Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

PROSEUCHOMAI* - Part 8 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
To pray

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

We are continuing with our study of the word προσεὺχομαι (Strong's #4336, pronounced prō'sūk-ō-mīF1), which means "to pray." It is a word compounded from the preposition πρὸς (Strong's #4314, pronounced prōsF1) meaning "to" or "toward," and the word εὔχομαι (Strong's #2172, pronounced ū' kō-mīF1) meaning "to wish, to desire." Εὔχομαι is used in the New Testament to express a wish, which is its basic, root meaning.

We have learned from previous parts of this study that God's answer to prayer is only guaranteed when the believer's underlying wish and desire in prayer is for the Lord's will to be done. We saw this principle revealed in 1 John 5:14-15. In James 4:1-4, we saw the same principle again, but with the additional understanding that those praying to fulfill their own hedonistic desires will not receive an answer; because they have set their desires on the things of this world and are actually committing spiritual adultery positioning themselves as enemies of God. We also learned, from James 1:5-8, that a double-minded person is one who asks God for wisdom but does not ask in faith—trusting the Lord through trials in order to gain His wisdom. The focus here is again on the wish or desire underlying the person's prayer. Additionally, in these same verses (1:5-8), James added to our understanding by revealing that one must ask in faith, believing that the Lord's will is being done in response to prayer. We then turned our focus to Paul's teaching about prayer, from Philippians 4:4-7. In these verses, Paul commanded that everything should be brought to the Lord through prayer (προσεὺχομαι), with thanksgiving. He stated that the peace of God will guard the hearts and thoughts of those who leave in the Lord's hands the answers to prayer, for His will to be done.

Teachings on prayer, whether penned by Paul, James or John, originate from the Lord's teaching on prayer, as recorded in the Gospels; for the last two studies, we turned our attention to the Lord's teaching on προσεὺχομαι, from John 14:12-14 and John 15:5-7. These teachings give us the basis and foundation for the teachings on prayer by Paul, James and John. In John 14:13 Jesus said, "And whatever you should ask in My name, this I will do, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son." This shows us that we are to pray "in His name;" but Jesus did not present this prepositional phrase as a formula through which believers get their wishes and desires answered; that concept would be presented as praying "through His name." When someone functions "in" the name of another, he/she moves in representation of the purposes and plan of that person under whose name he/she is functioning. Therefore, Jesus' promise of response to prayer is reserved for those who pray in His name—desiring that His plan and purposes be done.

In our last study from John 15:7, Jesus states: "If you should abide in Me, and My words should abide in you, whatever you should desire you will ask, and it will happen to you." Here the Lord presents another factual statement applying to those who abide in Him and in whom the Lord's words abide. To these people, the promise is given that whatever they should desire they will ask, and it will happen to them. This states that God only guarantees an answer to prayer when it is expressed under the influence of God's Spirit and His Word; so that the prayer is in accordance with the words of Christ. An example of this kind of prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13 where Jesus taught His disciples to pray. It begins: "Our Father, the One in Heaven, let Your name be sanctified; let Your kingdom come; let Your will happen, as in heaven, also upon the earth." This demonstrates how one who is under the influence of God's Spirit and Word will pray—he will pray for the Lord's will to happen upon the earth as it has been decreed in heaven to happen.

This week we continue to study examples of the Lord's teaching on προσεὺχομαι, from Matthew 26:36-43. These prayers were expressed by Jesus just before He went to the cross; they are some of the most intense prayers ever recorded. From them we gain great insight into the struggle between the flesh and the spirit.

Matthew 26:36-43

36)

Then Jesus comes with them into a place being called Gethsemane. And He says to the disciples, "Sit here until after having gone away, I will pray there."

37)

And after having taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be grieved and to be deeply troubled.

38)

Then He says to them, "My soul is very grieved, even unto death. Remain here and stay awake with Me."

As He faced tremendous suffering, even death, Jesus takes three disciples with
Him asking that they stay awake and join Him in prayer.

39)

And after having gone forward a little, He fell upon His face, praying and saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.

In facing the inevitable, Jesus asks the Father if there is a possibility that this cup could pass from Him; but He then submits His will to the Father's by stating, "not as I will, but as You will." In the certain face of terrible suffering at the hands of sinful men, Jesus still submits to the Father for His will to be done.

40)

And He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping. And He says to Peter, "In this way were you not able to stay awake one hour with Me?

41)

"Stay awake and pray in order that you should not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak."

After praying the first time, Jesus turns to the three disciples He chose to watch with Him in prayer and finds them sleeping. After waking them up, He explains the need for watchfulness in prayer, "in order that you should not enter into temptation"— so that temptation should not catch them by surprise because they are not watching. He then reveals the struggle between the flesh and the spirit and states the reason why watchfulness and prayer are necessary: "The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak."

42)

Again after having gone away a second time, He prayed, saying, "My father, if this cup is not able to pass away from Me unless I should drink it, let Your will be done."

When Jesus prays a second time, stating that if the cup cannot pass from Him unless He drinks of it, He again acquiesces to the Father by saying, "…let Your will be done." Put into words we can readily understand, Jesus is saying that if He must endure this suffering, then His desire is that the Father's will be done.

43)

And after having come He again finds them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

Jesus finds the disciples sleeping again; and, instead of awakening them as He has done previously, He lets them continue in sleep; but He himself returns to prayer (verses 44-46).

In these prayers, the fierce struggle between the flesh and the spirit are manifested, as well as the need for watchfulness and prayer. The intense grief Jesus endures, along with the sleepiness of the disciples, constitutes the struggle Jesus has with the Father's will. However, it is important to understand that when Jesus prays, He is not asking for an escape from the death of the cross; He has come into this world to die for the sins of its people. His prayer is about the cup of suffering— the suffering He would endure at the hands of sinners. Jesus is asking for a possibility to happen (that the cup pass from Him), but is at the same time submitted to and asking for the Father's will to be done. The Lord gives us the perfect example of the principles of prayer, in that one can express his/her request while still being in submission by having the underlying desire that the Lord's will be done.

Next week we will begin to examine the teaching of Jesus on how we are to approach prayer. Our text will be taken from Matthew 6:5-14.

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*PROSEUCHOMAI is the English font spelling of the Greek word προσεὺχομαι.

F1: English pronunciation guide for Greek words: āle; ăm; ēve; ĕnd; īce; ǐll; ōld; ǒdd; ūse; ŭp

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