Required reading
Thoughts on public prayer by Samuel Miller (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 2 by reading up to the paragraph 'Equally without evidence are we that public forms of prayer were in use during the first five hundred years after the Apostles.'
My summary
This week Miller begins giving us a history of public prayer.
Firstly Miller looks for signs of public prayer in the Old Testament including in the lives of:
(i) Adam;
(ii) Solomon;
(iii) Asa;
(iv) Hezekiah;
(v) Ezra;
(vi) Jehoshaphat.
Secondly Miller turns to the New Testament and examines the corporate prayers of:
(i) Jesus (particularly the Lord's prayer);
(ii) Peter;
(iii) John;
(iv) Paul.
Miller's conclusion from both Testaments is that there is no evidence of a formal liturgy amongst the prayers of the Bible.
What grabbed me
Miller made a compelling case that the Lord's Prayer was never intended to be used as a strict and permanent form.
But I did find this point for that case interesting: 'As this prayer [the Lord's Prayer] was given before the New Testament church was set up, so it is strictly adapted to the old, rather than the new economy. The kingdom of Christ which had long been an object of intense desire to the pious, had not yet been set up. And, therefore, the first petition in this prayer is — Thy Kingdom come! It is, therefore, strictly speaking, not a prayer entirely appropriate to the New Testament Church. '
The kingdom had come and the kingdom is still to come. I think all Christians from the New Testament until Jesus returns can pray 'Your kingdom come' with all sincerity.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 2 by reading up to the heading 'Praying toward the east'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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