Listening and Praying to the Father
In Matthew 21:28-32 we are told about a father who had two children. Approaching the first, he said, ‘Child, go work today in the vineyard.’ Now, this child responded, ‘I will, Sir’, but did not leave for the vineyard. The father approached the second child and requested the same, who said, ‘I will not!’ but later felt regret and went into the vineyard. Now, which of the two did the will of their father?” The priests and elders answered, “The last one.” Then Jesus said to them: “I tell you this truth: Tax-collectors and the sexually immoral are going ahead of you into the Realm of The God. John came to you in righteousness way and you did not believe him. But the tax-collectors and sexually immoral believed him. Not you–though seeing you did not feel regret later and so believe in John.” (Matthew 21:28-32 MHM)
Which one of the two children do we want to be? Do you recognise the one who says yes but does not act, or do we want to be the one who at first says not going to do it, but changes his mind? Do we want to hear the voice of the Almighty one? Do we even listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus, who asks us to do the will of the Father?
Do we are selves take our own steps and go the way Jesus directs us?
There is only one person to whom we have to give the full authority and to whom we have to give our ear and heart fully.
Jesus, been tempted could resist and said to the Devil (the adversary), “Be on your way, Satan, for it has been written, ‘You shall worship YHWH/Jehovah your God and to Him only shall you render divine service.’”" (Matthew 4:10)
Your God:
By this Jesus infers that YAHWEH or Jehovah is his God otherwise the quote makes no sense as a response to Satan. Over two dozen times the Scriptures use phrases indicating the Nazarene worships his own God. “The God of our Lord.” (#Ephesians 1:3, 17)
The Temptation of Christ, 1854 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is only to Jehovah that we have to render divine service (The Greek is LATREUSEIS. Or, KJV: serve; RHM: divine service)
We have to fear the LORD of Lords, our God, and serve him, (De 6:13) and should listen to His wishes and His commandments.
By serving God, Jesus obtained all the earthly authority which the devil offered him, and heavenly authority in addition thereto (#Mt 28:18). So much better are the rewards of God than Satan’s.
The words “him alone thou shalt serve” need be recalled today. Jesus warned men against trying to serve God and mammon (#Mt 6:24). Jehovah had previously also brought His penalties over those who did not want to listen.
Jehovah gave indications that it was time to act. Also several prophets and Christian writers warned people. “Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people answered him not a word.” “(1Ki 18:21 HNV)
Evil or the devil, as the lord of the evil world, constantly tries to win men to the service of the world and God. This is his chief camouflage for destroying a preacher’s power for God. (The word in (#Mt 4:10) for serve is latreuseiv from latriv a hired servant, one who works for hire, then render worship.
Lots of people are in a position they feel secure because they take no parts. They are sometimes member of a denomination, though they have a lot of things they do not keep up to the rules of that denomination. (Compare in the Roman Catholic Church where the Pope has given a lot of rules, but which the majority neglect) A lot of the actions and feasts they hold are pagan and contrary to the Biblical teaching.
We do have to ask the question “How long shall we halt between two opinions?” If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. (1Kings 18:21 JB2000)
We have to come out of the world the Earthly Matters, the World of Babylon the Great. We should not be partakers of her sins. (Revelation 18:4)
We should not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
Let our seed be sown in good soil, so that we really can hear the right message and understand the Words of God, given to us by the Holy Scriptures. By choosing a denomination who keeps closer to the truth then others, we ourselves can protect ourselves more. By choosing the right religion we can become blessed and become productive. (Matthew 13:23)
Keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! For it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world. Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)
When we want to follow Jesus, we do have to listen to his words. He also learned his followers to pray to his , their and our Father, with the words “ Our Heavenly Father (Pater Noster), Let your Name be sanctified.”
Clearly Jesus does not demand to pray to him but to his Father.
- Prayer invited
God has clearly indicated that His people should call upon Him in prayer. [1 Kgs. 3:5; 2 Chron. 7:14; Ps. 50:15; Jer. 33:3.]
- Prayer encouraged
The Bible encourages us to pray. [1 Chron. 16:11; Ps. 32:6; Prov. 2:3; Joel 2:32; Mt. 7:7; Lk. 21:36; Jas. 1:5; 1 Jno. 3:22 .]
- Response promised
As an encouragement to active prayer God has promised to respond. [Ex. 22:27; Ps. 34:17; Isa. 30:19; Jer. 29:12; Mt. 6:6; 21:22; Jno. 9:31 ; 1 Jno. 5:15 .] - Prayer answered
To emphasise that His promises do not fail, God has put on record evidence of His answer to prayer. [1 Kgs. 3:9,28 ; Ps. 34:4 ; Jas. 5:17 ; Dan. 9:20-23 ; Lk. 22:42 ,43 ; 2 Cor. 12:8,9]
We do have Christ as mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5) who showed us the way to go directly to his and our Father. Already before Christ, from earliest times, there was such a two way communication by prayer, which we still can keep to practice our devotion to the Most High. (Genesis 1:28 ; 3:9)
Today we still can use the given model prayer “Our Father”.
Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 615: “In the oldest version of this prayer, the invocation reads pater, (dear) Father, and indicates abba as the Aramaic original. This means that when Jesus gave his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, he gave them authority to follow him in addressing God as abba and so gave them a share in his status as Son.”
Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 617: “The description of God as Father never refers to any other individual or to mankind in general. To be a child of God is not a natural state or quality. … In Palestinian Judaism of the pre-Christian period the description of God as Father is rare. The Qumran texts provide but a single example. … We have yet to find an example of an individual addressing God as ‘my Father.’ … Jesus did not teach the idea that God is the Father of all men. … It must have been nothing short of outrageous that Jesus should make use of the completely unceremonious Aramaic word abba.”
Let your Name be sanctified; Faithful Christians should honour the Name of the Most high.
Jesus does not use the opportunity to incorporate the noma sagrada or Divine Name (YHWH = Jehovah; # Exodus 3:15) in his model prayer. Jesus uses the words “your name” with reference to the Father rarely in the Synoptic Gospels. In John the Nazarene uses the expression at John 12:28; John 17:6, 26. However, he never uses or pronounces YHWH in these contexts. Why? In Jesus’ day the Jews refrained from uttering the name YHWH and substituted Elohim (God) or Adonay (Lord). The Jews never removed YHWH from its nearly 7,000 occurrences in the Old Testament.
About the year 1,000 CE Jewish copyists began to incorporate vowel points in YHWH to warn to say God or Lord in its place.
Does the Nazarene ever use YHWH? The Gospel evidence would indicate this could only be when he is quoting the Hebrew Bible. It is now thought that the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, known as The Septuagint (LXX), had YHWH untransliterated in the Greek text. There is a good reason for this. The Greek language cannot convert the Hebrew letters for YHWH. Modern Greek dictionaries use dzehoba or Iekhoba for “Jehovah” but original Greek did not have an “h” as it were, other than a breath sound. Modern Greek attempts to capture the sound of the English pronunciation of the name.
Given the attitude of the Jews what would have happened if Jesus used YHWH in quotes or normal speech? Certainly equal to that misguided accusation that he violated the Sabbath! Yet the Gospels are silent on this. What about private meetings with his disciples when the use of YHWH could not cause a public stir? Compare the lengthy closing words in John 13$ to 17. Not once does Jesus use YHWH even though he alludes to the “name” four times.
Given the facts that the Jews do not attack him for violating their understanding of one of the Ten Commandments and the absence of his use in private speeches and prayers, it would seem he respected the Jewish tradition of the time.
This does not minimize the importance of the “Name” as Jesus’ words in his prayer shows. The idea of this sanctification occurs scores of times in the Hebrew Bible. Compare Exodus 3:14, 15, 6:3.
Various renderings are: TCNT: May thy name be held holy; MOF: thy name be revered; PHI: may your name be honored.
Honouring the name of the Creator of all things is one way of bringing veneration to the Most High. Saying the words Jesus learnt us to speak, we can worship God with the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father” and asking “Let your Kingdom come. Let your Will take place, as in heaven, also on earth. “
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“9 After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
(Matthew 6:9-13 KJBPNV)
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Related articles
- Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. -
Worship and worshipping (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
The worshipping or act of bringing worship can be done in different forms, which shall be spoken of in different articles. It can be done in the house by a private person or member of the community or in a special built or purpose-built place of worship, like a church or meeting room, or in a public place or in the open. In the Christadelphian community we mostly call the Meeting Hall “Ecclesia House”, “Ecclesia building” or simply “Ecclesia”.
Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve
The Anointed begotten Son of God
23. Coming down from heaven
When people say that Jesus came down from heaven they should know that all the good things come down from heaven.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of turning.1 {Footnote: 1See Mal. 3:6.} “(James 1:17 The Scriptures 1998+)
“This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” (James 3:15 The Scriptures 1998+) + “But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, ready to obey, filled with compassion and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17 The Scriptures 1998+)
Also the food we eat, like our daily bread comes from heaven.
Two distict different figures Jesus the son of God and his Father the Only One God -Image via Wikipedia
““This is the bread which comes down out of the heaven, so that anyone might eat of it, and not die. “I am the living bread which came down out of the heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever. And indeed, the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” The Yehud’im, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, “How is this One able to give us His flesh to eat?” יהושע therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Ad’am and drink His blood, you possess no life in yourselves. “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood possesses everlasting life, and I shall raise him up in the last day. “For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood stays in Me, and I in him. “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me shall live because of Me. “This is the bread which came down out of the heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this bread shall live forever.” “ (John 6:50-58 The Scriptures 1998+)
Jesus his flesh is as the bread which came down from heaven. As in our previous serious about language we see that several people also are caught in the “mad about my flat” language fallacy. As we showed the difference in meaning or understanding in different parts in the world, in the UK and the USA this means totally different things. They assume that “coming down from heaven” means that you were alive in heaven before you came down literally. But “mad about my flat” means “excited about my new apartment,” when English read this in their British environment and with British language habits in mind. So what does “coming down from heaven” mean in biblical idiom, which is Hebrew (hardly surprising) in style?
We may never forget we do have to read the Bible from a Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek view. Matthew being Hebrew spoke in his tradition and meant with such a saying that one’s origin is with God the Father (also Luke said that too!). It does not mean that one is a prehuman personage. Pre-human of course implies, if you think about it, non-human. And the whole point of the Messiah, Son of God, is that he is and must be a man, “the man mediator” of the lucidly clear statement of Paul in 1 Timothy 2:5: “There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Messiah Jesus,” the second Adam. Paul is keen to offset any opposing idea when he says “the spiritual man was not first” (1 Corinthians 15:46-48). The earthly man comes before the second Adam who is the Lord Messiah — not the other way round.
“For there is one Elohim,1 and one Mediator between Elohim and men, the Man Messiah יהושע, {Footnote: 11 Cor. 8:6, Eph. 4:6, Mk. 12:29-34.} “ (1 Timothy 2:5 The Scriptures 1998+)
“The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second Man is the Master from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15:46-48 The Scriptures 1998+)
24. First spirit and then flesh
In the 4th century strange ideas entered Christendom and certain Christians did everything to become on good terms with the men in power.
In 2 Clement 5:9 the original system was being suppressed by the philosophical notion that Jesus was “first spirit and then flesh.” That shift, documented by 2 Clement 5:9, meant that the historical Jesus was being swallowed up by a different Jesus. As Martin Werner lamented, “the historical Jesus completely disappeared” behind a Gnostic counterfeit figure (Formation of Dogma, p. 298).
A prominent spokesman for the traditional view that God is three Persons in one Essence (“three Whos in one What” as James White and Hank Hanegraaff maintain) writes: “Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. God tabernacling in human form. When I say that I believe in the full deity of Christ, that is what I affirm. At his birth our Lord Jesus Christ did not begin to exist” (Rev. Ian Paisley). So much for Matthew and Luke and John!
Anthony Buzzard wonders: “Putting on our Berean hats, what do we find? The origin, coming into existence of the Son of God was as follows (so wrote Matthew in 1:18): Mary was found to be pregnant under the influence of “holy spirit” — the personal operational presence and power of the One God, the Father. The result of the biological miracle worked in Mary is laid out for us: “What is begotten, fathered, brought into existence in her is from the holy spirit” (1:20). Mary would have had no difficulty understanding this very plain, unifying information, and nor should we. We might even risk being struck dumb for not believing, as was Zacharias.”
25. Seed of Eve
To bring any of the persons God foresaw in existence He uses human beings who, today, all come from the same forefathers: Adam, Noach/Noah and Abraham. In the line of David and Abraham came Jesus also into existence or “begat”, following God’s marvellous promise that the Messiah would be the seed of Eve (Genesis 3:15)[1]. In the Old Testament is written in the future sense that Jehovah our God would raise up to us a prophet from among the people to whom He spoke for generations. The priest’s due from the people[2], also would be one as the writer, to whom many would and should listen. In Old Times Jehovah had said. “I shall raise up a prophet to them from among their brothers, one like you; and I will put My Words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And it shall be, whoever will not listen to My Words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it at his hand.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19 LITV)
““יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers. Listen to Him, according to all you asked of יהוה your Elohim in Ḥorĕḇ in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of יהוה my Elohim, nor let me see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ “And יהוה said to me, ‘What they have spoken is good. ‘I shall raise up for them a Prophet like you out of the midst of their brothers. And I shall put My Words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. ‘And it shall be, the man who does not listen to My Words which He speaks in My Name, I require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19 The Scriptures 1998+)
The seed of Eve would also bring the descendant by bloodline of David.
““And now, say to My servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler over My people, over Yisra’ĕl. “And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth. “And I shall appoint a place for My people Yisra’ĕl, and shall plant them, and they shall dwell in a place of their own and no longer be afraid, neither shall the children of wickedness oppress them again, as at the first, even from the day I appointed rulers over My people Yisra’ĕl, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. And יהוה has declared to you that He would make you a house. “When your days are filled and you rest with your fathers, I shall raise up your seed after you, who comes from your inward parts, and shall establish his reign. “He does build a house for My Name, and I shall establish the throne of his reign forever. “I am to be his Father, and he is My son. If he does perversely, I shall reprove him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.” (2 Samuel 7:8-14 The Scriptures 1998+)
God, in a precious moment of history, initiated the history of His unique Son. The Words spoken for many years could come into realization, could come the cause of the generation.[3] This was a Son through whom God expressly did not speak in previous times.
“Elohim, having of old spoken in many portions and many ways to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by the Son, whom He has appointed heir of all, through whom also He made the ages,1 {Footnote: 1John 1:3.} who being the brightness of the esteem and the exact representation of His substance, and sustaining all by the word of His power, having made a cleansing of our sins through Himself, sat down at the right hand of the Greatness on high, having become so much better than the messengers, as He has inherited a more excellent Name than them.” (Hebrews 1:1-4 The Scriptures 1998+)
The Elohim, Jehovah God spoke about a future because naturally since that prophesied Son was not then alive! Being not alive is also not being in existence, in life, in vigour.[4]
[1] (3:16) “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed, He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15 Complete Apostles’ Bible)
[2] ““And this is the priest’s right from the people, from those who bring an offering, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the stomach;” (Deuteronomy 18:3 The Scriptures 1998+)
[3] See Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary for the word ‘begat’.
[4] Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary: in being
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Preceding article: Jesus begotten Son of God #9 Two millennia ago conceived or begotten
To be continued: Brought into existence + The plot thickens
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Interesting articles related to this subject:
- Whether Jesus existed or not
- How people see Jesus placed in history
- No Other Name (But Jesus)
- Yeshua a man with a special personality
- Who was Jesus?
- Who is Jesus Christ?
- A Unique person: Who is Jesus Christ? #1 What does the Bible say
- Jesus as fully human
- Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
- Clean Flesh #2 Purity of Jesus
- Jesus spitting image of his father
- Son of the Father: Good-News Jesus among the partisans
- Scriptures That Show That Jesus (Yahshua) Is Not Yahweh (Jehovah)
- Da Vinci Code: Was Jesus Human or Divine?
- Who is Jesus #2 Jesus Christ, man who died
- Who is Jesus #4 Clear statements that our heavenly Father is his “God”
- Who is Jesus #8 Father greater than Jesus
- Also angels had to bow their knee in the name of Jesus
- One Mediator between God and man
- Pre-existence
- Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
- Altered to fit a Trinity
- Lord or Yahuwah, Yeshua or Yahushua
- A Jewish Theocracy
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Related articles
- How is the manna that God rained down on the Israelites a type for the Eucharist (wiki.answers.com)
Manna was food (bread) from heaven which sustained the Israelites in the wilderness. The Bible emphasizes that God caused manna to appear at the right time and place to meet His people’s needs. Jesus assured the Jews that He, and not the wilderness food, was the true Bread from heaven that conferred eternal life on those who partook of it (John 6:30-58). - The Bread and the Wine are Better Than the Manna and the Water (thekingspresence.wordpress.com)
The manna was provided by God straight from heaven. Likewise, the water came out of the rock that followed the Israelites in the wilderness. Both were God’s provision for the Israelites and shadows of Christ. - John 6 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
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This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
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Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. - Soaked (refusingtotiptoe.com)
Coveting the nourishment of life from the Bread of Heaven. Satiated by the Manna. Permeating His existence. - What About Our Spiritual Life (verticalviewer.wordpress.com)
- This Week’s Torah Portion – Bereishit (In The Beginning) (terri0729.wordpress.com)
The Hebrew for bread of life is ‘lechem chayim.’ Yeshua was even born in
the house of bread (Beit lechem) usually called Beth-lehem in English.
This special braided bread called challah is eaten on the Sabbath
(Shabbat) and holidays. To commemorate the double portion of manna
that fell the day before the Sabbath in the wilderness, traditionally, two
loaves are on the Shabbat table.When we begin to understand Yeshua (Jesus) in His Hebraic, Jewish
cultural and Hebrew linguistic context, we not only understand the
Brit Chadashah (New Testament) more fully, but we are better equipped to
share the Word of God.
