The Jewish Background to the Lord’s Prayer
31 Aug 2023
Part 1: Our Father: Avinu Shebashamayim
This is Part one of a seven-part series exploring the Jewish background to the Lord’s Prayer.
I was recently sorting out a whole raft of papers and came across my notes from Brad Young’s 1984 book – The Jewish Background to the Lord’s Prayer (long out of print) – and a subsequent discussion with Dwight Pryor and others on the subject. The notes so struck me and reminded me of the significance of the Lord’s prayer that I felt it was worth sharing.
Learning how to pray
We have to start by saying that prayer is often something of a challenge. We all know that we should pray, and presumably, as believers, we all want to pray. However, many of us do not know how to pray, for we have not been taught how to pray effectively. Since much of our praying is not particularly well-informed, our extemporaneous prayers tend to be a bit jumbled and muddled.
As a result, I fully get why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. I also get why we have labelled it ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, even though the reality is that it is the Disciples' Prayer. It is how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Over recent years we have been through several culturally inspired rewrites and so it is common that people get mixed up with the words. However, it is the English wording we get muddled up over, whilst the words that Jesus taught were Hebrew. In other words, we are a world away from the mindset that sits behind the English translation of the Lord’s prayer.
we are a world away from the mindset that sits behind the English translation of the Lord’s prayer.
As a result, we can easily miss the great depth of Jesus’ message, even though we are committed to Him and believe fully in Him. This study is an attempt to share that Hebraic background. Let’s start with scripture and look at the two versions of this prayer from Luke and Matthew. Mark does not record the actual prayer although it is probable, if not certain, that he was aware of it.
The Lord's Prayer
As recorded by Luke:
‘Father, May your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. Give us each day the food we need. Forgive us our sins, for we too forgive everyone who has wronged us. And do not lead us to hard testing’” (11:2-4).
As recorded by Matthew:
‘Our Father in heaven! May your Name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us the food we need today. Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us. And do not lead us into hard testing but keep us safe from the Evil One. For kingship, power and glory are yours forever. Amen.’ (6:9-13: Complete Jewish Bible – additions in bold italics).
Who art in heaven
It is notable that Luke simply begins with ‘Father’. Many scholars believe that Luke’s prayer is the earliest version by virtue of its brevity. This sits well with me and my inclination to Lukan priority. This would mean that Matthew, with his more overt Hebraic content, would be inclined to include this addition because ‘who art in heaven’ is a well-known concept in early Jewish prayers. This approach is consistent with the rest of Luke’s gospel which never uses ‘Father who is in heaven’, whilst Matthew preserves twelve of Jesus’ sayings which include the Jewish expression ‘Our Father who is in heaven’. Mark also uses this term in Mark 11:25.
Many scholars believe that Luke’s prayer is the earliest version by virtue of its brevity.
The closest Luke gets is in 11:13 where he records ‘The Father will give the Holy Spirit out of heaven’. Professor David Flusser has suggested that Luke knowingly omitted ‘who is in heaven’ because he was concerned that Greek speaking readers might connect the imagery with that of Zeus, who popular culture had removed from the divine pantheon. This is an explanation that would also be valid for Luke’s equal brevity in stating, ‘Thy Kingdom come’.
Father
Regardless of those points of distinction, both versions begin with ‘Father’, a word that emphasises that we are God’s creation and that as His children, we have a responsibility to Him (see Malachi 1:6 and Deuteronomy 32:6). The use of the word ‘our’ means that no single individual has a monopoly on God, and that as His followers we hold responsibility to one another. Matthew’s inclusion of ‘who is in heaven’ is a powerful allusion to God’s supernatural nature, His might and His power. These simple words are full of imagery and of connection to God and to other members of God’s covenant keeping community.
It is also important to realise that the description of ‘Father’ is significant. Father is pivotal in the Hebrew family with a place of honour, authority and dignity all wrapped up in love and care. Jewish rabbinic parables illuminate these concepts, highlighting a father who displays affection to his son (or sons), even to placing him on his shoulders. My children always loved this simple act, and my grandchildren are walking a similar path. This very action speaks of warmth and affinity. It maybe even suggests a cherished position, which leads directly into imagery around embracing and striving for the son’s best interests whilst operating within a sense of loving discipline. For a loving father can indeed chastise.
It is Father’s care and protective oversight that is emphasised both in Jesus’ teachings and in rabbinic literature.
It is an interesting parallel, that of distance through respect, but equally importantly, the notion of provision and protection, proximity through love and affection – all wrapped up into one big bundle of ‘Father’. It is Father’s care and protective oversight that is emphasised both in Jesus’ teachings and in rabbinic literature. Where Jesus says:
‘Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike’;
the Talmud records Rabbi Abahu saying:
‘the day of rain is greater than the day of resurrection because the resurrection only benefits the just whilst the day of rain benefits both the just and the unjust. He who provides rain takes care of his children even when they do not deserve it’.
My Father
Take note that whilst Jesus teaches the disciples to say, 'Our Father’ and speaks of ‘your father’, when He speaks of God He speaks of ‘My Father’. The use of ‘My Father’ is extremely rare in Jewish literature. Where it does occur, it appears in an almost daring sense of intimacy, and came to be associated with the Messiah. My sense is that Jesus’ use of ‘My Father’ goes way beyond a messianic claim. I feel it speaks of a very keen awareness of His identity as the son, a consciousness of His special responsibilities and mission as well as of a social relationship with God.
Arguably, no better demonstration of this can be found than Jesus’ own words in Luke 10:22 and Matthew 11:27:
“My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Nick Thompson worked extensively in national newspaper marketing teams in the 80's and 90's. He currently lives in North Lincolnshire and works in software development and football. He is a Trustee of Prayer for Israel and a member of the Prophecy Today Editorial Board.
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Nick Thompson