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Word of the Cross Bible Study
July 13, 2011
Read Matthew 6:5-13: Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
“Use not vain repetitions” - The original word here is supposed to be derived from the name of a Greek poet, who made long and weary verses, declaring by many forms and endless repetitions the same meaning. Hence, it means to repeat a thing often; to say the same thing in different words, or to repeat the same words, as though God did not hear at first. An example of this we have in 1 Kings 18:26; "They called on Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us!"
Dr. Reverend William McClure Thomson in his book "The Land and the Book", gives the following description of what actually occurs: “A man next us raises his open hands until the thumbs touch the ears, exclaiming aloud, "Allah-hu-akbar" - 'God is great.' After uttering mentally a few short petitions, the hands are brought down and folded together near the girdle, while he recites the first chapter of the Koran, and two or three other brief passages from the same book. And now he bends forward, rests his hands upon his knees, and repeats three times a formula of praise to 'God most great.' Then, standing erect, he cries "Allah-hu-akbar," as at the beginning. Then see him drop upon his knees, and bend forward until his nose and forehead touch the ground directly between his expanded hands. This he repeats three times, muttering all the while the same short formulas of prayer and praise. The next move will bring him to his knees, and then, settling back upon his heels, he will mumble over various small petitions, with sundry grunts and exclamations, according to taste and habit. He has now gone through one regular Rek'ah; and, standing up as at the first, and on exactly the same spot, he will perform a second, and even a third, if specially devout, with precisely the same genuflections. They are obliged to repeat some expressions thirty times, others many hundred times.”
“Thy kingdom come” - The word "kingdom" here means "reign." The form of expression used by the ancient Jews. Let him cause his kingdom to reign, and his redemption to flourish: and let the Messiah speedily come and deliver his people. "The kingdom of thy Messiah come". Christ alters the expression, leaves out the word "Messiah", and puts it thus, "thy kingdom come", to let them know that the Messiah was come; and that it was the kingdom of the Father, in the power of his grace, upon the souls of men, they must pray for and expect.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Pray without ceasing.” - Not that saints should be always on their knees, or ever lifting up their hands, and vocally calling upon God; this is not required of them, and would clash with the duties of daily life, for however willing a spiritual man might be to be engaged in this work always, yet the flesh is weak, and would not be able to be consistent in it. But the meaning is, that believers should be daily, and often found in the performance of the act of prayer; for as our daily needs return upon us, and we are called to new service, and further trials and exercises, they have need of more grace, strength, and assistance, and therefore should daily pray for it. Additionally, certain times both in the closet, and in the family, in which they should attend the throne of grace, there is such a thing as mental prayer, praying in the heart, private reflection of the soul, which may be sent up to heaven, while a man is engaged in the affairs of life.
Read Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
“be constant in prayer” - Making the most fervent and intense application to the throne of grace for the light and power of the Holy Spirit; without which you can neither abhor evil, do good, love the brethren, entertain a comfortable hope, nor bear up patiently under the tribulations and ills of life.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:15: “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.”
“I will pray with the Spirit” - Meaning not with the human breath, or spirit only, vocally, with an articulate voice, and distinct sounds, so as to he understood; nor with his own spirit, or in a spiritual way, with a spirit of devotion and fervency, with his whole heart and soul engaged in such service. Not only with faith and fervency, freedom and boldness; but with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, so as to pray in an extraordinary manner, with strange tongues, in an unknown language; this, as the apostle was capable of, he determined to use at proper times, and on proper occasions.
“I will pray with my mind also” - Not merely so as to understand himself, or with an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God; with a spiritual understanding of things, so as to know the object of prayer, the way of access to him, the need of the Spirit's influence, and that he shall have the petitions he asks in faith, according to the will of God. All which is very necessary in prayer; but so as to be understood by others: his sense is, that though on some occasions he might choose to make use of his extraordinary gift, yet he would also pray in a language, in which he might be understood by the people; that so they might be able to join with him, and receive some blessing; and that their souls might be refreshed, as well as his.
Read Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“by prayer and supplication” - Which may include all sorts of prayer, mental or vocal, private or public, ordinary or extraordinary, and every part of prayer: prayer may design petition, or asking for good things that are wanted; and "supplication", an expression of evils that are feared; though these two are often used together for the same thing, for prayer in general: which ought always to be accompanied
Read 1 Timothy 2:8: “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
“Lifting up holy hands” - It was a common custom, not only among the Jews, but also among the heathens, to lift up or spread out their arms and hands in prayer. It is properly the action of entreaty and request; and seems to be an effort to embrace the assistance requested. The holy hands refer to the Jewish custom of washing their hands before prayer; this was done to signify that they had put away all sin, and purposed to live a holy life. “It is forbidden a man to lift up his hands above, except in prayer, and in blessings to his Lord, and supplications”, as it is said, Genesis 14:22 which is interpreted of lifting up of hands in prayer.
“without anger or quarreling” - That is, without the intermingling of any evil passion; with a calm, peaceful, benevolent mind. There should be nothing of the spirit of contention; there should be no anger toward others; the person in prayer should be at peace with all people. It is impossible for a man to pray with a fullness of spirit, or to suppose that his prayers will be heard, if he cherishes anger or a divisive spirit.
Read Isaiah 59:1-2: God does not hear our prayers if we are living in sin (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). Our sins separate us from God.
July 13, 2011
Read Matthew 6:5-13: Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
“Use not vain repetitions” - The original word here is supposed to be derived from the name of a Greek poet, who made long and weary verses, declaring by many forms and endless repetitions the same meaning. Hence, it means to repeat a thing often; to say the same thing in different words, or to repeat the same words, as though God did not hear at first. An example of this we have in 1 Kings 18:26; "They called on Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us!"
Dr. Reverend William McClure Thomson in his book "The Land and the Book", gives the following description of what actually occurs: “A man next us raises his open hands until the thumbs touch the ears, exclaiming aloud, "Allah-hu-akbar" - 'God is great.' After uttering mentally a few short petitions, the hands are brought down and folded together near the girdle, while he recites the first chapter of the Koran, and two or three other brief passages from the same book. And now he bends forward, rests his hands upon his knees, and repeats three times a formula of praise to 'God most great.' Then, standing erect, he cries "Allah-hu-akbar," as at the beginning. Then see him drop upon his knees, and bend forward until his nose and forehead touch the ground directly between his expanded hands. This he repeats three times, muttering all the while the same short formulas of prayer and praise. The next move will bring him to his knees, and then, settling back upon his heels, he will mumble over various small petitions, with sundry grunts and exclamations, according to taste and habit. He has now gone through one regular Rek'ah; and, standing up as at the first, and on exactly the same spot, he will perform a second, and even a third, if specially devout, with precisely the same genuflections. They are obliged to repeat some expressions thirty times, others many hundred times.”
“Thy kingdom come” - The word "kingdom" here means "reign." The form of expression used by the ancient Jews. Let him cause his kingdom to reign, and his redemption to flourish: and let the Messiah speedily come and deliver his people. "The kingdom of thy Messiah come". Christ alters the expression, leaves out the word "Messiah", and puts it thus, "thy kingdom come", to let them know that the Messiah was come; and that it was the kingdom of the Father, in the power of his grace, upon the souls of men, they must pray for and expect.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Pray without ceasing.” - Not that saints should be always on their knees, or ever lifting up their hands, and vocally calling upon God; this is not required of them, and would clash with the duties of daily life, for however willing a spiritual man might be to be engaged in this work always, yet the flesh is weak, and would not be able to be consistent in it. But the meaning is, that believers should be daily, and often found in the performance of the act of prayer; for as our daily needs return upon us, and we are called to new service, and further trials and exercises, they have need of more grace, strength, and assistance, and therefore should daily pray for it. Additionally, certain times both in the closet, and in the family, in which they should attend the throne of grace, there is such a thing as mental prayer, praying in the heart, private reflection of the soul, which may be sent up to heaven, while a man is engaged in the affairs of life.
Read Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
“be constant in prayer” - Making the most fervent and intense application to the throne of grace for the light and power of the Holy Spirit; without which you can neither abhor evil, do good, love the brethren, entertain a comfortable hope, nor bear up patiently under the tribulations and ills of life.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:15: “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.”
“I will pray with the Spirit” - Meaning not with the human breath, or spirit only, vocally, with an articulate voice, and distinct sounds, so as to he understood; nor with his own spirit, or in a spiritual way, with a spirit of devotion and fervency, with his whole heart and soul engaged in such service. Not only with faith and fervency, freedom and boldness; but with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, so as to pray in an extraordinary manner, with strange tongues, in an unknown language; this, as the apostle was capable of, he determined to use at proper times, and on proper occasions.
“I will pray with my mind also” - Not merely so as to understand himself, or with an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God; with a spiritual understanding of things, so as to know the object of prayer, the way of access to him, the need of the Spirit's influence, and that he shall have the petitions he asks in faith, according to the will of God. All which is very necessary in prayer; but so as to be understood by others: his sense is, that though on some occasions he might choose to make use of his extraordinary gift, yet he would also pray in a language, in which he might be understood by the people; that so they might be able to join with him, and receive some blessing; and that their souls might be refreshed, as well as his.
Read Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“by prayer and supplication” - Which may include all sorts of prayer, mental or vocal, private or public, ordinary or extraordinary, and every part of prayer: prayer may design petition, or asking for good things that are wanted; and "supplication", an expression of evils that are feared; though these two are often used together for the same thing, for prayer in general: which ought always to be accompanied
Read 1 Timothy 2:8: “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
“Lifting up holy hands” - It was a common custom, not only among the Jews, but also among the heathens, to lift up or spread out their arms and hands in prayer. It is properly the action of entreaty and request; and seems to be an effort to embrace the assistance requested. The holy hands refer to the Jewish custom of washing their hands before prayer; this was done to signify that they had put away all sin, and purposed to live a holy life. “It is forbidden a man to lift up his hands above, except in prayer, and in blessings to his Lord, and supplications”, as it is said, Genesis 14:22 which is interpreted of lifting up of hands in prayer.
“without anger or quarreling” - That is, without the intermingling of any evil passion; with a calm, peaceful, benevolent mind. There should be nothing of the spirit of contention; there should be no anger toward others; the person in prayer should be at peace with all people. It is impossible for a man to pray with a fullness of spirit, or to suppose that his prayers will be heard, if he cherishes anger or a divisive spirit.
Read Isaiah 59:1-2: God does not hear our prayers if we are living in sin (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). Our sins separate us from God.