnme;letmeknowwhyyoucontendagainstme.

Doesitseemgoodtoyoutooppress,todespisetheworkofyourhandsandfavourthedesignsofthewicked?

Haveyoueyesofflesh?Doyouseeasmansees?

Areyourdaysasthedaysofman,oryouryearsasaman’syears,

thatyouseekoutmyiniquityandsearchformysin,

althoughyouknowthatIamnotguilty,andthereisnonetodeliveroutofyourhand?

Yourhandsfashionedandmademe,andnowyouhavedestroyedmealtogether.

Rememberthatyouhavemademelikeclay;andwillyoureturnmetothedust?

Didyounotpourmeoutlikemilkandcurdlemelikecheese?

Youclothedmewithskinandflesh,andknitmetogetherwithbonesandsinews.

Youhavegrantedmelifeandsteadfastlove,andyourcarehaspreservedmyspirit.

Yetthesethingsyouhidinyourheart;Iknowthatthiswasyourpurpose.

IfIsin,youwatchmeanddonotacquitmeofmyiniquity.

IfIamguilty,woetome!IfIamintheright,Icannotliftupmyhead,

forIamfilledwithdisgraceandlookonmyaffliction.

Andweremyheadliftedup,youwouldhuntmelikealionandagainworkwondersagainstme.

Yourenewyourwitnessesagainstmeandincreaseyourvexationtowardsme;youbringfreshtroopsagainstme.

‘Whydidyoubringmeoutfromthewomb?WouldthatIhaddiedbeforeanyeyehadseenmeandwereasthoughIhadnotbeen,

carriedfromthewombtothegrave.Arenotmydaysfew?

Thencease,andleavemealone,thatImayfindalittlecheerbeforeIgo–andIshallnotreturn–

tothelandofdarknessanddeepshadow,thelandofgloomlikethickdarkness,

likedeepshadowwithoutanyorder,wherelightisasthickdarkness.’

(Job10:2–22)

In reproducing these long outpourings of prayer it becomes clear that at abiblical-theologicalleveltheseprayersofJobareremarkablysimilartothemanyandvariousprayerswehaveseenuptothispoint.Whatevertheprecisenuanceandintricaciesofhisdebateswithhisfriends,whenitcomestohisprayersJobis essentially calling on the name of Yahweh to do what the Almighty haspromised. Job’s expectations seem entirely reasonable. Is Yahweh notcommittedtoblessinghim?Thenwhyisheexperiencingdarknessanddeathandcurse?Heunderstandablysays:

I,whocalledtoGodandheansweredme,ajustandblamelessman,amalaughing-stock.

(Job12:4)

It seems that one of the questions at the heart of Job is a familiar one(particularlyfromthepropheticbooks).IfYahwehstopslisteningtotheprayersofthedisobedient(ashesayshehasdonewithhispeople),doesthatmeanthatone can extrapolate from individual suffering to the ‘spiritual state’ of thatindividual?Or,toputitbluntly,hasYahwehstoppedlisteningtoJobbecauseofhissin?Atonelevelitseemsareasonableassumptiontomake(certainlyJob’sfriendsthinkso).Butatanotherthissimpleequationbreaksdown.Whatistrueatthe‘nationallevel’,eveninthetheocraticworldoftheOldTestament,cannotreadilybetransferredtotherealmofpersonalspirituality,andinparticulartotheenigmaofunansweredprayer.

Inthelongsectionfrom13:18to14:22Job’sreplytoZopharspillsoverintodirect address to God, and once again his dominant concern is the extent towhich Yahweh seems already to have condemned and abandoned him. Thesilenceisapparentlydrivinghimcrazy.Theextractsbelowmakethisabundantlyclear:

Onlygrantmetwothings,thenIwillnothidemyselffromyourface:

withdrawyourhandfarfromme,andletnotdreadofyouterrifyme.

Thencall,andIwillanswer;orletmespeak,andyoureplytome.

Howmanyaremyiniquitiesandmysins?Makemeknowmytransgressionandmysin.

Whydoyouhideyourfaceandcountmeasyourenemy?

Willyoufrightenadrivenleafandpursuedrychaff?

Foryouwritebitterthingsagainstmeandmakemeinherittheiniquitiesofmyyouth.

(Job13:20–26)

Anddoyouopenyoureyesonsuchaoneandbringmeintojudgementwithyou?

Whocanbringacleanthingoutofanunclean?Thereisnotone.

Sincehisdaysaredetermined,andthenumberofhismonthsiswithyou,andyouhaveappointedhislimitsthathecannotpass,

lookawayfromhimandleavehimalone...(Job14:3–6)

OhthatyouwouldhidemeinSheol,thatyouwouldconcealmeuntilyourwrathbepast,thatyouwouldappointmeasettime,andrememberme!

Ifamandies,shallheliveagain?AllthedaysofmyserviceIwouldwait,tillmyrenewalshouldcome.

Youwouldcall,andIwouldansweryou;youwouldlongfortheworkofyourhands.

Forthenyouwouldnumbermysteps;youwouldnotkeepwatchovermysin;

mytransgressionwouldbesealedupinabag,andyouwouldcoverovermyiniquity.

(Job14:13–17)

According to his friends (andEliphaz in particular), Job’s outpourings aremakingthingsworse,ratherthanbetter:

ButyouaredoingawaywiththefearofGodandhinderingmeditationbeforeGod.

(Job15:4)

TheonlyorthodoxwaytodealwiththesilenceofYahwehistothink,repentandwaitforhimto‘openhisears’againtohispeople.Job,however,hasnotimeforthatapproach:

Sinceyouhaveclosedtheirheartstounderstanding,thereforeyouwillnotletthemtriumph.

(Job17:4) 10

Job’s remarkable certainty that prayer is both possible and of greatadvantagetohimcontinuestoemergeperiodicallythroughtherestofthebook.InhisdescriptionofthewickedhemaintainsthatthereisbenefitinsomeonelikehimprayingtoYahweh:

[Thewicked]saytoGod,‘Departfromus!Wedonotdesiretheknowledgeofyourways.

WhatistheAlmighty,thatweshouldservehim?Andwhatprofitdowegetifwepraytohim?’

(Job21:14–15) 11

InthefaceofEliphaz’ insistencethat ifonlyhewillrepent, then‘youwilldelightyourselfintheAlmighty/andliftupyourfacetoGod./Youwillmakeyour prayer to him, and he will hear you . . .’ (22:26–27), Jobmaintains hisconvictions,evenifthepainofhissituationweighsheavilyonhim–seechapter23,especiallyverses16–17:

Godhasmademyheartfaint;theAlmightyhasterrifiedme;yetIamnotsilencedbecause

ofthedarkness,norbecausethickdarknesscoversmyface.

TheissueforJobcanbesummarizedinhisownwordsfromchapter30:

Godhascastmeintothemire,andIhavebecomelikedustandashes.

Icrytoyouforhelpandyoudonotanswerme;Istand,andyouonlylookatme.

Youhaveturnedcrueltome;withthemightofyourhandyoupersecuteme.

Youliftmeuponthewind;youmakemerideonit,andyoutossmeaboutintheroarofthestorm.

ForIknowthatyouwillbringmetodeathandtothehouseappointedforallliving.

(Job30:19–23)

WhentheboldElihushowsup,he,ofcourse,hasastraightforwardsolutionto Job’s problem (33:23–26), but his harsh and simplisticwordsmeetwithnoresponse.

Asisoftenthecasethroughthesechapters,Elihudoesspeakbetterthanheknows.Ultimately,thetensionbetweentherebellionofGod’speopleandGod’sdetermination to bless will be resolved by a mediator who comes from theoutside–whowillnotonlypayaransom,butwillbearansom,whowillbothdeclarerighteousnessandbringrighteousness,whowillmakeitpossibleforourprayerstobeheard,eventhoughwearedeeplyunworthy.Butthefulfilmentofthisvisionwillhavetowait.Inthemeantime,however,Yahwehspeaks.

TheimmediateresolutionofthetensioncomesfromthemouthofYahwehhimself.ThesovereignGodspeaks‘outofthewhirlwind’(38:1)andsilencesalldebate.Itseemsthatwhenitcomestoindividualsuffering,andthequestionsofwhenandhowGodanswersprayerinthelifeofanyofhispeople,theanswersaretobefoundonlyinthebrutefactofhissovereignty.Jobgradually(see40:3–5)submitstohisGodinthefaceofatorrentofevidencethathe(alongwithhisfriends)hasbeenapproachingthisquestionfromthewrongangleentirely:

ThenJobansweredtheLORDandsaid:

‘Iknowthatyoucandoallthings,

andthatnopurposeofyourscanbethwarted.“Whoisthisthathidescounselwithoutknowledge?”ThereforeIhaveutteredwhatIdidnotunderstand,

thingstoowonderfulforme,whichIdidnotknow.“Hear,andIwillspeak;

Iwillquestionyou,andyoumakeitknowntome.”Ihadheardofyoubythehearingoftheear,

butnowmyeyeseesyou;thereforeIdespisemyself,

andrepentindustandashes.’(Job42:1–6)

NowthatJobhasadeepenedappreciationofGod’ssovereigntyandanewlevelofsubmissiontohiswill,thewaytocallonYahweh–andhavehiscriesheard–isreopened.Thisisunderlinedbythedeliciousironyof42:8.Alongsidethe theological significance of Job’s mediatorial role, 12 the one to whomapparentlyGod could andwould not listen is nowheard not only on his ownterms,butonbehalfofothers:

NowthereforetakesevenbullsandsevenramsandgotomyservantJobandofferupaburntofferingforyourselves.AndmyservantJobshallprayforyou,forIwillaccepthisprayernottodealwithyouaccordingtoyourfolly.Foryouhavenot spokenofmewhat is right, asmy servant Jobhas. (Job42:8)

ThebookofJobhasmuchmoretosayaboutprayerthanisoftenobserved.This is no abstractmeditation on the nature of good and evil, or even on therealityofinnocentsuffering.Job’sfocusissignificantlymorespecificthanthat.Attheveryleast,aminorthemeofthebookdealswiththeissueofprayer.DoesYahweh hear our prayers and act? On what basis? What is the place of thegodliness of the individual? In that, the wisdom literature provides a deeply

personal companion to the commentary on ‘national spirituality’ provided byboth the Former and Latter Prophets. There is, however, an easily observedcoherencebetweenthetheologicalframeworksinwhichprayerisdiscussed.Fornations (i.e. Israel and Judah) the picture is clear – ‘calling on the name ofYahweh’ isaprivilegeextendedbygracealone,andcan justlybewithheldbyYahweh in the face of the disobedience of his people. But when it comes toindividuals?Yes,asProverbsmakesclear,thereisasimilartheologicalprincipleatwork–onecannotseparategodlinessfromprayer.Butforgodlyindividualsin this broken world, as Job both discovers and explains, nothing is quite sosimple, and our ultimate refuge can be only in the fact that we cry out to asovereignGod,whowilleventuallyhearourcries.

PrayingthroughtheexileInthewordsofthefirstBiblesongIcanrememberlearning:

Danielwasamanofprayer,Dailyprayedhethreetimes,EvenwhentheyhadhimcastInthedenoflions.

TheproblemisthatformuchofthebookofDanielhisprayers(oranyoneelse’sforthatmatter)arebarelytobeseen. 13

It is true that when confronted with the initial challenge of interpretingNebuchadnezzar’sdream,DanielurgeshisthreefriendsHananiah,MishaelandAzariah (better knownby theirBabylonian sobriquets Shadrach,Meshach andAbednego)to‘seekmercy’fromGod:

Then Daniel went to his house andmade thematter known to Hananiah,Mishael,andAzariah,hiscompanions,andtoldthemtoseekmercyfromtheGodofheavenconcerningthismystery,sothatDanielandhiscompanions

might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (Dan.2:17–18)

NodoubttheirownfatesandthepotentialdrasticimpactonthepeopleofGodinexile (losing their four key voices within the government) concentrated theirminds. 14Whileit isnotmadeexplicit inthetext, theprayerwasansweredandthedaysaved.

It is a little surprising that in the following chapters there is no furthermention of prayer. Daniel’s friends come through the furnace unscathed,Nebuchadnezzar falls and rises apparently without any explicit reference toprayerperse,andDaniel theseniorcitizen isdraggedoutofretirementby theobnoxiousBelshazzartoperformhispartypiecesomewhatperfunctorilywithout‘calling on the name of Yahweh’. 15 It is only in chapter 6 that Daniel doesanythingthatevenbeginstowarranthisreputation.

IncleardefianceoftheedictofDariusDaniel,whobynowisanoldman,doeswhathehasalwaysdone:

WhenDanielknewthatthedocumenthadbeensigned,hewenttohishousewhere he hadwindows in his upper chamber open towards Jerusalem.HegotdownonhiskneesthreetimesadayandprayedandgavethanksbeforehisGod,ashehaddonepreviously.(Dan.6:10) 16

For our purposes themost interesting feature of this prayer is the fact that heprayed‘towardsJerusalem’.Thiscould,ofcourse,simplybeanindicatorofhisreligiousallegiance(inmuchthesamewayasMuslimstakegreatcaretoensurethey pray ‘towards Mecca’). However, on balance, I think there is a moresatisfactory explanation (which fits neatly with the subsequent prayers in thebook ofDaniel). Thewriter ismore interested inDaniel’s salvation-historicalcommitmentthanhisgeographicalorientation.TheimplicationmaywellbethatDaniel’sprayershavelittletodowithlionsandhisownlongevitybuteverything

to dowith the covenantal promises ofYahweh.To pray towards Jerusalem isbestunderstoodas‘callingonthenameofYahweh’fromexile.

Thisfindsobliquesupportfromthefactthattheconclusionofthisstory(aswas thecase repeatedly in theNebuchadnezzarnarratives) is the reassertionofthe sovereignty of Yahweh, with this affirmation coming from the lips of apagan ruler, and being backed up by the quiet note underlining the fact thatYahwehensuredthathehadhis‘man’inplaceattheheartofsuccessiveregimesallthewaythroughtotheendoftheexile.ThepointofDaniel1–6isnottheprayerfulness ofDaniel, but rather the sovereignty ofYahweh, the onewhomtheycouldcallanddependonbothtoprotecthisservantsinexileandkeephispromises.

The obvious place to test this thesis (and this reading ofDaniel) is in theextended prayer of Daniel 9. This oft-quoted ‘model prayer’ is of enormoussignificance in trying to ascertain the importance and nature of prayer in theexilicandpost-exilicperiods.That iswhy it is important to lookat it in somedetail.‘IprayedtotheLORDmyGodandmadeconfession,saying,“OLord,thegreatandawesomeGod,whokeepscovenantandsteadfastlovewiththosewholovehimandkeephiscommandments...”’(Dan.9:4).

Thefirstthingtonoteisthestrikingconjunctionofprayerandconfessioninthe introduction to this prayer. This instantly roots the prayer in salvationhistory,foritisnotapersonalprayerofconfession.Danielisspeakingonbehalfof theentireexiliccommunity (ifnot theentirepeopleofGod).This isanewdeparture inprayerfor thepeopleofYahweh. 17OnecouldperhapsevenarguethatthisisaturningpointforthepeopleofGod.Daniel’sprayercontinues:

we have sinned and donewrong and actedwickedly and rebelled, turningaside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to yourservantstheprophets,whospokeinyournametoourkings,ourprinces,andour fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongsrighteousness,buttousopenshame,asatthisday,tothemenofJudah,totheinhabitantsofJerusalem,andtoallIsrael,thosewhoarenearandthose

whoarefaraway,inallthelandstowhichyouhavedriventhem,becauseofthetreacherythattheyhavecommittedagainstyou.(Dan.9:5–7) 18

ThescopeofDaniel’sprayerisstriking.HisconcernisnotsimplyforJudah,butforall thepeopleofGod,includingIsrael,shatteredbytheAssyriansover150yearsearlier.Daniel’scovenantalconcernsarebroadanddeep,andthisshapeshispetitions.TheoriginofhistheologicalmindsetisavowedlyDeuteronomy:

Tous,OLORD,belongsopenshame,toourkings,toourprinces,andtoourfathers, becausewehave sinnedagainst you.To theLordourGodbelongmercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have notobeyedthevoiceoftheLORDourGodbywalkinginhislaws,whichhesetbeforeusbyhisservantstheprophets.AllIsraelhastransgressedyourlawand turnedaside, refusing toobeyyourvoice.And thecurseandoath thatarewritten in theLawofMoses the servantofGodhavebeenpouredoutuponus,becausewehavesinnedagainsthim.Hehasconfirmedhiswords,whichhespokeagainstusandagainstourrulerswhoruledus,bybringingupon us a great calamity. For under thewhole heaven there has not beendoneanythinglikewhathasbeendoneagainstJerusalem.Asitiswritteninthe Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have notentreated the favour of theLORD ourGod, turning fromour iniquities andgaining insight by your truth. Therefore the LORD has kept ready thecalamityandhasbroughtituponus,fortheLORDourGodisrighteousinalltheworksthathehasdone,andwehavenotobeyedhisvoice.Andnow,OLord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with amighty hand, and havemade a name for yourself, as at this day,we havesinned,wehavedonewickedly.(Dan.9:8–15)

Daniel’s understanding of both the predicament of God’s people and theonly possibility for restoration is steeped in the earlier traditions of the OldTestament.HedrawsheavilyonthelanguageofDeuteronomyandtheprophets,

ashe calls on thenameofYahweh tobringblessingout of curse. 19This alsoadds support to the suggestion made above that Daniel’s act of deliberatelypraying‘towardsJerusalem’shouldbeunderstoodbiblical-theologically,whereJerusalem functions as a symbol ofGod’s historic covenant purposes. This isevidentfromtheconclusionoftheprayerin9:16–19:

OLord,accordingtoallyourrighteousacts,letyourangerandyourwrathturnawayfromyourcityJerusalem,yourholyhill,becauseforoursins,andfor the iniquitiesofour fathers, Jerusalemandyourpeoplehavebecomeabywordamongallwhoarearoundus.Nowtherefore,OourGod, listen totheprayerofyourservantandtohispleasformercy,andforyourownsake,OLord,makeyourfacetoshineuponyoursanctuary,whichisdesolate.OmyGod,inclineyourearandhear.Openyoureyesandseeourdesolations,and the city that is called by your name. Forwe do not present our pleasbeforeyoubecauseofourrighteousness,butbecauseofyourgreatmercy.OLord, hear;OLord, forgive.OLord, pay attention and act.Delaynot, foryourownsake,OmyGod,becauseyourcityandyourpeoplearecalledbyyourname.(Dan.9:16–19)

In the narrative flow of the Old Testament this prayer marks a newdeparture. The silence is well and truly over – God’s stubborn people arerepentant, and are again crying out to Yahweh to keep his promises. ThemomentanticipatedinDeuteronomy30hascome,andthewayofreturnisnowopening up. The dearth of prayer in the nation has now been superseded byvibrantconfessionandarevivalofgenuinepiety. 20

Prayingforanewcovenant(prayerinEzra–NehemiahandChronicles)Once the return fromexilegetsunderway, there is agrowingemphasison theplace of prayer in the unfoldingpurposes ofGod (now that they are ‘back on

track’). Arguably, the high point of both Ezra and Nehemiah is the extendedDaniel-likeprayer.

Thescene isset for theprayerofEzraat theendofchapter8,whereEzraseeks God’s help in undertaking a key part of the resettling of the land ofpromise:

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the riverAhava, thatwemight humbleourselvesbeforeourGod,toseekfromhimasafejourneyforourselves,ourchildren,andallourgoods.ForIwasashamedtoaskthekingforabandofsoldiersandhorsementoprotectusagainsttheenemyonourway,sincewehadtoldtheking,‘ThehandofourGodisforgoodonallwhoseekhim,andthe power of hiswrath is against allwho forsake him.’ Sowe fasted andimploredourGodforthis,andhelistenedtoourentreaty.(Ezra8:21–23)

After the exile, prayer continues primarily to be understood as calling onYahweh,particularlyatmomentswhenthefutureof thecovenanthangsin thebalance.Thisunderstanding isalso reflected inchapter9 inEzra’s reaction tothecrisisprecipitatedbyintermarriage.ThefirstpartofEzra’sprayerisformallyverysimilartoDaniel9: 21

Andat theeveningsacrifice I rose frommy fasting,withmygarmentandmycloaktorn,andfelluponmykneesandspreadoutmyhandstotheLORDmyGod,saying:‘OmyGod,Iamashamedandblushtoliftmyfacetoyou,myGod,forouriniquitieshaverisenhigherthanourheads,andourguilthasmounteduptotheheavens.Fromthedaysofourfatherstothisdaywehavebeeningreatguilt.Andforouriniquitieswe,ourkings,andourpriestshavebeengivenintothehandofthekingsofthelands,tothesword,tocaptivity,toplundering,andtouttershame,asitistoday.ButnowforabriefmomentfavourhasbeenshownbytheLORDourGod,toleaveusaremnantandtogiveusasecureholdwithinhisholyplace,thatourGodmaybrightenoureyesandgrantusalittlerevivinginourslavery.Forweareslaves.Yetour

Godhasnotforsakenusinourslavery,buthasextendedtoushissteadfastlovebeforethekingsofPersia,tograntussomerevivingtosetupthehouseof our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea andJerusalem.’(Ezra9:5–9)

Whenhestartstoaddressthespecificproblem,itisclearthattheburdenofEzra’s prayer is that the fate of the nation now hangs in the balance. AfterYahweh’s beginning to bless his people again, keeping his promise to bringthem(oratleastaremnant)backintotheland,thepeoplehaverepeatedthesinsofthepre-exilicgeneration:

Andnow,OourGod,what shallwe say after this?Forwehave forsakenyourcommandments,whichyoucommandedbyyourservantstheprophets,saying, ‘The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a landimpurewiththeimpurityofthepeoplesofthelands,withtheirabominationsthathavefilleditfromendtoendwiththeiruncleanness.Thereforedonotgiveyourdaughterstotheirsons,neithertaketheirdaughtersforyoursons,andneverseektheirpeaceorprosperity,thatyoumaybestrongandeatthegoodof the landand leave it for an inheritance toyourchildren for ever.’Andafterallthathascomeuponusforourevildeedsandforourgreatguilt,seeingthatyou,ourGod,havepunisheduslessthanouriniquitiesdeservedand have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break yourcommandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practise theseabominations?Wouldyounotbeangrywithusuntilyouconsumedus, sothat there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?O LORD, theGod ofIsrael,youarejust,forweareleftaremnantthathasescaped,asitistoday.Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before youbecauseofthis.(Ezra9:10–15) 22

Thisprayer,then,issuesinageneralactofrepentancefor‘breakingfaith’andacovenantrenewal. 23

For the key leaders of the post-exilic community prayer is seen to be acentralpartof thecovenantworkofGod.Atkeymomentsofopportunityandthreatfor thepeopleofYahwehthenationprays.ThisunderstandingisplayedoutinsomedetailthroughoutthebookofNehemiah.

Thefirstprayerinthebookcomesintheopeningscene,asNehemiah,stillinexile,getsnewsofthestateofJerusalem(and,byextension,God’scovenantproject).Whenhedoesso,heprays:

AssoonasIheardthesewordsIsatdownandweptandmournedfordays,andIcontinuedfastingandprayingbeforetheGodofheaven.AndIsaid,‘OLORDGodofheaven,thegreatandawesomeGodwhokeepscovenantandsteadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, letyourearbeattentiveandyoureyesopen,toheartheprayerofyourservantthat I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel yourservants,confessing thesinsof thepeopleof Israel,whichwehavesinnedagainstyou.EvenIandmyfather’shousehavesinned.Wehaveactedverycorruptlyagainstyouandhavenotkeptthecommandments,thestatutes,andtherulesthatyoucommandedyourservantMoses.Rememberthewordthatyou commandedyour servantMoses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, Iwillscatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep mycommandmentsanddothem,thoughyouroutcastsareintheuttermostpartsofheaven,fromthereIwillgather themandbringthemto theplace thatIhave chosen, tomakemy name dwell there.” They are your servants andyour people,whom you have redeemed by your great power and by yourstronghand.OLord,letyourearbeattentivetotheprayerofyourservant,andtotheprayerofyourservantswhodelighttofearyourname,andgivesuccesstoyourservanttoday,andgranthimmercyinthesightofthisman.’

The common elements with the prayers of Daniel and Ezra are obvious:strongexpressionsoftrustinYahweh,thecovenantGod;convincingconfessionon behalf of the nation; reference to the law ofMoses (and Deuteronomy in

particular); an appeal to Yahweh for success in a venture that will materiallyaffecttheprogressofthepeopleofGod.ThelinkbetweenprayerandadvanceinthefortunesofthepeopleofGodisclear,andbecomesclearerstillin2:3–4:

I said to theking, ‘Let theking live forever!Whyshouldnotmy facebesad,whenthecity,theplaceofmyfathers’graves,liesinruins,anditsgateshave been destroyed by fire?’ Then the king said to me, ‘What are yourequesting?’SoIprayedtotheGodofheaven.

WhenNehemiaharrives in Jerusalemhe is innodoubt that if theworkofYahweh in Jerusalem is to progress, it will be in large measure down to theprayers of the people,whowill call onYahweh to keep his promises. This isreflectedinthe‘prayerfulpragmatism’of4:9(‘AndweprayedtoourGodandsetaguardasaprotectionagainstthemdayandnight.’)Itisalsothebackgroundtotheseriesofhighlypersonal‘Rememberme’prayersNehemiahpraysintheremainderofthebook.Heprayslikethisfivetimes:

Remember formy good,OmyGod, all that I have done for this people.(Neh.5:19)Rememberme,OmyGod,concerning this, anddonotwipeoutmygooddeedswhichIhavedoneforthehouseofmyGodandforhisservice.(Neh.13:14)Rememberthisalsoinmyfavour,OmyGod,andsparemeaccordingtothegreatnessofyoursteadfastlove.(Neh.13:22)Remember them,OmyGod, because they have desecrated the priesthoodandthecovenantofthepriesthoodandtheLevites.(Neh.13:29)Rememberme,OmyGod,forgood.(Neh.13:31)

Onthefaceof it theseprayersofNehemiahareslightlyproblematic.Theyhaveastrangewhiffof‘worksrighteousness’,whichwouldseparatethembothfromtheviewofprayerthatwehaveseensofarinthebookofNehemiah,butalsotheperspectiveoftherestoftheOldTestament.Sowhatarewetomakeofthese atypical prayers?Not surprisingly, thekey to reading theseprayers is ingivingproperweighttothecontext.Thesearenoordinaryprayers.

InthesamewaythattheprayersintheearlypartofthebookareintricatelylinkedtokeydevelopmentsintherestorativeworkofGodaftertheexile,sotoothese prayers of Nehemiah are not to be taken as the slightly disgruntledoutbursts of a frustrated governor.The textmakes very clear thatNehemiah’smotivation for returning to Jerusalem,aswell as thevision thatundergirdshisbuilding projects, is profoundly covenantal. It would be a mistake to sunderthese later ‘Remember me’ prayers from this covenantal agenda. This findssupportintheprayerof13:29,wherethesame‘remember’languageisusedtomournthedepartureofthepriestsandLevitesfromcovenantalnorms.

SowhatisNehemiahprayingforwhenheasksYahwehto‘rememberhim’?HeisaskingYahwehtousehisapparentlyfruitlesseffortstoadvancetheworkof God in the world. He is calling out to Yahweh to come through on hispromises,inacontextwhereitseemslikeallhis(Nehemiah’s)effortshavebeeninvain.Thecolourfuleventsofchapter13,whereNehemiah’sfrustrationboilsover at several points, lead this servant ofYahweh to reach a pointwhere heknowsthatthereisnothingmorehecando.Hisadministrativeandmotivationalgiftsnotwithstanding, thingsarestartingtogobackwardsrapidly.Whatcanhedo?Allthatisleftforhimisto‘callonthenameofYahweh’.Thisiswhathedoes, in simplewords that represent faith in virtual defeat: ‘Rememberme,OmyGod,forgood.’

Itmaybe,ofcourse,thatNehemiah’sfourcriestoGodtorememberhiminachapterrepletewithrebellion,whileunderstandable,areaworryingsign thathe is falling into a dangerous attitudeof self-righteousness.Or itmaybe that,theologicallyspeaking,Nehemiah’swordsshowhehasreachedthepointwhereherealizesthereis little left todobutcallonGodtodeliverthenewcovenantarrangements hinted at in Deuteronomy 30 and explicitly promised in both

Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It is impossible to be certain about this, but the moreoptimisticviewdoesfindsomesupportinthelongprayerprayedbytheLevitesinNehemiah9.

Thefirstpartoftheprayermayhelpfullybesummarizedasfollows:

9:6 Openingtheologicalaffirmations9:7–8 RehearsalofpromisestoAbraham9:9–12 RehearsaloftheeventsoftheExodus9:13–21 RehearsaloftheeventsatSinaiandinthewilderness9:22–25 Rehearsaloffulfilmentofpromiseinoccupyingtheland9:26–31 PottedhistoryofJoshuato2Kings

Itisworthquotingthefinalpartoftheprayerinfull:

Now,therefore,ourGod,thegreat,themighty,andtheawesomeGod,whokeepscovenantandsteadfastlove,letnotallthehardshipseemlittletoyouthathascomeuponus,uponourkings,ourprinces,ourpriests,ourprophets,ourfathers,andallyourpeople,sincethetimeofthekingsofAssyriauntilthisday.Yetyouhavebeenrighteousinallthathascomeuponus,foryouhavedealtfaithfullyandwehaveactedwickedly.Ourkings,ourprinces,ourpriests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to yourcommandments andyourwarnings that yougave them.Even in their ownkingdom,andamidyourgreatgoodnessthatyougavethem,andinthelargeandrichlandthatyousetbeforethem,theydidnotserveyouorturnfromtheirwickedworks.Behold,weareslavesthisday;inthelandthatyougavetoourfatherstoenjoyitsfruitanditsgoodgifts,behold,weareslaves.Andits richyieldgoes to thekingswhomyouhavesetoverusbecauseofoursins.Theyruleoverourbodiesandoverourlivestockastheyplease,andweareingreatdistress.

Because of all thiswemake a firm covenant inwriting; on the sealeddocumentare thenamesofourprinces,ourLevites,andourpriests. (Neh.

9:32–38)

This prayer is strangely depressing. Thewording of verse 36, for example, atleastinthemindoftheseLevitesandtheauthorofNehemiah,suggeststhatthepeopleofGodarestillinexile.Thefactthattheprayerendsonaslightlylamenote,withtherecommitmentinanothercovenantdoesnotpromiseabrightnewnationalfuture(esp.inthelightofthehistoricalsummaryinthefirstpartoftheprayer).Theprayer leavesonewithanaggingquestion: Is this it? Is therenotsomething else that can be done? In that sense this prayer coheres withNehemiah’selementalcryattheendofchapter13.SurelytheonlythingthatcanremedythissituationisaradicalinterventionofGodhimself,asanticipatedallthoseyearsearlierbyMoses inDeuteronomy30.Surelywhat isneeded is thenationaltransformationthatcancomeonlyfromanewcovenant.

If thisanalysis iscorrect, itwouldgosomeway toexplaining themassivesignificanceofprayerinthebooksofChronicles:WhatisthefutureforIsrael?WhathopeisthereforGod’speople?AllthatislefttodoistocallonthenameofYahweh.

Itwould be an overstatement to say that prayer is everywhere in 1 and 2Chronicles,but the fact thatkingspray ten timesmore inChronicles than in1and 2 Kings shows that there was a substantial shift in the attitudes andemphasesofIsrael’shistoriansinthepostexilicperiod. 24

Evenin the longintroductorygenealogies thechroniclerflagshis intentiontocallGod’speopletoprayer.TheprayerofJabezandthelesser-knownprayerof the Reubenites, Gadites and Manassites are included at the heart of 1Chronicles1–9:

Jabez calledupon theGodof Israel, saying, ‘Oh that youwouldblessmeandenlargemyborder,andthatyourhandmightbewithme,andthatyouwould keepme from harm so that itmight not bringme pain!’AndGodgrantedwhatheasked.(1Chr.4:10)And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with

themweregivenintotheirhands,fortheycriedouttoGodinthebattle,andhegrantedtheirurgentpleabecausetheytrustedinhim.(1Chr.5:20)

Rather than providing models of prayer, these ‘cameo’ prayers function asreminders that Yahweh is a promise-keeping God, who is still committed toblessinghispeopleaccordingtothecommitmentsgiventoAbraham,IsaacandJacob. In order to encourageGod’s people to throw themselves on him, theseprayersareembeddedinthemiddleofthelongsectiondesignedtoexpoundtheheartoftheIsraeliteproblem. 25

Similarly, after David’s long psalm of praise in 1 Chronicles 16 a shortprayerisappendedforallofGod’speopletoproclaim:

Sayalso:

‘Saveus,OGodofoursalvation,andgatheranddeliverusfromamongthenations,

thatwemaygivethankstoyourholyname,andgloryinyourpraise.

BlessedbetheLORD,theGodofIsrael,fromeverlastingtoeverlasting!’

(1Chr.16:35–36)

Onecouldarguethatthisprayerisatemplateforalltheotherprayersthatfollowin Chronicles, drawing together neatly as it does a cry for salvation and anaffirmation of Yahweh’s unchanging nature. However, it is when ChroniclesbeginsitsaccountofthekingsofIsraelandJudahthatitsemphasisontheplaceofprayerbecomesreadilyapparent.

Two long prayers of King David are recorded, one that is included inSamuel–Kings and one that is not. 26 First, David prays in response to thedynasticpromiseGodmakeshim(1Chr.17:16–27),andthen,moregenerally,hepraysintheassemblyofIsrael(1Chr.29:10–19).

In addition to the now familiar elements of affirmation of the divinecharacterandreferencetotheexodustraditionandthewordthroughMoses,theelementsthatareparticularlyprominentinthisprayeraremarkedinitalic:

ThenKingDavidwentinandsatbeforetheLORDandsaid,‘WhoamI,OLORDGod,andwhatismyhouse,thatyouhavebroughtmethusfar?Andthiswasasmall thinginyoureyes,OGod.Youhavealsospokenofyourservant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me futuregenerations, O LORD God! And what more can David say to you forhonouring your servant? For you know your servant. For your servant’ssake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all thisgreatness,inmakingknownallthesegreatthings.Thereisnonelikeyou,OLORD,andthereisnoGodbesidesyou,accordingtoallthatwehaveheardwithour ears.Andwho is likeyourpeople Israel, theonenationonearthwhomGodwenttoredeemtobehispeople,makingforyourselfanameforgreatandawesomethings,indrivingoutnationsbeforeyourpeoplewhomyou redeemed from Egypt? And you made your people Israel to be yourpeopleforever,andyou,OLORD,becametheirGod.Andnow,OLORD,letthewordthatyouhavespokenconcerningyourservantandconcerninghishousebeestablished for ever, anddoasyouhave spoken, andyournamewillbeestablishedandmagnifiedforever,saying,“TheLORDofhosts,theGodofIsrael,isIsrael’sGod”,andthehouseofyourservantDavidwillbeestablishedbeforeyou.Foryou,myGod,haverevealedtoyourservantthatyouwillbuildahouseforhim.Thereforeyourservanthasfoundcouragetopraybeforeyou.Andnow,OLORD,youareGod,andyouhavepromisedthis good thing to your servant. Now you have been pleased to bless thehouseofyourservant,thatitmaycontinueforeverbeforeyou,foritisyou,OLORD,whohaveblessed,anditisblessedforever.(1Chr.17:16–27) 27

In the context of Chronicles, where the Davidic hope is being deliberatelyrehabilitated and rekindled, the emphasison the eternalnatureof thehouseof

Davidisstriking. 28

The other long Davidic prayer is not dissimilar, although this time theemphasis falls not on the eternal nature of the Davidic covenant but on thefulfilment of the promise to the patriarchs through Solomon,David’s son andheir.Thistime,however,itisclearthattheanswertotheprayer(thefulfilmentofthepromise)isdependentonthegraceofGodinenablingthepetitionerstofollowGodwholeheartedly:

ThereforeDavidblessedtheLORDinthepresenceofalltheassembly.AndDavidsaid:‘Blessedareyou,OLORD,theGodofIsraelourfather,foreverandever.Yours,OLORD,isthegreatnessandthepowerandthegloryandthevictoryandthemajesty,forallthatisintheheavensandintheearthisyours.Yoursisthekingdom,OLORD,andyouareexaltedasheadaboveall.Bothrichesandhonourcomefromyou,andyouruleoverall.Inyourhandare power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to givestrength toall.Andnowwe thankyou,ourGod,andpraiseyourgloriousname.

‘ButwhoamI,andwhat ismypeople, thatweshouldbeable thus tooffer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have wegivenyou.Forwearestrangersbeforeyouandsojourners,asallourfatherswere.Ourdayson the earth are like a shadow, and there isnoabiding.OLORDourGod,allthisabundancethatwehaveprovidedforbuildingyouahouse for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. Iknow,myGod, thatyoutest theheartandhavepleasureinuprightness.IntheuprightnessofmyheartIhavefreelyofferedallthesethings,andnowIhaveseenyourpeople,whoarepresenthere,offeringfreelyandjoyouslytoyou.OLORD, theGodofAbraham, Isaac,and Israel,our fathers,keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and directtheir hearts towards you.Grant to Solomonmy sonawhole heart that hemay keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes,

performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have madeprovision.’(1Chr.29:10–19)

As thechronicler consciously seeks toprovidemodels forprayer for thepost-exilic generation, this prayer is particularly powerful. Long experience hasalreadymadeitclearthatnogenerationofIsraeliteshasthewherewithaltokeepthecovenant.Again,asMoseshimselfanticipated,boththedesireandtheabilitytokeepcovenantwouldhavetocomefromYahwehalone.Thisprayercapturesthatbeautifully,andindoingsoofferspowerfultestimonythathopeforthepost-exilicgenerationcanbefoundonlyinthrowingthemselvesonGodandcallingonhisname,askinghiminmercytofulfilhispromises.TheonlyotherprayerofDavidincludedinChroniclesunderlinesthenecessityofdivinegraceinmeetingthe obligations God lays on his people. The prayer comes in the context ofDavid’s disobedience surrounding the ill-fated national census in 1Chronicles21:

AndDavidliftedhiseyesandsawtheangeloftheLORDstandingbetweenearth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out overJerusalem.ThenDavidand theelders,clothed insackcloth, fellupon theirfaces.AndDavidsaidtoGod,‘WasitnotIwhogavecommandtonumberthe people? It is Iwho have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep,whathavetheydone?Pleaseletyourhand,OLORDmyGod,beagainstmeandagainstmyfather’shouse.Butdonotlettheplaguebeonyourpeople.’(1Chr.21:16–17) 29

Unlike the previous Davidic prayers in Chronicles, this is presented less as amodelandmoreasawarning.InthesamewaythatMoseswasexcludedfromthe land as a result of his owndisobedienceDavid is revealed to be a flawedmessiah.Butinthismomentofmajornationaldisappointmentboththereactionof thekingand theensuing responseofYahweh imply that theday isnot lost

entirely.Hope remains both for the house ofDavid and forYahweh’s peoplewhocrytohimformercy.

After the passing of David, the remaining narratives are peppered withreminders that when Yahweh’s people, and in the case of 2 Chronicles,generally,Yahweh’sking,callonhisname,Yahwehisdelightedtoanswerandto keep his promises both to David and to Abraham. The pattern for theseprayersissetbySolomonin2Chronicles1:

And Solomon said to God, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love toDavidmyfather,andhavemademekinginhisplace.OLORDGod,letyourwordtoDavidmyfatherbenowfulfilled,foryouhavemademekingoverapeople as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom andknowledgetogooutandcomeinbeforethispeople,forwhocangovernthispeopleofyours,whichissogreat?’(2Chr.1:8–10)

The wording of this prayer draws together both Davidic and Abrahamicelements in away typicalofChronicles. 30Asmanyof thebiblical-theologicalstrandsoftheOldTestamentconverge,thenatureofthefull-orbedcommitmentof Yahweh to do whatever it takes to bring his people home becomes everclearer.

Onceagain,itisestablishedbeyondanyreasonabledoubtthatthechroniclerconceivesofprayeras fundamentallybeingamatterofcallingon thenameofYahweh–askingGodtodowhathehaspromised.The‘gospelshapeofprayer’is,yetagain,plainforalltosee.ThisemphasisrunsallthewaythroughtotheendofChronicles.

Whilemostoftheprayersin2Chroniclesareuniquetothebook,some,likethe prayer of dedication of Solomon in 2 Chronicles 6, do occur in Kings inanother form. However, the chronicler’s version of the 1 Kings 8 prayerconfirms that my interpretation is running in the right direction. Theoverwhelmingfocusofthisprayerisnotthetemple,butYahweh’swillingnesstoheartheprayersofhispeople:

Although thededicatoryprayerofSolomon is takenalmostverbatim fromthe parallel passage (1 Kgs. 8) the Chronicler has given the prayer acentrality and importance it does not have in the earlier history. TheimportancetheChroniclerattachestotheprayercanbeseeninseveralways.(1) The prayer and the divine response to it are at the centre of a largechiasticnarrativeembracing theentireaccountofSolomon’s reign . . . (2)Theprayeratthededicationislongerthantheactualaccountofthebuildingitself (2 Chr. 3) unlike the parallel in 1 Kings 6 . . . (3) . . . For theChronicler, the theology of immediate retribution grows out of Solomon’sownprayer.Theauthorhasgrounded the leitmotifof the remainderofhishistoryinthisprayer,givingtheprayeracentralitynotfoundinKings. 31

Itisstrikingjusthowmanydirectreferencestherearetoprayerwithinthisprayeritself:

Yethaveregard to theprayerofyourservantandtohisplea,OLORDmyGod, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays beforeyou,thatyoureyesmaybeopendayandnighttowardsthishouse,theplacewhereyouhavepromisedtosetyourname,thatyoumaylistentotheprayerthatyourservantoffers towards thisplace.And listen to thepleasofyourservantandofyourpeople Israel,when theypray towards thisplace.Andlistenfromheavenyourdwellingplace,andwhenyouhear,forgive.

If a man sins against his neighbour and is made to take an oath andcomes and swears his oathbeforeyour altar in this house, thenhear fromheavenandactandjudgeyourservants...

If your people Israel are defeatedbefore the enemybecause theyhavesinned against you,and they turn again and acknowledge your name andprayandpleadwithyouinthishouse,thenhearfromheavenandforgivethesinofyourpeopleIsraelandbringthemagaintotheland,whichyougavetothemandtotheirfathers.

Whenheaven is shutupand there isno rainbecause theyhave sinnedagainstyou,iftheypraytowardsthisplaceandacknowledgeyournameandturnfromtheirsin,whenyouafflictthem,thenhearinheavenandforgivethesinofyourservants,yourpeopleIsrael,whenyouteachthemthegoodway inwhich theyshouldwalk,andgrant rainuponyour land,whichyouhavegiventoyourpeopleasaninheritance.

Ifthereisfamineintheland,ifthereispestilenceorblightormildeworlocustorcaterpillar,iftheirenemiesbesiegetheminthelandattheirgates,whateverplague,whateversicknessthereis,whateverprayer,whateverpleais made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his ownaffliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands towards thishouse,thenhearfromheavenyourdwellingplaceandforgiveandrendertoeachwhoseheart youknow, according to all hisways, for you, youonly,knowtheheartsofthechildrenofmankind,thattheymayfearyouandwalkin your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to ourfathers.

Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comesfromafarcountryforthesakeofyourgreatnameandyourmightyhandandyouroutstretchedarm,whenhe comesandprays towards thishouse,hearfrom heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which theforeignercalls toyou, inorder thatall thepeoplesof theearthmayknowyournameandfearyou,asdoyourpeopleIsrael,andthattheymayknowthatthishousethatIhavebuiltiscalledbyyourname.

Ifyourpeoplegoout tobattle against their enemies,bywhateverwayyou shall send them, and theypray toyou towards this city that youhavechosenandthehousethatIhavebuiltforyourname,thenhearfromheaventheirprayerandtheirplea,andmaintaintheircause.

Iftheysinagainstyou–forthereisnoonewhodoesnotsin–andyouare angrywith them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carriedawaycaptivetoalandfarornear,yetiftheyturntheirheartinthelandtowhichtheyhavebeencarriedcaptive,andrepentandpleadwithyouinthelandof their captivity, saying, ‘Wehave sinnedandhaveactedperversely

andwickedly’,iftheyrepentwithalltheirmindandwithalltheirheartinthelandoftheircaptivitytowhichtheywerecarriedcaptive,andpraytowardstheirland,whichyougavetotheirfathers,thecitythatyouhavechosenandthe house that I have built for your name, then hear from heaven yourdwelling place their prayer and their pleas, andmaintain their cause andforgiveyourpeoplewhohavesinnedagainstyou.Now,OmyGod,letyoureyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place. (2 Chr.6:19–40)

Whatever else is happening in this long and rich prayer, it is clearly anencouragement to Yahweh’s people that, whatever has gone on through theexilicperiod,Yahwehisoncemorelisteningtohispeopleandansweringtheirprayers.ThechroniclerdesperatelywantspeopletocallonthenameofYahweh.ThisisconfirmedbythewayinwhichprayerisfrontandcentreintherestofthenarrativeofChronicles.

WhenYahweh’speopleareattackedandforcedtogointobattle,andaskforhishelp,Yahwehissuretoanswer,ashedidforAbijahin2Chronicles13andAsain2Chronicles14:

AndwhenJudahlooked,behold,thebattlewasinfrontofandbehindthem.AndtheycriedtotheLORD,andthepriestsblewthetrumpets.ThenthemenofJudahraisedthebattleshout.AndwhenthemenofJudahshouted,GoddefeatedJeroboamandallIsraelbeforeAbijahandJudah.(2Chr.13:14–15)AndAsacriedtotheLORDhisGod,‘OLORD,thereisnonelikeyoutohelp,betweenthemightyandtheweak.Helpus,OLORDourGod,forwerelyonyou,and inyournamewehavecomeagainst thismultitude.OLORD,youare our God; let not man prevail against you.’ So the LORD defeated theEthiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. (2 Chr.14:11–12)

One king gets significantly more airplay in 2 Chronicles than in therespective sections of 2 Kings – Jehoshaphat. And whereas in Kings theemphasisisonhisratherdubiousconnectionsthroughmarriagewithAhabandJezebel,inChroniclesJehoshaphatisfirstandforemostamanofprayer.Inthe‘2Kings3’versionof thedeathofJehoramGod isatwork throughhisword,andJehoshaphatisportrayedasgodlybutintrinsicallynaiveandfoolish.Inthechronicler’saccountJehoshaphatisamodelprayingman:

Now thekingofSyriahadcommanded thecaptainsofhischariots, ‘Fightwithneithersmallnorgreat,butonlywiththekingofIsrael.’AssoonasthecaptainsofthechariotssawJehoshaphat,theysaid,‘ItisthekingofIsrael.’Sotheyturnedtofightagainsthim.AndJehoshaphatcriedout,andtheLORDhelpedhim;Goddrewthemawayfromhim.(2Chr.18:30–31)

Similarly,acoupleofchapterslaterJehoshaphatleadsthenationbeautifullyinthewakeofnationalreformsastheyfaceanAmmoniteandMoabitethreat:

OLORD,Godofourfathers,areyounotGodinheaven?Youruleoverallthekingdomsofthenations.Inyourhandarepowerandmight,sothatnoneisabletowithstandyou.Didyounot,ourGod,driveouttheinhabitantsofthislandbeforeyourpeopleIsrael,andgiveitforevertothedescendantsofAbrahamyourfriend?Andtheyhavelivedinitandhavebuiltforyouinitasanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword,judgement, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house andbefore you – for your name is in this house – and cry out to you in ouraffliction,andyouwillhearandsave.’Andnowbehold,themenofAmmonandMoabandMountSeir,whomyouwouldnotletIsraelinvadewhentheycamefromthelandofEgypt,andwhomtheyavoidedanddidnotdestroy–behold,theyrewardusbycomingtodriveusoutofyourpossession,whichyouhavegivenustoinherit.OourGod,willyounotexecutejudgementon

them?Forwearepowerlessagainst thisgreathordethat iscomingagainstus.Wedonotknowwhattodo,butoureyesareonyou.(2Chr.20:6–12)

Thisprayer,whichhasnoparallelinKings,isoneoftheclearestindicatorsthatChroniclesisaninvitationtopraytoGod’speoplewhohavemadeitbacktotheland.Thisiswhattheyneedtodo.Thisiswhattheymustdo.ThisisthekeytoGod’s covenant – new covenant work, you could say – continuing into thefuture.

WhenHezekiahascendstothethroneofJudah,hetooisdepictedfromthestartasamanofprayer.Whenamoment’scarelessnessthreatensthesuccessofnationalreforms,hisinstinctistopray:

For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh,Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate thePassoverotherwise than asprescribed.ForHezekiahhadprayed for them,saying, ‘May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seekGod, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even though not according to thesanctuary’s rules of cleanness.’And the LORD heardHezekiah and healedthepeople.(2Chr.30:18–20)

And God responded graciously. When the people are threatened by theAssyrians,Goddoesnotabandonhispeople:

ThenHezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son ofAmoz, prayedbecauseofthisandcriedtoheaven.AndtheLORDsentanangel,whocutoffallthemightywarriorsandcommandersandofficersinthecampofthekingofAssyria.Sohereturnedwithshameoffacetohisownland.Andwhenhecameintothehouseofhisgod,someofhisownsonsstruckhimdowntherewiththesword.(2Chr.32:20–21)

WhenHezekiahwascriticallyill,heprayedandGodpreservedhismessiahforawhilelonger:

In thosedaysHezekiahbecamesickandwasat thepointofdeath,andheprayedtotheLORD,andheansweredhimandgavehimasign.ButHezekiahdidnotmakereturnaccordingtothebenefitdonetohim,forhisheartwasproud. Thereforewrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. (2Chr.32:24–25)

ThereismuchtobesaidaboutHezekiah’sreformsandhisfinalyears,butitisclear that thechroniclerwants to thinkofHezekiahassomeonewhoprayedandwasansweredbyGod.

Ofcourse,havingprayersansweredisnotsimplytheprerogativeofkings.In2 Chronicles 30:27 the writer helpfully slips in a reminder of this: ‘Then thepriestsandtheLevitesaroseandblessedthepeople,andtheirvoicewasheard,andtheirprayercametohisholyhabitationinheaven.’Infact,suchisYahweh’sgraceinhearingandansweringourprayersthatevenManasseh’sprayerswereheard,althoughhewasprobablytheworstkingthateitherJudahorIsraeleverhad.

TheprayersofManasseharefascinating:

TheLORDspoketoManassehandtohispeople,buttheypaidnoattention.ThereforetheLORDbroughtuponthemthecommandersofthearmyoftheking ofAssyria,who capturedManassehwith hooks and bound himwithchainsofbronzeandbroughthimtoBabylon.Andwhenhewasindistress,he entreated the favour of theLORD hisGod and humbled himself greatlybeforetheGodofhisfathers.Heprayedtohim,andGodwasmovedbyhisentreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into hiskingdom.ThenManassehknewthattheLORDwasGod.(2Chr.33:10–13)

Now the rest of the acts ofManasseh,andhis prayer to hisGod, and thewordsof theseerswhospoke tohimin thenameof theLORD, theGodofIsrael, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. And hisprayer, and howGod was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and hisfaithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up theAsherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they arewrittenintheChroniclesoftheSeers.(2Chr.33:18–19)

Thereisnootherexplanationforit.ManassehcriedouttoYahweh,andYahwehinhisgraceanswered.Nowthereisareasontohope–ifYahwehcouldchooseto listen to the prayer ofManasseh, then surely there is hope for his returnedpeople.

ConclusionEarlier in this chapter I advanced the suggestion that both in the wisdomliteratureandintheexilicandpost-exilicnarratives(includingDaniel)thereisaconcerted effort to recalibrate the prayers of God’s people. It has beendemonstrated that this is a compelling thesis. The wisdom literature, Daniel,Ezra–NehemiahandChroniclesallsayessentiallythesamething–thegreatestneedofthepeopleofGodissimplytocallonthenameoftheLord.

ChapterFive

Thepsalms,theMessiahandthechurch

Toattempt towriteashortdiscussionof‘prayerand thepsalms’feels like thetheological equivalent of trying to take close-up photos of a black hole – afascinating challenge, but one that carries the danger of being sucked into thevortex,nevertobeseenagain.

Inrecentyearsthestudyofthepsalterhasbeenanareaofmassiveinterest,both in thechurchand in theacademy.Those longing toharness thepowerofthe psalms for personal or community devotion stand side by sidewith thosewhose primary interest is uncovering the practice and development of theIsraelitecult.Integratingthepsalmsintotheflowofbiblicaltheologyistheaimfor some. Others are locked in ‘genre wars’. Others still seek to unlock themysteries of the superscriptions and musical notation. It will clearly not bepossibleinaworkofthisscopetoengagewithmanyoftheseissues–ourfocusmust,ofnecessity,bemuchnarrower.

InthischapterIwillseektoanswerfourquestionstoenableustonegotiatetheintricaciesofthepsalterwithoutlosingsightofourprimarygoal:

1. Arethepsalms‘prayers’?2. Whoseprayersarethese?3. Doesthepsalterhaveamessage?4. How,then,doesthepsaltercontributetothebiblicaltheologyofprayer?

Arethepsalms‘prayers’?

AsisoftenthecaseinOldTestamentstudies, thisrathersimplequestionturnsouttohavearathercomplexanswer.Atfacevaluethetextofthepsaltergivesanexplicit(ifqualified)‘yes’.

Many of the psalms are characterized by their direct, personal address toGod. 1AlargenumberofthesepsalmsareDavidic,andareconcernedinitially,atleast,withthetrialsofGod’sanointed.However,itisnotalwayseasy,aswewill see, to agree on either the form or the setting of these psalms. Are theypersonal prayers? Community songs or laments cast as personal prayers?Personalprayers,whichhavebecomecommunitysongs?Thesearecrucial–andchallenging–questionsfortheunderstandingofthepsalmsingeneral,andtheirteachingonprayerinparticular.Howarewetonegotiatethesechallenges?Thefinalformof thebookprovidesuswithapotentiallyhelpfulstartingpoint thatnarrowsourfocusalittle.

Fiveofthepsalmsareclearlyidentifiedintheirsuperscriptionas‘APrayer’(tĕpillâ). 2 The superscription of Psalm 17, for example, reads ‘A Prayer ofDavid.’Similarly,Psalm86(alsobyDavid),90(byMoses),102(theprayerofanafflictedone)and142(byDavidagain,although thispsalm isdesignatedamaskilofDavid, 3withtheadditionalclarificationthatitisalsoa‘prayer’ 4).Itisnotentirelyclearwhythesepsalmsinparticularareidentifiedas‘prayers’overagainstotherpsalmsthatsharemanyofthesamecharacteristics,butarenotsodesignated. It is not even entirely clearwhether this term is associatedwith aspecificstructuralfeature,aspecificpsalmgenreorisamoregeneralterm. 5

Inadditiontothisformal‘classification’ofasmallgroupofpsalmsitisalsoclearthatmanyotherpsalmssatisfythedefinitionIhavebeenusingthroughoutthis book – many psalms obviously ‘call on the name of Yahweh’. So, forexample, although neither Psalm 1 nor Psalm 2 is directly addressed to God,Psalms 3 – 8 are. This pattern continues throughout the psalter. It is alsonoticeablethateveninpsalmswhichareessentiallydeclarative(e.g.Ps.19)orpronouncing blessing (e.g. Ps. 20), ‘prayer’ is never far away (so 19:12–14;20:9).

Eventhisbriefestofintroductionsraisesthewiderissueofthegenreofthepsalms, which in turn feeds into questions of the origins both of individual

psalmsandthecollectionasawhole. 6

Since the end of the nineteenth and start of the twentieth century, whenHermann Gunkel pioneered what became known as the formcritical method,Psalms studies have been dominated by the search for each psalm’sGattung(type),andSitzimLeben(situationinlife).Gunkelviewedthesuperscriptionsasirrelevant,andsoughttopenetratebehindthepresentationofapsalmtoitsreal-life beginnings. He identified seven types of psalms: hymns, communitylaments,songsoftheindividual,thankofferingsongs,lamentsoftheindividual,entranceliturgiesandroyalpsalms. 7Interestingly,noneofthese‘types’couldbedescribedas ‘prayer’ in thesense inwhichheused the term.Gunkel’s lackofinterestinthepsalmsasprayerwasaconsequenceofhisviewthattheirfunctionin the religious cult is the primary context for interpretation. Thismeans thatevenifaparticularpsalmstartsoutastheprayerofanindividual,thefactthatitwasincorporatedintothetempleliturgyiswhatmatters.

TheNorwegianSigmundMowinckeltookGunkel’sapproachastepfurther,arguingthatthepsalmswerecomposedforpurposesofcultworship(sononeofthem was ever a ‘private prayer’). 8 He attempted to link every psalm to aspecificculticoccasion.However,perhapsthetwentiethcentury’smostcarefulandinfluentialPsalmsscholar,ClausWestermann, 9primarilyinhis1981bookPraise andLament in thePsalms, pointed out that this focus on the supposedcult festivals is too unreliable, and suggested thatworship is a more reliablecontextinwhichtounderstandPsalms.

Since then Erhard Gerstenberger has brought the discussion almost fullcirclebysuggestingthat,ratherthanbeingreligiouscultorpublicworship,thepsalms had their original composition and use in a family setting, and thateventually these ‘family songs’ were picked up by priests and Levites andincorporatedintopubliclife. 10

Inallthisdebateovertheoriginsofthepsalms,irrespectiveofthemilieuinwhichindividualpsalmswerecomposed,andthecontextinwhichthecollectionwas used corporately, it is important to recognize that the psalter as a wholeprovidesuswiththemostdetailedandsustainedtreatmentofhowGod’speoplecan,shouldandmustcallonhim.Andifitislegitimatetoconsiderprayerunder

therubricof‘callingonthenameofYahweh’,thensurelyit isalsoacceptable(ifnotvital)toallowthepsalmstoshapeourviewofprayerintheBible?Thepsalter is, I would argue, essentially a collection of prayers that is crucial indevelopingabiblicaltheologyofprayer. 11

The prima facie evidence for this is overwhelming, and should not beoverlooked, despite the complexityof analysing thediscourseof thepsalms. 12

Evenonthemostcursoryreadingitishardtoescapetheobviousconclusionthatthepsalter isdominatedbydirectaddress toGod,orencouragement toengagedirectly with him. In other words the psalter is dominated by prayer. That,however,raisesaquestionthatwasraisedbyGunkelandhassincebeentackledbymanyothers:Whoseprayersarethese?Isuggestthatform-criticalsolutionstothisissuearenotthemosthelpful(orconvincing).However,helpisathand,albeitfromanunexpectedsource.

Whoseprayersarethese?Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Confessing Church pastor executed for his part in afailed assassination plot against Hitler in 1945, suggested in a seminal workcalledPsalms:ThePrayerbookoftheBible 13thatthewaytoreadthepsalterisbyunderstandingthatthesepsalmsarenot,inthefirstplace,ourpsalms.TheyarefirstandforemostthepsalmsofDavid,andthenthepsalmsofJesus. 14WhileBonhoeffer’s exegetical (and theological)work in his tiny volume isminimal,his suggestion offers a fruitful biblical-theological way of resolving thismostbasicproblemofhowtoreadthepsalms,whichhasdoggedthestudyofPsalmsforatleasttwohundredyears.

ItisobviousthatwhateverthenatureoftheconnectionbetweenDavidandthepsalms, 15KingDavidcastsalongshadowoverthecollection.Thefactthatthirty-sevenoutofthefirstforty-onepsalmsaremarked‘OfDavid’makesthatclear. 16

After Psalm 1 has set up a paradigm of the ‘righteous’ and the ‘wicked’(which,incidentally,alreadyraisesquestionsaboutthereignandlegacyofKing

David), 17andPsalm2hasintroducedtheroleofYahweh’sKing/Son/Messiahinovercomingthepowerofevilintheworld, 18Psalm3isthefirstapparentprayerofthecollection. 19Bothitssubjectmatteranditstoneintroduceajarringnote.Wehavemovedfromtheidealman,andavictoriousking,toanall-too-humanDavidstrugglingtocopeinthefaceofopposition.

TheopeningstatementofPsalm3(esp.whentakenwiththesuperscription‘When he fled fromAbsalom his son’) raises a very important hermeneuticalpoint:

OLORD,howmanyaremyfoes!Manyarerisingagainstme;

manyaresayingofmysoul,thereisnosalvationforhiminGod.Selah

(Ps.3:1–2)

It isnoaccident that this ishowthefirst ‘psalmproper’begins– itstartswithDavid (the ‘anointed’) facing enemies who are lined up against him. Theseenemies arenot simplypolitical, but theological.At some level these foes areopposednotsimplytoDavidpersonally,buttoDavidasthechosenoneofGod.Whichbringsustotheimportanthermeneuticalpointthat,attheriskofstatingtheobvious,neitherareweGod’sanointedking,norareourenemiesnecessarilycoterminouswithGod’senemies. 20And flowing from that isa strongsense inwhichDavid’sprayerscannotpossiblybeourprayers.Manyofusarepronetohubris, but I am not sure that any of us would say we are crucial to God’sadvancinghisplansinourworld.NoneofushaseverreceivedadirectpromisefromGodthatonefromourlinewillreignforever.AndnoneofuscanspeaksoeasilyofthosewholineupagainstusasbeingGod’senemies. 21

This simple observation should sound a note of caution against assumingthatthepurposeofthesepsalms–orthetheologyofprayerreflectedbyPsalms– is completely self-evident. Both the underlying assumption of the opening

Davidic psalms and the specific situational information given by thesuperscriptionssuggestthattheremaybeotherthingsatwork.

Coulditbe,forexample,inthelightoftheanticipatedconflictinPsalm2,thatPsalm3andthosefollowingitaretobeunderstoodprimarilyasreflectingthe experience ofDavid the messiah, who, despite his anointing, is called tosuffer,andrepeatedlycallsonYahwehwhileunderpressure,askingYahwehtocome through on his promises (in this case the promises to David and hisdynasty that are recorded in the books of Samuel)? If this is the case, it addssubstantialweighttotheargumentIhavebeenadvancing.

Beforeproceeding, however, I should say aword about the implicationofsuchaview:Does thismean that thepsalmsareeffectively removed from thelipsofGod’speople,astheyarenolongerviewedas‘ourprayers’?Yesandno.Itwouldbemoreaccuratetosaythatthepsalmsare(largely)firsttheprayersofDavidthemessiah.Pre-sumably,theywerethenpickedupandprayed(orsung)by Israel as ‘the people of the Messiah’. These ‘prayers of the sufferingMessiah’, then, find their fullest meaning when read in a biblical-theologicalcontextas‘prayersoftheMessiah’JesusChrist.SocanwepraytheprayersasChristians?Yeswecan–inthesamesensethatweareenabledbyJesustoshareinhisprayerstohisFather, 22hisdeathandresurrectionenablethosewhofollowinhis steps topray these ‘messianic’prayers inaderivative sense.Wedonotexperience his sufferings, but we do share in the sufferings of Christ, whichmakesitdeeplyappropriateforustoechohisprayers.AsBonhoefferhassaid:

DavidhimselfmayoncehaveprayedthisPsalminhisownsong.Ifso,hedidthisastheking,anointedbyGod,andthereforepersecutedbymen,fromwhomJesusChristwoulddescend.HediditastheonewhoboreChristinhimself.ButChristhimselfusedthisprayerandforthefirsttimegaveititsfullmeaning.WecanpraythisPsalmonlyinthefellowshipofJesusChrist,asthosewhohaveparticipatedinthesufferingofChrist. 23

Itshouldbeunderlined,however,thatthisisnottosaythatwesimplybringourexperiencestoPsalms,findechoesofallthechallengesoflifehereandarethenabletoappropriatethemasourown. 24Infacttheoppositeistrue.Thisbiblical-theological perspective starts with the recognition that these prayers are verydefinitelynotourprayers(inthefirstplace,atleast).Theyarefirsttheprayersof the Messiah, which, in the kindness of God, become the prayers of theMessiah’s people as he draws them into relationship with him. To pray thepsalms,then,demandssignificantcareandthought.

This suggestion, however, does beg a very obvious question: Can it besustainedthatthepsalmsareprayersoftheMessiah,inthelightofthefactthatasubstantialnumberofthepsalmsarenotDavidic?

This clearly opens a huge area of study, which cannot be dealt withadequately here. However, it may be that those psalms I identified earlier asbeing explicitly designated tĕpillîm (prayers) can serve as a helpful startingpoint. 25 This ‘set of five’ includes three Davidic psalms (17, 86 and 142)alongsidetwonon-Davidicpsalms(90,whichisdesignated‘ofMoses’,andPs.102,‘ofoneafflicted’.)It isinstructivetolookateachofthesepsalmsinturn.First,Psalm17:

APrayerofDavid.

Hearajustcause,OLORD;attendtomycry!Giveeartomyprayerfromlipsfreeofdeceit!

Fromyourpresenceletmyvindicationcome!Letyoureyesbeholdtheright!Youhavetriedmyheart,youhavevisitedmebynight,

youhavetestedme,andyouwillfindnothing;Ihavepurposedthatmymouthwillnottransgress.

Withregardtotheworksofman,bythewordofyourlipsIhaveavoidedthewaysoftheviolent.

Mystepshaveheldfasttoyourpaths;myfeethavenotslipped.

myfeethavenotslipped.Icalluponyou,foryouwillanswerme,OGod;

inclineyoureartome;hearmywords.Wondrouslyshowyoursteadfastlove,

OSaviourofthosewhoseekrefugefromtheiradversariesatyourrighthand.

Keepmeastheappleofyoureye; 26

hidemeintheshadowofyourwings,fromthewickedwhodomeviolence,

mydeadlyenemieswhosurroundme.Theyclosetheirheartstopity;

withtheirmouthstheyspeakarrogantly.Theyhavenowsurroundedoursteps;

theysettheireyestocastustotheground. 27

Heislikealioneagertotear,asayounglionlurkinginambush.

Arise,OLORD!Confronthim,subduehim!Delivermysoulfromthewickedbyyoursword,

frommenbyyourhand,OLORD,frommenoftheworldwhoseportionisinthislife.

Youfilltheirwombwithtreasure;theyaresatisfiedwithchildren,andtheyleavetheirabundancetotheirinfants.

Asforme,Ishallbeholdyourfaceinrighteousness;whenIawake,Ishallbesatisfiedwithyourlikeness.

Inthispsalmit isobviousthatDavid’sexperienceis,at theveryleast,slightlyoutofstepwithourown.Fortwenty-first-centuryChristianstoreadthispsalmthere aremore points of discomfort than immediate comfort. So, for example,there is David’s claim to have ‘lips free of deceit’ (17:1). He pushes thingsfurther when he claims that if God examines him, he will find nothing thatdeservescorrectionorcensure(17:3).Heseeshimselfas‘theappleof[God’s]

eye’ (17:8); andaftercharacterizinghisenemies in suitablyunflattering terms,David assumes that Godwill intervene on his behalf to overturn his enemies(despite their current prosperity, 17:13–14). The psalm closes with David’sexpressinghisconfidenceinYahweh’sgraceandblessing,andlookingforwardtoseeinghis‘likeness’.

Theapparentclaimsto‘sinlessness’(orattheveryleast‘blamelessness’)inmanyoftheDavidicpsalmsinparticularhaveprovedextremelyproblematic. 28

However,thisneednotbeso.Ifthesepsalmsareviewed,inthefirstplace,tobepsalms of the Messiah, then the problems all but disappear. Protestations ofinnocence,purityandflawlessactionare thenboundedwithinaspecific frameofreference–Davidisnotclaimingtohavereachedastateofsinlessperfection,but rather insists he has discharged his responsibilities as God’s Messiahblamelessly. His plea for God to deal with his enemies is, then, significantlyremovedfrompersonalvindictiveness.Itis,then,nothinglessthanaskingGodto deal with those who line up against the divine purposes by opposing hisMessiah.

At a risk of stating the obvious, this then places the first of these tĕpillîmsquarely in the arena of requesting God to come through on his covenantpromises – in this case the covenant promises focused on vindicating theMessiah.

In addition the ultimate goal of the prayer is that, likeMoses inNumbers12:8, David might see the face/likeness of Yahweh. This desire coheres wellwiththeMessiahasthefirstprayingpersonofthispsalm,andmaywellsuggesthisabilitytoactasamediator,bringingYahweh’sestrangedpeoplebacktohim.Thefirstofthefive‘prayers’ismostnaturallyunderstoodinthecontextoftheultimateworkoftheMessiah.

The same perspective comes through in the second of the five tĕpillîm inPsalm86:

APrayerofDavid.

Inclineyourear,OLORD,andanswerme,forIampoorandneedy.

Preservemylife,forIamgodly;saveyourservant,whotrustsinyou–youaremyGod.

Begracioustome,OLord,fortoyoudoIcryalltheday.

Gladdenthesoulofyourservant,fortoyou,OLord,doIliftupmysoul.

Foryou,OLord,aregoodandforgiving,aboundinginsteadfastlovetoallwhocalluponyou.

Giveear,OLORD,tomyprayer;listentomypleaforgrace.

InthedayofmytroubleIcalluponyou,foryouanswerme.

Thereisnonelikeyouamongthegods,OLord,norarethereanyworkslikeyours.

Allthenationsyouhavemadeshallcomeandworshipbeforeyou,OLord,andshallglorifyyourname.

Foryouaregreatanddowondrousthings;youaloneareGod.

Teachmeyourway,OLORD,thatImaywalkinyourtruth;unitemyhearttofearyourname.

Igivethankstoyou,OLordmyGod,withmywholeheart,andIwillglorifyyournameforever.

Forgreatisyoursteadfastlovetowardsme;youhavedeliveredmysoulfromthedepthsofSheol.

OGod,insolentmenhaverisenupagainstme;abandofruthlessmenseeksmylife,andtheydonotsetyoubeforethem.

Butyou,OLord,areaGodmercifulandgracious,

slowtoangerandaboundinginsteadfastloveandfaithfulness.

Turntomeandbegracioustome;giveyourstrengthtoyourservant,andsavethesonofyourmaidservant.

Showmeasignofyourfavour,thatthosewhohatememayseeandbeputtoshamebecauseyou,LORD,havehelpedmeandcomfortedme.

Inthiscase,althoughtherearesignificantsimilaritieswithPsalm17, 29thereisahigher degree of resonance with general human experience. David’s assertionthatheis‘pureandneedy’is,onthefaceofit,mucheasiertoidentifywiththanhisinsistencethatGodwillnotbeabletofindanythinginhislifewithwhichtotakeissue.Itquicklybecomesclear,however,thatthisprayertooisaboutmuchmorethanDavid’sowninteriorspiritualjourney.Thelanguageofverse2,whereDavid self-designates as the ‘servant’of theLORD andclearlyasserts ‘youaremyGod’isprobablybesttakenasastatementofallegiancefromthekingratherthan primarily as one of personal piety. 30As the psalm continues, it becomesobvious that in some way the fate of the psalmist is bound up with God’scovenant purposes. Verses 9–10 take us far beyond the ability of Yahweh tointervene on behalf of his struggling servant. More is at stake than thedeliveranceofanindividual.Thisistheverytelos(end)ofthecovenant. 31

This, then,allowsus tomakesenseof therequestsofverses11–13.Theseare not simply prayers for growth in theological understanding or depth ofaffection.Thesepetitionsaremostnaturallytakentobetheprayersoftheking,whoasksforwisdominthefaceofsignificantanti-covenantalopposition,whichis depicted in verses 14 and 17. Once that is acknowledged, it seems mostnatural to view this psalm as essentially a cry to Yahweh to act in covenantfaithfulnessandupholdhispromisestohisMessiahandpeople. 32

Thisbringsustowhatseemstobeaslightlypuzzlinginclusioninthelistoftĕpillîm–theprayerofMoses,themanofGodinPsalm90:

APrayerofMoses,themanofGod.

Lord,youhavebeenourdwellingplaceinallgenerations.

Beforethemountainswerebroughtforth,oreveryouhadformedtheearthandtheworld,fromeverlastingtoeverlastingyouareGod.

Youreturnmantodustandsay,‘Return,Ochildrenofman!’

Forathousandyearsinyoursightarebutasyesterdaywhenitispast,orasawatchinthenight.

Yousweepthemawayaswithaflood;theyarelikeadream,likegrassthatisrenewedinthemorning:

inthemorningitflourishesandisrenewed;intheeveningitfadesandwithers.

Forwearebroughttoanendbyyouranger;byyourwrathwearedismayed.

Youhavesetouriniquitiesbeforeyou,oursecretsinsinthelightofyourpresence.

Forallourdayspassawayunderyourwrath;webringouryearstoanendlikeasigh.

Theyearsofourlifeareseventy,orevenbyreasonofstrengtheighty;

yettheirspanisbuttoilandtrouble;theyaresoongone,andweflyaway.

Whoconsidersthepowerofyouranger,andyourwrathaccordingtothefearofyou?

Soteachustonumberourdaysthatwemaygetaheartofwisdom.

Return,OLORD!Howlong?Havepityonyourservants!

Satisfyusinthemorningwithyoursteadfastlove,thatwemayrejoiceandbegladallourdays.

Makeusgladforasmanydaysasyouhaveafflictedus,andforasmanyyearsaswehaveseenevil.

Letyourworkbeshowntoyourservants,andyourgloriouspowertotheirchildren.

LetthefavouroftheLordourGodbeuponus,andestablishtheworkofourhandsuponus;yes,establishtheworkofourhands!

Thisancientprayer,whichbeginswith thepre-existenceofGodand rehearsesseveralkeyPentateuchalthemes, 33makesitclearthattheplightofhumanityisdesperate,andourgreatestneedasaraceisdivineintervention(seee.g.90:11).However, for our purposes it is the final section of the psalm that is moststriking.TherequestforGodtoteachusto‘numberourdays’isboundupwithviewinghistoryfromacovenantalperspective:‘Verse12isnotapleaforGodtoteachthehumanswisdom,butapleaforthehumanstoaccuratelytallythedaysofGod’swrathsothatthereisanendtoit.’ 34

ThecryforGodto‘return’cannotbeunderstoodanyotherwaythanasanappeal for him to keep his covenant promises, and the longing that hemight‘satisfy us in the morning’ with his ‘steadfast love’ is again intrinsicallycovenantal. Inverses15–17thisprayer isunderlinedrepeatedly– theplaintivecry toGod to lethis ‘workbe shown’ tohis ‘servants’ and theaccompanyingpleathathemight‘establishtheworkofourhands’throughthegiftofhisfavourisyetmoreevidencethatattheheartofthisMosaicprayeristhedesirethatGodwilldowhathehaspromised.

Theoveralleffect, then,ofPsalm90is todetachthepleaforGodtoworkfrom the immediate ‘Davidic’ context, to underline that the work of God isgreater thanDavid,andthathisfailureandthevirtualdeathofaDavidichopecanbereignitedbythemercyofGodinproviding‘greatDavid’sgreaterson’.

Itseemsplausible,then,thatthesetĕpillîmhavebeenplacedcarefullyinthepsalterinawaywhichshowsthattheviewofprayerinPsalmsiscompletelyinkeepingwithwhatwehaveobservedelsewhereintheOldTestament.Butisthisunderstandingborneoutbythelasttwotĕpillîm?First,Psalm102:

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaintbeforetheLORD.

Hearmyprayer,OLORD;letmycrycometoyou!Donothideyourfacefromme

inthedayofmydistress!Inclineyoureartome;

answermespeedilyinthedaywhenIcall!Formydayspassawaylikesmoke,

andmybonesburnlikeafurnace.Myheartisstruckdownlikegrassandhaswithered;

Iforgettoeatmybread.Becauseofmyloudgroaning

mybonesclingtomyflesh.Iamlikeadesertowlofthewilderness,

likeanowlofthewasteplaces;Ilieawake;

Iamlikealonelysparrowonthehousetop.Allthedaymyenemiestauntme;

thosewhoderidemeusemynameforacurse.ForIeatasheslikebread

andmingletearswithmydrink,becauseofyourindignationandanger;

foryouhavetakenmeupandthrownmedown.Mydaysarelikeaneveningshadow;

Iwitherawaylikegrass.

Iwitherawaylikegrass.Butyou,OLORD,areenthronedforever;

youarerememberedthroughoutallgenerations.YouwillariseandhavepityonZion;

itisthetimetofavourher;theappointedtimehascome.

Foryourservantsholdherstonesdearandhavepityonherdust.

NationswillfearthenameoftheLORD,andallthekingsoftheearthwillfearyourglory.

FortheLORDbuildsupZion;heappearsinhisglory;

heregardstheprayerofthedestituteanddoesnotdespisetheirprayer.

Letthisberecordedforagenerationtocome,sothatapeopleyettobecreatedmaypraisetheLORD:

thathelookeddownfromhisholyheight;fromheaventheLORDlookedattheearth,

tohearthegroansoftheprisoners,tosetfreethosewhoweredoomedtodie,

thattheymaydeclareinZionthenameoftheLORD,andinJerusalemhispraise,

whenpeoplesgathertogether,andkingdoms,toworshiptheLORD.

Hehasbrokenmystrengthinmidcourse;hehasshortenedmydays.

‘OmyGod,’Isay,‘takemenotawayinthemidstofmydays–

youwhoseyearsendurethroughoutallgenerations!’

Ofoldyoulaidthefoundationoftheearth,andtheheavensaretheworkofyourhands.

Theywillperish,butyouwillremain;

Theywillperish,butyouwillremain;theywillallwearoutlikeagarment.

Youwillchangethemlikearobe,andtheywillpassaway,butyouarethesame,andyouryearshavenoend.

Thechildrenofyourservantsshalldwellsecure;theiroffspringshallbeestablishedbeforeyou.

In many ways this psalm is the crucial test case for my suggestion that thefundamentalviewofprayerinthepsaltercohereswiththatoftheearlierpartsofthe Old Testament. As with a large number of psalms, there is no explicitreference toDavid (or anyother king), although there is obvious contactwithPsalm86,asnotedabove. 35

Thetitleseemstoimplythattheindividualwhowrotethispsalmisjustthat–anindividual,withnoparticularroletoplayinthekeymovementsofsalvationhistory. Although his suffering seems extreme (102:4–6), his significance issimply derived from his membership of the people of God (see vv. 14, 17).UnliketheDavidictĕpillîm,thereisnodirectidentificationofhisenemieswithGod’s enemies. 36 This is a different kind of prayer, which becomes obviouswhenwe differentiate what the psalmist prays for himself fromwhat he asksYahwehtodoingeneral.

Whenprayingforhimself,aftertheinitialrequestthatYahwehlistentohiscry(102:1–2),theonlyspecificrequestthepsalmistmakescomesinverses24–25:

‘OmyGod,’Isay,‘takemenotawayinthemidstofmydays–

youwhoseyearsendurethroughoutallgenerations!’

ItisquitestrikingthatinthemiddleofallthetheologicalrichnessofthepsalmthesolepetitionisaveryunderstandableappealthatYahwehwillnotallowthepsalmist tobecutshort inhisprime.Butwhyis this?Andhowis this request

colouredbythesurroundingmaterialinPsalm102?Onceagain,weseethatthekey to understanding the psalm is to allow this cry to rest on an undergirdingframeworkwhereprayeriscallingonYahwehtocomethroughonhiscovenantpromises. 37

Thecontrastbetweenthepsalmist’slimitedprayerforhimselfandsweepingstatementsconcerningGod’sworkintheworldisquitedramatic.Afterapain-riddenexplicationofhisowncircumstances,suddenlythereisachangeofgearinverses12–13:

Butyou,OLORD,areenthronedforever;youarerememberedthroughoutallgenerations.

YouwillariseandhavepityonZion;itisthetimetofavourher;theappointedtimehascome.

Psalms featuring ‘the enthronement of Yahweh’ and/or ‘Zion theology’ havereceived significant attention since the 1920s. However, in this context itsufficessimplytopointoutthatthepsalmistismuchmoreconcernedwithwhatwemightcall ‘covenantalmatters’ thanhisownindividualcircumstances.It isthe progress of Yahweh’s agenda in the world that brings perspective andultimatelymeaning to his own personal sufferings. This becomes increasinglyclearasthepsalmprogresses.

Aftertheeschatologicalclaimofverse15(whichalsooccurredin86:9),thepsalmist makes it clear that he sees any possible answer to his own personalprayerinthecontextofYahweh’sworktobringglorytohimselfintheworld:

FortheLORDbuildsupZion;heappearsinhisglory;

heregardstheprayerofthedestituteanddoesnotdespisetheirprayer.

(Ps.102:16–17)

EventhecommitmenttoanswerprayermustbeunderstoodinthewidercontextofGod’sagendaforourworld(seealsovv.18–22).

All this, then, has the effect of relativizing the psalmist’s own prayer in102:24. Does he want to live on? Of course he does. But that desire isdeliberately submitted to a greater concern, and even subsumed in a greaterprayer– thatYahweh’swillbedoneonearth.Theclimaxof thepsalmbringsboth a conviction of the ultimate security of God’s people and a clearappreciation that theprayers of his people shouldbe centrednot on their ownindividualfatebutontheprogressofhiscovenantalagenda.

Somewhatsurprisingly,then,eventheprayerofthenon-anointed,unknownpsalmist bolsters the case for seeingprayer inPsalms as essentially callingonGod to fulfil his promises, whether to the Messiah, or to the people of theMessiah,ashecontinuestobringhiswilltorealityinourworld. 38Thisbringsustothefinal‘prayer’ofthepsalter,Psalm142:

AMaskilofDavid,whenhewasinthecave.APrayer.

WithmyvoiceIcryouttotheLORD;withmyvoiceIpleadformercytotheLORD.

Ipouroutmycomplaintbeforehim;Itellmytroublebeforehim.

Whenmyspiritfaintswithinme,youknowmyway!

InthepathwhereIwalktheyhavehiddenatrapforme.

Looktotherightandsee:thereisnonewhotakesnoticeofme;

norefugeremainstome;noonecaresformysoul.Icrytoyou,OLORD;Isay,‘Youaremyrefuge,

myportioninthelandoftheliving.’Attendtomycry,

forIambroughtverylow!Delivermefrommypersecutors,

fortheyaretoostrongforme!Bringmeoutofprison,

thatImaygivethankstoyourname!Therighteouswillsurroundme,

foryouwilldealbountifullywithme.

ThelastofthetĕpillîminthepsaltermakesitsappearanceasPsalm142.Itisarelatively straightforwardpsalm,whichhasbeenheldbackdeliberately, as thepsalterendswithacrescendoofDavidicmaterial. 39Thesuperscriptionplacesussquarelyback in theworldofDavid’s conflictwithSaul,whichhingeson thetension over who, in fact, is the Lord’s true ‘anointed’. By the time of the‘publication’ofthepsaltertheanswertothatquestionisobvious.However,forDaviditisclearthatifheistosurviveheneedsGodtodeliverhiminlinewiththecommitmentsmadetohimatthetimeofanointing.ThisprayerisoncemoreessentiallyaDavidiccry toYahweh toact in linewithhispromises.Hossfeldcommentshelpfully:

The superscription as awhole throws a particular light onDavid, the onewhopraysthefifthDavidPsalter.Thehistoricizingperspectiveconfirmstheinterestinthe‘historical’David,primarilyasheisdescribedinthebooksofSamuel.Thegenre termspoint to theproptotypicalDavid thewise teacherandthepoorpetitionerindistress... 40

The answer to the question ‘Whose prayers are these?’ is clearly not asimple one. A large number of psalms are ascribed to ‘David’. However thisascription is to be construed, a persuasive case can bemade for the fact thatmanyoftheseprayersshouldbeconsidered‘prayersoftheMessiah’,ashecalls

onYahwehtoactonhispromises.Thisgoessomewaytowardsconfirmingthatthe understanding of prayer as calling on the name of Yahweh observedelsewhereisalsoreflectedhereinPsalms.Butthereismoretobesaid.

Usingthefive tĕpillîmasa testcasedemonstrates that there isanessentialcontinuitybetweentheprayersofthosewhohavegonebefore(inthecaseofPs.90, Moses), the prayers of the Messiah (David) and the prayers of faithfulIsraelites after David, who are still longing for theMessiah. In each case thefocusremainsontheworkofYahwehinrollingouthiscovenantagenda,andtopray is simply to ask God to do what he has already committed to.We willreturntothisinduecourse.

Atthispointitisworthtakingamomenttoreflectontheimplicationsofthisrelativelystraightforwardobservation for theway inwhichweread the restofthepsalms (and inparticular those thatdonot fit into the limiteddefinitionofprayeras‘callingonthenameofYahweh’). 41

It seems reasonable to saywithWestermannetal. thatmostof thepsalmsfallintothebroadcategoriesof‘Thanksgiving’,‘Praise’and‘Lament’. 42Otherswouldadddistinctcategoriesincludingwisdompsalmsandroyalpsalms. 43Thequestionbeforeusis,howdothesegenres(andanyrelatedsubgenres)relatetothedistinctcategoryof‘prayer’,whereprayeriscallingonGodtodeliveronhispromises?

Attemptstodiscovertheoriginalsettingofindividualpsalms(and/ortheirliteraryform)havetendedtoblindustothefairlysimpleobservationthatthereisanintrinsicconnectionbetweeneachofthebroadcategoriesofpsalmslaidoutaboveandtheprayeraddressedtoYahweh,inwhichtheGodofthecovenantiscalledupontoact.

Psalms of thanksgiving, almost without exception, offer thanks for God’sdoingwhathehadalreadycommittedtodo,rescuingorprotectinghismessianicking, or for the people’s belonging to that king. So, for example, the generalexhortationatthestartofPsalm95togivethanksinevitablyflowsintothecallofverses6–7,whichisbasedontheelectionofIsrael:

Ohcome,letusworshipandbowdown;

letuskneelbeforetheLORD,ourMaker!ForheisourGod,

andwearethepeopleofhispasture,andthesheepofhishand.

Even the briefest glance at a psalmof praise like, for example, Psalm18,shows that there is an intrinsic link between calling on Yahweh to rescue inaccordancewithhispromise(inthiscase,tohisMessiah),andthenpraisingGodfor coming through on what he is asked to do (or, on occasion, presumablyacting even before he is asked). It is not always easy to distinguish betweenthanksgivingandpraise(andpsalmsoftencontainboth),butwhatisclearisthelinktoprayerascryingouttoGodtoact.

Psalmsoflamentareagain,almostwithoutexception,lamentingthefactthatthecurrent stateof Israel (oroccasionally individual Israelitesor theMessiah)doesnot appear to fitwithYahweh’s covenantal commitment to bless. In thatonecouldarguethatthepsalmsoflamentarethemirrorimageoftheprayerswehave been considering – complaining because God has not acted, rather thancallingonhimtodoso. 44SoPsalm44,usuallyregardedasthefirstcommunallamentinthepsalter,beginslikethis:

OGod,wehaveheardwithourears,ourfathershavetoldus,

whatdeedsyouperformedintheirdays,inthedaysofold:

youwithyourownhanddroveoutthenations,butthemyouplanted;

youafflictedthepeoples,butthemyousetfree;

fornotbytheirownsworddidtheywintheland,nordidtheirownarmsavethem,

butyourrighthandandyourarm,andthelightofyourface,

andthelightofyourface,foryoudelightedinthem.

(Ps.44:1–3)

The interesting thing is that by the end of Psalm 44 lament has turned intoexactlythekindofprayerIhavebeendiscussing:

Awake!Whyareyousleeping,OLord?Rouseyourself!Donotrejectusforever!

Whydoyouhideyourface?Whydoyouforgetourafflictionandoppression?

Foroursoulisboweddowntothedust;ourbellyclingstotheground.

Riseup;cometoourhelp!Redeemusforthesakeofyoursteadfastlove!

(Ps.44:23–26)

Asimilar feature isevident in thewisdompsalms. InPsalm37,aDavidicwisdom psalm, aswemove through the psalm both ‘promise’ and ‘salvation’categories become increasingly obvious (see e.g. the repeated references toinheritingtheland,andthesalvificemphasisintheclimaxofthepsalm):

ThesalvationoftherighteousisfromtheLORD;heistheirstrongholdinthetimeoftrouble.

TheLORDhelpsthemanddeliversthem;hedeliversthemfromthewickedandsavesthem,becausetheytakerefugeinhim.

(Ps.37:39–40)

In this case the truth stated in the psalm logically precedes prayer, in that aproper understanding of the truth will lead faithful Israelites to call out toYahweh.

Thereisevidence,then,thatprayerinPsalmsisrathermoresharplydefinedthanonemightthink.Ofcourse,inabrieftreatmentlikethisitwouldbeeasytoimplythatthereisnothingmoretobesaidaboutprayerthanitis‘callingonthenameoftheLORDtofulfilhispromises’.Thatwouldbereductionist.However,it isalso true thatacross therangeofprayers in thepsalter(esp. those thatareessentiallypersonal,heart-cryprayers)thisemphasisonaskingGodtofulfilhispromisestohispeople(corporatelyandindividually)neverquitedisappears.

This is easily illustrated from some of the best-known (and best-loved)prayersinthepsalter.

Example1:Psalm51

Psalm 51, which is associated with the aftermath of David’s adultery withBathsheba, is‘surelythegreatestof thepenitentialpsalms’. 45Overtheyears ithas provided both the keenest insight to the nature of sin and a powerfultemplatefor thosewishingtoconfesssin.Howisapsalmlike thisaffectedbythe suggestion that prayer is essentially calling on the name of Yahweh todeliveronhispromises?

Inthefirstplaceitshouldbenotedthatoneoftheblessingsofthecovenant,asexplicatedatgreatlengthinLeviticus,forexample,isthattheGodofIsraeliscommitted to providing away for sin to be forgiven. This is reflected by theopeninglinesofthepsalm:

Havemercyonme,OGod,accordingtoyoursteadfastlove;

accordingtoyourabundantmercyblotoutmytransgressions.

Washmethoroughlyfrommyiniquity,andcleansemefrommysin!

(Ps.51:1–2)

DavidbothappealstoYahweh’scovenantloveanddrawsonhiscommitmentsto show mercy to his people as he prays. Of course, it would be highlymisleading to suggest that prayer is limited to asking God to honour hispromises.TherichnessoftherestoftheprayermakesclearthatotherthingscanandmustbesaidtoYahweh,buttheentireprayerisshapedbytheexpectationthatGodisapromise-makingandpromise-keepingGodwhocanbeexpectedtoforgive.

David’sreflectionsonhisownsinfulactions(51:3–4),nature(51:5–6)andextendedpleaforforgiveness(51:7–9)alltakeplaceinthiscontext.Asdoesthemoststrikingrequestofthepsalm,whichcomesinverses10–12:

Createinmeacleanheart,OGod,andrenewarightspiritwithinme.

Castmenotawayfromyourpresence,andtakenotyourHolySpiritfromme.

Restoretomethejoyofyoursalvation,andupholdmewithawillingspirit.

(Ps.51:10–12)

AlthoughitisfarfromclearthatDavidintendedhiswordstobereadthisway,atabiblical-theological(orcanonical)levelitishardnottoseeananticipationofthenewcovenanthere.David,God’sanointedking,asksthat,unlikeSaul,theSpirit not be withdrawn. A later Davidide, rather than fearing the Spirit’sremoval,wouldpourhimoutonallflesh.Whileitistruethatthewordsofverse12canbeechoedbyanystruggling,downcastbeliever,inthefirstplacetheyarethewordsofDavidtheking.Thisisunderlinedbythelinkbetweenforgivenessandarestoredteachingfunctionin51:13.

After a final plaintive appeal and reiteration of the terms on which Godoffershispeopleforgiveness(51:13–17),thepsalmfinishesinawaythatagainliftsitbeyondtheindividualconcernsofDavidorthereaderswhofollow:

DogoodtoZioninyourgoodpleasure;

DogoodtoZioninyourgoodpleasure;buildupthewallsofJerusalem;

thenwillyoudelightinrightsacrifices,inburntofferingsandwholeburntofferings;thenbullswillbeofferedonyouraltar.

(Ps.51:18–19)

Ultimately, what is at stake here is not simply the guilt of one man, but theprogressoftheplanofGod.

Reading thepsalm in thisway (in the lightof all thatwehave seenaboutprayer so far) does not significantly complicate things, nor does it wrenchprecious prayers from the hands of those who have used them for countlessgenerations. However, it does shed fresh light on the fact that at the heart ofprayer is calling on God to do his work, the work he has already committedhimselftodo.

Example2:Psalm73

Psalm 73 is one of the psalms ofAsaph, and therefore clearly not aDavidic,royal ormessianic psalm in any sense.SodoesPsalm73 fitwith the viewofprayerbeingsuggested?Perhapssurprisingly,itdoes.

Again,theopeninglinesofthepsalmhighlightthecovenantalcontext:

TrulyGodisgoodtoIsrael,tothosewhoarepureinheart.

(Ps.73:1)

ThisisapsalmaboutdoubtingGod’spromisestohispeople,andthepsalmist’sjourney back to faith.Unusually, a large part of the psalm is taken upwith anarration ofAsaph’s past struggles (see 73:2–16), and in particular hiswrongattitude to the arrogant. Things change, however, when he goes to the‘sanctuary’:

ButwhenIthoughthowtounderstandthis,itseemedtomeawearisometask,

untilIwentintothesanctuaryofGod;thenIdiscernedtheirend.

(Ps.73:16–17)

As the psalmist begins to address God directly, it is clear that his prayerflowsfromtherealizationthatGoddoesindeedkeephisword–inthiscase,herealizesthatthewickedwillbejudged:

Trulyyousettheminslipperyplaces;youmakethemfalltoruin.

Howtheyaredestroyedinamoment,sweptawayutterlybyterrors!

Likeadreamwhenoneawakes,OLord,whenyourouseyourself,youdespisethemas

phantoms.Whenmysoulwasembittered,

whenIwasprickedinheart,Iwasbrutishandignorant;

Iwaslikeabeasttowardsyou.Nevertheless,Iamcontinuallywithyou;

youholdmyrighthand.Youguidemewithyourcounsel,

andafterwardsyouwillreceivemetoglory.WhomhaveIinheavenbutyou?

AndthereisnothingonearththatIdesirebesidesyou.Myfleshandmyheartmayfail,

butGodisthestrengthofmyheartandmyportionforever.Forbehold,thosewhoarefarfromyoushallperish;

youputanendtoeveryonewhoisunfaithfultoyou.ButformeitisgoodtobenearGod;

IhavemadetheLordGODmyrefuge,thatImaytellofallyourworks.

(Ps.73:18–28)

Inthisprayer–anditclearlyisaprayer–strictlyspeaking,Asaphdoesnot‘callon the name of the Lord’. However, this is an assertion of confidence inYahweh,ratherthanarequestforhimtoact,andinthatitisahelpfulwarningagainst being too restrictive inourdefinitionofprayer.However, it is equallyclear that theunderlyingconceptionofprayer isvery similar towhatwehaveseenalready.

Example3:Psalm123

It isalsohelpfultoexamineashortersong,forexamplePsalm123,oneofthepsalmsofascent,whichisclearlydesignedtobesungorprayedincommunity:

ToyouIliftupmyeyes,Oyouwhoareenthronedintheheavens!

Behold,astheeyesofservantslooktothehandoftheirmaster,

astheeyesofamaidservanttothehandofhermistress,

sooureyeslooktotheLORDourGod,tillhehasmercyuponus.

Havemercyuponus,OLORD,havemercyuponus,forwehavehadmorethanenoughofcontempt.

Oursoulhashadmorethanenoughofthescornofthosewhoareatease,ofthecontemptoftheproud.

Thecentralpetitionofthepsalm(whichstartsinverse2b)isverysimple–God’speoplelooktohimtocomethroughonhispromises.Ofcourse,theprayeriscouchedinhighlyemotiveandcreativelanguage,butthetheologicalpremiseofthepsalmfitsexactlywithwhatwehaveobservedrepeatedly–toprayistocallonapromise-makingGod.Inthiscase,asinPsalm51,thepreoccupationiswithGod’spromisetohavemercyonhispeople,and,asinPsalm73,tojudgethe wicked. It is interesting that this view of prayer is broad enough toaccommodateYahweh’scommitmenttobothmercyandjudgment.

Example4:Psalm139

LikePsalm51,Psalm139isaDavidicpsalmwhoseexpressionsandsentimentshaveshapedChristianpiety inprofoundwaysover thecenturies.Thequestionis,doesourunderstandingofprayercoherewiththatofthepsalm?

The majority of the psalm is taken up with assertions of Yahweh’somnipotence, and in particular his intimate knowledge of the psalmist and hisways.So,forexample:

OLORD,youhavesearchedmeandknownme!YouknowwhenIsitdownandwhenIriseup;

youdiscernmythoughtsfromafar.Yousearchoutmypathandmylyingdown

andareacquaintedwithallmyways.Evenbeforeawordisonmytongue,

behold,OLORD,youknowitaltogether....Myframewasnothiddenfromyou,whenIwasbeingmadeinsecret,

intricatelywoveninthedepthsoftheearth.Youreyessawmyunformedsubstance;inyourbookwerewritten,everyoneofthem,

thedaysthatwereformedforme,whenasyettherewasnoneofthem.

(Ps.139:1–4,15–16)

However,thisdiscussionturnsoutnottobeameditationonthenatureoftheworkofYahweh in the individual,but ratheranagonizedappeal toGod todowhathehaspromisedbyjudgingthewicked(asinPs.73):

Howprecioustomeareyourthoughts,OGod!Howvastisthesumofthem!

IfIwouldcountthem,theyaremorethanthesand.Iawake,andIamstillwithyou.

Ohthatyouwouldslaythewicked,OGod!Omenofblood,departfromme!

Theyspeakagainstyouwithmaliciousintent;yourenemiestakeyournameinvain!

DoInothatethosewhohateyou,OLORD?AnddoInotloathethosewhoriseupagainstyou?

Ihatethemwithcompletehatred;Icountthemmyenemies.

(Ps.139:17–22)

Davidisquicktounderlinethathisenemiesare,infact,demonstrablyenemiesofYahwehalso(andperhapsevenprimarilyYahweh’senemies).Hisconcern,then,isnotsimplythathislifebemadeeasier,butthathebegivenwisdomanddiscernmentindischarginghisresponsibilitiesinaGod-honouringway:

Searchme,OGod,andknowmyheart!Trymeandknowmythoughts!

Andseeiftherebeanygrievouswayinme,andleadmeinthewayeverlasting!

(Ps.139:23–24)

It turnsout thatevenPsalm139 is, in the firstplace,aprayerof theking,whoasksGodtokeephispromisesandworkaccordingtohisdeclaredagenda.Yes,itismuchmorethanasimplecrytoGodtoact.Yes,italsotouchessomedeep chords of human existence. But it is, like the other examples we havelooked at, a prayer framed by the commitment of God to work for his gloryamonghispeople.

These four brief examples do, I hope, highlight the importance of seeingprayer primarily (although not exhaustively) as asking Yahweh to keep hispromises tohiskingandhispeople.Prayer inPsalmsmayoftenbemore thanthis,butitisneverless.

Atonelevel this isanextremelycursorytreatmentof theissueofgenre inPsalms,butatanotheritdemonstratesthestrongprimafaciecaseforseeingthepsalterassupportingtheunderstandingofprayerwehavealreadyobservedinthePentateuchandinboththeFormerandLatterProphets.ThiscasehasbeenstrengthenedbyrecentworkonthestructureofthebookofPsalms,towhichwenowturnbriefly.

Doesthepsalterhaveamessage?Since the publication ofGeraldH.Wilson’s seminalworkThe Editing of theHebrewPsalter, 46therehasbeenadramaticshiftinthewayinwhichthebookofPsalmshasbeen read.Not since thepatristicperiodhas therebeen suchanemphasisonreadingthepsalterasawhole.Buildingontheworkofhismentor,BrevardChilds,Wilsoncarefullyhighlightedthecanonicalshapeofthepsalter,pointing out the clear evidence that the collection did not simply groworganically,butwasdeliberatelyandpurposefullyarranged.Whilehisthesishasnot been accepted universally, it has changed the nature of the discussionconcerningtheshapeofthepsalter.

Post-Wilson, although interpreters differ wildly in some aspects of theirunderstanding of the psalter it is widely accepted that the book displays thefollowingkeystructuralfeatures:

A. Thepsalterisdividedintofivebooks:

1. Book1:Pss2–412. Book2:Pss42–723. Book3:Pss73–894.Book4:Pss90–1065.Book5:Pss107–150

B. Thesefivebooksaredemarcatedbysimilardoxologies:

1. Ps.41:13:‘BlessedbetheLORD,theGodofIsrael,/fromeverlastingtoeverlasting!/AmenandAmen.’

2. Ps.72:19:‘Blessedbehisgloriousnameforever;/maythewholeearthbefilledwithhisglory!/AmenandAmen!’

3. Ps.89:52:‘BlessedbetheLORDforever!/AmenandAmen.’4. Ps.106:48:‘BlessedbetheLORD,theGodofIsrael,/fromeverlastingto

everlasting!/Andletallthepeoplesay,“Amen!”’5. Pss146–150allbeginwith‘PraisetheLORD!’

C. Royalpsalmsoccurprominentlyatmanyofthe‘seams’betweenBooks1–5

It is at this point that consensus breaks down. Wilson argues that royalpsalmsmarktheseamsinBooks1–3,tobereplacedbywisdompsalmsinBooks4–5. This is the result of a loss of hope in and emphasis on the Davidicmonarchy, with the resultant substitution of wisdom for the here and nowreplacinganymessianichope.DavidMitchellhas,however,arguedpersuasivelyin a very different direction. 47 He suggests that rather than downplaying theDavidic hope, the psalter develops an increasingly strong eschatological hopecentredontheDavidicMessiahinbooks4and5. 48

Atonelevelitisextremelytemptingtoengagefurtherwiththisstimulatingdiscussion. However, whether the day is won by Wilson’s more pessimisticapproachorthehopefulmessianiceschatologyofMitchell,forourpurposesitisenoughtoobservethattheyhaveshownthatthepsalterhasamessageandthat

the message concerns top-level, theological concerns, rather than simplyspeaking to the everyday piety of exilic and post-exilic Judeans. It is thisrecognitionthatlaysthefoundationforexpressingthecontributionofPsalmstoabiblicaltheologyofprayerinafreshway.

Howdoesthepsaltercontributetoabiblicaltheologyofprayer?Thepsalterisoftenspokenofintermslike‘theprayerbookoftheBible’,andasvalidatingallkindsofexpressionstoGod(‘wecanbringourdeepestemotionstoGod–hecanhandle them’).There is,ofcourse,sometruth in this.Butwemustnotrushtosuchconclusionswithoutdealingfaithfullywiththetextinfrontofus.

InthefirstplacethepsalterisdominatedbypsalmsoftheMessiah–thatis,the prayers, thanksgiving, lament and even wisdom of God’s anointed king(generally but not universally David). Where any given Davidic psalm is aprayer, it is first and foremost his prayer.On close examination bothDavid’sexperiences and the way he reacts to these experiences are not intended tocapture the generalities of life on planet earth for human beings – this is theintense reality of life as God’sMessiah, the one who stands at the centre ofGod’splansonearth,andasaresultisthefocusofGod’senemies.Toattempttopraythepsalmswithoutrecognizingthisisasureroadtoself-aggrandizement!Butthisisnottheendofthestory.

Withinthepsalteritself,whilethereisadefinitefocusontheprayersoftheMessiah, there is also a progression to prayers prayed by the people of theMessiah,whocrytoGodtodowhathehaspromisedboththepatriarchsandhisanointedking.Inthatsense,then,theprayersoftheMessiahbecometheprayersof the people of theMessiah. This seems to be a foreshadowing of the NewTestamentconceptoftheincorporativesonshipofJesustheMessiah,wherehispeopleareabletopray‘Abba,Father’onthebasisofhislifeandwork. 49This

dynamic also lends support to Mitchell’s contention that the psalter itselfpresentsaneschatologicalhopeofaDavidicMessiahtocome.

Thepsalter’s‘teaching’onprayer,then,isbothmorecomplexthanisoftenrealized,butalsomoreintegratedwiththerestoftheOldTestament’steachingonprayerthanonemightthink.TheessentialunderstandingofprayerinPsalmsis reflected by the way in which the king/Messiah prays – it is calling onYahwehtodeliveronhispromises.Thisconceptionofprayerspillsoverintotheprayersof thepeopleof theMessiah,whocontinue tocryforGod toworkbysending the ultimateDavidicKing, establishing his kingdom and drawing thenationstohim.

The richnessofothermaterial in thepsalter– thanksgiving,praise, lamentand evenwisdom – flows from this fundamental understanding that ourmosturgentneedistopleadwithGodtodeliverwhathehasalreadycommittedto.Toprayinthepsalter,then,istocallonthenameofYahweh,asthepsalmsfillouttheconvictionthathasshapedtheothermaterialintheOldTestament.

ChapterSix

Jesusandprayer:prayerintheGospels

Of the many enormously valuable discussions on prayer (both those dealingexplicitly with the biblical material and those focusing more on the theologyand/or practice of prayer), a very large proportion focus their attention on theteachingandpracticeofJesushimself. 1However,very fewof thesemakeanyattempttogroundJesus’attitudetoandteachingonprayerintheflowofbiblicaltheology.Thatisthedistinctivecontributionofthischapter,andthesubsequentmaterialontherestoftheNewTestament.

The purpose of this sectionwill be limited – Iwill notmake a concertedattempt to root Jesus’ practice in the normal patterns of piety in first-centuryJudaism, 2norwillIbeabletoofferdetailedexegesesofallJesus’teachingonprayer.Instead,Iwillattempttomakeamoremodestcontributiontodiscussionof this area by pointing out how Jesus’ teaching on prayer is clearly adevelopment of the Old Testament material. This is true both at the level ofJesus’understandingofprayerasresponsetotheword(andaction)ofYahwehandviewingprayerasaskingGodtoestablishthenewcovenant(andultimatelybringinthenewcreation).InotherwordsIwillshowhowtheGospelspresentJesus as ‘calling on the name of Yahweh’ in the long tradition of the OldTestament,whileatthesametimetransformingprayer,asheinvitesustojoininhisprayersastheeternalSon. 3

The simplest way of handling the material is, I think, to take a broadlythematicapproachtothematerialintheGospels. 4First,wewillexaminetheroleof prayer in the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke, before discussingJesus’ explicit teachingonprayer, followedbyparables onprayer and finally,offeringsomecommentonJesus’ownpracticeofprayer.

ThebirthofJesusandprayerTheimportanceofprayer inLuke’sGospelhasbeenpointedoutmanytimes. 5

FromtheoutsetLukedepictsGod’sfaithfulpeople lookingtohimtofulfilhispromises. That is made obvious as early as Luke 1:10–11, when the angelappearstoZechariahasthepeopleofGodarepraying:‘Andthewholemultitudeofthepeoplewereprayingoutsideatthehourofincense.AndthereappearedtohimanangeloftheLordstandingontherightsideofthealtarofincense.’

Even though the ‘songs’ of bothMary andZechariah are strictly speakingnot prayers, 6 they exhibit the mindset apparent throughout the Gospel. AfterMaryexpressesamixtureofbothpraiseandgratitudeforthewayinwhichGodhas dealt with her, she uses language strongly reminiscent of the prayer ofHannah in 1 Samuel 2.The focus of her song shifts from the specificway inwhichGodhasfavouredhertothelanguageofcovenantfulfilment:

Andhismercyisforthosewhofearhimfromgenerationtogeneration.Hehasshownstrengthwithhisarm;

hehasscatteredtheproudinthethoughtsoftheirhearts;hehasbroughtdownthemightyfromtheirthronesand

exaltedthoseofhumbleestate;hehasfilledthehungrywithgoodthings,

andtherichhehassentawayempty.HehashelpedhisservantIsrael,

inremembranceofhismercy,ashespoketoourfathers,

toAbrahamandtohisoffspringforever.(Luke1:50–55)

This essentially covenantal framework also dominates Zechariah’s‘prophecy’,utteredwhenGodreturnshisabilitytospeak:

BlessedbetheLordGodofIsrael,

BlessedbetheLordGodofIsrael,forhehasvisitedandredeemedhispeople

andhasraisedupahornofsalvationforusinthehouseofhisservantDavid,

ashespokebythemouthofhisholyprophetsfromofold,thatweshouldbesavedfromourenemies

andfromthehandofallwhohateus;toshowthemercypromisedtoourfathers

andtorememberhisholycovenant,theoaththathesworetoourfatherAbraham,tograntus

thatwe,beingdeliveredfromthehandofourenemies,mightservehimwithoutfear,

inholinessandrighteousnessbeforehimallourdays.(Luke1:68–75)

Havingestablishedthisconceptualframework,itcomesasnosurprisewhenSimeonprayslikethisonencounteringthechild:

Lord,nowyouarelettingyourservantdepartinpeace,accordingtoyourword;

formyeyeshaveseenyoursalvationthatyouhavepreparedinthepresenceofallpeoples,

alightforrevelationtotheGentiles,andforglorytoyourpeopleIsrael.

(Luke2:29–32)

Jesus’ true identity is recognized by one who epitomizes faithful Israel –someone who has been ‘waiting for the kingdom of God’, which for Lukeclearly entails ‘calling on the name ofYahweh to deliver his people’. This isconfirmedbytheparallelaccountoftheagedprophetessAnna,whereprayerismentionedinthenarrativeforthefirsttime:

Andtherewasaprophetess,Anna, thedaughterofPhanuel,of the tribeofAsher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband sevenyearsfromwhenshewasavirgin,andthenasawidowuntilshewaseighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fasting andprayer night and day.And coming up at that very hour she began to givethanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for theredemptionofJerusalem.(Luke2:36–38)

Again,given thewider context, themostnatural readingof2:37 is thatAnna,like Simeon, was waiting – and praying – for God to come through for hispeople,rememberingthepromisestoAbraham,IsaacandJacob.

RightatthebeginningofLuke’sGospel,then,thecomingofJesusislinkedtofaithfulIsraelitescallingonthenameofYahwehtokeephispromises,whichheisnowevidentlydoingbeforetheirveryeyes.Whatisinteresting,however,isthatinMatthew’sGospeltheinfancynarrativescontainnoreferencetoprayeratall.

The absence of any of this material inMatthew’s account of the birth ofJesus is quite surprising.Aswewill see, a substantial amount of space in theGospelisdevotedtoJesus’teachingonprayer,andyetthereisnoreferenceatall to prayer in the infancy narratives.Whymight this be? 7 It is hard to saydefinitively, but it is probably the case that Matthew’s sole intention in theopening chapters is to establish Jesus’ identity as God’s rescuing King. As aresult, Matthew’s presentation has a significantly narrower focus than that ofLuke,presumablybecauseLuke’spurposeistodemonstratethatthecomingofJesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament at multiple levels (includingfulfillingthepromisestothepatriarchsandthepromiseoftheSpirit).

TheteachingofJesusandprayerJesus’teachingonprayerisnotasextensiveasonemightthink.ApartfromtheSermon on theMount inMatthew (and/or the Sermon on the Plain in Luke),

explicit discourse on prayer is limited to several virtually ‘throwaway’statements,andaseriesofparablesinLuke. 8

InMatthew’sGospel the twokey passages on prayer come in 6:5–15 and7:7–11.Again, I cannot here do justice to the richness of scholarship evenonthesetwosections,norofferacompleteexegesis–myconcernissimplytoaskif(orhow)thesepassagescoherewiththeunderstandingofprayeras‘callingonthenameofYahweh’,whichisubiquitousintheOldTestament.

In the Sermon on theMount Jesus’most famous utterance on prayer (the‘Lord’s Prayer’) is prefaced by a warning against showy, hypocritical publicprayers:

Andwhenyoupray,youmustnotbe like thehypocrites.For they love tostandandprayinthesynagoguesandatthestreetcorners,thattheymaybeseen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. Butwhenyoupray,gointoyourroomandshutthedoorandpraytoyourFatherwhoisinsecret.AndyourFatherwhoseesinsecretwillrewardyou.

Andwhenyoupray,donotheapupemptyphrasesas theGentilesdo,for theythinkthat theywillbeheardfor theirmanywords.Donotbe likethem,foryourFatherknowswhatyouneedbeforeyouaskhim.(Matt.6:5–8)

Perhaps reflecting on contemporary Jewish practice, inspired by Ecclesiastes5:2, 9Jesusinsiststhatsuccinct,privateprayersaretobetheorderofthedayforhisfollowers. 10ThisisbasedontheomniscientgenerosityofGod.However,tostop there would be to miss the key element in Jesus’ teaching here – hisdeliberate linking of ‘prayer’ with ‘reward’ (misthos). What exactly is Jesusthinkingof?InthecontextoftheSermonontheMount‘reward’canmeanonlyone thing (see Matt. 5:12, 46; 6:1–2, 4–6, 16, 18) – to enjoy the promised,covenantalblessingsofGod,or,touseafavouriteMattheanphrase,toshareinthekingdomofheaven.

Whendueweight isgiventothis,Jesus’ teachingisseentoberemarkablysimilartothepatternofmuchoftheOldTestament.Itispossible,accordingtoJesusaswellastheprophetswhowentbeforehim,toprayessentiallyorthodoxprayers,butnottobeheard(andthus,byextension,nottoenjoytheblessingsofthecovenant)becauseofthe‘noise’ofone’slife.

The continuity of Jesus’ teaching with the Old Testament is confirmedinstantlybythepositivecorollaryofferedinMatthew6:9–13:

Praythenlikethis:

‘OurFatherinheaven,hallowedbeyourname.Yourkingdomcome,yourwillbedone,

onearthasitisinheaven.Giveusthisdayourdailybread,andforgiveusourdebts,

aswealsohaveforgivenourdebtors.Andleadusnotintotemptation,

butdeliverusfromevil.’

N.T.Wright sums up his discussion of this passage by describing theLord’sPrayeras‘theheartof theNewCovenantcharter’. 11 Irrespectiveofwhetherornothisexegesisoftheprayeriscorrectateverypoint,thisstatementsurelytakesus to the core of Jesus’ concern. The very use of ‘Father’ language is bothunique and suggestive of a new intimacy, which only the new covenant,adumbrated in for example Jeremiah 31:31–34, can bring. 12 This emphasis isonlystrengthenedbytheEzekiel-likeconcernforthehonourofthenameofGod(thatitmayberecognizedasholy 13).

Jesusthenurgeshisdisciplestopray:

Yourkingdomcome,

Yourkingdomcome,yourwillbedone

onearthasitisinheaven.

TheenvisagedinbreakingoftheeschatologicalruleofGod 14istobeunderstoodastheultimatefulfilmentofallGod’spromisesandcreativepurposes.Inotherwordstoprayforthe‘kingdom’tocomeistheultimateextensionof‘callingonthenameofYahweh’:

All three [requests] are primarily a plea thatGodwill act so decisively injudgmentandsalvation thathisglorywillbeunveiled,andall (asaresult)enabledtoseehimastheholy,almightyKinghetrulyis.Itisthusaprayerfor the End, for the consummation of the kingdom of God, and for thebringingintobeingofthenewearthandtheheavensthattheEndentails. 15

Itisalsoarguedbysomethattheremainingpetitionsintheprayer–fortheprovisionof‘dailybread’,theforgivenessof‘debts’,strengtheningintemptationand the (ultimate)defeatofevil–arealso ‘eschatological’prayers.The trickyphrase ‘daily bread’ (ton epiousion dos hēmin sēmeron) is understood as ‘thebread we will receive on the Day’ (and therefore a participation in theeschatologicalmessianic feast). Similarly, forgiveness is end-time forgiveness,and the prayer concerning temptation either seeks strength to continue infaithfulness until the last day, or, according to Wright, 16 is dealing with ourtestingofGod.(ForWrighttheseideasallreflectthenewexodusparadigmthatshapes the whole prayer.) This reading would further strengthen the casepresentedhere,butinterpretersarestilldividedonthisapproach,andonbalanceamoreliteralreadingoftheprayeristobepreferred. 17

Jesusthenreturnstothesubjectof‘asking’inMatthew7:7–11. 18Whileitisnot made explicit that Jesus is speaking about prayer, there is no othersatisfactoryexplanation:

Ask,anditwillbegiventoyou;seek,andyouwillfind;knock,anditwillbeopenedtoyou.Foreveryonewhoasksreceives,and theonewhoseeksfinds,andtotheonewhoknocksitwillbeopened.Orwhichoneofyou,ifhissonaskshimforbread,willgivehimastone?Or ifheasksforafish,willgivehimaserpent?Ifyouthen,whoareevil,knowhowtogivegoodgifts to your children, howmuchmorewill your Fatherwho is in heavengivegoodthingstothosewhoaskhim!

Aswiththe‘reward’promisedinchapter6,thetrickiestexegeticalissueinthissection concernswhat Jesus’ followers are to ask for.Once again, the contextyieldstheanswerfairlyeasily.

Thereferenceto‘dogs’and‘pigs’tramplingtruthunderfootin7:6groundstheinjunctionsof7:7–11intheoverwhelmingconcernofthesermonthatJesus’followers should choose hisway rather than that of the ‘hypocrites’ (which isfurther expounded as the sectionmoves to a close in termsof entering by therightgate,eatingfromtherighttreeandbuildingontherightfoundation).The‘asking’inviewhere,then,ismostnaturallyunderstoodasaskingGodtopouroutwhathehaspromisedthroughJesus.Onecouldsummarizeitasaskingtobewelcomed into the kingdom and to be included in the blessings of the newcovenant.ThereseemstobestrongcontinuitybetweenJesus’teachingonprayerandwhatwehaveseenuptothispoint.

EventhoughnosustainedattentionispaidtoprayerintheremainderoftheGospel,towardstheendofMatthew’swritingareseveralshort(butnonethelessimportant)passagesinwhichJesusappearstoaddressthesubjectofprayer.Thefirst is the oft-quoted assurance of Jesus’ presence when ‘two or three aregathered’:‘AgainIsaytoyou,iftwoofyouagreeonearthaboutanythingtheyask,itwillbedoneforthembymyFatherinheaven.Forwheretwoorthreearegatheredinmyname,thereamIamongthem’(Matt.18:19–20).Thereissomesuggestion that theseversesbreak the flowof the argument from theprevioussection, 19butitismorenaturaltotakethesestatementsonprayerinthecontextof the actions recommended in verses 15–18. This means that, rather than a

generalstatementabouttheinvolvementofJesusinsmall-groupprayer,itisanassurancethatprayersforwisdombythoseinvolvedin‘discipline’willbeheardandansweredbyYahweh.Andwhyisthisso?Suchprayerscanbeprayedwithconfidence on the grounds that ‘where twoor three are gathered inmyname,thereamIamongthem’.TheLordJesus,itseems,maintainsthatheispresentand involved in the proper exercise of discipline in the ‘gathering’ that is hischurch.

This means that, on the one hand, it does not seem that Jesus is sayinganything about the value of prayermeetings, or reassuring the hardy few thatthey need not be discouraged by the poor turn out. But on the other, Jesus issaying that prayers that cry to Yahweh for the good of his church at keymoments can be offered secure in the knowledge that God will answer,presumably because he has already made it clear that he is committed toprotectingandgrowinghispeople.

ThisleadsneatlyontothesecondpassagewhereJesusalludestoprayer.Itturnsoutthatherepeatsthesamepoint:

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. Andseeinga fig treeby thewayside,hewent to itandfoundnothingon itbutonly leaves.And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’Andthefigtreewitheredatonce.

Whenthedisciplessawit,theymarvelled,saying,‘Howdidthefigtreewitheratonce?’AndJesusansweredthem,‘Truly,Isaytoyou,ifyouhavefaithanddonotdoubt,youwillnotonlydowhathasbeendoneto thefigtree,butevenifyousaytothismountain,“Betakenupandthrownintothesea”,itwillhappen.Andwhateveryouaskinprayer,youwillreceive,ifyouhavefaith.’(Matt.21:18–22)

This isoneof themosthotlydisputedpassages inMatthew’sGospel. It isnotevenagreed,forexample,whetherverse21issimplycolourfullanguage(aplayontheuniversallycommonphrase‘movingmountains’)oradirectcitationofan

OldTestamenttext(usuallyZech.14:4). 20Butthatneednotdivertus,becausethepointsofverse21andthentheensuingstatementofverse22arequiteclear.JesusseemstobedrawingonMicah7inthissymbolicaction,andmakingthepoint that Israel, God’s chosen one, has chosen the path of curse, rather thanblessing.However,nowthatthekingdomhasarrived,thedisciples’associationwith Jesus the King will mean that they will be an intrinsic part of God’srealizinghispromises,both inblessingandcurse in theworld.Jesus’ teachingonprayerhere, then(which,admittedly, isnot thecentralconcernof theunit),continues to reflect the same concerns. Prayer inMatthew is linked to God’scontinuingtobringtofruitionhisplansforhispeopleanduniverse. 21

AndrewLincolnsumsuptheburdenofJesus’teachingonprayerhelpfully:

Prayer,then,isoneoftheprimarymeansforco-operationinGod’smissionintheworld.AndrequestssupportingtheessentialsofJesus’prayerwillbeansweredbecausetheyconformtoGod’spurposesforthisworldinmakingknownthedivinenamethroughJesus. 22

WhileJesus’teachingonprayerisnotentirelywithoutinnovation,itsharesandbuildsonthefundamentalOldTestamentframeworkIhavehighlighted.

IsthiscontentionsupportedbytheotherGospels?Itseemsso.ThereisverylimitedteachingmaterialonprayerinMark,butthesingleinstancedoesseemtocoherewellwithsuchanunderstanding.ItcomesinthecontextofJesus’innercirclefailingtocastoutaspiritfromaboy,whosefathermemorablyannounced,‘Ibelieve;helpmyunbelief!’(Mark9:24).TheclimaxtothisnarrativecomesinMark 9:28–29: ‘Andwhen he had entered the house, his disciples asked himprivately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kindcannotbedrivenoutbyanythingbutprayer.”’ 23Amyriadofpossibilitieshasbeenadvancedtoaccountforthisstatement. 24

For some the issue is fairly simple – the disciples’ method of exorcismprovesdeficient.Jesus’instructionis,then,asimplerebuke;andinfuturewhentheycomeupagainstthisparticularlytoughkindofevilspirit,theywillneedto

pray (with the unfortunate implication that for common or garden exorcismsthey can simply use their new-found special powers). However, nothing inMark’sGospel(oranywhereelseforthatmatter)impliesthatsome‘works’canbeperformed‘solo’whileothersrequireadditionalhelpfromYahweh.Despiteattemptstoarguetothecontrary,itdoesseemthatthekeytounderstandingthepassagecomesinthephrase‘thiskind’(toutotogenos).Theonlydistinguishingfeatureof ‘thiskind’of spirit is that itmade theboybothdeafandmute. It ispossible, then, that, drawingonpassages like Isaiah35:1–6, Jesusunderstandsthesignificanceofthisparticularkindofevilspiritasmountingadirectassaulton the messianic mission. 25 If this is so, then the reference to prayer here isentirely comprehensible (and perhaps even to be expected), as from thebeginning the realization of God’s purposes on earth has been linked to hispeoplecallingonhiminprayer.

A similar association of ideas is visible in Luke’s Gospel, when thefollowingstatementofJesusisrecorded:‘ButIsaytoyouwhohear,Loveyourenemies, do good to thosewhohate you, bless thosewho curse you, pray forthosewhoabuseyou’ (Luke6:27–28).The languageofblessingandcurse, soclosely associatedwith the ideaof prayer (in this casepraying for ‘enemies’),deliberatelyencouragesfollowersofJesus toact inawaythatmaylead to theopponent’sbeing‘wonover’,andso,ideally,toexperiencetheblessingofbeingpartofthekingdomratherthanthecurseofbeingexcludedfromit.Toprayforthosewhoabuse,then,couldbeconstruedasanexampleofcallingonthenameoftheLord.

TheLucanversionoftheLord’sPrayerisslightlyshorterthantheMattheanequivalent, but there is not a significant difference in emphasis. 26 However,Jesus’expositionof theprinciplesundergirdingprayer ismuch longer inLuke11thaninMatthew7:7–11,andendswithacompletelydifferentreassurance:

And he said to them, ‘Which of you who has a friend will go to him atmidnightandsaytohim,“Friend,lendmethreeloaves,forafriendofminehasarrivedonajourney,andIhavenothingtosetbeforehim”;andhewill

answer from within, “Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and mychildrenarewithmeinbed.Icannotgetupandgiveyouanything”?Itellyou, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is hisfriend,yetbecauseofhisimpudencehewillriseandgivehimwhateverheneeds.And I tell you, ask, and itwill begiven toyou; seek, andyouwillfind;knock,anditwillbeopenedtoyou.Foreveryonewhoasksreceives,andtheonewhoseeksfinds,andtotheonewhoknocksitwillbeopened.Whatfatheramongyou,ifhissonasksforafish,willinsteadofafishgivehimaserpent;orifheasksforanegg,willgivehimascorpion?Ifyouthen,whoareevil,knowhowtogivegoodgiftstoyourchildren,howmuchmorewilltheheavenlyFathergivetheHolySpirittothosewhoaskhim!’(Luke11:5–13)

Thestoryofthereluctantfriend, 27despitegivingrisetoplentyofconfusionandnot a few slightly bizarre interpretations over the years, 28 is straightforward.Socialconventioninthefirstcenturydemandedthataneighbourgotoutofbedquicklytoofferthehelpafriendneeded.Thehumourinthestoryisbasedonthereluctanceof the friend togetoutofbed.And Jesus’point? If evena terriblefriendlikethisrespondstorequestsfromaneighbour,howmuchmorereadilycanweexpectGodtoansweruswhenweaskhim? 29This,ofcourse,doesbegthequestionwhatarewetoaskGodfor?Jesus’answerinLukeissimple–wearetoasktheheavenlyFatherfortheHolySpirit.Thisisclearlyanewcovenantkindofprayer.ItconfirmsthatforJesusinLukeprayerisessentiallycallingonthenameofYahweh.ThisisborneoutinJesus’parablesthatdealwithprayer,towhichwewillreturninamoment.

Before moving on, however, we need to take some time to examine theapostleJohn’sperspectiveonJesus’teachingonprayer.

Asonemightexpect,Jesus’emphasisappearstobeslightlydifferentintheJohanninematerialonprayer,whichiscontainedwithintheFarewellDiscourse.ThefirstpassageweneedtoconsiderisJohn14:8–14:

Philipsaidtohim,‘Lord,showustheFather,anditisenoughforus.’Jesussaidtohim,‘HaveIbeenwithyousolong,andyoustilldonotknowme,Philip?WhoeverhasseenmehasseentheFather.Howcanyousay,“ShowustheFather”?DoyounotbelievethatIamintheFatherandtheFatherisinme?ThewordsthatIsaytoyouIdonotspeakonmyownauthority,buttheFatherwho dwells inme does hisworks.Believeme that I am in theFather and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the worksthemselves.

‘Truly,truly,Isaytoyou,whoeverbelievesinmewillalsodotheworksthatIdo;andgreaterworksthanthesewillhedo,becauseIamgoingtotheFather.Whateveryouaskinmyname,thisIwilldo,thattheFathermaybeglorifiedintheSon.Ifyouaskmeforanythinginmyname,Iwilldoit.’

ThedoublereassurancethatwhateverisaskedinJesus’namewillbegrantedisquite remarkable. 30 But the content of this guarantee is clearly defined by thecontext. Jesus’ discussionwith Philip concerns Jesus’ revelation of his Father(which, according to Jer. 31:34, is a key part of the blessing of the newcovenant).PhilipisgentlyrebukedbyJesusforhisinabilitytograspthepurposeofJesus’comingorthegoalofhisministrytodate.However,Jesusgoesstraightontoannouncethatwhoeverbelievesinhimwilldotheworksthathedoesandwill go on to do greater works still. It is to this end that people are to askanythinginhisname.

Sowhataretheseworks? 31FromthebeginningoftheGospelofJohnJesushasmade it clear that ‘My food is to do thewill of himwho sentme and toaccomplishhiswork’ (John4:34).Thiswork isnothingmoreandnothing lessthan to accomplish what God has already committed to doing in the OldTestament,whichistobringaboutthefulfilmentofthepromiseofGenesis3:15.Inwhatsensecantheworksofthefollowersbegreaterthanthoseofthemaster?Presumably, theywill be in a position to do ‘greaterworks’ because they areable to point back to what Jesus has accomplished in his death andresurrection. 32

Thisraisesafascinatingsuggestion–itseemsthat‘prayinginthenameofJesus’istheNewTestamentequivalentof‘callingonthenameoftheLord’.InbothcasesprayerisconstruedasaskingGodtodowhathehaspromised–intheOld Testament to send the Messiah and establish his kingdom; in the NewTestament to continue to build the church of the Lord Jesus Christ until hereturns. 33

Thisperspectiveisconfirmedinthenextchapter:‘Youdidnotchooseme,but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and thatyourfruitshouldabide,sothatwhateveryouasktheFatherinmyname,hemaygive it toyou’ (John15:16). In the contextof John15 the ‘fruit’ envisaged ispeoplebeingaddedtothecovenantfamilyofGod.Jesus’followersareto‘asktheFather inJesus’name’todopreciselywhathehasalreadypromised.TheyaretocallonthenameoftheLord,thestrikingdevelopmentbeingthattheynowknowthenameoftheLordtobe‘JesusChrist’.

Similarly in chapter 16 Jesus confirms that when he speaks of prayer, hedoes so from the perspective of asking God to keep his promises in a fallenworld:

Inthatdayyouwillasknothingofme.Truly,truly,Isaytoyou,whateveryouaskoftheFatherinmyname,hewillgiveittoyou.Untilnowyouhaveaskednothinginmyname.Ask,andyouwillreceive,thatyourjoymaybefull.

Ihavesaidthesethingstoyouinfiguresofspeech.Thehouriscomingwhen Iwill no longer speak to you in figures of speech butwill tell youplainlyabouttheFather.Inthatdayyouwillaskinmyname,andIdonotsay toyou that Iwillask theFatheronyourbehalf; for theFatherhimselflovesyou,becauseyouhavelovedmeandhavebelievedthatIcamefromGod.(John16:23–27)

For Jesus, to pray in his name is to ask the Father to dowhat he has alreadypromised(inthecaseof16:24apromiseJesushimselfhasjustmadein15:11).

ThetheologicalrichnessofthisveinofthoughtrunsrightthroughthemostimportantpassageonprayerintheGospels–Jesus’longrecordedprayerinJohn17.WhilethisisclearlyquitedifferentfromanyotherprayerintheGospels,thetheologicalunderpinningsremainthesame. 34

Inthefirstsectionoftheso-calledHighPriestlyPrayerJesus’focusisfirmlyon the purpose and completion of his mission. This mission was not onlyplannedandinitiatedbytheFatherbutwillresultintheFather’sbeingglorified:

When Jesus had spoken thesewords, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, andsaid,‘Father,thehourhascome;glorifyyourSonthattheSonmayglorifyyou,sinceyouhavegivenhimauthorityoverallflesh,togiveeternallifetoallwhomyouhavegivenhim.And this iseternal life, that theyknowyoutheonlytrueGod,andJesusChristwhomyouhavesent.Iglorifiedyouonearth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now,Father,glorifymeinyourownpresencewiththeglorythatIhadwithyoubeforetheworldexisted.’(John17:1–5)

ThetermsinwhichtheworkofJesusaredescribedherearedifferenttoanythingelsewehave seen,but, theologically speaking, Jesus is simplydoingwhathe,standingontheshouldersofmanywhohavegonebefore,doesrepeatedlyintheGospels–heiscallingonhisFathertocompletewhathehasstarted;inthiscasetheworkofsalvationviewedfromthedivineperspective.

The emphasis on thework of the Son as fulfilling both the promises andintentions of the Father continues unabated throughout the next section of theprayer:

Ihavemanifestedyourname to thepeoplewhomyougavemeoutof theworld.Yourstheywere,andyougavethemtome,andtheyhavekeptyourword.Nowtheyknowthateverythingthatyouhavegivenmeisfromyou.ForIhavegiventhemthewordsthatyougaveme,andtheyhavereceived

themandhavecometoknowintruththatIcamefromyou;andtheyhavebelievedthatyousentme.(John17:6–8)

It is, however,when Jesusbegins topray specifically for his ‘own’ that itbecomes undeniable that his concern for them centres on God’s fulfilling hispurposesinandforthem:

Iamprayingfor them.Iamnotprayingfor theworldbut for thosewhomyouhavegivenme,fortheyareyours....HolyFather,keeptheminyourname,whichyouhavegivenme,thattheymaybeone,evenasweareone.WhileIwaswiththem,Ikepttheminyourname,whichyouhavegivenme.Ihaveguarded them,andnotoneof themhasbeen lost except the sonofdestruction, that theScripturemight be fulfilled.But now I am coming toyou, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joyfulfilledinthemselves....Sanctifytheminthetruth;yourwordistruth.Asyousentmeintotheworld,soIhavesentthemintotheworld.(John17:9,11–13,17–18) 35

Obviously, it would take amuch larger study to begin to unpack the fullimplicationsofthisprayer. 36Forourpurposes,however,itissufficientsimplytohighlightthefactthatJesus’prayerheredovetailsbeautifullywiththeconcernsso apparent in the other Gospels and in the Old Testament before that. It ishighlyappropriate,andconsonantwithallwehaveseen,thatJesus’longestandrichestrecordedprayerfocuseson‘theworkofthegospel’–itisathoroughlysalvation-historically motivated cry to his Father to continue to work out hispurposesthroughJesus.

Ifweneedconfirmationofthis,thentheclosingversesoftheprayerprovideit. In John 17:20–23 Jesus prays for the continuation of this great covenantalworkbyprayingforthosewhointhefuturewillbelieve:

Idonotaskfortheseonly,butalsoforthosewhowillbelieveinmethroughtheirword,thattheymayallbeone,justasyou,Father,areinme,andIinyou,thattheyalsomaybeinus,sothattheworldmaybelievethatyouhavesentme.TheglorythatyouhavegivenmeIhavegivento them,that theymay be one even aswe are one, I in them and you inme, that theymaybecome perfectly one, so that the worldmay know that you sentme andlovedthemevenasyoulovedme.(John17:20–23)

Hisconcernhere isnotforunitypersebutrather that thosewhowillhear thewordof theapostles infuturewillbecaughtup in thesweepingworkofGod,whichfindsitsfulfilmentnotinvisibleunityonearthbutintheperfectedunityofGodandhisreconciledpeople,presumablyinthereneweduniverse. 37

This,inturn,isunderlinedbytheclosingstanza:

Father, Idesire that theyalso,whomyouhavegivenme,maybewithmewhereIam,toseemyglorythatyouhavegivenmebecauseyoulovedmebefore the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though theworlddoesnotknowyou, Iknowyou,and theseknowthatyouhavesentme.Imadeknowntothemyourname,andIwillcontinuetomakeitknown,thatthelovewithwhichyouhavelovedmemaybeinthem,andIinthem.(John17:24–26)

AsisusualinJohn,thereisanemphasisonthe‘name’,which,asIhaveargued,isastronglinktotheOldTestamenttraditionofcallingonthenameoftheLord.Thismeans that Jesus in effect bothmodels ‘callingon the nameofYahweh’andreconfiguresit,aswithhisFathertheSonanswerstheprayersofthesaints,making it possible for God’s people to know the God of the covenant inpreviouslyunimaginedwaysthroughJesus’deathandresurrection.

On examining Jesus’ explicit teaching on prayer across the Gospels, it isimpossible tomiss theconsistency in thebiblicalwitness.Whether inhisownextendedprayerorinengagingwithhisdisciples,prayerforJesusisinextricably

boundupwiththeworkofGodintheworld.Toprayis,atheart,toaskGodtodowhathehaspromised.

Thatisnottosay,however,thatJesussimplyadoptssomeancientpatternsandpassesthemonunaltered.ByencouraginghisdisciplestoprayspecificallytoGodas‘Abba’,thusjoininginhisfilialconversations,Jesus’modelof‘newcovenant’prayer ismore intimate thananythingpreviouslyenvisaged.Healsomakes theboldstepof invitinghisfollowers topray‘inhisname’, rather thansimply ‘calling on the name ofYahweh’. This unthinkable development is animportant step in the first disciples coming to the pointwhere they recognizeJesusChristasGodincarnate.

TheparablesofJesusandprayerAt this point it is helpful to examine briefly Jesus’ teaching on prayer (ortouchingonprayer)intheparablesofLuke.

It is often stated that Luke has a particular interest in prayer, and that hisparablesshowthis. 38However,oncloserinspection,prayerisanexplicitthemeinveryfewoftheparables.OnecouldarguethattheparableofthetwosonsinLuke15haspowerfulimplicationsforthewayinwhichwepray(particularlyinrepentance),butwithintheparableitselfnooneprays.Similarly,theparableoftherichmanandLazarus,whichoftencausesallkindsoftheologicalproblemswithitsimaginarypostmortemconversations,haslittlebearingonthenatureorpracticeofbiblicalprayer.TheexceptionsarethetwoparablesthatoccurbacktobackinLuke18.

InanunusuallyexplicitpieceofeditorialLukeexplains thepurposeof theparableof theunjust judgeor persistentwidow like this: ‘Andhe told themaparable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart’ (Luke18:1).Luke’swording is interesting – Jesus clearly tells the parable to ensurethatpeoplekeepprayinginaparticularwayforthelonghaul.Buthowaretheytopray?Theparableexplains:

He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judgewho neither fearedGod norrespectedman.Andtherewasawidowinthatcitywhokeptcomingtohimandsaying,“Givemejusticeagainstmyadversary.”Forawhileherefused,but afterwards he said to himself, “Though I neither fearGod nor respectman,yetbecausethiswidowkeepsbotheringme,Iwillgiveherjustice,sothat shewill not beatme down by her continual coming.”’And the Lordsaid,‘Hearwhattheunrighteousjudgesays.AndwillnotGodgivejusticetohiselect,whocrytohimdayandnight?Willhedelaylongoverthem?Itellyou, hewill give justice to them speedily.Nevertheless,when the Son ofMancomes,willhefindfaithonearth?’(Luke18:2–8)

Jesus presents a simple contrast between the unjust judge, who gives justicesimply because he isworn down by thewidow’s pleas, and the one and onlyGod,whowillreadilyandswiftlygivejusticetohispeopleinduetime.Andthepoint?KeepcallingouttoGod,askinghimtodoexactlywhathehaspromised.Thisparableis,inessence,anexpositionoftheOldTestamentviewofprayer.

ThesecondparableinLuke18,whilenotfocusingonprayer,doesprovidesome insight into Jesus’ view ofwhat real prayer involves. In this case Jesusexpoundsonwhatitmeansto‘callonthenameoftheLord’:

Healsotold thisparable tosomewhotrustedin themselves that theywererighteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into thetemple topray,oneaPhariseeand theother a taxcollector.ThePharisee,standingbyhimself,prayedthus:“God,IthankyouthatIamnotlikeothermen, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fasttwiceaweek;Igivetithesofall thatIget.”Butthetaxcollector,standingfaroff,wouldnotevenliftuphiseyestoheaven,butbeathisbreast,saying,“God,bemerciful tome, a sinner!” I tell you, thismanwentdown tohishouse justified,rather thantheother.Foreveryonewhoexaltshimselfwillbehumbled,buttheonewhohumbleshimselfwillbeexalted.’(Luke18:9–14)

Jesus’point isnotcomplex–topray is toaccept thefact thatonecannothelponeself, has no grounds for boasting and has no other hope but to call on thename of the Lordwho has promised to bemerciful. This is the only kind ofprayerthatwillbeheard.

Luke18demonstratesthatJesus’viewofprayerasreflectedinhisteachingisbuiltsquarelyontheOldTestament.InparticularJesuslikensthePhariseestothe people of Israel,whose prayerswere not heard because of their arroganceand self-reliance. He also encourages his contemporaries to keep praying,confidentintheknowledgethatGodkeepshispromisesandwillacttovindicatehispeople.This,forJesus,asfortheOldTestament,iswhatitmeanstopray.

ThelifeofJesusandprayerThefinalpieceofthe‘puzzle’thatistheviewofprayerintheGospelsisJesus’owncommitmenttoprayer.ItquicklybecomesobviousthatforbothJesusandtheGospelwritersprayerisnotsimplyapiouspracticefollowedbyJesusasanobservant Jew. Prayer is a vital part of Jesus’ fulfilling his mission, as JesushimselfcallsonthenameofYahweh.

ItisoftennotedthatJesusregularlymakestimestopray,usuallyalone. 39Onoccasion thisseems tobeanopportunity forspiritual ‘recovery’afterdramaticevents. So, for example, Jesus goes off to pray after the initial launch of hismission (Mark 1:35;Luke 4:42), after feeding the five thousand (Matt. 14:23;Mark 6:46; Luke 9:18) and after the initial forays of the ‘seventy-two’ (Luke10:1).Luke5:15–16provides a summary statement of this practice: ‘But nowevenmorethereportabouthimwentabroad,andgreatcrowdsgatheredtohearhim and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolateplacesandpray.’

What is commented on less frequently, however, is theway inwhich theGospels very clearly underline the fact that Jesus prays at key points in hismission.

When the Father authenticates Jesus’ ministry at his baptism, Luke statesthatthevoicefromheavenisheardwhileJesusispraying:

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had beenbaptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spiritdescended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came fromheaven,‘YouaremybelovedSon;withyouIamwellpleased.’(Luke3:21–22)

Beforehechoosesthedisciples,Jesusspendsthewholenightinprayer:‘Inthesedayshewentouttothemountaintopray,andallnighthecontinuedinprayertoGod.Andwhendaycame,hecalledhisdisciplesandchosefromthemtwelve,whomhenamedapostles’(Luke6:12–13).Similarly,atthetransfigurationwhileJesus is prayinghis true nature is revealed: ‘Nowabout eight days after thesesayingshetookwithhimPeterandJohnandJamesandwentuponthemountaintopray.Andashewaspraying,theappearanceofhisfacewasaltered,andhisclothingbecamedazzlingwhite’(Luke9:28–29). 40

It is interesting that John only records Jesus’ praying once before theFarewellDiscourse:

And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you haveheardme.Iknewthatyoualwayshearme,butIsaidthisonaccountofthepeoplestandingaround, that theymaybelieve thatyousentme.’Whenhehadsaid these things,hecriedoutwitha loudvoice, ‘Lazarus,comeout.’Themanwhohaddiedcameout,hishandsandfeetboundwithlinenstrips,andhisfacewrappedwithacloth.Jesussaidtothem,‘Unbindhim,andlethimgo.’(John11:41–44)

AsJesusperformshismostpowerfulsignyet,preparingusfortheultimatesignof his death and resurrection, John deliberately ties this action to Jesus’ priorrequesttoGodtodefeatdeath.

For Jesus there seems to be an integral linkbetween fulfillinghismissionandprayer.AteachturningpointofhisministryhetakestimetoaskhisFathertowork.Thisismorethananexampleofpiety–itisarecognitionthattheworkofthegospelbeginswith‘callingonthenameoftheLord’.

ItisnoaccidentthatvirtuallyalloftherecordedprayersofJesus(ratherthanasimplementionofthefactthatheprayed)comeatsignificantmomentsintheprogress of hismission. Jesus is recorded as praying for his disciples as theybegintojoinhiminproclaimingthegoodnewsofthekingdom,andforotherstojoininthistask:

Whenhesaw thecrowds,hehadcompassion for them,because theywereharassed and helpless, like sheepwithout a shepherd. Then he said to hisdisciples,‘Theharvestisplentiful,butthelabourersarefew;thereforeprayearnestly to theLordof theharvest tosendout labourers intohisharvest.’(Matt.9:36–38)

Healsogives thankswhenpeoplegrasp themessageof thekingdom: ‘At thattime Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that youhavehiddenthesethingsfromthewiseandunderstandingandrevealedthemtolittle children; yes,Father, for suchwasyourgraciouswill”’ (Matt. 11:25–26;seealsoLuke10:21).ButitisasweapproachthecrucifixionthattheconnectionbetweenJesus’missionandprayerbecomesunmissable.

All four Gospels highlight the fact that Jesus prayed intensely before theonsetoftheeventsthatwouldleadtohisdeath:

ThenJesuswentwiththemtoaplacecalledGethsemane,andhesaidtohisdisciples, ‘Sit here,while I go over there and pray.’And takingwith himPeterandthetwosonsofZebedee,hebegantobesorrowfulandtroubled.Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remainhere,andwatchwithme.’Andgoingalittlefartherhefellonhisfaceandprayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;

nevertheless,notasIwill,butasyouwill.’Andhecametothedisciplesandfoundthemsleeping.AndhesaidtoPeter,‘So,couldyounotwatchwithmeonehour?Watchandpraythatyoumaynotenterintotemptation.Thespiritindeediswilling,butthefleshisweak.’Again,forthesecondtime,hewentawayandprayed,‘MyFather,ifthiscannotpassunlessIdrinkit,yourwillbedone.’Andagainhecameandfoundthemsleeping,fortheireyeswereheavy.So,leavingthemagain,hewentawayandprayedforthethirdtime,saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said tothem,‘Sleepandtakeyourrestlateron.See,thehourisathand,andtheSonofManisbetrayedintothehandsofsinners.Rise,letusbegoing;see,mybetrayerisathand.’(Matt.26:36–46;seealsoMark14:32–42)Andhecameoutandwent,aswashiscustom,totheMountofOlives,andthedisciplesfollowedhim.Andwhenhecame to theplace,hesaid to them, ‘Pray thatyoumay not enter into temptation.’ And he withdrew from them about astone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you arewilling,removethiscupfromme.Nevertheless,notmywill,butyours,bedone.’Andthereappearedtohimanangelfromheaven,strengtheninghim.Andbeinginanagonyheprayedmoreearnestly;andhissweatbecamelikegreat drops of blood falling down to the ground.Andwhen he rose fromprayer,hecametothedisciplesandfoundthemsleepingforsorrow,andhesaidtothem,‘Whyareyousleeping?Riseandpraythatyoumaynotenterintotemptation.’(Luke22:39–46)

While the Matthean/Marcan account differs slightly in some details from theLucan version, the prayer of Jesus varies only very slightly in wording. Theprayer Jesus prays (which incidentally adds substantial weight to myinterpretationoftheLord’sPrayerasaskingGodtoestablishthenewcovenant)focuses squarely on the fulfilment of the mission adumbrated in the OldTestament. Jesus knows it now falls to him to drain the cup of God’s wraththroughhissubstitutionarydeath.HisprayerisarequesttoGodtoaskhisFather

toenablehimtocarryouttheunspeakabletaskbeforehim,sothatthepromisesofGodmaybefulfilled. 41

ExactlythesameperspectiveisreflectedinJesus’prayerinJohn12:27–28:

‘Nowismysoultroubled.AndwhatshallIsay?“Father,savemefromthishour”?But for this purpose I have come to this hour.Father, glorify yourname.’ Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I willglorifyitagain.’

Thisprayer,prayedearlierinthepiece,usesdifferentvocabularytoportraythesamereality.JesusisaskinghisFathertoglorifyhisname(callingonthenameofYahweh),byenactinghisplans.ThisisthefocusofJesus’prayersintherun-uptohisdeath.Andhemaintainsthatfocusevenduringhisexecution.

EachoftheSynopticsrecordsprayersutteredbyJesusfromthecross:

AndabouttheninthhourJesuscriedoutwithaloudvoice,saying,‘Eli,Eli,lemasabachthani?’thatis,‘MyGod,myGod,whyhaveyouforsakenme?’. . .AndJesuscriedout againwitha loudvoiceandyieldeduphis spirit.(Matt.27:46,50;seealsoMark15:34,37)And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there theycrucifiedhim,and thecriminals,oneonhis rightandoneonhis left.AndJesussaid,‘Father,forgivethem,fortheyknownotwhattheydo.’...ThenJesus,callingoutwithaloudvoice,said,‘Father,intoyourhandsIcommitmyspirit!’Andhavingsaidthishebreathedhislast.(Luke23:33–34,46)

Jesus’prayers–whetherdrawnfromPsalm22,orcryingtotheGodofmercytoforgive,thedefiant‘IntoyourhandsIcommitmyspirit’andeventheinchoateshoutofMatthew27:50–allshareonething:theyarefocusedonhismission.Hisprayersarenotforhimself.RighttotheendhecontinuestocallonthenameoftheLord,nottodeliverhim,buttoworkouthispurposesthroughhim.Jesus’

prayersofferavibrantandmovingexampleofthebiblicaltheologyofprayerIhavebeentracingthroughthisbook.

ChapterSeven

Thechurchatprayer:prayerinthebookofActs

WehaveseenthatintheGospelsJesusaffirmstheOldTestamentunderstandingofprayer–callingouttoYahwehtocomethroughonhiscovenantpromises.AtthestartoftheNewTestamentJesusalsoinsiststhathetransformsprayer.PartoftheanswertotheprayersoftheOldTestamentsaintsisthatOnecomeswhoinvitestouspray‘AbbaFather’withhim–toprayinhisname.SotheGospelsurgeustopraytotheFatherinthenameofJesustobuildhiskingdom.ButisthisthedominantunderstandingofprayerallthroughtheNewTestament?Isthisplayedoutinthelifeoftheearlychurch?WeturnfirsttothebookofActs. 1

PrayerinJerusalemIntheimmediateaftermathofJesus’deathandresurrectiononeofthethingsthatdominates the life of the new community of Jesus’ followers is prayer. LukedescribesthesceneaftertheascensioninActs1likethis:

ThentheyreturnedtoJerusalemfromthemountcalledOlivet,whichisnearJerusalem,aSabbathday’sjourneyaway.Andwhentheyhadentered,theywent up to the upper room,where theywere staying, Peter and John andJamesandAndrew,PhilipandThomas,BartholomewandMatthew,JamesthesonofAlphaeusandSimontheZealotandJudasthesonofJames.Allthesewithoneaccordweredevotingthemselvestoprayer,togetherwiththewomenandMarythemotherofJesus,andhisbrothers.(Acts1:12–14)

Itwouldbeeasytopassoverthisasaroutinelypiousdescriptionofthelifeofanemergent religious community, but there is surely somethingmore to this. In

Luke’s Gospel, as we have already seen, prayer is not simply a generalexpression of dependence on God. To pray is to call on God to advance hisagenda and deliver on his promises. That is surely the sense here. This issupportedbothbywhatthedisciplesdoandthelanguageLukeuses.

For first-century Jews who have been convinced by Jesus’ death andresurrection that theMessiahhascome,andhaveheardhimannounce that thekingdom has arrived, it is compellingly obvious thatGod is in the process ofbuilding a ‘new Israel’ from the remnantofhispeople. 2That iswhy theyputsuch importance on finding a replacement for Judas – only when they are‘twelve’doesthenewIsraelsymbolismwork. 3

After identifyingtwosuitablecandidateswhohavewitnessedtheeventsofJesus’deathandresurrection,Luketellsus:

And they prayed and said, ‘You, Lord,who know the hearts of all, showwhichoneof these twoyouhavechosen to take theplace in thisministryandapostleshipfromwhichJudasturnedasidetogotohisownplace.’Andtheycast lots for them,and the lot fellonMatthias,andhewasnumberedwiththeelevenapostles.(Acts1:24–26)

As Jesus did, from the outset, the apostles are keen to pray for help at keymomentsinthelifeoftheincipientchurchfamilyinJerusalem.

This is probably reflected in the summary statement concerning the post-Pentecost church in Acts 2:42 ‘And they devoted themselves to the apostles’teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of breadand the prayers.’ 4 ‘Theprayers’ may refer to the times of set temple prayer 5 or to a more generalcommitmenttoprayer. 6Ifthelatterisinview,it islikely,asinchapter1,thatthe prayerLuke has inmind concerns the inbreaking of the kingdom in JesusChrist.Thefirst recordedprayer in the lifeof theJerusalemchurchgoessomewaytoconfirmingthis.

AfterPeterandJohnarereleasedbytheSanhedrininthewakeofthehealingofthelamemaninthetemplecourts,Lukedescribeshowthechurch

liftedtheirvoicestogethertoGodandsaid,‘SovereignLord,whomadetheheavenand theearthand theseaandeverything in them,who through themouthofourfatherDavid,yourservant,saidbytheHolySpirit,

“WhydidtheGentilesrage,andthepeoplesplotinvain?

Thekingsoftheearthsetthemselves,andtherulersweregatheredtogether,againsttheLordandagainsthisAnointed”–

for truly in thiscity thereweregatheredtogetheragainstyourholyservantJesus,whom you anointed, bothHerod and Pontius Pilate, alongwith theGentilesandthepeoplesofIsrael,todowhateveryourhandandyourplanhadpredestinedtotakeplace.’(Acts4:24–28)

ThemainobservationtomakeisthatthisinitialprayeroftheJerusalemchurchfocuses onGod himself working out his plans. 7 Psalm 2 is the lens throughwhich the early church views this encounterwith the Jewish authorities.As aresult,theirprayerisframedbytheconvictionthattheeventssurroundingJesus’death and resurrection were ordained by God himself. This, then, means thateverythingelsetheyprayforisconditionedbythefactthatGodiscontinuingtoworkouthispurposes.ThatbecomesplaininActs4:29–30:

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants tocontinue to speakyourwordwith all boldness,whileyou stretchout yourhandtoheal,andsignsandwondersareperformedthroughthenameofyourholyservantJesus.

Inthisprayertheearliestchurchcontinuesto‘callonthenameoftheLord’toact in power, revealing Jesus through the eyewitnessmessage of the apostles.Interestingly, there is no direct appeal for safety or protection – their mainconcernisforthespreadofthegospel.Godclearlyanswerstheirprayers,which

ismadeobvious in4:31: ‘Andwhen theyhadprayed, theplace inwhich theyweregatheredtogetherwasshaken,andtheywereallfilledwiththeHolySpiritandcontinuedtospeakthewordofGodwithboldness.’

ThereissignificantcontinuityintheunderstandingofprayerinthemindsoftheJerusalemchurchandtheOldTestament.JoelGreengoessofarastosay:

Oneof thenamesgiventoJesus’disciples inActs is‘thosewhocalluponthenameoftheLord’(9:14,21).RootedexegeticallyinthecitationofJoel2:32 inActs2:21, thisdescriptive label identifies thosewhobelieve in thenameofJesus...ByusingthisdesignationforfollowersofJesus,LukethusindicateshowfundamentalprayeristoChristianexperience,foritmarksthebeginning of one’s incorporation into the messianic community anddesignates one of the practices that speak of faithfulness within thatcommunity. 8

The main preoccupation of our prayers should be the outworking of thepromises ofGod,which all through theScriptures is linked toGod’sworkingthrough hisWord, which is nowwritten on the hearts of these new covenantbelievers.

This collocationofprayer and thewordofGod recurs at thebeginningofActs6:

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, acomplaintbytheHellenistsaroseagainsttheHebrewsbecausetheirwidowswerebeingneglectedinthedailydistribution.Andthetwelvesummonedthefullnumberofthedisciplesandsaid,‘Itisnotrightthatweshouldgiveuppreaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick outfromamongyousevenmenofgoodrepute,fulloftheSpiritandofwisdom,whomwewillappointtothisduty.Butwewilldevoteourselvestoprayerandtotheministryoftheword.’(Acts6:1–4)

Itisimportanttounderstandthatthesearenotcompletelyseparateactivities(itis not envisaged e.g. that the apostles were freed up to divide all their timebetweenthesetwoequallyvitalbutunrelatedactivities).

It is also vital, aswe have seen in several other contexts, to askwhat theapostleshaveinmindwhentheyspecifyprayerhere.Itwouldbeeasytousethisverseasaprooftextformuchneededencouragementtochurchleaderstomakesuretheyprayforthoseintheircare,forworldmissionandworldevents,butIthink theapostleshad somethingelse inmind. In thecontextofActs theonlykindofprayerwehaveencounteredsofarisprayerforGodtoadvancetheworkofthekingdomthroughtherisen,reigningJesus.Inthatcasethisprayercanonlybe prayer for God to do what he has promised, and to establish the newcovenantthroughthepreachingoftheword.AsDavidPetersonsays:

PrayerwasanecessaryaccompanimentbecauseitexpressesdependenceontheLord,togiveboldnessinspeakingtheword,toprotectitsagentsandtoprovideopportunitiesforthewordtobeheardandbelieved. 9

Theapostlesthendevotethemselvestoproclamationandprayingfortheimpactofthatproclamation.ItisprayerforthepreachingoftheWord.Theconnectionbetweenprayer(callingonGodtocomethroughonhiscovenantpromises)andthegospel(inthiscaserepresentedbytheWord)isunbreakable.

Thefinal reference toprayer in theopeningsectionofActsdealingpurelywitheventsinJerusalemcomesattheendofchapter7,asStephenisstonedtodeath.AsStephendies,he(consciouslyorunconsciously)echoes thewordsoftheLordJesusasheprays:

And as theywere stoningStephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receivemyspirit.’Andfallingtohiskneeshecriedoutwithaloudvoice,‘Lord,donotholdthissinagainstthem.’Andwhenhehadsaidthis,hefellasleep.(7:59–60)

Once again, the subject of his prayers, even at the point of death, is guilt,forgivenessandacceptanceaspartofthepeopleofGod.

PrayerinJudeaandSamariaAs theaction in thebookmovesbeyondJerusalem(asanticipatedby1:8),wefind a consistent emphasis on prayer as a key factor in the work of Godadvancing.WhenthegospelspreadstoSamaria,raisingthequestionofwhetheror not the Samaritans have received the gift of the Spirit, the gift is giventhroughapostlesfromJerusalem‘callingonthenameoftheLord’:

Nowwhen the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received thewordofGod,theysenttothemPeterandJohn,whocamedownandprayedforthemthattheymightreceivetheHolySpirit,forhehadnotyetfallenonanyofthem,buttheyhadonlybeenbaptizedinthenameoftheLordJesus.ThentheylaidtheirhandsonthemandtheyreceivedtheHolySpirit.(Acts8:14–17)

Thefascinatingfeatureofthisnarrativeinthecontextofourstudyisthatbeing‘baptizedinthenameoftheLordJesus’doesnotappeartobeenough.However,whenPeterandJohncomeand‘callonthenameoftheLord’,askingtheFatherto pour out theSpirit in the nameof theLord Jesus, the gift is given and theunityofthenew‘movement’ispreservedacrossethnicboundaries.

What follows provides an interesting contrast between the kind of gospel-shaped prayer that flows from the mission of Jesus and the general view ofprayerinthepaganworld.Awell-knownlocalmysticorsorcererrecognizesrealpowerwhen he sees it, andmakes the apostles an offer he thinks they cannotrefuse:

NowwhenSimonsawthattheSpiritwasgiventhroughthelayingonoftheapostles’hands,heofferedthemmoney,saying,‘Givemethispoweralso,

so thatanyoneonwhomI laymyhandsmayreceive theHolySpirit.’ButPeter said to him, ‘May your silver perishwith you, because you thoughtyoucouldobtainthegiftofGodwithmoney!Youhaveneitherpartnorlotin thismatter, foryourheart isnot rightbeforeGod.Repent, therefore,ofthiswickednessofyours,andpraytotheLordthat,ifpossible,theintentofyour heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall ofbitternessandinthebondofiniquity.’AndSimonanswered,‘Prayformetothe Lord, that nothing of what you have saidmay come uponme.’ (Acts8:18–24)

Prayerhere,asintheOldTestament(seee.g.Joel2:32),is‘callingonthenameoftheLord’,specificallytoaskformercyinthefaceofourobviousguilt.

AsimilaruseisfoundinthestoryofSaul’sconversioninActs9.WhentheunsuspectingAnaniasisenlistedbyGodtodisciplethenewconvert,whatmarksthistransformedmanissimplythat‘heispraying’:‘AndtheLordsaidtohim,“Riseandgo to thestreetcalledStraight,andat thehouseof Judas look foramanofTarsusnamedSaul, forbehold,he ispraying”’ (Acts9:11). Incontextthis does not simply imply that Saul is engaged in general religious activity(which,ofcourse,hadbeenpartofhislifeformanyyearsasanobservantJew).Thismustmeanthatheis‘callingonthenameoftheLord’,askingformercyinthefaceofhisrecentactionsandlifelongpride.

Meanwhile,backinJudeaeventsareunfoldingwhichmakeclearthatGodiscontinuingtorollouthisplans.AsheworkedthroughtheprayersofElijahandElisha (and theprayersof Jesus in John11),Godworks throughPeteroutsideJerusalem(inJoppa)toraisealittlegirlfromthedead. 10

The pattern in Acts, then, seems to be similar to what we have observedelsewhere.PrayerisessentiallycallingonGodtoactinlinewithhispromises.InthelightofthecomingofJesusthiscanbesharpenedtoprayingforGodtodowhathehaspromised in thegospel–whether thatmeans to forgiveuson thebasis of Jesus or build his kingdom through the power of the Spirit and the

Word.As thegospel steadilyspreadsoutwards towards theGentileworld, thispatternisconstantlyrepeated.

The Cornelius narrative, which leads to Peter’s welcoming Gentile God-fearers into the fledgling Christian community, starts with prayer, both inCornelius’houseandinPeter’slodgingsinthehouseofSimonthetanner:

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what wasknown as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all hishousehold, gave alms generously to the people, andprayed continually toGod.AbouttheninthhourofthedayhesawclearlyinavisionanangelofGodcomeinandsaytohim,‘Cornelius.’Andhestaredathiminterrorandsaid, ‘What is it,Lord?’Andhesaid tohim, ‘YourprayersandyouralmshaveascendedasamemorialbeforeGod.AndnowsendmentoJoppaandbringoneSimonwhoiscalledPeter.’...Thenextday,astheywereontheirjourneyandapproaching thecity,Peterwentupon thehousetopabout thesixthhourtopray.(Acts10:1–5,9)

At another key moment in salvation history, as a Gentile (albeit a Gentile‘insider’)receivesboththegospelandtheHolySpirit,thecatalystappearstobethatbothCorneliusandPeterare‘callingonthenameoftheLord’.

Inchapter12thefocusofthenarrativereturnstoJerusalem,wherethelatestHerodisthemostrecenttoseektosuppressthenewlyestablishedchurch.Whatdoesthechurchdotoensurethatthegospelprojectstaysontrackinthesefragileearlydays?Thechurchprays: ‘SoPeterwaskept inprison,butearnestprayerforhimwasmadetoGodbythechurch’(Acts12:5).AfterPeterhaswalkedfreefrom jail, hegoes to find the rest of the community: ‘hewent to thehouseofMary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many weregatheredtogetherandwerepraying’(Acts12:12).Littledidtheyknowthattheirprayershadalreadybeenanswered–Godwouldcontinuetobuildhischurch.

From chapter 13 onward, as theGentilemission gathers pace, Luke notesthat when new workers are appointed to take the gospel forward, the church

prays(andfasts):

Now therewere in thechurchatAntiochprophetsand teachers,Barnabas,SimeonwhowascalledNiger,LuciusofCyrene,ManaenamemberofthecourtofHerodthetetrarch,andSaul.WhiletheywereworshippingtheLordandfasting,theHolySpiritsaid,‘SetapartformeBarnabasandSaulfortheworktowhichIhavecalledthem.’Thenafterfastingandprayingtheylaidtheirhandsonthemandsentthemoff.(Acts13:1–3)

Andsimilarly:‘Andwhentheyhadappointedeldersfor themineverychurch,with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they hadbelieved’(14:23).

Asthechurchspreads,sodoestheemphasisonprayerasthemeansbywhichGoddoestheworkofthegospelandcontinuestobuildthechurch.

TheeventsinPhilippiareatypicallyvividillustrationofthis:

AboutmidnightPaulandSilaswereprayingandsinginghymnstoGod,andthe prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a greatearthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Andimmediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds wereunfastened.(Acts16:25–26)

AshedidforPeterinActs12,GodnowdoesforPaulandSilas,andthemissiontotheGentilescancontinue.Whichtakesustothefinalmovementofthebook.

PrayerattheendsoftheearthAs Paul makes his way deliberately and strategically towards Rome, and theinterimfulfilmentofActs1:8, 11atseveralstagesmentionismadeofthechurchpraying(notablyinthemultistagedeparturefromEphesusinchs.20–21):

Andwhenhehadsaidthesethings,hekneltdownandprayedwiththemall.And therewasmuchweeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul andkissedhim,beingsorrowfulmostofallbecauseofthewordhehadspoken,that theywould not see his face again.And they accompanied him to theship.(Acts20:36–38)Whenourdaystherewereended,wedepartedandwentonourjourney,andtheyall,withwivesandchildren,accompaniedusuntilwewereoutsidethecity.Andkneelingdownon thebeach,weprayedandsaidfarewell tooneanother. Thenwewent on board the ship, and they returned home. (Acts21:5–6)

ToheightenthesenseofgospelsignificanceinPaul’ssayinghisgoodbyestotheconverts of Asia Minor, Luke notes that they pray together. The gospel ismoving beyond the immediate proximity of Palestine. And, as always, suchmajorgospelmovementsareaccompaniedbyprayer.

Paul’s brief stop on Malta sees the final instance of prayer in Acts: ‘IthappenedthatthefatherofPubliuslaysickwithfeveranddysentery.AndPaulvisited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him’ (28:8). Ashappened earlier with Peter, God acts through Paul to vindicate his message,namelythemessageofJesusChrist.

SoActsendswiththegospel’sbeingproclaimedatthecentreoftheknownworld, asGodcontinues to listen to thepleasofhispeople todowhathehaspromisedinthegospel.

ConclusionTheideaandpracticeofprayerarenotcentraltothebookofActs,butnoraretheyabsent.Prayerrunsthroughthebooklikeanever-presentyetinconspicuousthread–nothardtofind,yetatthesametime,easytooverlook.Whenonedoeslookclosely,Actsprovidesafascinatingsnapshotofthechurchatprayerinthe

earliestdaysofChristianity.AndwhatcanweseefromActsofhowthechurchprayed?Thechurch’spraying,inaway,fittedwithboththelifeandministryofJesus,andthecenturiesofOldTestamentteachingbeforethat.

The prayers in Acts are centred on and shaped by the gospel. Theoverwhelming matter prayed about is the promised progress of the gospel.Prayer is asking God to continue to work through the gospel of Jesus by hisSpirit.

ChapterEight

Churchplantingandprayer:prayerinPaul’sletters

If anyof theNewTestamentwriterscan layclaim tobeing the ‘theologianofprayer’,itistheapostlePaul.Paultalksmoreabouthisownprayers,encourageshisreaderstopraymoreandincludesmoreprayerinhislettersthananyoneelse.Paul,more thananyoneelse,shaped the theologyandpracticeofprayer in thechurch of the Lord Jesus, as he spearheaded the church-planting movementacrosstheMediterranean. 1

ForPaul thegospelshapes theprayersof thechurch. In thischapter Iwillhighlight the ways in which this plays out in Paul’s own prayers for newchurches, his teaching on prayer and his injunctions to pray, which areembeddedinmanyofhisletters. 2Wewillexamineeachoftheseinturn.

PrayingforotherswithPaulPerhaps surprisingly, the majority of Pauline material dealing with prayer istaken up with either actual or reported prayers for others. This is a newdevelopment in the biblicalmaterial – up to this point there has been a largeamountofintercessionforthoseopposingtheworkofGod,butminimalprayerofferedforGod’speople.Nowallthatchanges.

Although atypical in some ways (arising from the fact that Paul has notvisited Rome), his introductory assurance of his prayerful concern for themcontainsthekeyelementsofhisprayersforothers: 3

First,IthankmyGodthroughJesusChristforallofyou,becauseyourfaithisproclaimedinalltheworld.ForGodismywitness,whomIservewithmyspiritinthegospelofhisSon,thatwithoutceasingImentionyoualwaysinmyprayers,askingthatsomehowbyGod’swillImaynowatlastsucceedincomingtoyou.ForIlongtoseeyou,thatImayimparttoyousomespiritualgifttostrengthenyou–thatis,thatwemaybemutuallyencouragedbyeachother’sfaith,bothyoursandmine.Iwantyoutoknow,brothers,thatIhaveoften intended tocome toyou(but thus farhavebeenprevented), inorderthat Imay reap someharvest amongyouaswell as among the rest of theGentiles.IamunderobligationbothtoGreeksandtobarbarians,bothtothewiseandtothefoolish.(Rom.1:8–14)

Paul beginswith thanksgiving,which, although strictly speaking is a separateactivitytoprayer,takesplaceinthecontextofprayer.However,itisimportantto notice the content of Paul’s thanksgiving, which always coheres with thecontentofhisprayers. In thiscasePaul thanksGod that their ‘faith’ (pistis) isbeingreportedallovertheworld.AsisfittinginthecontextofRomans,Paul’smainconcernandprayerfortheRomansissimplythattheytrustGod,ashehasrevealedhimselftotheminthegospel.

HisexpresseddesiretovisittheminRomeisequallyshapedbythegospel–he longs to encourage the Romans through imparting some ‘spiritual gift’ tostrengthenthem.Inthiscontext,ratherthanreferringtoaSpirit-imbuedability,Paulseems tohave inmind thestrengthening thatcomesby theSpirit throughthe word as the gospel is explained. 4 In addition he wants to reap a harvestamong them, which is most naturally understood as wanting to do someevangelisminRomeandseepeoplecometoknowChrist throughhisministrythere.This‘gospel-heartedness’isalsoapparentinthemiddleoftheemotionallychargeddiscussionofthefateoftheJewishpeoplewhenPaulbreaksofftosay,‘Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may besaved’(Rom.10:1).

Itisfairtosay,then,thatPaul’soverwhelmingconcernashebothwritestoandprays for thechurchesof theMediterranean is that theyembrace, liveandproclaim the gospel. This is what dominates his prayers for others. Readingthrough the rest of Paul’s letters provides compelling evidence that this is thecase. 5

Paul’s letter to theEphesiansprovides thegreatestamountofevidence forthe content of and driving force behind his prayers. Unusually, both in theintroductorysectionandthebodyoftheletteritselfPaulincludeslongreportsofthe way in which he prays for the church in Ephesus, which are among therichestintheBible.ThefirstisfoundinEphesians1:15–23:

Forthisreason,becauseIhaveheardofyourfaithintheLordJesusandyourlove towards all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you,rememberingyouinmyprayers,thattheGodofourLordJesusChrist,theFather of glory,maygiveyou aSpirit ofwisdomandof revelation in theknowledgeofhim,havingtheeyesofyourheartsenlightened,thatyoumayknowwhatisthehopetowhichhehascalledyou,whataretherichesofhisgloriousinheritanceinthesaints,andwhatistheimmeasurablegreatnessofhis power towards us who believe, according to the working of his greatmightthatheworkedinChristwhenheraisedhimfromthedeadandseatedhimathisrighthandintheheavenlyplaces,faraboveallruleandauthorityandpoweranddominion,andaboveeverynamethatisnamed,notonlyinthisagebutalsointheonetocome.Andheputallthingsunderhisfeetandgave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, thefullnessofhimwhofillsallinall.

Paul’sopeningthanksgivingforthefaithofthechurchinEphesusissimilartothatinRomans.However,whatfollowsisvirtuallyunmatchedintheScriptures.AtthecoreofPaul’srequestistheprayer‘thatyoumayknowwhatisthehopetowhichhehascalledyou,whataretherichesofhisgloriousinheritanceinthesaints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who

believe’. Paul’s desire is that the Ephesians grasp the hope of the gospel, theincredibleeffectof thegospel (increatingapeople forGod)and thepowerofthegospel,whichisexertedanddisplayedinthedeathandresurrectionofJesus,and in drawing this people to himself. 6 In other words Paul’s prayer isprofoundly gospel shaped. And howwill this prayer be answered?He knowsthatthiscancomeaboutonlythroughtheworkoftheSpirit,ashebringsustoagreaterknowledgeofGod,whoisboththeFatheroftheLordJesusandtheGodofgloryrevealedintheOldTestamentthroughthegospel.

It is interesting that at the end of his prayer Paul appends this statement:‘Andheputallthingsunderhisfeetandgavehimasheadoverallthingstothechurch,whichishisbody,thefullnessofhimwhofillsallinall’(Eph.1:22–23).ThechurchhereisthegatheringofallGod’speopleinheaven,ofwhicheverylocalgatheringisananticipation.ButnoticethetwostartlingthingsPaulsays:

TherulingrisenChristisgiventothechurch.TherulingrisenChristfillsthechurch.

Theimplicationsofthisareprofound,butfromtheperspectiveofthisstudythemostimportantthingtonoticeisthattheworkofJesusChristhasalreadyputallthatPaulpraysforwithinourgrasp.AllthatremainsisforPaultoaskGodtodowhathehaspromisedinthegospel–tocallonthenameoftheLord.

Thissameperspective,thatGodhasalreadydoneallthingsforusinChrist,andholdsoutallthistousinthegospel,alsoundergirdstheprayerinEphesians3:14–21:

ForthisreasonIbowmykneesbeforetheFather,fromwhomeveryfamilyinheavenandonearthisnamed,thataccordingtotherichesofhisgloryhemaygrantyoutobestrengthenedwithpowerthroughhisSpiritinyourinnerbeing,sothatChristmaydwellinyourheartsthroughfaith–thatyou,beingrootedandgroundedinlove,mayhavestrengthtocomprehendwithallthesaintswhatisthebreadthandlengthandheightanddepth,andtoknowthe

loveofChristthatsurpassesknowledge,thatyoumaybefilledwithallthefullnessofGod.Nowtohimwhoisabletodofarmoreabundantlythanallthatweaskor think, according to thepower atworkwithinus, tohimbeglory in thechurchandinChristJesus throughoutallgenerations, foreverandever.Amen.

As with the prayer in Ephesians 1, the sentence structure is somewhatcomplexhere, 7butthefollowingobservationscanbemadeaboutthetheologicalunderpinningsofPaul’sprayer:

1. He prays to the God who is the maker of all, and yet makes it possiblethroughJesusforustocallhim‘Father’.

2. Paul prays that God will supply us with strength in a way that iscommensurate with the riches of his glory. In other words his request isshaped by his understanding of what God has already done for us in thegospel.

3. The first main request of this prayer is that the Ephesians will be‘strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so thatChrist may dwell in your hearts through faith’. Paul prays that God willworkbytheSpirittohelpthemtograspthegospelandsotrusthim.

4. Hethengoesontomakeasecondrequest–thattheybeenabledtograspthefullextentofthelovethatGodhasshownusintheLordJesusChrist. 8

5. Inthefinalclauseoftheprayerheaddsthepleathatthey‘maybefilledwithall the fullness of God’. 9 In praying that, Paul is talking aboutChristianmaturity.Back in 1:23 he said that as the body of Christ, we the churchalreadyshareinthefullnessofChrist.Hepraysforpowertobegodly,andthe ability to grasp the love of Christ, so that we may ‘become who wealreadyare’,asMartynLloyd-Jonesusedtoputit,sothatwewillbeallthatGodwantsustobe:spirituallymature.

Of course, there is much more to be said on this chapter, but for now itsufficestopointoutthateverythingPaulpraysforhasalreadybeenachievedforus,andisheldouttousinthegospel.Paul’sincrediblyrichprayersaskGodtodowhathehasalreadydoneforusandholdsout tousinthegospel.Andthispositionisreflectedoverandoveragainthroughhisletters.

InPhilippianswefindthesamepattern:

I thankmyGod inallmy remembranceofyou, always ineveryprayerofmineforyouallmakingmyprayerwithjoy,becauseofyourpartnershipinthegospelfromthefirstdayuntilnow.AndIamsureof this, thathewhobegan a goodwork in youwill bring it to completion at the day of JesusChrist....Anditismyprayerthatyourlovemayaboundmoreandmore,with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what isexcellent,andsobepureandblamelessforthedayofChrist,filledwiththefruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory andpraiseofGod.(Phil.1:3–6,9–11)

Paul’s prayer for them is based on the fact that he is convinced that God iscommittedtofinishinghisworkinthemthroughthegospel.HisprayerisdoingnothingmorethanaskingGodtodothattowhichheisalreadycommitted.ThatisreiteratedinPhilippians1:9–11,wherePaulreportsthathepraysfortheirlovetogrow,forGodtoenable themto thinklikeChrist,becomingmore likehim.However, elsewhere in the Pauline corpus he states that God has alreadycommittedtodoingexactlythesethingsinthelifeofthebeliever. 10

This pattern of requesting what God has already committed to deliveringthroughtheLordJesusbytheSpiritis,ifanything,evenclearerinColossians:

WealwaysthankGod,theFatherofourLordJesusChrist,whenweprayforyou, sinceweheardof your faith inChrist Jesus andof the love that youhaveforallthesaints,becauseofthehopelaidupforyouinheaven....

And so, from the daywe heard, we have not ceased to pray for you,askingthatyoumaybefilledwiththeknowledgeofhiswillinallspiritualwisdomandunderstanding, soas towalk inamannerworthyof theLord,fullypleasingtohim,bearingfruitineverygoodworkandincreasingintheknowledgeofGod.Mayyoube strengthenedwith all power, according tohisgloriousmight,forallenduranceandpatiencewithjoy,givingthankstotheFather,whohasqualifiedyoutoshareintheinheritanceofthesaintsinlight.Hehasdeliveredusfromthedomainofdarknessandtransferredustothe kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, theforgivenessofsins.(Col.1:3–5,9–14)

In this case, after conventionallygiving thanks for their trust inChrist (and inColossians, also their love), Paul states unambiguously that he does so on thebasisofthe‘hopelaidupforyouinheaven’.HisprayersareinformedbyGod’scommitmenttotheminthegospel.Thisismadeclearerstillbytheadditionofverses 13–14 at the end of the prayer. Paul simply stateswhat is now true ofthembecauseoftheworkofChrist–theyhavebeendelivered,transferredandgiven redemption, the forgiveness of sins.What he prays for in verses 9–12,then,cansimplybeunderstoodastheoutworkingofthegospel–thatthegospeltheyhavealreadybelievedwouldcontinuetopenetratetheirheartsandmindssothattheywillknowhowtoobeyGodineveryway,growingineffectivenessandtheknowledgeofhim.AgainhepraysthatGodwillsupplyhispromisedpower,enablingthemtolivesteadily,joyfullyandthankfullyforChrist.Butonceagainthereisnothingnewhere–PaulisjustprayinghomeGod’scommitmentsinthegospel. 11

The Thessalonian correspondence does not deviate fromwhat emerges asPaul’s practice – he thanks God for their faith, and in this case also theoutworking of their trust in Jesus in both love and hope (qualities that clearlyflowfromthegospel):‘WegivethankstoGodalwaysforallofyou,constantlymentioning you in our prayers, remembering before ourGod and Father yourwork of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus

Christ’(1Thess.1:2–3).WhenhemovesontoprayspecificallyforthechurchinThessalonica,thesubjectofhisprayeristhatGodwillenablehim(andothermembersofhisteam?)tostrengthentheirfaithinChrist(inasimilarwaythathepraysfortheRomans).Butonceagainhisprayersarefocusedontheimpactofthegospelintheirlives.

LaterinhiscorrespondencethisisconfirmedwhenPaulwrites:

Tothisendwealwaysprayforyou,thatourGodmaymakeyouworthyofhiscallingandmayfulfileveryresolveforgoodandeveryworkoffaithbyhispower,sothatthenameofourLordJesusmaybeglorifiedinyou,andyouinhim,accordingtothegraceofourGodandtheLordJesusChrist.(2Thess.1:11–12)

WhenPaulpraysforthechurcheshehasplanted(or,inthecaseofRome,hopestovisit),hisunremittingconcernistheworkofthegospelintheirlives.Asheprays, he simply asksGod to dowhat he has already committed to do in thegospel,asheworksouttheimplicationsofJesus’deathandresurrectioninthelivesofhispeople.ForPaultoprayissimplytoaskGodtodotheworkofthegospelthroughhimandinthelivesofothers.ThisisclearlyanadvanceontheOld Testament idea of ‘calling on the name of the Lord’, but it is a naturaldevelopmentratherthanafundamentalchange.

This finds further confirmation in the letters Paul writes to individuals,notablyTimothyandPhilemon. Inboth these epistlesPaul thanksGod forhisworkofGodintheirlives,andinthecaseofPhilemongoesontopraythathewill‘dotheworkofthegospel’andgrowintheknowledgeofChristthroughthegospel: 12

IthankmyGodalwayswhenIrememberyouinmyprayers,becauseIhearofyourloveandofthefaiththatyouhavetowardstheLordJesusandforallthesaints,andIpraythatthesharingofyourfaithmaybecomeeffectivefor

the fullknowledgeofeverygood thing that is inus for thesakeofChrist.(Phlm.4–6) 13

It is appropriate to include at this point one of the fewplaceswhere Paulspeaksofprayingforhimself.Heisfacingsomeacutebutunspecifiedsuffering.While Paul does pray that the suffering be relieved, he does so within aframeworkwhichmakesclearthathisgreatconcerninallthisistheprogressofthegospelinandthroughhim:

Sotokeepmefrombecomingconceitedbecauseofthesurpassinggreatnessoftherevelations,athornwasgivenmeintheflesh,amessengerofSatantoharassme,tokeepmefrombecomingconceited.ThreetimesIpleadedwiththeLordaboutthis,thatitshouldleaveme.Buthesaidtome,‘Mygraceissufficient foryou, formypower ismadeperfect inweakness.’ThereforeIwillboastallthemoregladlyofmyweaknesses,sothatthepowerofChristmay rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content withweaknesses,insults,hardships,persecutions,andcalamities.ForwhenIamweak,thenIamstrong.(2Cor.12:7–10)

In summary, then, when Paul prays for others, whether individuals orchurches,andevenwhenhepraysforhimself,hepraysforGodtodohisworkintheirlivesbytheSpiritthroughthegospel.HepraysthatGodmayapplythebenefitsofJesus’deathandresurrectiontotheirlives,andcontinuehisworkofperfectingthemuntilthedaywhenallthingsarebroughttogetherunderChrist.Hepraysgospel-driven,gospel-centredprayers.

Paul’steachingonprayerAlongside the prayers Paul prays for others, we also need to consider histeaching on prayer. Interestingly, there is very little discussion of prayer,detachedfromtheprayersIhavealreadydiscussed.Alittlematerialispresented

inRomans,theleast‘personal’ofPaul’sletters.ElsewherePaul’s‘teaching’onprayeris largelyrestrictedtopresentingtheimportanceofprayingforhimandothersinvolvedinevangelismandchurchplanting.

InRomansPaulmakesseveralcommentspertinenttoourdiscussion:

Foryoudidnot receive the spiritof slavery to fallback into fear,butyouhave received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba!Father!’ . . . Likewise the Spirit helps us in ourweakness. Forwe do notknowwhattoprayforasweought,buttheSpirithimselfintercedesforuswithgroaningstoodeepforwords.(Rom.8:15,26) 14

PauldrawsonJesus’ownteachingtoemphasizethatthegiftoftheSpiritdrawsusintoJesus’ownrelationshipwithhisFather,enablingustopraytohisFatherasourown,usingthe title‘Abba’.ForPaulourprayersaremadepossibleandinformedatevery levelby thegospel. Iwouldalso tentativelysuggest that theuseof theword‘cry’hereechoes theOldTestament injunctions tocallon thenameofYahweh–butnow, through theSpirit,weareempowered tocallout‘Father’withandthroughtheLordJesus.

ThenotePaulsoundsinRomans8:26,however,isintriguing.Inthefaceofthe brokenness, suffering and disappointmentwe can take comfort in the factthatevenwhenourwordsfailus,theSpiritcontinuestoprayforus.However,wemustbecarefulhere,forverses23–25makeitclearthatPaulhasaspecificsituationinmind:

Andnotonlythecreation,butweourselves,whohavethefirstfruitsoftheSpirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, theredemptionofourbodies.Forinthishopeweweresaved.Nowhopethatisseenisnothope.Forwhohopesforwhathesees?Butifwehopeforwhatwedonotsee,wewaitforitwithpatience.(Rom.8:23–25)

The angst envisaged is ‘gospel angst’, not simply struggling tomake sense oflife inourmessyworld.Paulanticipatesasituationwhere the tensionbetweenwhatwearenowandwhatwewillbebringsus to theendofourselves(or,atleast, to theendofourwords). 15At thispointhe isquick toassureus that theSpiritnotonlybringsaboutthisgospelworkinus,but‘oilsthewheels’ofthisworkinourlivesbyfacilitatingourprayers.

Asidefromthis,Paul’sother reference toprayer inRomans,whichI thinkreflects his attitude to prayer, is embedded in a list of ‘Christian basics’ inchapter12:

Letlovebegenuine.Abhorwhatisevil;holdfasttowhatisgood.Loveoneanotherwithbrotherlyaffection.Outdooneanotherinshowinghonour.Donotbeslothfulinzeal,beferventinspirit,servetheLord.Rejoiceinhope,bepatientintribulation,beconstantinprayer.Contributetotheneedsofthesaintsandseektoshowhospitality.(Rom.12:9–13)

Theotherpassagesthatdemandourattentioninthiscontextarebothhighlycontentious,althoughnotbecauseofthematerialonprayer.First,in1Timothy2,PaulurgesTimothytomakeprayerapriority:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, andthanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in highpositions,thatwemayleadapeacefulandquietlife,godlyanddignifiedineveryway.Thisisgood,anditispleasinginthesightofGodourSaviour,who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of thetruth....

Idesirethenthatineveryplacethemenshouldpray,liftingholyhandswithoutangerorquarrelling...(1Tim.2:1–4,8) 16

The logicofPaul’sexhortationhere iscrucial– thepointofhisprayers isnotsimplythatwemightbefreetoliveaquietlife,mindingourownbusiness.He

deliberatelytiesourprayerstothefactthatGod‘desiresallpeopletobesavedandtocometotheknowledgeofthetruth’.Inotherwordstheprayersofverse3aredesigned tobringabout thegrowthof thegospel inverse4.Similarly,hisinjunction tomen to devote their energies to prayer, rather than struggling forpower,isundoubtedlyagospelinjunction. 17

Theonly remainingPaulinepassage that touchesonprayerwhich requirescommentistheequallyproblematicsectionin1Corinthians:

ButIwantyoutounderstandthattheheadofeverymanisChrist,theheadof awife is her husband, and the head of Christ isGod. Everymanwhoprays or prophesieswith his head covered dishonours his head, but everywifewhopraysorprophesieswithherheaduncovereddishonoursherhead,sinceitisthesameasifherheadwereshaven.Forifawifewillnotcoverherhead,thensheshouldcutherhairshort.Butsinceitisdisgracefulforawifetocutoffherhairorshaveherhead,lethercoverherhead.Foramanought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory ofGod, butwomanisthegloryofman.Formanwasnotmadefromwoman,butwomanfromman.Neitherwasmancreatedforwoman,butwomanforman.Thatiswhyawifeoughttohaveasymbolofauthorityonherhead,becauseoftheangels.Nevertheless,intheLordwomanisnotindependentofmannormanof woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born ofwoman.AndallthingsarefromGod.Judgeforyourselves:isitproperforawife topray toGodwithherheaduncovered?Doesnotnature itself teachyouthatifamanwearslonghairitisadisgraceforhim,butifawomanhaslong hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. Ifanyone is inclined tobecontentious,wehavenosuchpractice,nordo thechurchesofGod.(1Cor.11:3–16)

The key question here is the extent to which this has any bearing on Paul’sunderstandingofprayer. 18

Thefactthatboth‘praying’and‘prophesying’aresubjecttotheconditionofawomanhavingherheadcovered suggests that the issues atplayheredonotflowfromPaul’sunderstandingofprayer.Theapparentdisgracebeingbroughton the church in Corinth was coming from outsiders, who had little or noappreciationofabiblical theologyofprayer(orprophecyfor thatmatter).Thequestionisnot‘Whatisitinthenatureofprayerthatcausedthisproblem?’butrather‘WhatwasthenatureofthebehaviourthatwascausingopprobriumtobeheapedonthechurchinCorinth?’Theanswer,accordingtoWinter, isthattheCorinthian women had chosen to display their freedom in a scandalous way,which was dragging the gospel into disrepute. The issue is ultimately aboutmarriage(andauthorityinmarriage),ratherthanprayerperse. 19

Overall,thereisasurprisingpaucityofdirectteachingmaterialonprayerinPaul.Itseemsthatwhenitcomestoprayer,theapostlewouldratherdothantalk(orwrite)aboutit.

Paul’sexhortationstoprayThe relative lack of explicit teaching on prayer ismore thanmade up for byPaul’srepeatedexhortationstopray.Theseexhortationsfallintotwocategories:(1)appeals toprayforPaulandhismission,and(2)generalencouragement topray(which,incontext,isalsoprimarilytoprayforthespreadofthegospel).

Paul includes, with striking regularity, requests for prayer for his ownchurch-planting endeavours.Evenwhen the presenting issue is his own safetyand/orfreedom, theultimatereasonPaul isaskingforprayer is that thegospelmayflourish:

I appeal to you, brothers, byourLord JesusChrist andby the loveof theSpirit,tostrivetogetherwithmeinyourprayerstoGodonmybehalf,thatImay be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service forJerusalemmaybeacceptabletothesaints,sothatbyGod’swillImaycome

toyouwithjoyandberefreshedinyourcompany.MaytheGodofpeacebewithyouall.Amen.(Rom.15:30–33)

Youalsomusthelpusbyprayer,sothatmanywillgivethanksonourbehalffortheblessinggrantedusthroughtheprayersofmany.(2Cor.1:11)

Tothatendkeepalertwithallperseverance,makingsupplicationforallthesaints,andalsoforme,thatwordsmaybegiventomeinopeningmymouthboldlytoproclaimthemysteryofthegospel,forwhichIamanambassadorinchains,thatImaydeclareitboldly,asIoughttospeak.(Eph.6:18–20)Atthesametime,prayalsoforus,thatGodmayopentousadoorfortheword,todeclarethemysteryofChrist,onaccountofwhichIaminprison–thatImaymakeitclear,whichishowIoughttospeak.(Col.4:3–4)Finally,brothers,prayforus,thatthewordoftheLordmayspeedaheadandbehonoured,ashappenedamongyou,and thatwemaybedelivered fromwickedandevilmen.Fornotallhavefaith.(2Thess.3:1–2)

Itisinstructivethattheapostleissoinsistentonhisownneedforprayerashecarriesout theworkof thegospel.Therefore it is reasonable toseehis regularinjunctionstoothersasflowingfromthiscommitment.WhenPaulurgespeopletopray,itisnotsimplytoengageinmeditation,ortobemorereflective–itistocrytoGodtodowhathehascommittedtodothroughthedeathandresurrectionoftheLordJesusthroughthegospel.Thatbecomesclearwhenweexaminehisgeneralexhortationsincontext.

Paul’s global instruction inEphesians 6 to pray ‘at all times in the Spirit,with all prayer and supplication’ encompasses all of the previous statementsconcerningthe‘armourofGod’:

Standtherefore,havingfastenedonthebeltoftruth,andhavingputonthebreastplateof righteousness,and,as shoes foryour feet,havingputon thereadiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up theshield of faith,withwhich you can extinguish all the flaming darts of theevilone;andtakethehelmetofsalvation,andtheswordoftheSpirit,whichis theword ofGod, praying at all times in the Spirit,with all prayer andsupplication.(Eph.6:14–18)

Itisclear,however,thatthisarmour,drawingonthe‘armouroftheservant’inIsaiah11:4–5and59:17,hasbeen‘redesigned’byPaulinthelightofthegospel.‘Righteousness’, ‘readiness’ (which explicitly flows from the gospel), ‘faith’,‘salvation’andthe‘wordofGod’areallinstrinsicallylinkedtotheproclamationofthegospelinPaul.Prayerhere,then,cannotbeanythingotherthanprayertocontinue to live and speak the gospel in the middle of the raging spiritualconflict.Prayer,oncemore,isintrinsicallylinkedtogospelproclamation.

Similarly,inPhilippians4,aclassicpassagedealingwithfacinganxiety,theappealtoprayersimplycannotbeexcisedfroma‘gospel’context:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let yourreasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not beanxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplicationwiththanksgiving let your requests bemade known to God. And the peace ofGod, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and yourmindsinChristJesus.(Phil.4:4–7)

The double appeal to ‘rejoice’ is a commonNewTestament device,which isvirtuallyalwayslinkedtowhatGodhasdoneandwilldoforusintheLordJesusChrist. 20 It is this foundation that enables us to be reasonable and gentle.Whether‘theLordisathand’istakentomeanproximityorabouttoreturn, 21ineithercaseitgivesusreasontocontinuetocommiteverythingtohim,knowingthatheisalreadycommittedtodoingtheworkofthegospelinandthroughus,

andonceagainistantamountto‘callingonthenameofYahwehtodotheworkofthegospel’.

InapassagetowhichIhavealreadyreferred,Paulalsolinksgeneralprayerwithspecificprayerforhiminhischurch-plantingandteachingministry:

Continuesteadfastlyinprayer,beingwatchfulinitwiththanksgiving.Atthesametime,prayalsoforus,thatGodmayopentousadoorfortheword,todeclare themysteryofChrist,onaccountofwhich I am inprison– that Imaymakeitclear,whichishowIoughttospeak.(Col.4:2–4)

Theassumptionbehindthesestatementsisthattherewillbeacontinuityintheirgeneral prayers (presumably for themselves and their own churches) and theirprayersforPaul’sgospelwork.

LaterinthesamepassagePaulshowsthatthisishisdefaultunderstandingofprayer,whencommendingEpaphras:‘Epaphras,whoisoneofyou,aservantofChristJesus,greetsyou,alwaysstrugglingonyourbehalfinhisprayers,thatyoumay standmature and fully assured in all thewill ofGod’ (Col. 4:12). In thecontextof the letter (andch.4 inparticular)Epaphrascanonlybepraying forthemtograspthetruthofthegospelinadeeperway,sothattheymaycontinuetoliveandproclaimthegospelfaithfullyinColossae.

Finally,in1Thessalonians5:16–18Paulmakesasimilarstatement:‘Rejoicealways,praywithoutceasing,givethanksinallcircumstances;forthisisthewillofGod in Christ Jesus for you.’ The pattern of thought is the same. It is thegospel that is thegroundofour joyandour thanksgiving. It is thegospel thatembodiesGod’swillforus.ForPaulitisalsothegospelthatgroundsboththecontentandpracticeofourprayers.

Paulandcorporateprayer?Anaside

One intriguing aspect of thematerialwe have looked at is that it is,with theexceptionofthePastoralEpistlesandPhilemon,embeddedinletterswrittentogroupsofindividuals–alltheseinjunctionsareaddressedtochurches.Giventhe

fact that theprayers inActsarepredominantlyprayersof thegatheredchurch,and the encouragements to pray in the Pauline epistles seem to be largelyaddressed to the gathered church, it seems that the present practice of prayerlargelybeingrelegatedtotheprivatesphereisoutofstepwiththepracticeoftheNewTestament. 22

ConclusionThemost prominent feature of the Paulinematerial on prayer,whether Paul’sownappeals forprayeror injunctions topray, is thealmostuniversal focusonprayersforthegospeltotakerootinpeople’slivesthroughhisministryandtheministryofthechurch.Thisisclearlyadevelopmentofearlierbiblicalmaterialonprayer,butitbuildsonwhathasgonebeforeratherthanseekingradicallytoreinterpret the understanding of the prophets, Jesus and the early church. ForPaul prayer is still calling on the name ofGod to dowhat he has promised –however, Paul’s great contribution to the biblical theology of prayer is that itarticulates what God has promised in terms of the gospel of the Lord JesusChrist.

ChapterNine

Theendofprayer:prayerinthelaterNewTestament

The closing books of the New Testament are a fascinating witness to thechallenges faced by the church of Jesus Christ as the foundational, apostolicgenerationofeyewitnesses to theresurrectionofJesusgiveswayto thosewhowouldtaketheleadinthepost-apostolicchurch.AsthetrajectoryissetforthefutureofChristianity,doweseethesametheologyandpracticewhenitcomestoprayer?Inthisfinalchapterthiscrucialquestionwillbetothefore. 1

PrayerandHebrewsGivenboththesubjectmatterofHebrewsandtheintendedaudience,onemightexpectHebrewstobearichsourceformaterialonprayer.However,relativelylittle space is devoted to prayer in the book. Presumably, this is because thefocus ison the issueofaccess toGod throughJesus,ourgreathighpriestandsubstitute.

AlthoughanOldTestamentprayerisquotedinHebrews1:10–12,onehastoreadtochapter4tofindthefirstpossiblereferencetoprayer.Thewordinghereisinteresting:‘Letusthenwithconfidencedrawneartothethroneofgrace,thatwemayreceivemercyandfindgracetohelpintimeofneed’(Heb.4:16).The‘throneofgrace’isauniquephrase,althoughalmostcertainlyinfluencedbyOldTestamentimagery. 2 Is‘drawnear tothethroneofgrace’acircumlocutionforprayer?Ithasusuallybeeninterpretedlikethisovertheyears,perhapsundertheinfluenceof7:25(seebelow). 3However,thereareacoupleofreasonswhythismaynotbethemostobviousinterpretation.First,thereisthefactthatprayeris

notmentioned up to this point in the letter – it seems a large jump to expectreaderstomaketheconnectionwithprayer,whenthephraseitselfseemstobewithoutprecedent,andthereisnothinginchapters1–4topointinthisdirection.Secondly, it ishighlyunusual for theword ‘confidence’ tobe linked toprayer(thisisnotimpossible,justnotthenormalvocabulary).Inadditionprayerisnotoftenpresentedasthemeansbywhichtoreceive‘mercyandgrace’.Ofcourse,noneofthisisdecisive–andinasenseshoulditrefertoprayer,itwouldfurtherstrengthenthecaseIhavebeenmakingthatprayerisessentiallyaskingGodtodowhathehaspromised(andhehaspromisedmercyandgracetoallthosewhocall);butnonetheless,giventheconcernsofthebookofHebrews,itseemsmorelikelythatratherthanthinkingofprayerspecifically,thewriterissimplymakingthe point that the way is now open for us to approach our open-handed Godfreely.

Thereisnosuchambiguity,however,whenwecometoHebrews5:7:‘Inthedaysofhisflesh,Jesusofferedupprayersandsupplications,withloudcriesandtears,tohimwhowasabletosavehimfromdeath,andhewasheardbecauseofhis reverence.’ Incontext this ispresentedby thewriterasevidence thatJesuswastrulyhuman(aswellasdivine),andisthereforeproperlyequippedtobetheultimate mediator. But in arguing like this the text confirms what I arguedconcerningJesusandprayerinchapter6.Ontheonehand,Jesus,likethosewhohadgonebeforehimin theOldTestament,viewedprayer(in thiscase‘prayerandsupplication’,whichItaketobesynonyms 4),ascryingouttoYahwehastheonewhoiscommittedtorescuinghispeople.Ontheother,itisanotherexampleofthe‘prophetic’understandingofhowGodwillultimatelyrefusetohearthosewho are impenitent. Hebrews 5:7, then, provides significant evidence that thewriter to the Hebrews has a similar view of prayer to the rest of the biblicalwriters.

Jesus’ work of intercession is the focus of the next possible reference toprayer in 7:23–25, but oncemore it is not entirely clearwhether prayer is thecentralconcernofthewriter:

The formerpriestsweremany innumber,because theywerepreventedbydeath from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently,because he continues for ever. Consequently, he is able to save to theuttermostthosewhodrawneartoGodthroughhim,sincehealwayslivestomakeintercessionforthem.(Heb.7:23–25)

Therearetwoseparateissueshere:(1)whatdoesthewriterhaveinmindwhenhespeaksofJesus’‘intercession’,and(2)whatishedescribingwhenheusestheterm ‘draw near’ (proserchomai)?. Neither of these problems has a clear-cutsolution.

WhileitispossiblethatJesus’ministryofintercessionis,inpartatleast,oneofintercessoryprayer,thatisnotmadeexplicitinthistext,orinanyothertextin Hebrews. Jesus’ intercession is a fundamental part of his high priestlyministry–hebringsustohisFatherratherthansimplyspeakingtohisFatheronourbehalf. 5Inanycase,asIamreferringtoJesus’post-ascensionactivity,itishardtoseehowthiscanbeconsidered‘prayer’inanynormalsenseoftheword.However,thesecondproblemismoresignificantforourdiscussion:Does‘drawnear’toGodheremeantopray?Thereisnothinginthesemanticrangeofthisword to suggest that it means anything other than to ‘move closer’ to Godrelationally. If that is the case, then this textmayhave little to contribute to abiblicaltheologyofprayer.

ThefinalreferencetoprayerinHebrewscomesrightattheendoftheletter,when the writer (Apollos? 6), in a very Paul-like fashion, requests prayer forhimself and his group that theymay conduct themselves in a godlyway, thussomehowenabling them to return to theirbrothersmorequickly: ‘Pray forus,forwearesurethatwehaveaclearconscience,desiringtoacthonourablyinallthings.IurgeyouthemoreearnestlytodothisinorderthatImayberestoredtoyouthesooner’(Heb.13:18–19).

Despitetheuniquesubjectmaterial inHebrews,thereisnothingtosuggestthat thewriterdivergesfromPaul’sunderstandingofChristianprayer.Butcan

thesamebesaidfor theworkofJesus’half-brotherJames,whoisnotslowtoexpressthingsinanobviouslyun-Paulineway?

PrayerandJamesDespite both the relative brevity of his letter, and the relative rarity of hisstatementsonprayer,Jameshasmanagedtoprovideuswithsomeof themoststrikingstatementsonprayerinthewholeBible.

One of his opening comments enshrines an important, enduring andmisunderstoodprinciple:

If anyofyou lackswisdom, lethimaskGod,whogivesgenerously toallwithoutreproach,anditwillbegivenhim.Butlethimaskinfaith,withnodoubting,fortheonewhodoubtsislikeawaveoftheseathatisdrivenandtossed by thewind. For that personmust not suppose that hewill receiveanythingfromtheLord;heisadouble-mindedman,unstableinallhisways.(Jas1:5–8)

Thefirstthingtonoteisthatthispromiseisspecific.Theconditionofverse6isnotageneralprinciplethatappliestoallprayer. 7Thisisnotaguarantee,though,that all ourprayers andwisheswillbemet ifonlyweask ‘hardenough’.Theonly thing on offer is ‘wisdom’. James is clearly heavily influenced by thewisdom literature,buthas alsogivenmuch thought to theway inwhich JesusChristisourwisdom,andhasbothembodiedthefearoftheLordandputgodlyliving within our grasp in the gospel. Now all we need to do to receive thisChrist-shapedwisdomistoask–to‘callonthenameoftheLord’,asitwere.

What is interesting is theway inwhich James insists that any suchaskingmustbedonein‘faith’.Itisveryhardtoimagine(esp.giventhestrongviewof‘faith’ James expounds in the next chapter; i.e. a faith that shows itself inactions)thatJames’sunderstandingoffaithisanydifferenttothatoftherestoftheapostles–faithistrustinginJesus.Itisbelievingthegospel.Whichinturn

means that the issue thatgave rise toverse7, and the strongcondemnationofverse8, ismuchmore thana lackofconfidence.This ‘doubt’calls thegospelitself into question.And as played out countless times in the Old Testament,wherethereisnotrustinYahweh,soonerorlaterprayerisnotheard.Andthatmustbe thecasehere inJames too.Whenwepray,wecallonGodtogiveuswhathehasalreadyprocuredforandofferedusinJesusChrist–tofailtoask,orto question whether we will receive (in this case wisdom) is not a matter ofanaemictrust;itisrefusingtobelievethegospel,whichisaseriousthing.

Jamesisdealingwithsomehighlyemotiveissuesinthisletter.Infactwhenhereturnstothesubjectofprayer inchapter4, it is inthecontextofcompletebreakdownofcommunitylifeinthechurchestowhichhewrites.Evenallowingforsomehyperbole,thesituationisgrave:‘Youdesireanddonothave,soyoumurder.Youcovetandcannotobtain,soyoufightandquarrel.Youdonothave,becauseyoudonotask.Youaskanddonotreceive,becauseyouaskwrongly,to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people!’ (Jas 4:2–4). Jamesdeliberatelyparallelsthesituationinthechurch(es)towhichhewriteswiththatof thepeopleofGod in theOldTestament.At theheartof their issues isself-reliance–theyrefusetocallonthenameoftheLord,askinghimtodoforthemwhattheycannotdoforthemselves.Or,tobemoreaccurate,likethepeopleofIsrael theyaskfor thewrong things in thewrongwayat thewrong time!Thisleads James to call onGod’s people to humble themselves and come back toGodbeforeitistoolate(Jas4:7–10).Thecontinuitywiththetheologyofprayerwehaveseenemergingthroughtheprecedingpagesisstriking.

This takes us, then, to the longest passage in James, and the mostcontentious. It is worth reproducing the text in full, before jumping into theminefieldthatisinterpretingJames5:

Isanyoneamongyousuffering?Lethimpray.Isanyonecheerful?Lethimsing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of thechurch,and let themprayoverhim,anointinghimwithoil in thenameoftheLord.Andtheprayeroffaithwillsavetheonewhoissick,andtheLord

will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.Therefore, confess your sins to one another andpray for one another, thatyoumaybehealed.Theprayerofarighteouspersonhasgreatpowerasitisworking.Elijahwasamanwithanaturelikeours,andheprayedferventlythatitmightnotrain,andforthreeyearsandsixmonthsitdidnotrainontheearth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore itsfruit.(Jas5:13–18)

Thefirstintriguingphraseinthissectionis,notsurprisingly,thefirstphrase.Itisthe key to unlocking thiswhole section. ‘Is anyone amongyou suffering?Lethimpray [proseuchomai].’Theword for ‘suffering’,kakopathō, is an unusualone.Judgingfromthecontext(itisusedin5:10oftheprophets),ithasinmindaspecificcontextwhereoneissuffering‘evil’eitherasaresultofotherpeople’swrongactionsorone’sown. 8Thisexplainswhywehavetheunusualinstructionto pray. 9 Already, then, we are in an unusual situation – some non-typical(judicial?)evilhascomeuponanindividual,andheistocallonthenameoftheLordinthehopethathewillrescuehim.

Thelogicofthepassageflowslikethis:

suffering→prayer;cheerful→praise;‘sick’→calltheeldersThe middle pair of the progression (cheerful, praise) is self-evident, andunderlines that each of these responses is similarly normal and obvious. Theproblem is, of course, that the responses on either side are not so obvious.Prayingwhensuffering?Perhaps.Butcallingtheelderswhenoneis‘sick’?Thatseems strange. But all may not be as it seems. Although the word ‘sick’(astheneō) canmean ‘ill’ (e.g. Luke 4:40), it can alsomean ‘weak’ (soRom.14:1,wherethephraseis‘weakinfaith’).Thereisastrongcaseforpreferringthelattertranslation,particularlyinthelightofJames5:15. 10

Ithasoftenbeenassumedthatthe‘prayeroffaith’hereisaprayerofferedwith a remarkable degree of confidence (a kind of ‘souped up’ version of theprayerofJas1),which,asaresult,hasadramaticimpactonthesickperson. 11

But there isamorenaturalandstraight-forwardwayofreadingthe text. If theperson concerned is not ill, but rather ‘weak in faith’ (or even ‘weak in thefaith’), and as a result has sinned spectacularly, itmaywell be that he is in astate of deep despair and personal disintegration. If that is the case, what isneeded most? People like this need to be reminded of the gospel, and to bereassuredoftheirforgivenessinChrist,andeventhattheSpiritlivesinthemandthat they are secure in Christ. They need to be encouraged to come back toChristinrepentance,andtasteagainthatheisgood.CouldthatbewhatJames5:15isdescribing?‘Andtheprayeroffaithwillsavetheonewhoissick,andtheLordwillraisehimup.Andifhehascommittedsins,hewillbeforgiven.’

This finds some confirmation in James 5:16 – rather than a celebration ofphysicalhealingperse,Jamesseemstoencourageconfessionandrepentanceinorderthatweexperiencethehealingthatcomesthroughthegospel:‘Therefore,confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may behealed.’ This reading of James 5 solves several exegetical conundra, and alsoshowshowJames’sviewofprayerneatlycohereswitheverythingelsewehaveseen.ItevenexplainsthepuzzlingallusiontoElijahattheendofthesection.

Jamescontinuesin5:16likethis:‘Theprayerofarighteouspersonhasgreatpowerasitisworking.’AtfirstglanceitlooksasifJamesisestablishinganewcategory of particularly effective prayers. On this view these ‘mighty prayerwarriors’ are so effective because they are ‘righteous’. However, such anunderstanding of the text comeswith an aroma ofworks righteousness that isimpossible to dispel. But if we take ‘righteous’ here as simply designatingsomeonewhois‘righteousbyfaith’,thenitmaybethatJames’spointismuchmore straightforward– thosewhoarewobblingwilldowell to seekout thosewhoare trustingChrist,andaskfor theirhelp,becausenotonlywill theyprayfor them,but theywillpraywith them,knowing the importanceof leading thewanderersbacktorepentance. 12

The example ofElijah confirms that the interpretation I have suggested isalmostcertainlytherightone.Thepointisnotthatwearetoseekoutanyothermediators, for ‘Elijahwasamanwithanature likeours’,5:17,butheprayed,and knew the seriousness of sinning against God. In the context of 1 Kings

Elijah announces that the drought has come from Yahweh and is part of thecurseofthecovenantnowfallingupondisobedientIsrael.ButafterconfrontingtheprophetsofBaalonMountCarmel,andthepeople(begrudgingly)admitting‘theLord,heisGod’,thatcovenantcurseislifted.Nowinasituationwheresin,it seems, has brought down temporal judgment from God, when people areexperiencing God’s displeasure and discipline, what is necessary?We simplyneedsomeonewhoisjustifiedtoleadthembacktorepentance–becauseinthegospel God hasmade clear that he will forgive those who run to him, a factmadeevenclearerinJames5:19–20.

As the New Testament continues, it throws up a series of fascinatingpassages teaching about prayer. They enrich and shape our previousunderstanding,butthereisstillastronglyobservedcontinuity–prayeristocallonGod todowhathehaspromised in thegospel; it iscallingon thenameofYahwehrefreshed.

PrayerandPeterBefore Icome to thewritingsofJohn, 13 for thesakeofcompleteness I shouldsayawordaboutthelettersofPeterandJude,bothofwhichmakeonlypassingreferencetoprayer.

InPeter’sfirstletterinthecourseofhisdiscussionontherolesofhusbandsandwives (inparticular,whenonepartnerhasbeenconverted)he remindshisreaders of the Old Testament principle that living in contradiction to thecommands of God will prevent one’s prayers being heard. He applies thisprinciple to boorish husbands like this: ‘Likewise, husbands, live with yourwives in an understandingway, showing honour to thewoman as theweakervessel,sincetheyareheirswithyouofthegraceoflife,sothatyourprayersmaynotbehindered’(1Peter3:7).

Afewverseslater,quotingtheHebrewScripturesdirectlythistime,hesays:

FortheeyesoftheLordareontherighteous,andhisearsareopentotheirprayer.

andhisearsareopentotheirprayer.ButthefaceoftheLordisagainstthosewhodoevil.

(1Peter3:12) 14

Asimilarnoteissoundedinchapter4,wherePeterinsiststhatlivinginthelightofallthatChristhasdoneandwilldoisessential–itwillshapeourlivesand, in turn,willenableus toplayourpart inGod’swork in theworld,aswepraygospel-shapedprayers,waitingforGodtointervenedecisivelyattheendofhistory:‘Theendofallthingsisathand;thereforebeself-controlledandsober-mindedforthesakeofyourprayers’(1Peter4:7).

PrayerandJudeJude’s single comment on the subject of prayer is this: ‘But you, beloved,buildingyourselvesup inyourmostholy faith andpraying in theHolySpirit,keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for themercy of our Lord JesusChrist that leads toeternal life’ (Jude20–21). Judeshowsasimilarconcern tomaintainafuturefocus,butexpresseshimselfdifferently,talkingof‘prayingintheHoly Spirit’. This has, of course, been understood in a variety ofways. 15

However,itishighlyprobablethatJudesimplyusesthephraseasashorthandtomean,‘aspeoplewhoareindwelledbytheSpirit,guidedbytheSpirit,usedbythe Spirit and changed by the Spirit’, rather than creating any experientialexpectation,orencouragingecstaticprayer. 16Theseshortcommentsonprayer,however,pale into insignificancebeside the Johanninematerial thatbrings thecanon,andourtheologicaljourney,toaclose.

PrayerandJohnTwosignificantpassagesin1Johnbuildonanddevelopthebiblicaltheologyofprayer, bringing a new clarity to a specific part of the biblical witness. The

passagesare1John1:8–10and1John5:13–17.Andtheybringanewfreshnesstotheideaofprayersforforgiveness:

Ifwesaywehavenosin,wedeceiveourselves,andthetruthisnotinus.Ifwe confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and tocleanseusfromallunrighteousness.Ifwesaywehavenotsinned,wemakehimaliar,andhiswordisnotinus.(1John1:8–10) 17

Andthesecondisthis:

IwritethesethingstoyouwhobelieveinthenameoftheSonofGodthatyoumayknowthatyouhaveeternallife.Andthisistheconfidencethatwehavetowardshim,thatifweaskanythingaccordingtohiswillhehearsus.Andifweknowthathehearsusinwhateverweask,weknowthatwehavetherequeststhatwehaveaskedofhim.

Ifanyoneseeshisbrothercommittingasinnotleadingtodeath,heshallask,andGodwillgivehimlife–tothosewhocommitsinsthatdonotleadtodeath.Thereissinthatleadstodeath;Idonotsaythatoneshouldprayforthat.Allwrongdoing is sin,but there is sin thatdoesnot lead todeath. (1John5:13–17)

BuildingontheteachingofJesusinJohn’sGospelinparticular(seechapter6 above), the apostle spells out that because of the gospel of the Lord JesusChrist forgiveness is now a divine obligation for those who have entrustedthemselves toJesus. It isamatterof justice (1John5:9).Forgiveness, then, isone of those things covered in 1 John 5:13–17. Verse 14 says, ‘if we askanythingaccordingtohiswillhehearsus’.Ofcourse,whatis‘accordingtohiswill’ iswhat he has alreadymade possible for us in the gospel. Interestingly,Godwillevenhearusasweprayforourbrothersandsisters,unlesstheyrejectthegospel,whichItaketobethe‘sinthatleadstodeath’. 18

Presumably, this gospel-rich perspective also lies behind the simpleassurancegiventoGaiusin3John:

TheeldertothebelovedGaius,whomIloveintruth.Beloved, I pray that allmaygowellwithyouand thatyoumaybe in

goodhealth,asitgoeswellwithyoursoul.ForIrejoicedgreatlywhenthebrotherscameand testified toyour truth,as indeedyouarewalking in thetruth.Ihavenogreaterjoythantohearthatmychildrenarewalkinginthetruth.(3John1–4)

Once more, a biblical prayer finishes with the ultimate priority of living andproclaimingthetruth.Thisiswhatmatters.AndthatisdemonstratedpowerfullyinthefinalbookoftheBible,whichleadsusontotheplacewhereprayerisnolongernecessary.

John’svision in thebookofRevelation ispunctuatedbyscenesofpeople,bothinheavenandonearth,bothrightnowandinthefuture,prayinginthelightofthegospelofJesusChrist. 19

Wefirstencounterthe‘prayersofthesaints’in5:8–10:

Andwhenhehadtakenthescroll,thefourlivingcreaturesandthetwenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and goldenbowlsfullof incense,whichare theprayersof thesaints.And theysanganewsong,saying,

‘Worthyareyoutotakethescrollandtoopenitsseals,

foryouwereslain,andbyyourbloodyouransomedpeopleforGodfromeverytribeandlanguageandpeopleandnation,

andyouhavemadethemakingdomandprieststoourGod,andtheyshallreignontheearth.’

Theprayersofthesaintsarefillingthebowlsofincense.Itisclearfromthesongof the twenty-fourelders and the livingcreatures that theprayersof the saintsconcern one thing: the progress of the gospel on earth. 20 These are gospel-shapedprayers,whichfocusonGod’sworkonearthinsalvationandjudgment.Thisisconfirmedbytheprayerofthemartyrsinchapter6:

Whenheopenedthefifthseal,IsawunderthealtarthesoulsofthosewhohadbeenslainforthewordofGodandforthewitnesstheyhadborne.Theycried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how longbefore you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on theearth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a littlelonger,untilthenumberoftheirfellowservantsandtheirbrothersshouldbecomplete,whoweretobekilledastheythemselveshadbeen.(Rev.6:9–11)

It is franklyunmissable that themainsubjectof theprayersof thesaints,boththose who died of natural causes and have gone to be with Christ, and theprayersofthemartyrs,istheprogressofthegospel.Theyarepreoccupiedwiththe victory of God, and the outcome of the battles along theway. This leadsBauckhamtocomment:

All theprayers in thebookofRevelationare fullyeschatological– that is,theyareprayersforthecomingofGod’sKingdom,forthecompletionofGod’spurposes for his creation, for the fulfilment of all that God has promised, foreverythingthatisfinallytocome,andintheend,forGodhimselftocometohiscreationtoperfectitbyhisownpresencethroughouteternity. 21

ThisisreiteratedinRevelation8:

Andanotherangelcameandstoodatthealtarwithagoldencenser,andhewas givenmuch incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on thegoldenaltarbeforethethrone,andthesmokeoftheincense,withtheprayersof the saints, rose beforeGod from the hand of the angel.Then the angeltookthecenserandfilleditwithfirefromthealtarandthrewitontheearth,

and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and anearthquake.(8:3–5)

There is no question thatGod is listening to these prayers, the prayers of thesaints.Theirprayersforjudgmentandsalvationwillbeanswered.Asthegreatmovementofsalvationhistorydrawstoaclose,itisplainthat,ifanything,thegospel-centrednatureofprayer intensifies.As it hasbeen from thebeginning,prayer is essentially salvation-historical – calling on God to do what he haspromisedandtoadvancehisagendaintheworld.

Thisfindstangentialsupportinthe‘song’ofMosesandtheLamb,sungbythosewhoshareinGod’svictory:

Greatandamazingareyourdeeds,OLordGodtheAlmighty!

Justandtrueareyourways,OKingofthenations!

Whowillnotfear,OLord,andglorifyyourname?

Foryoualoneareholy.Allnationswillcomeandworshipyou,

foryourrighteousactshavebeenrevealed.(Rev.15:3–4)

Theanswertotherhetoricalquestion‘Whowillnotfear,OLord,/andglorifyyour name?’ is ‘No one!’, becauseGod has acted decisively in both salvationandjudgment,andtheplaintivecriesofprayerhavebeenreplacedbysongsofvictoryandvindication.

As John’s vision, the book of Revelation, and indeed the entire canon ofScripture, draws to a close, it seems that prayer is replaced by singing. Theprayersof thesaintsareanswered,andthere isnothing left toaskfor.All that

remainsiscelebration.SoinRevelation19–22thereismuch‘cryingout’(seeRev.19:1–3,6–8),butthisisnotcallingonthenameoftheLordtoact–voicesjoin together to cry ‘Hallelujah!’, because all their prayers have finally anddecisively been answered. All that remains is endless delight, worship andsurpriseattheendlessmagnificenceofthegloryofGod.

ConclusionThe latterpart of theNewTestament adds richness to thebiblical theologyofprayer.James’sinsistencethatwisdomisavailablesimplybyaskingandJohn’sclarity on the fact thatGod always hears and answers prayers for forgivenessfrom those who trust him add an extra layer to what we have already seen.However,thereisnoevidencethatthelaterNewTestamentsignificantlydepartsfromtheconvictionof therestof theBible:prayerisessentiallycallingonthenameofGodtodowhathehaspromisedintheLordJesusChrist.

Thisiswhy,asIsuggestedatthebeginning,itbecomesobviousattheendoftheBiblethatthetimeofprayeriscomingtoanend.Prayerisdesignedforafallenworld, and a day is comingwhen therewill be no need to ‘call on thenameofYahweh’,becausehehasalreadymetoureveryneed,andinanycasehe is right there with us in all the fullness of his splendour. This becomesincreasinglyapparentasJohndescribeswhatheseesattheclimaxofhisseriesofvisionsinRevelation21–22:

AndIsawnotempleinthecity,foritstempleistheLordGodtheAlmightyandtheLamb.Andthecityhasnoneedofsunormoontoshineonit,forthegloryofGodgives it light, and its lamp is theLamb.By its lightwill thenationswalk,andthekingsoftheearthwillbringtheirgloryintoit,anditsgateswill never be shut by day – and therewill be no night there. (Rev.21:22–25)

Nolongerwilltherebeanythingaccursed,butthethroneofGodandoftheLambwillbeinit,andhisservantswillworshiphim.Theywillseehisface,andhisnamewillbeon their foreheads.Andnightwillbenomore.Theywillneednolightoflamporsun,fortheLordGodwillbetheir light,andtheywillreignforeverandever.(Rev.22:3–5)

WhatneedcouldtherebetocryouttoGodtodowhathehaspromised?Foritisfinished,andwewillenjoyhimforeverintheultimateEden. 22

Butinthemeantime?Wepray.ThefinalwordsofRevelationdistilallthatwehaveseenonthisbiblical-theologicaljourneythroughScriptureintoasingleword–‘Come!’InthemeantimewecrytoGodtodohisworkinourworldbytheSpiritthroughthegospel.Wecallonhisname,askinghimtodowhathehaspromised.Johncapturesthisessentialmovementattheheartofprayerlikethis:‘TheSpiritandtheBridesay,“Come.”Andlettheonewhohearssay,“Come”’(Rev.22:17).‘Hewhotestifiestothesethingssays,“SurelyIamcomingsoon.”Amen.Come,LordJesus!’(Rev.22:20).Thisistheheartofbiblicalprayer.

Afterword:whythismatters–(re)learningtopray

bigprayers

IntroductionGiventhesubjectmatterofthisbook,itwouldberemissnottomakeanyefforttoapplyitsargumenttothelifeofthechurch(eveninaserieswhoserelativelynarrowfocus is ‘biblical theology’).Thatneed isamplifiedby thefact thatweliveatamoment inhistory, in theEnglish-speakingworldat least,where it ishardertopraythaneverbefore,andweareprayinglessthaneverbefore.

PrayinghasalwaysbeenhardforChristians.IonceheardJohnStottsaythatitwashisgreateststruggle in theChristian life.JamesHoustonwrote in1989,‘Whywriteanotherbookonprayer?Theanswer issimple–becausea lackofprayer is so characteristic of today’s world.’ 1 A nineteenth-century Englishbishop wrote, ‘I have come to the conclusion that the great majority ofprofessingChristiansdonotprayatall.’ 2Andsoitgoesonandon. 3ThusitisnotthatthechallengeswefaceasthechurchoftheLordJesusChristareunique,butIthinkthereisasenseinwhichitisharderforthisgenerationtopraythanthosewhohavegonebefore.AndIamconcernedthattheevangelicalchurchisslowlybutsurelygivinguponprayer.

First,Iwanttosuggestthatweasevangelicalspraymuchlessthanweusedto,andthentooffersomeanalysisofwhythatmaybe.OnceIhavedonethat,Iwanttopointouthowtheobservationsinthisbookshouldreshapeboththewayinwhichwepray,andwhatweprayfor.

Analysis:Whateverhappenedtoevangelicalsandprayer?Inmylifetime(Iam48)therehasabeenashiftinthewayinwhichevangelicalspray.WhenIwasastudentinBelfast,NorthernIreland,andtheninAberdeen,Scotland, one of the defining features of university Christian Unions was theprayermeeting.Evangelicalstudentgroupshadtwomaingatheringseachweek–one focusedonBible teachingand theotherdedicatedcompletely toprayer.Whereas inBelfast about50%of themembers came topray, inAberdeen thefigurewasaround80%.Butuniversally,comingtogethertopraywasareliableindexofspiritualmaturityandcommitment.Formoststudentsthispatternwasreplicated in their local church,whereSunday’s teachingwasaccompaniedbysomekindofprayergatheringthroughtheweek.Thevibrancymayhavevaried,but the understanding was that to be at the core of church life involved acommitment toprayer.That is no longer the case. 4This is a radical departurefromthewaythingshavebeeninReformedevangelicalcirclesatleastsincetheseventeenthcentury.However,thistrendisnotcompletelynew.

RichardLovelace,inhisprofoundlyhelpfulbookTheDynamicsofSpiritualLife,writes:

Askevangelicalswhatthemostessentialconditionofrevivalisandtheyaremost likely to point to prayer. In much of the church’s life in the 20thcentury,however,inbothEvangelicalandnon-Evangelicalcircles,theplaceof prayer has become limited and almost vestigial. The proportion ofhorizontal communication thatgoeson in thechurch (inplanning, arguingand expounding) is overwhelmingly greater than thatwhich is vertical (inworship, thanksgiving, confession and intercession). Critically importantcommitteemeetingsarebegunandendedwithformularyprayers,whichareritual obligations and not genuine expressions of dependence – whenproblemsandargumentsensue,theyareseldomresolvedbyfurtherprayer,butarewrangledoutonthebattlefieldofhumandiscourse. 5

Lovelacewaswriting in1979.And in theyears since then, if anything, thingshavegotworseratherthanbetter.Corporately,prayerhasslippedfurtherdownthe agenda. Individually, I suspect that prayer is the great guilty secret of theevangelicalchurch.Theimportantquestionis‘Why’?

Diagnosis:Whyisthechurchprayingless?IthinkatleastsixfactorshavecontributedtothecurrentweaknessofprayerintheEnglish-speakingevangelicalchurch.

Lifeiseasy

Relativelyspeaking,lifeiseasy.Despitetheimpactoftheglobalfinancialcrisis,Western economies continue to thrive. Major conflicts have subsided. As aNorthernIrishman,forexample,Igrewupinasmallcountrywherepeoplewereshootingatandblowingupeachother,andlivedonacontinentwherenuclearannihilation seemed a real prospect. But now peace has broken out. Wherethreats toour security exist, they seem todo so at a greater distance.And theeffectofall this?Wefinditharder topraywhenwecansay‘Noworries’andbelieveit.

Thecommunicationsrevolution

Oneof the challenges of this generation is to process and adapt to the radicalshift in the way in which we live, which has been brought about bydevelopments in information technology. The immediacy of the flow ofinformationacross theglobe isstaggering. I thinknothingofhavinga face-to-faceonlinemeetingwithcolleaguesspreadacrossmultipletimezones.Iexpectinstant answers tomessages duringwaking hours.My day is punctuated by abewilderingvarietyofcommunicationsfromfamily,friendsandthosetryingtoconvincemetopartwithmymoney.Tobepartedfromone’smobilephoneisaparticularly modern form of torture – to be able to ‘surf ’, read, play and

‘message’ anytime, anywhere, has reached the status of an inalienable humanright!Andall thismakesitharder topray.In thepast itwasstillhardtopray.There were still distractions. The difference is that we can access thesedistractionssimplybyreachingintoourpockets.Thereisnolongeranyneedtocountbricksinthechurchwallswhen,shouldthesermonfailtobesufficientlyengaging or the prayers too long, we have Candy Crush to play on oursmartphones.

TheriseofBiblestudygroups

Thethirdreasonwhyprayer(andinparticularcorporateprayer)hassliddownthelistofprioritiesofthechurchisalittledifferent.ItistheriseofBiblestudygroups. These groups are given different names in different places, and mayhaveslightlydifferentfoci,butthe‘homegroup’hasbecomeauniversalfeatureoftheevangelicalchurchinmylifetime.AndIthinkthisisaverygoodthing.Istronglysuspectthatthechurchasawholeisfarbetteratreadingandapplyingthe text to real life than it was a generation ago. But this gain has not comewithoutacost.

Come with me to a Bible study group near you. Let me predict how theeveningwillrun.Peoplewilldriftinatsomepointafterthestarttime(someoneis always held up in traffic, with an awkward toddler or by a difficult phonecall). Then we launch into the excellent and demanding study material.Inevitably,wespendmoretimetalkingthanweshould,andthestudyrunslate.Atthispointthegroupleadersayssomethinglike‘Ithinkweshouldstopnow,andIknowthatJimmyhastoleavesoon,sowereallyshouldpray–hasanyonegot anything to pray for?’ Depending on the group, one of two things willhappen:eithernoonewillvolunteeranything(becauseweallknowthattimeisshort), or a couple of people will inform us of their next-door neighbour’sfriend’s auntwhohas justgotbadnews.Thenwe fulfil all righteousness, andpray and leave. 6 Over time this practice undermines the importance of prayeranditsplaceinthelocalchurch.

Theavailabilityofgoodteaching

Thefourthreasonmayseemstrangerstill.Ithinkwefindithardertopraynowbecausewehavesomuchgoodteaching.Thoseunder40mayfinditdifficulttoimagine,butitisnotallthatlongagothattheonlywaytoheargoodpreachersfromelsewhere(unlesstheywereonavisittoyourarea–whichwasrare)wastolistentoa‘cassette’.Sincecassetteswere(1)expensive,and(2)hardtoget,theywerepassedaround,used,reusedandabused.(Infact,IwouldstilllovetoheartheendoftheMartynLloyd-JonestalkonRom.11thatsomeonerecordedABBA’sGreatestHits over!) In the ‘bad old days’Christianswere reliant ontheirownpastorforteaching.Itsoundsbizarre,Iknow,butitistrue.Andthatmovedpeopletopray–insomecases,toprayveryfervently!

Whenwe are counting on our own pastor to teach us,we know thatGodneedstoworkifwearetohearhisword.Weseeourpastorweekbyweek.Weknow hisweaknesses, we knowwhen he is tired, andwhen he has had threefunerals in thesameweek,orwhenhischildrenaresick–andall these thingsdriveustopray.Butifmuchofourteachingcomesthroughapodcast,deliveredbyanapparentlybrilliantguywedonotknow,inaplacewehaveneverbeen,topeoplewehavenevermet,itisnotquitethesame.Toputitbluntly,itdoesnotmattertousifGodshowedupandaddressedhispeoplethroughhiswordwhenitwasrecorded.Itdoesnotmatterwhatwasgoingoninthatchurch,oreveninthepreacher’slife.Theonlythingthatmattersisthatthepreacherproducesthegoods.Andwe expect him to.We do not need to pray, then;we just need topress ‘Play’. The connection between our prayers and the sermon is broken –andwhenthathappens,itisnoteasilyfixed.

Thedominanceofpragmatism

TherearemanythingsthatIloveaboutthechurchtoday.HereinAustralia,forexample,wehaveseengrowth inbiblicalpreaching,churchplanting, strategicthinkingandbiblicalcounselling.AndwethankGodforall that.Butprayer?Idonotthinkso.Isuspectthatisbecausewearemostcomfortableinskills-based

settings–whenwecanreadsomething,talktosomeone,gotoaconferencethatwillgiveustheabilitytofixwhateveriswrong.Weareinstinctivelypragmatic.Wearemoreincontrolofourlivesthananyothergeneration.Andthatmeansweprayless.Andonemorething–weareprayinglessbecauseof...

Thevacuumcreatedbycynicism

I am cynical.But the biggest problemwith being like me today is that I amsurroundedbymillionsofotherpeople,hereinAustraliaandallovertheworld,who are exactly likeme.The airwebreathe is cynical and thepeoplewe rubshoulderswitharecynical.Thepressureisonnottobelieve.AndthatmeansIfind it hard topray.Oh, I amclearonwhat Iwill notdowhen Ipray– I amcrystalclearonwhatprayerisdefinitelynotdoing.SoIdonotpray.Lovelaceagainsays:

Itishardtoavoidtheconclusionthatmuchoftheabsenceofprayerinthechurchisduetoavirtualallergyproducedbyuncomfortableexperiencewithimperfect formsof prayer or tomodels of theChristian lifewhich requiresuperhuman bouts of prayer in order to qualify at an acceptable level ofsaintliness. 7

Wefailtopraybecausethereissomethingfalseorridiculouslyunrealisticaboutmuchwehaveseenandheard.Manyofushavebeenburned–wedonotpraybecauseweweretoldthatprayerwouldfixeverythinganditdidnot.Sowegiveup.Weprayless.Sowhatshouldwedo?

Relearningtopray

Recalibratinghowweprayinthelightofthebiblicaltheologyofprayer

Weprayrecognizingourgreatestneed(s)

OncewerealizethatGod’sagendaforusisnothinglessthantransformationintothe likeness of Jesus, and that God is passionate about enabling us to livewholeheartedlyforhimallday,everydayforourwholelives,thenourneedtopray–andthekindsofthingsweneedtoprayfor–becomesratherobvious.Ifweareaskedtogiveatalk,toteachaSundayschoolclass,toleadahomegroup,tomeettopraywithsomeoneelse,tovisitsomeonewhoisill,canwedothosethings? Yes we can. We can cut out the craft, prepare the lesson, read thepassage,make the coffee, get into the car and drive to the hospital.There arethingswecanalldocompetentlywithoutbeing thrownintoablindpanic.ButcanwedotheworkofGodinourownlivesorinanyoneelse’s?Youmustbejoking!PaulMillersohelpfullysaysthat‘Learneddesperationisattheheartofapraying life.’ 8And that desperation comeswhenwe see themassive scope ofGod’splansforusandourworld.Whenweseeourinabilitytodoanythingthatmakes any difference to ourselves or our world. When we see past what ishappeningrightnow,andtoday,andtomorrow,towhatGodhasbeendoinginusandourworld,andtowhathewilldoinusandourworld.WhenweseehowmuchweneedGodtochangeusbyhisSpirit,andtochangeotherpeoplebyhisSpirit.Whenweseethat,thenwewillstarttopray–andkeeppraying.Ifwegetthis, then itwillalsoradicallychangethewayinwhichwepray.ThefocusofourprayerswillincreasinglybecomeGod’sworkinus,andGod’sworkinthelivesofothers.

Sowewillpraylikethis,constantly,ineveryphaseoflife:

Lord,helpmetoseethisaspartofyourgreatworkinmylifeandinourworld.

Lord,usethistomakememoreliketheLordJesusandtobringotherstoknowJesus.

Lord,strengthenmesothatImightpointotherpeopletoJesustoday,encouragingthemtoseeyouragendafortheirlives.

Lord,workthroughmetoadvanceyouragendainthelivesofmyfriends,andfamilyandinourworldthroughthegospel.

myfriends,andfamilyandinourworldthroughthegospel.

WeprayrealizingthatitisalwaysgoingtobehardworkThere isacommonlyacceptedmyth that ifweareprayingproperly (ifwearethosewhoarespiritual),thenprayerwillbeabreeze.Thisisnotanewidea.Ithasbeenaroundforever.Theproblemis,itiswrong.PaultellstheColossiansthatEpaphras,whoisheldupintheNewTestamentasamodelofwhatitmeanstofollowJesus,‘isalwaysstrugglingonyourbehalfinhisprayers’(Col.4:12).Itishardwork!AsimpleglanceatMatthew26andJesus’prayerinthegardenshowsbeyondanydoubtthatprayerisnotalwaysawalkinthepark.Soletusmake sure we do not think that if prayer is hard, that is a problem – it issupposedtobelikethat.Itishardbecauseweliveinafallenworld.Butitisalsohardbecauseit is intricatelylinkedtoGod’slifelongworkof transformingourlives.Sodoyoufindprayinghard?Good–youareontherighttrack.

Wepraypatiently(whilelookingforinterimanswerstobigprayers)WemaynotseetheanswerstoallourprayersandtheprayersofothersasGod’swork in our lives.Wewill notwake up onemorning to discover that, to oursurprise,wearenowlike theLordJesus.Wewillnot realize,aswe lie inbedonenight,thatnowweknowallthereistoknowaboutGod.Wewillnotseetheanswertomanyofourprayers.AtpointsGodinhiskindnesswillgiveusgrace-filledglimpsesofwhathehasdoneinus.Butmoreoftenthannotwewillhavetowait.Weknowhow, ifwe changeour carwe suddenlybecomeaware thatthereare,infact,farmoreredToyotasontheroadthanwerealized.Weneedtogo through the samekindof experiencewhen it comes to prayer.Weneed tolearntoseewhatisalreadythere.IprayregularlyforourgirlstogrowintheirloveforJesus–butsometimesIdonotseewhathappensnextasananswertoprayer.Thesearchingquestion,thesightofoneofthemreadingtheBibleinherroom, the selfless action that can only be because of grace at work, theuncomplainingcommitmenttochurchthisweek,thehourspenttalkingtoeachotherintheirrooms,theopportunitytospeakthegospeltotheirfriends–theseareallanswerstoprayerthatIoftenmiss.Sowepraypatient,persistent,gospel-shapedprayers.Butletusgetabitmorespecific.

Recalibratingwhatweprayforinthelightofthebiblicaltheologyofprayer

Whatweshouldprayforiscontrolledbythegospel.OverandoveragainintheBibleGodtellsustoask,becauseheisdelightedtogive.ItisnoaccidentthatallthewordsintheBiblefor‘prayer’meanthesamething–theymeanask.Whichfitsperfectlywiththegospel,doesitnot?Thecoreofthegospelisthatwehavenothing, contribute nothing, bring nothing toGod –we are rescued by gracealonethroughfaith–asking–alone.Itshouldnotcomeasashockthatprayer,which ismadepossibleby thegospelandshapedby thegospel,worksexactlythesameway.ThegospeltellsusthatGodgivestous;wedonotgivetohim.Soweneedtoask.Godhasspokentous.Wetalkbacktohim,whichmeansasking.AskingforhelptounderstandwhatGodhasdoneforus, toliveinthelightofwhathehasdoneforus, toholdon towhathehasdoneforus, toshowotherpeoplewhathehasdoneforus.

Now in one sense we do not need to get too uptight about this – in amarvellouspassageinLuke11JesusmakesitclearthatwearefreetoaskourFatherforthings,knowingthathewillnotgivethemtousiftheyarebadforus,or bad for his kingdom (or plain stupid). Sowhat shouldwedo?Get onwithasking! I have learned a lot about this fromRebekah, our youngest daughter.Beckyisbothcompletelyridiculousinheraskingandalsocompletelycontenttotake‘No’forananswer.

‘Daddy,canIhaveacarofmyown?’‘No,Rebekah.’‘That’sfine,Daddy.CanwehaveapetTasmaniandevil?’‘No,Rebekah.’‘That’sfine,Daddy.CanItakeallmysister’spreciousthings?’‘No,Rebekah.’‘That’sfine,Daddy.’I suspect that is not far from what Jesus means when he says we must

become like little children. Children have no problem asking, nor in trusting

theirparentstogivethemonlywhatisgoodforthem.But that isnot theburdenof theNewTestamentwhen it comes toprayer.

TheNewTestamentisexplicitintellinguswhatweshouldbeprayingfor–oratleast inwhat the focusof our prayers shouldbe.That is because there are, ofcourse, some prayers that God has said he will always answer. And I wouldargue that theprayersGodhassaidhewillalwaysanswerpositivelyare thosethat ask him to deliver on his new covenant promises. Or, to put it moregenerally,Godwillalwaysanswerwhenweaskhimtodohisworkthroughhisword. So we should pray for God to do his new covenant work through thegospel.

IcanfindfiveprayerstheNewTestamentencouragesustobelieveGodwillalwayscomethroughon:hewillalwaysanswerourprayerswhenweaskhimtodohisnewcovenantwork throughhiswordby theSpirit.Andwhatdoes thatlooklike?Hereisasummaryofthe‘nobrainer’prayersweshouldprayforasindividualsandcommunities,becauseGodhasalreadyguaranteedtoanswer

whenweprayforforgiveness(1John1:9);whenwepraytoknowGodbetter(Eph.1:15–22;3:18–19);whenweprayforwisdom(toknowhowtoliveforGod)(Jas1:5–6);whenwepray for strength toobey/love/live forGod (Eph.1:15–22;3:14–15);whenweprayforthespreadofthegospel(Luke10:2;Acts5;Col.4).

HowdoweknowGodwillanswertheseprayers?Because,inthefirstplace,hesayshewill.Butmore than that,because theseprayerssumuptheworkofthegospel.ThisiswhatGodhassaidhewilldo,thisiswhathedoesandthisiswhat hewill do. These are all prayers for God to do his new covenant workthroughhisword–thisiswhatitmeanstocallonthenameofYahweh.

Sodoyouwanttobecomean‘advancedprayingperson’?Thenyoudonotneedastopwatch.Youdonotneedtolearnnewcontemplativemethods.Youdonotneedtodokneeexercises.Butyoudoneedtobecomeanexpertasker–this

isgospel-drivenprayer.YouneedtorealizethatyouareawalkingdisasterwhoneedsGodeverystepof theway,everyday, toavoidmakinga trainwreckofyourlifeandthelivesofthosearoundyou,torealizethatthegospelyellsatus,‘Youareweakandsinfulandflawed–butheisstrongandgraciousandgood!’Soaskhimtodowhathehasalreadypromisedtodo.And,aboveall,prayforthe spreadof thegospel everywhere.Godwill answer, because this ishowhedisplayshisgoodness andglory inourbrokenworld.Andkeepdoing it, untilthatdaywhenwenolongerneedtopray,becausewewillseeourGodandKingfacetoface.

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Indexofauthors

(Pagenumbersrefertotheprintversion.)Allen,L.C., 76Alter,R., 52Arnold,C.E., 204Ash,C.J., 108, 109, 115, 142Athanasius, 140Baker,D.W., 20Balentine,S.E., 20, 31, 37, 109Baltzer,K., 122Barrett,C.K., 179, 182Bauckham,R.J., 225, 227Baumgartner,W.L., 76Beale,G.K., 30, 227Blenkinsopp,J., 71Block,D.I., 42, 116Boice,J.M., 182Boling,R.G., 46, 49Bonhoeffer,D., 140, 143Bruce,F.F., 102, 179Bruckner,J.K., 101Brueggemann,W., 81Bruner,F.D., 171Butler,T.C., 50Calvin,J., 17, 18, 20, 21, 28

Carson,D.A., 16, 171, 172, 179, 182, 201, 205Chester,T., 16, 20, 223, 225, 229Childs,B.S., 72, 163Clements,R.E., 16, 20, 31, 47Clines,D.J.A., 109Clowney,E.P., 16, 20, 22Collins,J.J., 118Crump,D.M., 167, 172, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 193Cumerford,B., 91Davids,P.H., 220, 222, 225Davis,D.R., 51, 54, 58, 63Dillard,R.B., 94, 131Dozemann,T.B., 34Ellingworth,P., 217Farris,S., 168Finkel,A., 167Firth,D.G., 54, 57, 155France,R.T., 171, 173, 174Fredericks,D.C., 108Futato,M.D., 138Garrett,D.A., 94Gerstenberger,E.S., 139Goldingay,J., 151Goldsworthy,G., 16, 20, 28Gordon,R.P., 54Grant,J.A., 164Green,D., 164Green,J.B., 194

Greenberg,M., 37, 45Gregg,R.C., 140Gundry,R.H., 176Gunkel,H., 139, 140Gunn,D.M., 57Hallesby,O., 16Harrison,R.K., 81Hertzberg,H.W., 54Hobbs,T.R. 64Hossfeld,F.-L., 138, 147, 152, 153, 154, 164House,P.R., 60, 62, 91, 95Houston,J., 231HowardJr.,D.M., 155Jacobson,R.A., 140, 141Jacobson,R.A., 152Jenson,P.P., 98Jobes,K.H., 226Johnston,P.S., 155Johnstone,W.B., 37, 126Jung,K.N., 139Keener,C.S., 192, 199Keller,T.J., 16, 19, 27Kidner,D., 157Knohl,I., 36, 37Köstenberger,A.J., 179, 182, 211Kraus,H.-J., 138, 147Leithart,P.J., 60Lenski,R.C.H., 178

Levine,B.A., 40Lincoln,A.T., 176, 204Lloyd-Jones,M., 182, 205, 234Longenecker,R.N., 16LongmanIII,T., 113, 119Lovelace,R.F., 232, 233, 235, 236McCarter,K., 52McConville,J.G., 61, 62, 76McKeown,J., 20Marshall,I.H., 172, 178Martin,R.P., 220Metzger,J.A., 178Milgrom,J., 36, 37MillerJr.,P.D., 16, 22, 28, 31, 33, 147Miller,P.E., 16, 236Mitchell,D.C., 164, 165Moo,D.J., 202, 207Morris,L., 174, 179Motyer,J.A., 20, 71, 72Mounce,R.H., 227Mowinckel,S., 139Ng,E.Y.L., 226O’Brien, P.T., 167, 168, 183, 191, 201, 204, 205, 206, 208, 214,

217, 218O’Donnell,D.S., 172, 174Olson,D.T., 40Parry,R.A., 85Peskett,H., 20Peterson,D.G., 37, 192, 195, 201, 217

Petterson,A.R., 105Philip,W., 16Pitkänen,P.M.A., 46Pritchard,J.B., 29Provan,I.M., 63Rad,G.von., 20Ross,A., 22Ryle,J.C., 231Schaefer,K., 143Schnabel,E.J., 192Schreiner,T.R., 202, 210, 211Seitz,C.R., 28, 42, 100Sweeney,M.A., 62Tanner,B.L., 149Thiselton,A.C., 212Thompson,J.A., 81Thompson,M.E.W., 19, 61, 126Towner,P.H., 211Turner,M.M.B., 167, 168, 173, 183, 185Verhoef,P.A., 20, 27Walton,J.H., 20, 36Webb,B.G., 48Wenham,G.J., 20, 37Westermann,C., 20, 139, 155, 156Williamson,H.G.M., 121, 127, 128Wilson,G.H., 138, 144, 145, 163, 164Wilson,I., 61Winter,B.W., 212

WitheringtonIII,B., 219Woodhouse,J., 52, 140Woudstra,M., 46WrayBeal,L.M., 64Wright,E., 46Wright,N.T., 172, 173Zenger,E., 138, 147, 152, 153, 154, 164

IndexofScripturereferences

(Pagenumbersrefertotheprintversion.)

OLDTESTAMENTGenesis1–11 213 29, 543:8–10 283:15 21, 22, 27, 1794 19, 20, 21, 30, 544:25 214:25–26 20, 21, 27, 294:26 17, 22, 275 2012 21, 2712:8 2212:8–20 3113:4 2217:18 3118 19, 40, 9218:22–23 1920:4–7 3121:33 22, 2322 2124:11–12 3124:26–27 31

25 2125:21 3226:24 2326:25 2228:22 3232 3232:9–12 3238 2143:14 3348:15–16 3348:20 3349–50 21Exodus2:23–25 333:13–14 203:13–16 1725:22 335:22–23 33–346:1–8 346:2 346:3 2017 34, 3517:4–7 34–3532 33, 34, 35, 37, 4132–34 14932:11–13 3532:30–34 35–3632:33–34 36Leviticus1:4 37

16:21 3726 61Numbers11–14 3811:1–2 3811:4–9 3811:11–15 3811:12 3912 3912:8 14512:8–10 3914 3914:11–12 39–4014:13 3914:13–20 4016:22 4027:16–17 40Deuteronomy3:23–26 414 614:5–8 424:7 584:7–8 424:34 587:1–3 1229:25–29 419:26 5810:21 5811:8 12223:6 122

26:18 5828 6130 42, 72, 120, 124, 12630:1–5 4232 5433:29 58Joshua5:13–15 477 457:6–9 457:9 467:10–14 467:14 479:14 4610 4610:12–14 46–4724:7 47Judges1:1–2 473:9 483:15 484:3 485 495:31 496:6–7 486:36–40 4910 4810:10 4810:11–14 4810:13 50

10:13–14 4813:8–9 5015:18 5016:28–30 5020 5020:18–21 5120:23–28 5121:2–3 521Samuel1 521:11–12 521:12 522 52, 54, 1682:1–10 52, 532:27–36 546 556:19 567 557:4 557:5 568:1–5 578:6–8 5512 5512:6–17 5512:18 5512:23–25 5614 5614:36 5615:10–11 5716 5723:1–5 57

28 5628:7 5630:6 5730:7–10 572Samuel2:1–2 572:1–7 572:4 575:19 577 597:13 587:18 587:18–29 58, 1277:22–24 587:25 587:28–29 5812:16 5821:1 5824:10 1301Kings2:6 602:9 603 593:1–15 593:6–9 59–603:8 1303:11–15 603:16–28 604:29–34 606 131

7:8 608 60, 61, 63, 1318:15 618:20 618:21 618:23 618:24–25 618:27–30 618:31 618:40 618:41–43 628:47–61 628:48 618:52–54 628:53 618:56 618:60 628:66 6111:1–8 6017:20–24 6217:24 6218:24 22, 2318:36–37 23, 62, 6319:3 6319:4 62, 6319:10 6319:14 632Kings1 563 1334:32–37 63

5:11 22, 236:15–19 6314:25 9719 6419:10 6419:14–19 6419:34 6419:35 6420 6420:2–3 6420:5–6 6520:10 6521:16 1221Chronicles1 201–9 1264:10 1265:20 12616 12716:1–7 2516:8 22, 2516:15–18 2516:35–36 12717:16 12817:16–27 126–127, 2821 12921:16–17 129–13029:10–19 127, 28–1292Chronicles1 130

1:8–10 1303 1316 1306:19–40 131–13313 13313:14–15 13314 13314:11–12 13318:30–31 13320:6–12 13430:18–20 13430:27 13532:20–21 13532:24–25 13533:10–13 13533:18–19 136Ezra8 1208:21–23 1209:5–9 1219:10–15 121–122Nehemiah1:4–11 122–1232:3–4 1234:9 1235:19 1239 1249:6 1259:7–8 1259:9–12 125

9:13–21 1259:22–25 1259:26–31 1259:32–38 1259:36 12513 124, 12513:14 12313:22 12313:29 123, 12413:31 123Job1:21 545:11 547 1087:7–21 10910:2 10910:2–22 109–11110:3 10910:8–9 10910:11 10910:12 10912:4 11113:18–14:22 11113:20–26 111–11214:3–6 11214:13–17 11215:4 11317:4 11321:14–15 11322:26–27 11323 113

23:16–17 11327:9–10 11330 11330:19–23 11433:23–26 11436:7 5438:1 11438:4–6 5440:3–5 11442:1–6 114–11542:8 115Psalms1 138, 1412 24, 54, 138, 141, 142, 1932–41 1643 141, 1423–7 1383–8 1383:1–2 1418 1099–10 13812–13 13813 2215–17 13817 22, 138, 143, 143–144, 14717:1 14517:3 14517:8 14517:13–14 14518 15619 138

19:12–14 13820 13820:9 13821–22 13822 18925–26 13828 13830–31 13834:13–17 22435 13837 15737:39–40 15738 13841:13 16442–43 13842–72 16444 15644:1–3 15644:23–26 156–15750:15 7151 138, 157, 16151:1–2 15851:3–4 15851:5–6 15851:7–9 15851:10–12 15851:12 15951:13 15951:13–17 15951:18–19 15954–57 13855:17 117

59 13861 13863–64 13869–71 13872:19 16473 159, 161, 16273–89 16473:1 15973:2–16 15973:16–17 16073:18–28 16079:6 22, 2580:18 22, 2584 13886 138, 143, 145–147, 147, 15186:2 14786:9 15286:9–10 14786:11–13 14786:14 14786:17 14789:52 16490 138, 143, 147–148, 149, 15590–106 16490:11 14990:12 14990:15–17 14995 15595:6–7 15599:6 22101 153102 138, 143, 147, 149–151, 152, 153

102:1–2 151102:1–10 149102:4–6 151102:12–13 152102:14 151102:15 152102:16–17 153102:17 151102:18–22 153102:24 153102:24–25 151–152103 153105:1 22, 25106:48 164107–150 164109 138116:4 22116 26116:1–4 26116:12–13 26116:17 26120 138123 161123:2b 161130 138139 161, 163139–143 138139:1–4 162139:15–16 162139:17–22 162139:23–24 163142 138, 143, 153–154

146–150 164Proverbs15:8 10715:29 10728:9 107Ecclesiastes5:2 1085:2 171Isaiah1:15 67, 68, 701:19 1226 686:8–10 8011:1–16 6811:4–5 21312 6812:3 2312:4 2216:12 6725:1–2 68–6926 6926:1–7 6926:8–13 6926:14–15 7026:16–18 7026:19–21 7031:1–2 7135:1–6 17736–39 71

37:16–20 7138:2–3 7139:8 7141:25 22, 2442:1 24–2559:1–3 6755 7155:6–7 7155:8–11 7155:12–13 7259:17 21362:6–7 7263:15–19 72–7363:15–64:12 7264:1–12 73–7464:7 2264:7–8 7265:24 74, 106Jeremiah3:4 753:4–5 743:5 753:19–20 757:16 7510:25 22, 2411:9–12 7511:18–20 7711:18–23 7612:1–6 76, 7712:1–12 7712:2 77

14 8814:9–22 7614:19–22 82, 82–8315:10 7815:10–14 76, 7815:14 7815:15–18 7815:15–21 7615:19–21 7917:14–18 76, 79–8018:18–23 76, 8020 8020:7–13 76, 80–8120:14–18 76, 81, 81–8231:31–34 17231:34 17932 8332:16–25 8342 8442:1–6 84Lamentations1:20–22 852 862:20–22 863:55 223:40–48 86–873:55–66 87–885:1–22 88–89Ezekiel1 116

4:14 89, 909:8 89, 9011:13 9020:49 9036:21–23 17236:37–38 90–9139:7 172Daniel1–6 1172:17–18 1164:1–2 1174:34 1176 1176:10 1179 117, 1219:4 1189:5–7 1189:8–15 118–1199:16–19 119–120Hosea8:1–3 928:2 92Joel1:19–20 942:12 952:17 942:30–32 952:32 22, 24, 26, 106, 194, 196

Amos7:2–992–93Jonah1 96, 971:5–6 961:14 962 97, 1002:1 972:2 982:3–4 98–992:5–6 992:7 992:7–9 992:8 992:9 993 96, 973:1–10 963:4 974 984:1–2 1004:1–3 97Micah7 1757:18–20 93Habakkuk1:2 1011:3–4 1011:5–11 1021:12–2:1 102

3 1023:1 1383:2 1023:13 1023:15 1023:16–19 103Zephaniah1:6–7 1033:9 22, 24, 104Zechariah13:9 22, 247:12–14 1048:20–23 10410:6 10413:9 10514:4 175Malachi2:13 1052:5 1053:16–18 105

NEWTESTAMENTMatthew5:12 1715:46 1716:1–2 1716:4–6 1716:5–8 171

6:5–15 1716:9–13 1726:16 1716:18 1717:6 1747:7–11 171, 173, 174, 1779:36–38 18711:25–26 18714:23 18517:14–21 17618:15–18 17418:19–20 17421:18–22 17521:21 17521:22 17524:15–20 17526 23726:36–46 18727:46 18927:50 189Mark1:35 1856:46 1859:24 1769:28–29 17614:32–42 18715:34 18915:37 189Luke1:10–11 168

1:50–55 168–1691:68–75 1692:29–32 1692:36–38 1702:37 1703:21–22 1864:40 2224:42 1855:15–16 1856:12–13 1866:27–28 1779:18 1859:28–29 18610:1 18510:2 23910:21 18711 173, 177, 23811:5–13 177–17815 18318 184, 18518:1 18418:2–8 18418:9–14 184–18522:31–32 18822:39–46 18823:33–34 18923:46 189John4:34 1794:43 1795:17 179

10:25 17910:37 17911 19711:41–44 18612:27–28 18814:8–14 17814:10 17915 18015:11 18015:16 18015:24 17916 18016:23–27 18016:24 18017 18017:1–5 18117:6–8 18117:9 181–18217:11–13 181–18217:17–18 181–18217:20–23 18217:24–26 182–183Acts1 1911:8 195, 1991:12–14 1911:24–26 1922 262:17–21 262:21 1942:42 192

4:24–28 1934:29–30 1934:31 1945 2396 1946:1–4 1947 1957:59–60 1958:14–17 1968:18–24 1969 1969:11 1969:14 1949:21 1949:40 19710:1–5 19710:9 19712 19812:5 19812:12 19813 19813:1–3 19814:23 19816:25–26 19820–21 19920:36–38 19921:5–6 19928:8 199Romans1:8–14 2025:2 214

5:11 2148 2098:15 178:15 2098:16 178:23–25 2108:26 17, 2099–11 2610:1 20210:12–13 2610:14–17 17, 2811 23412 21012:9–13 21012:12 21414:1 22215:30–33 2121Corinthians1 2117:30 21411:3–16 2112Corinthians1 2031:11 2136:10 21412:7–10 208Galatians4:27 214Ephesians

1 2051:15–22 2391:15–23 2031:18–19 2051:22–23 204, 2061:23 2053:14–15 2393:14–21 2043:18–19 2396 2136:14–18 2136:18–20 213Philippians1:3–6 2061:9–11 2061:18 2142:17 2144 2144:4–7 214Colossians1:3–5 206–2071:9–12 2071:9–14 206–2071:13–14 2071:24 2144 215, 2394:2–4 2144:3–4 2134:12 215, 237

1Thessalonians1:2–3 2075:16–18 2152Thessalonians1:11–12 2073:1–2 2131Timothy2 2102:1–4 210–2112:3 2112:4 2112:8 210–2112Timothy1:3 2082:9 221Philemon4–6 208Hebrews1–4 2181:10–12 2174 2174:16 2177:25 2177:25 2175:7 2187:23–25 218–21913:18–19 219James

1 2221:5–6 2391:5–8 2201:6 2201:7 2201:8 2204 2204:2–4 2214:7–10 2215 221, 2235:10 2215:13–18 2215:15 2225:16 222, 2235:17 2235:19–20 2231Peter3:7 2243:12 2244 2244:7 2245:7 101John1:8–10 2251:9 2395:9 2265:13–17 225–226, 2265:14 2263John

1–4 226Jude20–21 224–225Revelation5:8 305:8–10 226–2278:3–4 306 2276:9–11 2276:10 308 2288:3–5 2289 3015:3–4 22819–22 22819:1–3 22819:6–8 22821–22 22921:22–25 22922:3–5 22922:17 23022:20 17, 230

Titlesinthisseries:

1 PossessedbyGod,DavidPeterson2 God’sUnfaithfulWife,RaymondC.OrtlundJr.3 JesusandtheLogicofHistory,PaulW.Barnett4 Hear,MySon,DanielJ.Estes5 OriginalSin,HenriBlocher6 NowChooseLife,J.GaryMillar7 NeitherPovertyNorRiches,CraigL.Blomberg8 SlaveofChrist,MurrayJ.Harris9 Christ,OurRighteousness,MarkA.Seifrid10 FiveFestalGarments,BarryG.Webb11 SalvationtotheEndsoftheEarth,AndreasJ.KöstenbergerandPeterT.

O’Brien12 NowMyEyesHaveSeenYou,RobertS.Fyall13 Thanksgiving,DavidW.Pao14 FromEveryPeopleandNation,J.DanielHays15 DominionandDynasty,StephenG.Dempster16 HearingGod’sWords,PeterAdam17 TheTempleandtheChurch’sMission,G.K.Beale18 TheCrossfromaDistance,PeterG.Bolt19 ContagiousHoliness,CraigL.Blomberg20 ShepherdsAfterMyOwnHeart,TimothyS.Laniak21 AClearandPresentWord,MarkD.Thompson22 AdoptedintoGod’sFamily,TrevorJ.Burke23 SealedwithanOath,PaulR.Williamson24 Father,SonandSpirit,AndreasJ.KöstenbergerandScottR.Swain25 GodthePeacemaker,GrahamA.Cole26 AGraciousandCompassionateGod,DanielC.Timmer

27 TheActsoftheRisenLordJesus,AlanJ.Thompson28 TheGodWhoMakesHimselfKnown,W.RossBlackburn29 AMouthFullofFire,AndrewG.Shead30 TheGodWhoBecameHuman,GrahamA.Cole31 PaulandtheLaw,BrianS.Rosner32 WiththeCloudsofHeaven,JamesM.HamiltonJr.33 CovenantandCommandment,BradleyG.Green34 BoundforthePromisedLand,OrenR.Martin35 ‘ReturntoMe’,MarkJ.Boda36 IdentityandIdolatry,RichardLints37 WhoShallAscendtheMountainoftheLord?,L.MichaelMorales38 CallingontheNameoftheLord,J.GaryMillar

An index of Scripture references for all the volumes may be found athttp://www.thegospelcoalition.org/resources/nsbt

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Notes

Introduction:prayerandthegospel

Thisanalysisisdevelopedmorefullyintheafterword.

Hallesby1931.

Carson1992.

PaulMiller’smarvellousAPrayingLife(2009)isoneexception,andduringthetimeofwritingofthisvolumetherelative‘silence’hasbeenbrokenbytwoextremelyhelpfulReformedevangelicalbooksonprayer:seeKeller2014;Philip2015.

Therewas,ofcourse,GraemeGoldsworthy’simmenselystimulatingPrayerandtheKnowledgeofGod(2003).ButunusuallyforGoldsworthyhisapproachismoresystematic-theologicalthanbiblical-theologicalinitstruesense.FurtherinvestigationdiduncoversomeotherexcellentbooksonprayerintheBible–TimChester’sinsightfulTheMessageofPrayer(2003),whilenotstrictlyspeaking a biblical theology, does covermuch of the biblicalmaterial.TeachUs to Pray is avaluable collection of studies (seeCarson 1990, and in particular, the chapter by EdClowney[Clowney 1990: 136–173]), as, at a more academic level, is Into God’s Presence, edited byRichardLongenecker(Longenecker2001).Therearealsoseveralstudiesbycriticalscholars(seee.g.Clements1985;P.D.Miller1994),butitremainsthecasethatthereisnostudyofwhichIamawarethatsimplytracestheunfoldingbiblicalmaterialonprayer.

Calvin1960,2:850–851.

Ibid.851.

Ibid.852.

Ibid.850–851.

Chapter1:Thedayprayerbegan:prayerinthePentateuch

Thissimplestatementmasksanimportantmethodologicalpoint.AsIwillexplain,inthisstudy‘prayer’istakentorefertothedeliberateactivitywhenhumanbeingscallonGodwhenheisnotimmediatelypresent.ThisiswhytheconversationsbetweenGodandAdam(andGod,AdamandEve)intheGardenofEdenarenotconsideredtobe‘prayer’.Similarly,Abraham’sconversationwith Yahweh in Gen. 18 (when ‘Abraham still stood before Yahweh… [and] drew near andsaid…’ (18:22–23) does not, strictly speaking, belong to the category of prayer (contra manypopular-levelbooks,includinge.g.Keller2014:26).

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I have no wish to enter the systematic theological debate at this point on the nature of therelationshipbetweenGodandhisnewlycreatedpeople.Mypointisnotthatitisinappropriatetodescribe pre-fall relationships as ‘covenantal’ in a systematic theological sense, but simply topointoutthatthisisnothowthetextusesthelanguageofcovenantorhowthelanguageofprayerisused.

Contrae.g.M.E.W.Thompson1996:12.

Mostbooksonprayer,eventhosewithspecificsectionsonthePentateuch,makenocommenton‘At that timepeoplebegan tocalluponthenameof theLORD’ (e.g.Clements1985;Peskett inCarson1990:19–34;Balentine1993;Chester2003;however,Clowney, inCarson[1990:138],withoutdevelopingitssignificancedoesnotethefactthatprayerbeganatthispoint.Goldsworthy(2003:72)alsonotesthatprayerbeginsherebutdoesnotdevelopit,asdoesVerhoef1997:1062.

SeeGKC103c.AccordingtoGKC144k,thepassiveisusedherewithanimpersonalsubjecttodenoteanactive.However,therearefewparallelsforthis,anditmaysimplybeanunusualwayoffocusingthereader’sattentiononthefactthatprayerbegins,ratherthanontheindeterminateidentityofthosewhostartedthispractice.SoalsoWalton2011:279.

Noconnectionismadewithetymologicaloraetiologicalpossibilitiesflowingfromtheroot.

VonRad1972:112–113.SeealsoMcKeown2008:44–45.Thisversehasbeenfertilegroundforsource-criticaldiscussion,esp.inviewofExod.3:13–14and6:3.However,thisisnottheplacetomount a detailed defence of the early use of the name of Yahweh. For an overview of thediscussionseee.g.Baker2003:359–368,aswellastheslightlydatedbutnonethelessusefulshorttreatmentoftheissueinMotyer1959.

Calvin1847:223.

Iam,ofcourse,awareofthecontroversysurroundingthereferenceofGen.3:15.AlthoughIampersonally convinced of the messianic implications of this verse, I would argue that theinterpretationofferedinGen.4:25–26doesnotnecessarilyrequiresuchareading.Thegrowingpreoccupationwiththeidentityineachgenerationofthedescendantthroughwhomblessingwillcome(seee.g.Gen.12,22,25,38,49–50)alsomakesithighlylikelythatthetextshouldbereadasmessianic.

HALOT11309c(butcf.DCH7:294(2)b.

SeehiscommentinCarson(1990:138).

SeeGen.12:8;13:4;21:33;26:25;1Kgs18:24;2Kgs5:11;1Chr.16:8;Pss79:6;80:18;99:6;105:1;116:4,13,17; Isa.12:4;41:25;64:7; Jer.10:25;Lam.3:55; Joel2:32;Zeph.3:9;Zech.13:9.

Ross1997:148.Ross’sNIDOTTEarticleon‘šēm’isexcellent.

SeethecommentsofP.D.Miller(1994:61).

TheonlyotheroccurrenceofthephraseintheFormerProphetscomesin2Kgs5:11onthelipsofNaaman,whoexpectsElishato‘callonthenameofYahwehhisGod’(althoughElishadoesnot).Eventhoughtheprophet’sactionsarecounterintuitive,theSyrian’swordsaddimplicitsupporttomyargument.

ThechroniclerisquotingPs.105:1.

SeeActs2:17–21andRom.10:12–13.Aswewillseelater,theNewTestamentsimplysubstituteskyriosforYahweh,withtheassumptionthat‘thenameofJesusChrist’isfunctionallythesameas

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‘thenameofYahweh’.

ForabroaderdiscussionofthenatureofprayerseeKeller2014:35–49.Atadifferentlevel,foradiscussionofthevocabularyofprayerintheOTseee.g.Verhoef1997.

Atananecdotallevel,evidenceofthisseparationistobefoundinalmosteverysmall-groupBiblestudyprayertimeinChristendom.

Calvin1960,2:850–851.SeealsothecommentofPatrickMiller(1994:174)ondiscussingOTwordsofdivineassuranceinthecontextofprayer:‘Itmayseemanachronistictosayso,butitisneverthelessprofoundlytruethatinthesewordswehearthe“gospel”.’

See the discussion of Goldsworthy (2003: 109–111), who draws out the nature of the divineinitiativebeautifully.Similarly,Seitz (2001:15): ‘Prayer isnothumanity’s effort to reachGodfrombelowbycryingouttohim.Ratheritistheconsequenceofhishavingmadehimselfknown,andour faithful response to thatpriorknowledge.Trueprayer, therefore,meansdiscoursewiththeoneLord,andthatcannotbetakenforgrantedascoveredundersomegenericdeity.’

SeePritchard1969:391–392.

Beale(1998:357)helpfullyarguesthattheprayersof5:8and8:3–4aretobeidentifiedwith6:10:‘Therefore,theprayersmentionedherearenotjustpraisesbutespeciallyrequeststhatGoddefendthehonourofhisreputationforjusticebyjudgingthepersecutorsofhispeople.’Apartfromthis,all dialogue directed at God in Revelation happens in his immediate presence and is usuallylinkedwiththeterm‘worship’–clearlyadifferentbeast(!)togeneralbiblicalunderstandingof‘prayer’.

Theseideasaredevelopedatsomelengthinchapter9.

E.g. there is no reference to prayer in the Noah narrative, nor in the opening scenes of theAbrahamcycle.

Many(e.g.Clements1985:20;Balentine1993:40;P.D.Miller1994:262–280)simplyassumethatthedialoguebetweenGodandAbrahaminv.18isaprayer,althoughthereisnothinginthecontext to suggest this. This is a divine–human encounter that is more like the envisageddiscussionsbetweenAdamandGodinEdenthananythingresembling‘prayer’.

ThereferenceistoAbrahamasaprophetprayingforAbimeleksothathemaybeforgiven.Thisisclearlyintercessoryprayer.However,wemustnotmissthefactthatthecontextofthisprayeristhecontinuationofthecovenantinthefaceofAbraham’srepeatedactionsthatjeopardizeit(seealso12:8–20).

Interestingly,nospecial‘prayervocabulary’isusedinthenarrative(oritsrepetitionasreportednarrative).Theservantsimply‘saystoGod’.

Attheendofhisvowin28:22Jacobdoesmovefromthethirdtothesecondperson–however,itis not clear that this should be understood as a prayer. And in any case Jacob’s theologicalcomprehensionat thispoint ishardlyexemplary,soitwouldbewisenot toreadtoomuchintothis.

TherearenootherexplicitprayersinthebookofGenesis.Therelatedcategoryof‘blessing’doesoccurate.g.43:14,48:15–16,20,but‘blessing’isbeyondthepurviewofthisstudy.P.D.Miller(1994:165)makestheinterestingobservationthattherearenoprayersintheJosephCycle.ThismaybebecauseinthisstorythefocusisonthepreservationofthelineofJudahandlittleelse.

Thelanguageisparticularlyintensehere–withgroans,sighsandcries(understandably).

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Interestingly,P.D.Miller(1994:94–95)discussesthispassageatsomelength,butdoesnotseemtorecognizeitsfoundationalnature.

Inkeepingwith the treatmentofGod’s interactionwithAdamandEve in thegardenofEden,‘face to face interactions’ with Yahweh (or perhaps, better, theophanic encounters) are notincluded inmy discussion, on the basis that they are not, strictly speaking, prayers.However,particularlyinch.32,itisnoteasytodistinguishbetweenthesetwosituations.

Seee.g.thediscussioninDozemann(2009:163–168).

InthiscaseitmaybethatMosessaidallthistoYahweh‘facetoface’,whichwouldmeanthat,strictlyspeaking,itisnotaprayer.However,thereislittleevidencethatthewriterisemphasizingthisdynamichereinthenarrative–thequestionisoneofwhetherornotamediator/intercessorcanbringaboutatonementforsin

Mesopotamianthinkingreflectedaconcernforsinandguilt;theirprayersseekabsolution/stayofpunishment. See e.g. the Mesopotamian wisdom text (Walton 2006: 144) stating, ‘reverencebegetsfavour,sacrificeprolongslife,prayeratonesforguilt’.GeneralANEknee-jerkreactiontomisfortunewas to assumeonehaddone somethingwrongand topray,offer restitution, etc. inhopeofrestoringthegod’sfavour(ibid.144–146);butitishardtoascertainifthisisatonementinitspropersense.

ThestandardANEresponsetowrongdoingistotrytoappeaseGodwithsomething,butwhatheoffersisasortofdesperateprayerformercy(notepleasformercyandcompassionwerecommoninEgyptianprayer;seeibid.109–111).

Thispointisseldomobserved,letaloneaddressed,intheliterature.

Knohl1988;Milgrom1991:18–19.

Wenham(1979:61)arguesthatprayerisalsoimpliedinthelayingonofhandsinLev.1:4.

IamawarethatthislineofargumentisvulnerabletoMilgrom’scriticismofbeinganargumentfromsilence,butwhere theabsenceofmaterial is so striking (andcompletelyoutof stepwithother contemporary material) it is perfectly reasonable to seek a credible explanation for thesilence.

Thiscentresontheoft-notedvirtualabsenceofanysacrificefordeliberatesin.This‘omission’ispickedupbythechroniclerinhisuseoftheconceptofma‘al(seee.g.Johnstone1986).

See Balentine 1993: 45; Greenberg 1983: 52. I am also grateful for discussions with DavidPetersononthissubject.

Incidentally,thisisthefirstreferencetotheconventionalverb‘topray’intheBible.

Moses’prayerissimple:‘OGod,pleasehealher–please’(v.13).

SeethediscussionofGen.18above.

ContraLevine(1993:280),whoregards thisasaconfrontationbetweenMosesandGod.ForamorehelpfuldiscussionofthispassageseeOlson1996:80–84.

SeeDeut.9:25–29fortherehearsaloftheeventsofExod.32.Ifanything,thefocusonthenatureof Israel asGod’s covenant people is intensified in theDeuteronomic version (see the phrases‘yourpeopleandyourheritage’).

Ofcourse, thereare timeswhenwhatwelongforandwhatmaybegoodfor thegrowthof thekingdomoverlap–itisnotalwayseasytodiscernwhatisbestfortheworkofthegospelinthe

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world. This passage should not lead us into the paralysis that comes from endless self-examinationinadesiretopraywithpuremotives.Butitisalsoequallyclearthatsometimeswesimplypray forwhatwewant,withoutany thoughtofor reference to thegloryofGod.Thoseprayers,itseems,arebestleftunprayed.

Theotherbenefitis,notsurprisingly,possessionoftheTorah.

Block2012:119(emphasismine).

Seitz(2001:17)makesaninterestingpointontherelationshipofprayertoDeut.30:‘Itisprayer,Deuteronomy insists, which re-establishes the relationship (30:1–5). Here we touch upon thefundamentalsacrificialreality,whichliesjustbelowtheunitivecharacterofsacrificialofferings,abrokenandacontriteheart.’Whileitwouldbeextremelyhelpfultotheargumentofthischapterif thiswere true, Icanfindnothing inDeut.30 tosuggest that the textdescribes theenvisagedrepentanceandresultantreturnfromexileasinvolvingprayer.

Chapter2:Bigprayersandthemovementsofhistory:prayerintheFormerProphets

ThisclearlybegsasignificantnumberofquestionsabouttheauthorshipandcompositionoftheFormerProphets.However,itmatterslittleforthepurposesofthisstudywhetheroneviewstheactivity of the ‘publishers’ in exile as simply bringing earlier essentially coherent materialtogether, or, drawing on some earlier sources, producing a dramatically newwork. For a verydifferentperspectiveseee.g.Greenberg1983.

Thisisinlinewithmyapproach,whichexcludestheophanicappearancesfromthisdiscussion.

MostdiscussionsofthispassagerightlyfocusonthesimilaritybetweenJoshua’sresponseandthecomplaint of the people in the wilderness, rather than on his prayer per se. However, see thediscussioninBolingandWright(1995:224).

Wecannotbecertainwhethertheneglectedenquirywouldhavebeenasimpleprayeroramoreconcretedivinationprocess(seee.g.Woudstra1981:160).Onbalance,however, itseemsmostnaturaltotakethisasareferencetoprayer.

Ultimately,however,aswiththeincorporationofRahabintothecovenantpeople,thesovereigntyofYahwehismorethanabletocopewiththesinfulfoolishnessanddisobedienceofIsrael.

SeethehelpfuldiscussionofPitkänen(2012:224).

Contrastthiswiththefactthatmanybooksonprayer(evenattheacademiclevel)barelynodinthedirectionofJudges(seee.g.Clements1985).

SeethehelpfulcommentsofBarryWebb(2012:32–35).

Ibid.303.

This anticipates a theme that will become extremely significant in the Latter Prophets: God’speoplecannot take it forgranted thathewillalways listen to theirprayers, irrespectiveof theirbehaviour.

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It is often hard to discern whether the judge conceives of this merely as deliverance from amilitaryoppressor,or,asthereaderinevitablydoes,alsointermsofthefulfilmentofthepromisestoAbraham,IsaacandJacob.

Boling1975:141.

Judg.13:8–9.

Butler(2006:353)statesbluntlythat‘Samson’smotiveisnotreligious.HedoesnotaskGodtohelphimtofulfillaforgottenmissionofdeliverance.Hismotiveisstillselfishrevenge.’

Davis2000:217.

V. 12 makes clear that this ‘vow’ was also a prayer: ‘As she continued praying before theLORD…’SeeWoodhouse’s(2008:20–21)excellentdiscussionofthiswholesection.

Itisnormalsimplytoascribethistothe(surelyclumsy?)insertionoflaterpsalmicmaterial(seee.g.McCarter1980:74–76;Alter1999:9),butthisisnotasatisfactorysolution.

See the helpful discussion of Firth (2009: 59–63). Practically every second line of Hannah’sprayerisechoedsomewhereinPsalms.SeealsoJob1:21;5:11;36:7;38:4–6.

E.g.Gordon, ‘a psalm composed in the pre-monarchical periodwould be unlikely to speak ofYahweh’sanointedking’;althoughhedoesallowthatiftheprayerisgenuinelyHannah’s,verse10b could be an addition ‘to take account of the advent of themonarchy’ (Gordon 1986: 23).Hertzberg (1964: 29) says it is clearly notHannah’s prayer.Davis (1999: 24, n.) gives a goodoverviewofthediscussion,andadefence.

Seee.g.Firth2009:80.

Thephrasinghereisalittleunusual–thisisastrikingofferofintercession.Presumably,thisisaconsequenceofthespiritualdeclensionoftheperiodofthejudges.

Althoughthatcouldpossiblybeanimplicationof1Sam.7:5.

Incidentally,thisisborneoutbySaul’sapproachtothemediumofEndorin1Sam.28,whichisdescribedinessentiallythesametermsashisapproachtoYahwehinthatchapter.TheresultofSaul’sprayerthereisevenlesseffective(28:7).

The language of enquiry can be used of various other gods as well as Yahweh (see e.g. thedisastrouseventsof2Kgs1).

SeeGunn1980:146.

E.g.Firth2009:174.

Thisisimpliedin1Sam.8:1–5.

Thisisconfirmedbytheclimaxofthenarrativein2Sam.2:1–7,wheretheblessingsexchangedwith the men of Jabesh Gilead and the bald statement of 2:4 make it clear where this wholesectionhasbeenleading.

SeeDavis 1999: 74–75 for a helpful list of ancient human initiatives designed to elicit divinefavour.

SeeDeut.4:7,34;9:26;10:21;33:29;also26:18.

Seee.g.House1995:110–111.

This confusion could only have arisen where the women were living together without anyhusbands present – in otherwords, in a brothel,which is an index of themoral declension in

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Israel.

Seealsotheexplicitlycovenantallanguageof1Kgs4:29–34.God’sequippingofSolomonleadstoaninterimfulfilmentofthepromisestoAbraham.

Peter Leithart (Leithart 2006: 68–69) has an excellent discussion of theDeuteronomic/Mosaiclinksin1Kgs8.

Seee.g.Deut.4,andinparticulartheworkofI.Wilson(1995)andMcConville(1992;1993a).

‘It isprayer rather thansacrificewhich isenvisagedas themediumofcommunicationbetweenGod’s people and their Lord, and also as their means of seeking his forgiveness’ (M. E.W.Thompson1996:191).

McConville1992:42.

SeeHouse1995:215;Sweeney2007:14.

TheMTreads,‘hesaw’;e.g.Davis2007:257–258;Provan1995:144.

SeethediscussionofWrayBeal(2014:464–465).

Commentators are divided onwhether or not this passage is an implied criticismofHezekiah.WithHobbs(1986:290)Ithinkthatthecontrastwiththepreviouschaptermakesithighlylikelythatitis.

IamindebtedtoDonCarsonforhelpingtosharpenmythinkingonthesepassages.

Chapter3:Prayinginthelightofthefuture:prayerintheLatterProphets

ParticularlywhenitcomestoIsaiah,andthenatureandcompositionofthe‘BookoftheTwelve’.

AsimilarcommentismadeoftheprayersofMoabin16:12.SeealsoIsa.59:1–3.

This is also reflected in the words of Isa. 31:1–2. Again, while not a prayer, it reflects thistheologicalunderstanding.

Motyer(1999:247–272)hasaparticularlyhelpfultreatmentofthesechapters.

Seemycommentsinchapter5.

Blenkinsopp (2002: 371) says that ‘the exhortation to seek God… in the later period isgeneralized in the sense of a positive and open religious attitude expressed in prayer andpenitentialpractice’.Motyer(1999:389)saysthattocallonYahwehisatoneandthesametimetoacknowledgehiminworshipandtoappealtohiminneed(asinPs.50:15).

Theseversesaremostnaturallytakentorefertoprayer.SeeChilds2001:512;Motyer1999:432.

SeeAllen’s(2012:431)helpfuldiscussion.

E.g.Baumgartner’s(1987)classictreatment.

McConville1993b:72.

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TherelationshipbetweenJeremiah’ssuffering,hisoutcryandthepromisesofYahwehtakeustotheveryheartofbiblicalprayer.Theideathatprayerflowsfromthegospeldoesnotremovesuchdeeplypersonalcriesfromthecategoryofprayer–itsimplyrelocatesthemtoa‘gospel-shaped’context.

Brueggemann (1998: 185) suggests, ‘perhaps he is an unstable personality. No doubt hiscontemporariesfoundhimso.’Hegoesontoadmit,however,thatthe‘poemgivesusnowarrantfor psychological analysis’. Harrison (1973: 116) describes Jeremiah as a person of ‘sensitivedisposition’whowas‘embarrassed’bythefactthathispropheticwordsremainedunfulfilledforso long and ‘offended’ by the ridicule of the people. J. A. Thompson (1980: 458) also saysJeremiahhadasensitivenature.

FortheargumentsconcerningJeremianicauthorshiporinfluenceonLamentationsseee.g.Parry2010:3–5.

Seee.g.House’sownrecentsurveypapergiventotheInstituteofBiblicalResearchConference2014,‘TheUnityoftheTwelveTwenty-FiveYearsLater:SynchronicReadingsoftheBookoftheTwelve’(unpublished).

Therehasbeensignificantdiscussion,criticismandmodificationofHouse’soriginal thesis,buthis underlying observations remain essentially sound. For further discussion of this seeCumerford2015.

Seee.g.thecommentsofGarrett(2012:449)orDillard(1992:239).

AssumingthattheprophetJonahisthesameJonahmentionedin2Kgs14:25.Ifthisisthecase,irrespective of whether one shares my convictions concerning the historicity of the eventsdepictedinthebook,thepointholds–inthenarrativeworldofJonahGod’speopleasawholesignallyfailtocallonthenameofYahweh.

Thereissomevariationinthevocabularyhere.Inch.1thesailorsz‘q,butinch.3theNinevitesqr’–asthesetermsfallwithinthesamesemanticrange,thebestexplanationofthevariationissimplyforliteraryeffect.

AsimilarlineistakenbyJenson(2008:58),whopointsoutthat‘ifJonahwerefullyrealignedtoGod’swill, thenwewouldexpectaconfessionofsin.Theabsenceofanysuchelementcanbeinterpretedtoindicatethatthereisdisjunctionbetweenhisactions(ieorthodoxprayer)andwill.ItisthiscontradictionthatsetsuptheattemptbyGodtopersuadehiminch4.’

It is theoretically possible to construe Jonah’s words as referring to what he is doing (givejustification),or that this ‘psalm’waswrittenafter theeventandsimply inserted,despitebeingwrittenfromadifferentperspective,butitismorelikelythatheisusingasimplepasttense,thusraisingthepossibilitythatheispiouslytrumpetingsomethinghehasnotdone.

Seitz2001:13.

ItislikelythatHabakkukwasacontemporaryofNahum,ZephaniahandJeremiah,prophesyinginJerusalemintheseventhcenturybc(seee.g.Bruckner2003:300).

Bruce1993:890–891.

SeetheexcellentcommentaryofPetterson(2015),butesp.pages234,278onthefactthatonthisdaytheirprayerswillagainbeheard.

Ibid.379–380.

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Chapter4:Prayingforanewcovenant:prayerintheWritings

For practical reasons I have already discussed the material in Lamentations, and will devotechapter5toashortdiscussionofPsalms.

Theonlypossibleexception to this is thebookof Job,butevenhere, aswewill see,prayer ishardlycentral.

SeeFredericksonthisinFredericksandEstes2010.

ItakethebooktobeaSolomonicreflectionontheelusivenatureofreallove.

AlthoughEccl. 5:2, ‘Be not rashwith yourmouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter awordbeforeGod,forGodisinheavenandyouareonearth.Thereforeletyourwordsbefew,’whilenotprimarilyaddressingprayer,doeshavesomeapplicationhere.

SeeChristopherAsh’sbrilliantexpositionJob:TheWisdomoftheCross(2014).

Balentine (2006: 141) comments, ‘With his second speech, Job continues his free fall intosufferingthatseemstohavenoend.’

EventhoughthereislittleexplicitcovenantallanguageinJob,thewholebooklivesandbreathesinanatmosphereofIsraelitecovenantalpiety.

Thereissomediscussionovertheobjectofthesecomplaints.WithAsh(2014:148–149)contraBalentine(2006:198)andClines(1989:288), IseeJob’swordsasprimarilyaddressed toGodratherthantohisfriends.

Longman(2012:241)capturesJob’ssentimentswell:‘Jobbelieves,atleastforthemoment,thatGodhasclosedthemockingfriends’mindssothattheytoowillbedefeatedandbringglorytothesituation.’

SeealsoJob27:9–10.

SeeAsh2014:431onthegloriousreversalofJob’sintercedingforhisthreefriends.

IamnotconvincedoftheargumentsputforwardforalatedateforthebookofDaniel.However,evenifonetakesadifferentviewoftheprovenanceofthebook,thenarrativeworldofthebookisobviouslytheexile.

DanielBlock,duringavisittoQueenslandTheologicalCollege,madetheintriguingandplausiblesuggestionthatJudah’sprocurementofaprimepartofthecityofBabyloninwhichtosettle(neartheChebarcanal;seeEzek.1)wasinalllikelihoodduetotheinterventionofDaniel.

Although,tobefairtoNebuchadnezzarhedoesgivecredittotheMostHigh(4:1–2,34).

The‘threetimesaday’hasgivenrisetomuchcomment.WasthissimplyDaniel’susualpractice?IsitanobliquereferencetoPs.55:17?Itishardtosaywithanyconfidence.

Imean this in thecontextof the ‘narrative flow’of thehistoryofYahweh’speople.ThereareobviouslyelementsofconfessionembeddedinthelamentsofPsalms(aswellasLamentations),butthereispreciouslittleconfessionintherecordedprayerseitherofleadersofGod’speopleorofindividualIsraelites.

SeetheexcellentsummaryofbiblicalallusionstothisprayerinCollins(1993:350–351).

SeethehelpfulcommentsofLongman(1999:225)onthispassage.

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TheobviousabsenceofsuchpietyinthebookofEstherimpliesthatthis‘movement’(ifonecancallitsuch)waslimitedtothosewhoreturnedtoJudahattheendoftheexile.

Seee.g.Williamson1985:128.

MuchofthephraseologyisusedwidelyintheOT,butseeparticularlyDeut.7:1–3;11:8;23:6;2Kgs21:16;Isa.1:19.

SeethediscussioninBaltzer’sclassicworkTheCovenantFormulary(1971:47–48).

M.E.W.Thompson1996:151.Thompson’sdiscussionof theplaceofprayer inChronicles isextremelyinsightful.

Johnstone(1986)hasidentifiedthefunctionof thisgenealogyasexposingtheunfaithfulnessofIsrael.Theseprayers,however,reassurethepeopleofYahwehthatheisstillableandwillingtoactinlinewithhispromiseswhenhispeoplecrytohim.

See2Sam.7:18–29.Williamson(1977)discussesatsomelengththeslightlydifferingversionsoftheseprayers.

ThechroniclerhasemphasizedtheeternalnatureoftheDavidicdynastyin1Chr.17:16.

Williamson1977:142.

Comparetheshorterversionofthisprayerin2Sam.24:10.

Thisideaispresentin1Kgs3:8,butisdeliberatelyhighlightedinChronicles.

Dillard1987:52.

Chapter5:Thepsalms,theMessiahandthechurch

Seee.g.Pss3,4,5,6,7,9,10,12,13,15,16,17,21,22,25,26,28,30,31,35,38,42,43,51,54,55,56,57,59,61,63,64,69,70,71,84,86,90,102,109,120,130,139,140,141,142,143.Eventhissimpleexercise,however,revealsthetrickinessofthetask.

HALOT2:1776–1777.

Thetranslationofmaskil,usuallyunderstoodasamusicalterm,isuncertain.

TheotherplaceintheOTwherethisdesignationappearsisHab.3:1.

Thereislittle,ifany,discussionofthisissueintheliterature(althoughseeHossfeldandZenger2005:370;G.H.Wilson2002:318,n.4;Kraus1993a:26).Thisisinalllikelihoodafunctionofthe ongoing uncertainty surrounding the role of the superscriptions in interpretation, and thecriteriausedinclassifyingPsalms.ItisinterestingthatFutato’sexcellentintroductiontoPsalms(2007:145–182)doesnotinclude‘prayer’asoneofthepsalmcategories.

KyuNamJung(1990)providesahelpfuloverviewofprayerinPsalms,althoughheusesmuchbroadercategories.

Gunkel1967:10–25;1998.

Mowinckel1962.

Westermann1980;1981.

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Gerstenberger1988.

This is hardly a new idea – see e.g. Athanasius’ magisterial Letter to Marcellinus, which isperhapsthemostpowerfulexhortationtoreadandpraythepsalmseverpenned.IamindebtedtomycolleagueTonyPyles forpointingme in thedirectionof thisgloriouspieceofwriting.SeeGregg1980:101–129.

TheanalysisofdirectdiscourseinPsalmsisahugeareaofcontemporaryinterest,andisfarfromstraightforward.ForanintroductiontothisfieldseeJacobson2004(andesp.hisbibliographyonp.17).

Bonhoeffer1974.

I am also indebted to James Hely Hutchinson, Principal of Institut biblique belge, and JohnWoodhouse, formerlyPrincipalofMooreTheologicalCollege,Sydney, for firstpointingout tomemanyyearsagothatthepsalmsare,inessence,theprayersoftheMessiah.

Thesignificanceofthelamedinthesuperscriptiontothepsalmshaslongbeendebated.Iremaintobeconvincedbytheargumentsagainstthenaturalreadingofthelamedasascribingauthorship.However, the point I am making here does not rest on a particular view of authorship ofindividualpsalms.

See the section ‘Does the psalter have a message?’ below for a fuller discussion of thesignificanceofthearrangementoftheDavidicpsalms.

Jacobson (2004; see also deClaisse-Walford et al. 2014: 64) highlights the link between thesecondhalfofthepsalmandtheDavidicline,butthenegativeimplicationsforDavid’slegacyarenotdeveloped.

ThereismuchdiscussionconcerningthesubjectofPs.2.IsitDavid?Oneofhisdescendants?Agenericreferencetoallofhisdescendants?Thematterisstillhotlydisputed.

AsIpointedoutearlier,thereisasenseinwhichitdoesnotmatterwhetherthe‘form’ofPs.3isthat of a ‘prayer’ or something quite different. Undergirding the psalm (whether it was to beprayed,readorsung)isaclearunderstandingofprayer.

IamindebtedtoChristopherAshforpointingthisout.

Thatisnottosay,ofcourse,thattherearenooccasionswherethisequationworks.AsIwrite,itisaweeklyoccurrencethatIslamicStateforcesidentifyandbutcherChristians.Isitlegitimatetospeakofthesepeopleas‘God’senemies’?Ofcourse.However,asidefromthiskindofobvious‘sufferingforthegospel’,ourcircumstancesandconflictsareoftensignificantlylessclear-cut.

Seethediscussioninchapter6.

Bonhoeffer1974:36–37.ThisalsohasechoesintheNTideaofoursharinginthesufferingsofChrist.

Thisperspectiveisexpressedatapopularlevel, intheoft-repeateddescriptionofPsalmsasthe‘prayerbookof theBible’,aswellasatamoreacademic level (seee.g.Schaefer2001,and inparticularthesection‘ASchoolofPrayer’,xxv–xxxii).

Iamaware thatexperts in form-criticalstudyofPsalmsmaywellbeyellingat thispoint, ‘Butyoucan’tdothat!’AllIaskforistheirtemporaryindulgencetoseeifitmaybepossiblethatIcandothat.

Literally,‘thelittlemanofthedaughterofyoureye’,areferencetothepupil.

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SeeG.H.Wilson2002:324forahelpfuldiscussionofthetranslationissuesinthisverse.

E.g.G.H.Wilson(ibid.320)construes‘righteousness’intermsofthelegalcharacterofmišpāṭ:‘ThePsalmistexpectstosurvivethisdivinecritiqueforthereisnocondemningeviltobefound.’

Zenger (Hossfeld and Zenger 2005: 369) argues that Ps. 86 is a creative summary of all theDavidic psalms to this point. It also has significant connectionwithPs. 102, strengthening thecaseforseeingastronglinkbetweenthese‘prayers’.

Although,ofcourse,thisisnottobeexcluded.

See the comments ofHossfeld and Zenger (2005: 366).Also in a discussion on Psalms P.D.Miller(1994:125)comments,‘ThecovenantalbondandtheirhistorywithGodhavegiventhemeveryreason tosee their relationshipwithGodas theirwholereasonforbeingandaparticularpurposethatGodhaswiththem….Intheseprayers,theyremindGodofthatfactinvariouswaysinordertoclaimGod’spresentprotectionandhelp.’

Kraus(1993b:182),whowouldinnosenseseethispsalmasapsalmoftheMessiah,nonethelessacknowledges the scope of what is being asked for, arguing that the writer ‘sees Yahweh’ssalvificpowerinauniversalandeschatologicallight’.

Notethereferencestocreation,fallandjudgment(byflood)invv.1–10.SeealsothecommentsofTanner(deClaisse-Walfordetal.2014:690–691)onthe‘Mosaic’atmosphereofthepsalm.

Ibid.694.TanneralsoarguesthatthereisaparalleltoExod.32–34here.

This,however,doesnotinitselfruleoutthepossibilitythatthekingisspeaking.SeeGoldingay2008:149.

Itisstrikingthathisenemiesareclearlydepictedasattackinghimwithoutcause,butthereseemsa distinct reticence when it comes to calling on God to act directly against them. Rather, hesimplycallsonGodtodowhatheisalreadycommittedtodoing.

Theuseof ‘myGod’ firmly roots thepsalm in a covenantal perspective (Hossfeld andZenger2011:26;seealsodeClaisse-Walfordetal.2014:756).

See also the suggestion ofHossfeld (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011: 28), building on thework ofErbele-Kuster, that thecontextofPs.102betweenDavidicpsalms (101,103)has theeffectofinvestingPs.102withDavidicmeaning.

Seethediscussionofthestructureofthepsalterbelow.

HossfeldandZenger2011:565.

Ofcourse,inageneralworklikethiseventodipatoeintothemurkywatersofgenrestudiesinPsalms is aperilous exercise.However,while this studycannotdevote significant space to thehugeamountofworkdone in thisarea, itwouldbe inappropriate simply to sidestep the issuesinvolved.

SeeDavidM.Howard’s(2005:23–40)excellentsummaryofthedebate.

See the excellent collection of papers Interpreting the Psalms (Johnston and Firth 2005) for agoodsummaryofthevariations.

TheclassictreatmentoflamentremainsWestermann1987.

Kidner1973:189.

G.H.Wilson1985.

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Mitchell1997.

This is an extremely fertile and stimulating area in Psalms studies; see e.g. thework ofGrant2004;HossfeldandZenger2005.SeealsotheworkofmycolleagueDougGreenonthepsalmsas prophecy, e.g.https://www.academia.edu/5130978/The_Lord_is_Christs_Shepherd._Psalm_23_as_Messianic_Prophecy,accessed31May2015.

Seethediscussioninchapter6.

Chapter6:Jesusandprayer:prayerintheGospels

With, not surprisingly, the ‘Lord’sPrayer’ demandingmost attention.Prayer inLuke’sGospelhasalsobeenregularlydiscussed–seee.g.O’Brien1973.

ForadiscussiononprayerinJewishlifeinthefirstcenturyseeFinkel2001:43–65.Alsoseetheexcellent article by David Crump (2013: 684–692). Crump provides a succinct summary notsimplyofthebackgroundbutofthefullrangeofmaterialonprayerintheGospels.

Max Turner, my former teacher at Aberdeen, has provided us (1990) with what remains theoutstanding short work on prayer in the Gospels (his article also covers Acts). Much of myunderstandingofthematerialhasbeenshapedbyhim.

I amaware that this cuts across the almost universal conventionof treating John as something‘other’,butinthiscasethenatureofthematerialwarrantstheapproach.ForaspecificdiscussionoftheteachingofthefourthGospelonprayerseeTurner1990:75–83.

Ibid.58;O’Brien1973:112–121.

Aswehave already seen, it is important to allowbiblical usage to shapeourunderstandingofwhat‘prayer’is,whilealsorealizingthat it isnotalwayspossibletooperatewithhardandfastcategories.SeealsoFarris2001.

Oneof thedrawbacksofcommentaries isoftena failure toanswer intriguingquestionsarisingfromtheabsenceofmaterialratherthanitspresence–thisisoneofthoseoccasions.

Theseparables,aswewillseeinthenextsection,aretrickierandlessrelevanttothequestionofprayerthanmightatfirstappear.

SeeBruner2004:289.

There is obviously a myriad of discussions of this passage in the literature. For a conciseexplanation of the issues and force of Jesus’ teaching seeCarson 1995: 162–169; also France2007:231–241.

Wright2001:147.ForanexcellentoverviewofthisprayerseeCrump2006:95–157.

SeeCarson1995:169–170forasuccinctandhelpfuldiscussion.ThisofcourseisnotbuiltsimplyonJesus’vocabulary,butonthemuchwiderplaceofsonshipinhisteaching(seeCrump2013).Marshall(2001:129)pointsoutthatthekinginthiskingdomisafather.

Ezek. 36:21–23; 39:7.Wright (2001: 140–141) argues that the background to this statement isfoundinExod.3:13–16,butthisisunpersuasive.

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SeeO’Donnell2013:168.AlsoWright1997:24–25.

Turner1990:65.

Wright2001:145.

SeethejudicioustreatmentofFrance(2007:241–254).

TheparallelpassageinLuke11alsomakesthelinktoprayerexplicit.

E.g.LeonMorris(1992:469)statesunequivocallythatthisisafreshsectionnotlinkedtowhathasgonebefore,butonbalanceitisbettertoseewhatJesussaysasanextensionofthediscussionofwhatcouldbe looselycalled ‘churchdiscipline’; seealsoO’Donnell2013:509–519;France1985:274–276.

SeethehelpfuldiscussionofCrump(2006:31–33).

TheotherreferencetoprayerinMatthewcomesinthetemplediscourseofMatt.24:15–20:‘SowhenyouseetheabominationofdesolationspokenofbytheprophetDaniel,standingintheholyplace(let thereaderunderstand), then let thosewhoare inJudeaflee to themountains.Let theonewhoisonthehousetopnotgodowntotakewhatisinhishouse,andlettheonewhoisinthefieldnotturnbacktotakehiscloak.Andalasforwomenwhoarepregnantandforthosewhoarenursinginfantsinthosedays!PraythatyourflightmaynotbeinwinteroronaSabbath.’Thisisalittleunusual,inthatitisaprayerforsafetyinthemiddleofturmoil.Yetevenherethecontextis that of a definitivemoment in salvation history, which imbues this desperate prayerwith acertain theological weight. With most commentators I hold that the original version of Matt.17:14–21didnotcontainanyreferencetoprayer.

Lincoln2001:177.

ForahelpfuldiscussionofpossiblewaystointerpretthisverseseeGundry1993:492–493.

SeeCrump2006:40–53.

Admittedly,thisideafindslittlesupportintheliterature.

SeeCrump2013:687–689.

Thereissomediscussionoverwhetherornotthisis,infact,aparable.Lenski(1946:625)callsitanillustration,butdoesnotgivemuchdiscussion.Marshall(1978:465)referstotwo‘sayings’.AsthestorylacksmanyoftheformalfeaturesofparablesinLuke,itseemsbettersimplytotakethisasadevelopednarrativeillustration.

Seee.g.Metzger2010:33–57.

Crump(2006:64–76)providesabalanceddiscussionofthisunit.

Although,thereareobvioussimilaritieswithmuchoftheMattheanmaterialonprayer.

SeeJohn4:34;5:17;10:25,37;14:10;15:24.

Barrett 1978: 460; Carson 1991: 496;Köstenberger 2004: 433. Bruce (1983: 300) andMorris(1995:574)holdthat‘greaterworks’makesreferencetothelargerinfluenceofJesus’followersintermsofnumberofpeopleandgeography.

Typically,writerspayverylittleheedtoanyOTbackgroundtothisidea;seee.g.theotherwiseexcellentdiscussionofCrump(2006:164–169).

As this recordedprayer is technicallyaprayerof Jesus rather thana straight-forward ‘teachingexercise’(liketheLord’sPrayer),onecoulddiscussthisunderthesection‘ThelifeofJesusand

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prayer’ below. However, given the uniqueness of the prayer, and its teaching role in John’sGospel,itisequallyappropriatetodiscussitinthecontextofJesus’explicitteachingonprayer.

ForanuancedaccountofthefullimportoftheseversesseeKöstenberger2008:166–179.

Evenatanon-technicallevelitwouldtakeseveralvolumestoevenapproachdoingjusticetothischapter(seeLloyd-Jones2000;Boice1975).

SeeKöstenberger2004:497–498;Barrett1978:512;Carson1991:568.

Turner (1990:58)notes that thereare threeadditionalparablesonprayer inMatthew.SeealsoO’Brien1973:118–119.

SeeTurner1990:60–64.

NeitherMatthewnorMarkincludesthefactthatJesuswaspraying.

This perspective also shapes theway Jesus prays for Simon Peter in Luke 22:31–32: ‘Simon,Simon,behold,Satandemandedtohaveyou,thathemightsiftyoulikewheat,butIhaveprayedforyouthatyourfaithmaynotfail.Andwhenyouhaveturnedagain,strengthenyourbrothers.’

Chapter7:Thechurchatprayer:prayerinthebookofActs

PeterO’Brien(1973)providesanexcellentbriefoverviewofthesubject.

Making statements like this instantly poses some massive theological questions. Did the firstChristians see themselves as the new Israel replacing ethnic Israel? Was the new Israel foreveryone or just for Jews?And so on. I strongly suspect that at this point in the narrative thedisciples themselves have not got that oneworked out, so it is unwise for us to expend hugeamountsofenergytryingtoresolveithere.

ThisgoessomewaytoexplainingboththefactthatMatthiasfadesoutofthenarrativeassoonashe enters, and the use of ‘lots’: they can select one ‘randomly’ because (1) there is nothingbetween the two candidates, for either of them would have done, and (2) the purpose of theappointment is not primarily personal but symbolic. What matters is that ‘number twelve’(whoeverheis)isaddedassoonaspossible.

Thephraseiskaitaisproseuchais.

Thisfindssomesupportin3:1(althoughthereferenceisnotdecisive).SeePeterson2009:162.

Keener2012:1011;Schnabel2012:180.

E.g.Crump2006:183.

Green2001:194–195.

Peterson2009:234.

Acts9:40:‘ButPeterputthemalloutside,andkneltdownandprayed;andturningtothebodyhesaid,“Tabitha,arise.”Andsheopenedhereyes,andwhenshesawPetershesatup.’

Cf.Keener2012:703.

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Chapter8:Churchplantingandprayer:prayerinPaul’sletters

Thematerial discussed in this chapter has, of course, generated amassive amount of literatureovertheyears.EventoattempttodiscussthePaulineviewofprayerisanenormouschallenge.Giventheconstraintsofthisbook,thischaptermustofnecessityfocusontracingthecontinuityofthePaulinematerialsandwhathasgonebefore.Foramoregeneralstartingpoint,andahelpfulintroductiontothematerial,seee.g.Peterson1990b.

I amconvincedof thecase forPaulineauthorshipofall the letters in the traditionallyascribedPaulinecorpus.

There are, of course, many more substantial and rigorous treatments of these prayers, mostnotablyO’Brien1982.SeealsoCarson1993.

Seee.g.thediscussionsofSchreiner1998:52–53;Moo1996:59–60.

TheexceptionstothisareGalatians,1TimothyandTitus(andtoalesserextent,theCorinthiancorrespondence).ButineachofthesecasesthereisapressingmatterathandtowhichPaulturnsstraight away, thus skipping his usual ‘prayer report’ section. In 1 Corinthians he expressesthankfulness,butdoesnot then turn toprayer.Similarly, in2Cor.1Paulmovesquickly tohis‘defence’,omittinganycommentonhisprayersforthem.

SeethehelpfulexplanationofLincoln(1990:78–79)andO’Brien(1999),wherehopeisclearlythecentralidea,contraArnold(2010:98–99),whoarguesthattheendoftheprayerispower.

SeethediscussionofthesyntaxinO’Brien(1999:252–253).

Vv.18–19functionlikearhetoricaldrumroll–IpraythatyouwillgrasphowbroadandlongandhighanddeeptheloveofChristis,andthatyouwillknowthislovethatsurpassesknowledge.

O’Brien (1999:253) states that this ‘hasbeenviewedas the thirdandclimactic request,or thesummarizing request in which the two preceding petitions are realized’. Carson (1993: 195)suggeststhatitissimplyclarifyingthesecondrequest.However,thesesyntacticalissuesdonotsubstantiallyaffectmydiscussion.

Seee.g.Eph.1:22–23.ThediscussionofO’Brien(1991:72–83)isimmenselyhelpful.

Cf.thecommentsofMoo(2008:100–101),including‘Paul’sintendedmeaningisclearenough:GodtheFatherhashimselfprovidedwhatsinnersneedtobeconsideredworthytojointhepeopleofGod.’

2 Tim. 1:3: ‘I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as Irememberyouconstantlyinmyprayersnightandday.’

SeeO’Brien1982:47–58foramuchfullerdiscussionoftheseverses.

TheinterveningmaterialinRom.8doesnotdirectlyrelatetoprayerinanyconventionalsense,buttotheroleoftheSpirit,whichisbeyondthepurviewofourdiscussion.

SeeSchreiner1998:442–447foranuancedaccountofPaul’sargument.

Astherestofthematerialinthispassagedoesnotimpingedirectlyontheissueofprayer,Imakeno comment, but simply refer interested readers to Köstenberger and Schreiner 2005 (for adifferentperspectiveseeTowner2006).

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SeeTowner (2006: 202–203),who suggests that a concern forGod’s global purposesmay liebehindtheuseof‘everywhere’.

SeethediscussioninWinter(2001:121–140).

ForanexhaustiveoverviewoftheissuesinvolvedininterpretingthischapterseeThiselton2001:799–848.

E.g.Rom.5:2,11;12:12;1Cor.7:30;2Cor.6:10;Gal.4:27;Phil.1:18;2:17;Col.1:24.

SeeO’Brien1991:488–489fortheargumentseachway.

Seefurtherintheafterwordbelow.

Chapter9:Theendofprayer:prayerinthelaterNewTestament

Peterson1990aalsoprovidesahelpfuloverviewofthismaterial.

O’Brien(2010:184–186)hasadetailedexplanationofthebackgroundofthethroneastheplacefromwhichGodbothrulesanddispensesgrace.However,hedoesnotaccountfortheabsenceofany prayer language. Ellingworth’s (1993: 269–271) slightly more nuanced treatment is, onbalance,tobepreferred.

So e.g. Peterson (1990a: 105–106), although following the argument set out above, sets hisdiscussioninasectionentitled‘ThePrayersofChristians’.

WithO’Brien(2010:198),whocitestheclassicalbackgroundofthephrase.

Althoughagainstthis,entynchaneinmaywellrefertospeakingtotheFatheronourbehalf.ButevensothisisacaseofJesus’remindingtheFatherofwhathasalreadybeenpaidforusratherthanprayingforusinanysense.

IfindthecasemadebyWitherington2007tobequiteconvincing.

E.g.Davids(1982:72–73)seesthepromisetoholdspecificallyinthecontextoftesting.SoalsoMartin(1988:19).

Wecansee theambiguity in the termin2Tim.2:9,wherePaul is ‘sufferingasacriminal’. Inotherwords there isa reasonforhissuffering; it is just that inhissituation thesuffering isnotdeserved.

Itmaybeeasilyunderstandable,butthatdoesnotchangethefactthatitisnotacommonbiblicalconnection.

Contra e.g. Davids (1982: 192), who acknowledges that the word can mean ‘weak’, but thenarguesfromthecontextthatitmustmean‘sick’.Hisargumentseemscircular.

Davids (ibid.) also discusses a possible Hellenistic background for the phrase. This isunconvincing.

See the excellent discussion of Tim Chester (2003: 82–83, developed in concert with SteveTimmis),whichpresentsabroadlysimilarinterpretation.

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Assuming that the same John (presumably the Beloved) is responsible for both the JohanninelettersandtheApocalypse.

Cf.Ps.34:13–17.

SeeBauckham1983:113–114andDavids2006:94–95forthevariousoptions.

InthiscontextChester’s(2003:62–73)excellentdiscussionofwhatitmeanstoprayintheSpiritisextremelyhelpful.

AswithsomeotherkeyNTpassages,thereisnoexplicitmentionofprayerhere.However,inthiscase,asitisobviouslydealingwithdirectaddresstoGod,itishardtoseehowonecouldexcludeitfromanylistofbiblicalprayermaterial.

SeetheexcellentdiscussionbyJobes(2014:232–237).

SeethehelpfuloverviewofNg(1990:119–135).

Andinparticulartherighteousjudgmentoftheungodly.SeeBeale1998:357;Mounce1997:34.

Bauckham2001:252–253.

InthewordsofChester(2003:38),‘Prayerisnotultimate,butpenultimate.’

Afterword:whythismatters–(re)learningtopraybigprayers

Houston1989:11.

Ryle1998:68.

Atleastbacktothe‘DesertFathers’inthethirdcentury,whowithdrewtothewildernesstoseekGodinthefaceofthegrowingworldlinessofthechurch.

E.g. here in Australia, while there is still a prayer meeting on most campuses, AustralianFellowship of Evangelical Students staff say it is generally small and regarded as slightlyperipheral to the ‘main action’ on campus. I also know of very few churches that retain adedicatedmeetingforcorporateprayer.

Lovelace1979:153.

IhavelovedallthehomegroupsIhavebeenpartofovertheyears.However,withthegloriousexception of theHowthHomeGroup thatmet from 2001 to 2007 in our house, it has alwaysseemedmucheasiertostudytheBibletogetherthantopray.

Lovelace1979:154.

P.E.Miller2009:114.

AbouttheAuthor

J. Gary Millar is principal of Queensland Theological College, Australia.Previously he served as a minister in Northern Ireland and the Republic ofIreland.HeistheauthorofNowChooseLife,co-authorofSavingEutychusandacontributortoHisMission:JesusintheGospelofLuke.

AlsobyJ.GaryMillarNowChooseLife

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