Amidah = The Lord’s Prayer?
Jesus’ prayer habits didn’t go unnoticed by His talmidim (disciples). In Luke 11: 1, we learn that, “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus not only taught them how to pray, He taught them what to say when they did. We call it ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ or the ‘Our Father’.
Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg in their book, “Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus” state, “The Amidah (Ah Mee DAH) has been the central prayer of Jewish liturgy for well over two thousand years. The version used today was formalized around A.D. 70, except for one blessing added later. Some variations of the prayer existed in Jesus’ time, but He certainly would have known a version of the prayer quite well.”
They further state in an earlier passage in their book, “It has been suggested that the Lord’s Prayer is a summary of the Amidah because it encompasses several of its themes. Other rabbis of Jesus’ time taught summary versions of the Amidah in order to illustrate what prayer should be like at its essence. Furthermore, the early church prayed the Lord’s Prayer three times each day, just as the Amidah was prayed. Whether or not Jesus had the Amidah in mind when He taught the Lord’s Prayer, the fact that it shares similar themes shows that Jesus’ prayers exemplified the wisdom of Jewish prayer.”
Google or Wikipedia ‘Amidah’ for more information about it. In closing, in Luke 11:1 above the disciple that approaches Jesus about prayer mentions that John (the Baptist) taught his disciples how to pray. We know from the Gospel of John that two of Jesus’ disciples were former disciples of John. One is named. Who might that be?
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Brian Conaway on July 14, 2011 at 12:16pm
Thanks for sharing, Mark. All 19 blessings of the Amidah, including the one you posted above (#18), are great. You can see the 'Our Father' themes in some of them. Jesus seems to have distilled the essence of the Amidah with His teaching on prayer to His disciples. Great stuff. Baruch HaShem (Bless 'the Name')
Mark Durant on July 14, 2011 at 11:56am
Brian, When I wiki'd Amidah, I came across this Final Benediction, which, if I understand correctly, is said prior to the Final Blessing for Peace. I thought it was great and copied it below to share.
We acknowledge to You, O Lord, that You are our God, as You were the God of our ancestors, forever and ever. Rock of our life, Shield of our help, You are immutable from age to age. We thank You and utter Your praise, for our lives that are delivered into Your hands, and for our souls that are entrusted to You; and for Your miracles that are with us every day and for your marvelously kind deeds that are of every time; evening and morning and noon-tide. Thou art good, for Thy mercies are endless: Thou art merciful, for Thy kindnesses never are complete: from everlasting we have hoped in You. And for all these things may Thy name be blessed and exalted always and forevermore. And all the living will give thanks unto Thee and praise Thy great name in truth, God, our salvation and help. Selah. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, Thy name is good, and to Thee it is meet to give thanks.