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The Word became flesh and lived among us" (John 1:14). Christianity is an incarnational religion. We believe that God, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, took on our humanity in the land of Israel in what we call the first century a.d.
As we learn from the gospels, Jesus made his own the language, literary forms, and theological themes of Jewish prayer of his time. Jesus’ prayers and teachings on prayer as we find them in the gospels fit well within this historical and literary context. At the same time, they point to him as not only a wise and challenging teacher but also as a distinctive and even unique figure, one worthy of such titles as “Son of God” and “Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jewish Prayer in Jesus’ Time
Jesus’ teaching about prayer and his practice are deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition as expressed in the biblical Book of Psalms and in the prayers of Jews throughout the centuries. His direct address to God, his praise of God’s work in creation and salvation history, and his emphasis on the prayer of…
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