Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

PROSEUCHOMAI* - Part 14 - 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."

From the previous parts of this study, we have seen that the simple combination of these two Greek words does not give us a complete understanding of prayer. It has been necessary to biblically define the kind of desires and the heart-condition required of believers as they address God in prayer. To this end, we first looked at teachings from the disciples and then focused on the foundational teachings of Jesus, as found in Matthew 6:5-14. From them we have gained a more complete understanding of prayer that includes where to pray, the need for submission to the Lord's name, and the necessary desire for His will and the coming of His kingdom.

Matthew 6:9-13: The Principles of Prayer

9)

In this way therefore you pray (προσεὺχομαι); Our Father, the One in the heavens, sanctify Your name;

10)

Your kingdom come; Your will happen, as in heaven also upon the earth.

11)

Give to us today our daily bread;

This week we consider the fourth principle of prayer as given in Matthew 6:11; and in so doing, find that the focus of our study now shifts from the Lord to the needs of the one praying. There are three parts to the request presented in this short verse; the provider, the ones needing provision, and the provision itself.
Jesus, by teaching us to ask the Father to" give," emphasizes that one must first look to the Father in heaven as the one who provides our daily necessities. Most Christians in our Western society have abundance in the area of food and clothing, but not all of us acknowledge the Lord as provider of these things. A warning regarding this is given in Deuteronomy 8:11-19.

11)

Observe yourself that you should not forget Yahweh your God so as to not keep His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command you today;

15)

who led you through the great and fearful wilderness, with burning serpent, and scorpion, and thirst where there was no water; who brought to you water from out of the flinty rock;

16)

who fed you manna in the wilderness, which your fathers did not know; in order to humble you and to prove you, to do you good in your latter end;

17)

and you not say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand made me this wealth.

18)

But you will remember Yahweh your God, that it is He who gives to you power to make wealth; in order to establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, according to this day.

Jesus then teaches us to ask that the provider give "to us." The plural form (us) indicates that believers are referenced here. This is further supported by the fact that Jesus is teaching the disciples how they are to pray for themselves. This, the Lord's teaching on prayer for God's provision, is meant for a specific group of people — His people. The Psalmist says, "I have been young, also I am old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25).

The next word Jesus uses in His teaching is "today." The emphasis of the text is that those who belong to the Lord are to ask for His provision for today, not for tomorrow, not for the next week, not for the next month, etc. This concept is emphasized even more through the use of the final phrase of this petition: "...our daily bread." The Greek word translated "daily" is ἐπιοὺσιος (Strong's #1967, which is pronounced ĕ pē ö' sē ōs**). It is found only in two places, here and in Luke's account of the same teaching (Luke 11:3). The word means "that which is necessary or sufficient." Jesus is teaching His people to ask Him today for the daily portion of food that they need. This concept is the basis for the Lord's subsequent teaching in Matthew 6: 25; 32-33:

Matthew 6:25

On account of this I say to you, stop being anxious for your life, what you should eat, and what you should drink; nor for your body what you should put on. Is not life more than nourishment and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:32-33

32)

For all these things the nations are seeking after. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all of these things.

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

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

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

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