What is Prayer?
By Jonathan Mitchell
Our English word, prayer, covers a number of activities in conventional usage. Different religious groups use the word differently, but for most it is some sort of communication to, or with, God. Making a request of God is commonly considered prayer. For others, the word also signifies contemplation or directed focus to God, and then listening for what comes to their minds. It is generally considered to be a spiritual activity which connects us to God.
This article will investigate the main NT Greek word which is normally translated as "prayer," and this is the word "proseuche" (the noun) and "proseuchomai" (the verb). These words are composed of the preposition pros, plus the particle eu, joined to the noun or to the verb, which respective signify "having/to have" or "holding/to hold." The prefix pros- signifies both direction and movement "toward" something. The particle -eu- gives us the central idea of these words: goodness, ease and well-being. Putting these elements (or, morphemes) together we have: "with a view to, and moving toward, having goodness, ease and well-being." As an action, "prayer" can be a logos (thought, idea, word, conceived blueprint, pattern-forming information) that arises within us which we mentally/spiritually speak, or simply conceive. It can also, of course, be verbally spoken outwardly... vocalized. But as the saying goes, "actions speak louder than words," a prayer can be something done which has a view to someone, or a situation, having goodness, ease and well-being.
Thus, we posit that praying, in the sense and idea of proseuchomai, is not necessarily directed to God, but is often directed to a person(s) or to a situation (e.g., peace in the Middle East). So, you may ask, "How is God involved"? I'm glad you asked. The concepts are really simple. Paul instructs us that we are God's Temple. In ancient times (and possibly even today) a temple was the home of a deity. Recall that Yahweh told Moses to build a Tent (tabernacle) for Him so that He could live among the Israelites. In the new arrangement, in Christ, WE are God's home (Temple). In 1 Cor. 6, Paul admonished his listeners not to be joined to a prostitute (which would involve an intimate joining). In contradistinction to this, in vs. 17, he tells us that the person "joined to" the Lord is one spirit (or: One Spirit). In Christ, God has joined Himself to us (in Jesus' agricultural metaphor, we are branches abiding in Him, the Vine - Jn. 15), or us to Him. Therefore, as we proseuchomai, our thoughts, words or actions come from God and us. We are thus "co-workers with God" (1 Cor. 3:9). Our "prayers" proceed from us, joined to God, freighted with goodness, ease and well-being. And so are our actions, which arise and are then projected (pros-) in order to have good results.
Can you now understand how Paul could say, "Pray without ceasing" (1 The. 5:27)? Praying simply becomes a way of life. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed His listeners,
"Be constantly loving your enemies (urging toward reunion with, and accepting as persons standing on the same ground, those folks hostile to you; [comment: this could have applied to the Romans, as well as to personal enemies]), and be habitually praying goodness over the people continuously persecuting you (constantly thinking and speaking on behalf of the folks repeatedly pursuing you to have ease and well-being)." (Mat. 5:44)This is the first step for becoming "the ones who make peace and create joining" (Mat. 5:9).
Prayer can also be directed TO God, as we see in the Garden of Gethsemane; Jesus prayed:
"And so, after going forward a little way [other MSS: in approaching (or: moving toward) {a certain spot}], He fell upon His face, continuously praying (thinking and/or speaking toward having ease and well-being) and (or: even) repeatedly saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass (or: since there is power and ability, cause this cup to go on by, or to the side,) away from Me! Nevertheless, more than this, [let it be; it is] not as I continue willing (wanting; intending), but to the contrary, as You [will and intend]" (Mat. 26:39).
So, we see that prayer can be directed toward things going well for ourselves, as well. Now does His praying this mean that the Father was somewhere else? No, for we read in Jn. 17:21a, as Jesus prayed TO God:
"TO THE END that ALL humans would (or: all people can) continuously exist being ONE, just, and correspondingly, as You, O Father, [are] within the midst of Me, and I [am] within the midst of You - so that they, themselves, may and would also continuously exist being within the midst of US."
The Father resided "within the midst of" Jesus... and so it is with us (cf Acts 17:28).
Furthermore, in Lu. 6:17, we have this narrative:
"Now it happened (or: came to be) during these days [for] Him to go out into the mountain (or: hill country) to have thoughts with a view towards having goodness, ease and well-being (or: to pray), and so He was continuing through the night within the midst of God's thoughts towards holding goodness (or: in union with possession of the action of God which was directed toward ease; in the influence leading to having well-being, which was God; or: centered in the prayer from God)."
Please consider the parenthetical alternate renderings of the genitive case in the last phrase of this verse.
Now, what about the renowned "Lord's Prayer"? First of all, it is the disciples' prayer, for in Lu. 11:1, His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray. Second, consider the context: the disciples saw themselves as being in a parallel situation to those who were followers of John. In both cases, they were all under the old arrangement (or: covenant). The new situation had not yet come to be... they were not yet what Paul called "the body of Christ," or "the temple of God." It was for that time, and was a basic prayer for their current situations. It spoke to the general wish for the coming of the Messiah ("Your kingdom come"), and to their personal needs. This prayer was in line with the prayers of David, in the Psalms, but these "apprentices" were not from the educated class. They were a part of the working folks of that day. We are not told what John taught his disciples, but it is apparent that all these folks needed instruction on the basics of prayer. And so, Jesus told them to focus on the Father as the Source of supply for their needs. We will here quote Matthew's version (chapter 6) so that you can observe how Jesus presents the Father in the position of being the Actor in this prayer of petition:
9. "Therefore, be continuously thinking and speaking toward having goodness, ease and well-being (or: praying) in this way: 'O our Father - the One within and in union with the heavens! (or: in the midst of the atmosphere and firmament!) Make Your Name (Designation) to be set-apart and kept holy (or: treated as sacred).
10. Make Your reign and kingdom (or: Empire, realm and sovereign activities) come. Make Your will (the effect of Your intent and purpose) come into existence (happen; come to be; be birthed) - as within heaven (or: [the] atmosphere), so also upon earth.
11. Give to us (Provide for us) today our bread necessary for existence (or: unto added being; or: the full-existence food) that does not run out [Old Syriac - Kenneth E. Bailey].
12. And then, send away the results of our debts for us (let the effects of our obligations flow away in us; cancel the condition of our indebtedness), as we also dismiss and send away for, and give release to, those who owe us (let flow away for those in obligation to us; cancel the situations and conditions of our debtors).
13. Also, would (or: may) You not bring (or: carry) us into an ordeal, harassment, or a putting to the proof - neither by trial, nor by temptation, nor by examination. But to the contrary, rescue us (drag us out of danger) away from the bad situation (the wicked person; the miserable condition; the painful labor; this unprofitable endeavor; this malicious man). [later MSS add: because Yours is the reign (Kingdom; Empire; Realm) and the ability (power; means of influence) and the manifestation which calls forth praise (the reputation; the glory; this assumed appearance), on into the ages. It is established, believe it (Make it so; Amen).]'
Within the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and in this new reality, we find Judah using an enlightening final phrase in this dependent clause, continuously thinking, speaking and acting toward having goodness, well-being and things going well (or: praying) within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect (or: in union with [the] Holy Spirit; centered in a separated and consecrated attitude and life-force)" (Jude 20). This was "praying" in union with the sphere of God, "centered in a separated and consecrated attitude and life-force."
We end this investigation with the words of Paul, in 1 Tim. 2:8, "So then, I am wanting and intending the men (adult males) within every place to habitually pray (constantly think, speak and act toward having ease, goodness and well-being), continually lifting up loyal and dutiful hands [for work, to give aid, to welcome people, to make proclamation, or to pray] that are pure from all crime, apart from impulse of intrinsic fervor (or: passion and swelling desire; or: anger, indignation or wrath) and reasonings (debates; arguments; divisions in thinking; dialogues; computations)."
Jonathan
John Gavazzoni comments: "Interestingly, the consensus among the early church fathers on just what is prayer was pretty much in line with your study: there was great agreement among the fathers that prayer was essentially communion [note: Greek: common being - JM] with God. Given that God is love, and, as our Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), to be in communion with such a Father-God is to be of an intention and will for goodness, ease, and well-being for all humanity. 'If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give good gifts (sister verse, the Holy Spirit) to those who ask Him?'"
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