Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

PROSEUCHOMAI* - Part 10 - 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-mī**), which means "to pray." It is a word compounded from the preposition πρὸς (Strong's #4314, pronounced prōs**) meaning "to" or "toward," and the word εὔχομαι (Strong's #2172, pronounced ū' kō-mī**) meaning "to wish, to desire." It would seem that the combination of these two words gives us an understanding of prayer; that it is a simple expression of one's desires to God. However, this general description is not as clear cut as it appears to be; since it is necessary to biblically define the kind of desires that, when expressed to God in prayer, He guarantees to answer. This has been the focus of several parts of this study and we continue with it this week.

In the past nine parts of this study, we learned that God's answer to prayer is only guaranteed when the believer prays with the underlying wish and desire for God's will to be done. We saw this principle revealed in 1 John 5:14-15. We saw it again in James 4:1-4, but with the additional information that those praying to fulfill their own hedonistic desires would not receive an answer; because they had set their desires on the things of this world and were 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 again being 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 God's will is being done in response to prayer.

Teachings on prayer, whether penned by Paul, James or John, originate from the Lord's teaching on prayer, as recorded in the Gospels. Therefore, we turned our attention from the teachings of His disciples to the Lord's own teaching on προσεὺχομαι. We studied John 14:12-14 and John 15:5-7, as well as the prayer spoken by the Lord just prior to His crucifixion, as recorded in Matthew 26:36-43. 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." From this we understood that we are to pray in His name and that when one 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.

We found, in our study from John 15:7 (where 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"), 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.

We also studied examples of the Lord's teaching on προσεὺχομαι, from Matthew 26:36-43. These prayers, expressed by Jesus just before He went to the cross, are some of the most intense prayers ever recorded. From them we gained great insight into the struggle between flesh and spirit. In Matthew 26:39 Jesus stated, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." When Jesus prayed He expressed His desire (if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me), but He concluded in acquiescence to the Father ("…nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."). Put into words we can readily understand, Jesus said that if He must endure this suffering, then His desire was for the Father's will to be done.

Last week we began a three-part study from Matthew 6:5-14 on the Lord's teaching about prayer. We first considered the place for prayer (verses 5,6), this week we take the purpose for prayer (verses 7,8), and next week we will consider the principles of prayer (verses 9-13).

Last week we saw, as we studied Matthew 6:5-6, that Jesus told His disciples the proper place for prayer. He said that they were to "…enter into your private room, and after having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret." Three phrases of emphasis are presented here; private room, shut the door, and in secret. Jesus taught that prayer should not be for others to see, but is for a private time of communication between a disciple and (in keeping with our text) the Father. Simply said, prayer is not for putting on an outward appearance, but is for private times of intimate relationship with God. The promise for the one who prays in this way is God's answer to his/ her prayer, in full and seen openly.

This week we study the purpose for prayer from Matthew 6:7-8.

Matthew 6:7-8: The Purpose for Prayer

7)

But while praying (προσεὺχομαι), you should not use repetitions just as the heathens; for they presume that they will be heard in their much speaking.

8)

Therefore you should not be like them; for your Father knows of what things you have need before you should ask Him.^F1

After first teaching that prayer is not for public display but is rather for one's intimate time with the Father, Jesus instructs His disciples not to use repetitions in their prayers. He points out that those who continuously recite the same words are presuming that they will gain God's attention at some time during their prayer. He tells His disciples that they should not pray like the heathens do, because their Father knows what they have need of even before they ask. This brings up the most often asked question on prayer: If God knows what I need before I ask, why do I have to ask? The answer to this question is found in an understanding of the purpose for prayer.

Since the Scriptures state that God knows our needs even before we pray about them, it is easy to conclude, from all of our studies on prayer up to this point, that prayer is actually for the edification of the one praying. John says, "And this is the confidence which we have toward Him, that if we should ask anything according to His will, He is hearing us. And if we know that He is hearing us, whatever we should ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (1 John 5:14-15)." When believers pray for the Lord's will to be done, they are actually expressing their submission to the Lord, and John's teaching states that those praying in this manner can be confident that the Lord is hearing and answering, in the present time, those very prayers.

According to the text we studied in Part Three of this series (James 4:1-4), James says we do not have because we do not ask or because we ask in order to satisfy our fleshly desires, thereby not being in submission to the Lord concerning what we have requested. Our text in Matthew (Ch.6:7-8) states that God already knows what we need before we ask. Therefore, prayer is not for giving God information or extracting something from Him, but is rather for the maturing of ourselves in our relationship with the Father.

In understanding the purpose for prayer, we must know the certainties of our Heavenly Father. He knows the needs we have on a daily basis even before we can pray concerning them, and He is moving in the lives of His people even before we ask. The only participant in this prayer relationship who is not lined up with the Father regarding the issues of life is the one praying. Jesus states that the purpose for prayer is not to repeat phrases over and over again with the presumption that God will eventually hear and answer; He presents that the purpose for prayer is for the one praying. Prayer is ultimately an expression of submission to the Lord's will for every person and circumstance about which one is praying. The one who prays in this way will have the confidence and peace that comes from knowing that the Heavenly Father is answering according to His will.

Next week, we will continue to examine Jesus' teaching on prayer as we study the principles of prayer from Matthew 6:9-13.

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

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

F1: The prepositional phrase with the articular infinitive πρὸ͂τοῦ͂ὑμᾶς͂αἰτῆσαῖαὐτὸν, "before you to ask Him," is translated πρὶν͂σεῖς͂αἰτῆσητε͂αὐτὸν, "before you should ask Him."

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