Jewish prayer and the New Testament

1. Blessings before and after meals
2. The “Amidah” and the Lord’s prayer
3. Jewish prayer and the Apostle Peter

Blessings before and after meals

It was an ancient Jewish conviction that “man is forbidden to enjoy anything of this world without first saying a blessing” (Talmud Berakhot 35b). This belief was derived from Psalms 24:

“The earth and all it contains is the Lord’s” – Psalms 24:1

To enjoy a food coming from the earth, without first acknowledging it’s creator and owner was regarded as a type of theft. Offering a short blessing before eating, was therefore considered tantamount to asking for and receiving permission to take what ultimately belongs to God. This reasoning was employed as an effort to resolve Psalms 24:1 with Psalms 115:16 which states:

“The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth he gave to mankind.”

Although God owns the earth (as stated in Psalms 24:1) he hands the earth over to mankind to enjoy (Psalms 115:16). The “handing over” of the fruits of the earth was believed to occur after a blessing is recited:

“Before one recites a berakhah (blessing), they said, the earth is the Lord’s. After one recites it, it becomes man’s to use and enjoy.” – To Pray as a Jew, The Blessings before Eating: Birkhot Hamehenin, page 366.

This is why our gospels preserve accounts of Jesus praying a blessing before eating bread or fish:

“Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.” – Luke 9:16

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” – Matthew 26:26

The specific prayers recited before eating bread, wine and an assortment of other foods have been preserved through oral tradition and are still recited by practicing Jews today. As a result, we know exactly what Jesus would have said when reciting the blessings for bread and fish:

• Bread – Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
  • In Hebrew: “Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam hamotzi lehem min ha’aretz.”
• Miscellaneous Food (meat, poultry, eggs, fish, dairy products): Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, at whose word all came to be.
  • In Hebrew: “Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam shehakol niyah bidvaro.”

In addition, the Jewish people would also pray a blessing after eating, in obedience to the commandment in Deuteronomy chapter 8:

When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. – Deuteronomy 8:10

According to oral tradition, Moses himself authored a prayer to resolve any difficulty an Israelite may have regarding articulating the prayer, in order to fulfill the command:

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Who, in His goodness, provides sustenance for the entire world with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. Through His great goodness to us continuously we do not lack [food], and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name. For He, benevolent G‑d, provides nourishment and sustenance for all, does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures whom He has created, as it is said: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed are You, L-rd, Who provides food for all.

Note that although the commandment requires specific mention of the land, the prayer is silent on the matter. This is because Moses wrote the prayer sometime during the trek through the desert, before Israel encountered the land. Once Israel did settle in the land, Joshua completed the prayer so that every Israelite to recite the benediction would fulfill God’s specific instruction to thank him for their inheritance:

We offer thanks to You, L-rd our G‑d, for having given as a heritage to our ancestors a precious, good and spacious land; for having brought us out, L-rd our G‑d, from the land of Egypt, and redeemed us from the house of bondage; for Your covenant which You have sealed in our flesh; for Your Torah which You have taught us; for Your statutes which You have made known to us; for the life, favor, and kindness which You have graciously bestowed upon us; and for the food we eat with which You constantly nourish and sustain us every day, at all times, and at every hour.

In time David, Solomon, and other sages would add to the prayer. The prayer in it’s entirety, has since been referred to as the “Birkhat HaMazon” – the blessing after meals, and is found in every Jewish Siddur (prayer book).

The Didache

In 1873, Greek Orthodox archbishop Philotheos Bryennios recovered a collection of forgotten Christian manuscripts in the monastery library of the Holy Sepulchre in Istanbul. Found among these manuscripts was a copy of the Greek text of a Christian work known as the “Diadache” that had been long lost over the course of Christian history. The Diadache was read and quoted by the early “Church fathers”. According to Eusebius (third century), The Didache and the book of revelation were disputed texts  – the Church was split regarding whether or not they were canonical. Rufinus of Aquileia in the late fourth century described the “Two ways” (a description of the Didache) as “Read in the churches but not brought forward for the confirmation of doctrine” (Rufinus of Aquileia, On the Creed, 38). It is also referenced in the text “Apostolic Constitutions” made in the fourth century.

During the fifth century, the Diadache fell into disuse. Speculation has been made that this occurred because:

“[it’s] Meager ethical, ritual and ecclesiastical provisions were too archaic to be reconciled with contemporary practice.” (Van de Sandt and Flusser, The Didache, 3).

Toby Janicki in “The way of Life” writes:

“The organizational structure of the church had moved far beyond the simple communities and concerns reflected in the document…The Didache was meant to introduce new Gentile initiates into the world of Jewish monotheism. Torah life, and Judaism – objectives that made the document no longer applicable to fully developed Christianity.” – page 3

In other words, it was too “Jewish” – it’s themes and concerns eventually became perceived as foreign and “archaic”. The Jewish nature of the document is clear, once the text is read and compared with Jewish tradition, and Jewish religious literature.

While the blessings for the Jew were already established by tradition, the Didache provides blessings specifically tailored for the believing gentiles to recite.

Before eating drinking wine:

“We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of your servant David that you made known to us through your servant Yeshua. Yours is the glory forever.”

Before eating bread:

“We thank you, our father, for the life and for the knowledge that you made known to us through your servant Yeshua. Yours is the glory forever. Just as this piece of bread was scattered over the mountains and gathered together, so may your assembly be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For yours is the glory and the power through Yeshua forever.”

The Didache also features a post meal blessing like the Birkhat HaMazon, for gentiles.

After eating any meal:

“We thank you, our holy father, for your holy name that you have caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge, faithfulness and eternal life that you have made known to us through your servant Yeshua. Yours is the glory forever. You, O Lord of Legions, created all things for the sake of your name; you gave nourishment and drink for human beings to enjoy, in order that they would give thanks to you. You also bestowed upon us spiritual nourishment and drink and eternal life through your servant. And for all things, we thank you, because you are powerful. Yours is the glory forever. Remember, O Lord, your congregation to rescue her from all evil, and to make her complete in your love. Gather the betrothed from the four winds to your kingdom that you have prepared for her. For yours is the power and the glory forever. May grace come and may this world pass away. Hoshana to the God of David! Everyone who is holy, let him come. Everyone who is not, let him repent. Maran Etha! (Our master is coming).

The “Amidah” and the Lord’s Prayer

In Numbers 28, rather than providing sacrificial instruction to the priests, the Lord specifically calls out the community of Israel. Regarding the daily sacrifices, scripture begins: “Give this command to the Israelites…” This evokes the question, how can all of Israel possibly attend the three daily sacrifices, and do so every day, into perpetuity? To fulfill the command literally is a logistical impossibility. Israelite leadership sought to resolve the issue by devising a system of “Ma’amadot.” Israel was divided into 24 districts, each district would elect a pious individual to attend the daily sacrifices on their behalf. The 24 Ma’amadot would remain in Jerusalem for an allotted time, to observe the three daily sacrifices and participate in the ritual in every way they could. Since only the Levites could officiate the sacrifices, the Ma’amadot would instead offer praise to God and prayer as the sacrifice was happening.

There were three distinct times for the daily sacrifices – and the three times (after the system of the Ma’amdot) were associated with prayer, as “Moed” – Holy hours to meet and pray with God. This is why David makes a reference to praying to God three times a day (Psalm 55:7), and the prophet Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10).

The New Testament also validates the Holiness of the three prayer hours.

In Acts 2:15, the Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost during the “third hour” – the time of the first daily sacrifice. In Acts 10:9 Peter receives his vision while praying during the “sixth hour” which is the second prayer hour (the time of the second daily sacrifice). In Acts 3:1-6, Peter and John are on their way to the Temple during the “ninth hour” – the third prayer hour. They would have joined with a community at the Temple to pray. In Acts 10:30 the God-Fearer Cornelius witnesses an angel while praying during the “ninth hour” while praying.

When the Jewish people returned to the land from exile in Babylon, the people spoke a variety of languages and this made it difficult for them to join in communal prayer. Ezra the high priest decided to establish a formal prayer in Hebrew for every Israelite to recite during the three prayer hours. This prayer became known as the “Amidah” (Hebrew for standing, since they would stand to observe the sacrifices) or the “Shemoneh Esrei” (Hebrew for the ‘eighteen’ benedictions included in the prayer). If you have an interest in reading the prayer, click here.

The prayer consists of three parts:

• Blessings of praise – extolling God for his might (Gevurot) and his Holiness (Kedushat Hashem)
• Blessings of petition – regarding knowledge, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, healing, prosperity, the ingathering of the 10 tribes, a call for justice, a prayer for the righteous, a prayer for Jerusalem, the kingdom of David, and a prayer for mercy.
• Blessings of gratitude – a request for God to accept their service, a blessing of thanksgiving, and a prayer for peace.

Upon it’s conclusion, it was, and is still customary to recite the prayer of one’s favorite Rabbi or Sage. This is the true meaning behind the sentiment made by the disciples in Luke chapter 11: “Lord, teach us to pray…”

The disciples were praying at a minimum five times a day: two prayers for the Shema (in the morning, and in the evening) and three times for the daily sacrifices. Also include the blessings recited before and after meals. According to tradition, during the reign of King David the land was hit by a plague so severe, 100 people died a day. The men of God at the time resolved to pray 100 times a day, and according to the account, the plague left. This led to a Takkanot (a religious decree) allegedly coming from David to pray at least 100 times a day. In keeping with this Takkanot, the most pious of Israelites at the time of Jesus were endeavoring to pray 100 times a day. Clearly, the Jewish people, and Jesus’ disciples were familiar with prayer.

The Jewish people were accustomed to fixed prayer. They would recite a fixed prayer in almost every occasion:  The Shema calls for the recitation of scripture, the prayers before and after meals are fixed, the Amidah is fixed. What they wanted was a unique fixed prayer to pray at the conclusion of the Amidah, coming directly from Jesus, just as the first portion of the “Birkhat HaMazon” came from Moses. This would signal to others who would overhear the prayer, their submission to Jesus as their leader.

Jesus responds in Matthew 6  with the Lord’s prayer:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. – Matthew 6:9-13

Jewish prayer and the Apostle Peter

Rabbeinu Tam, grandson of Rashi the Medieval Torah luminary (one of the most influential in Jewish history) cites a midrash in his work “Otzar Hamidrashim” upholding the Apostle Peter as:

“[a] leader of the poets, and…was granted great wisdom” – Y.D. Eisenstein, Otzar HaMidrashim (New York, NY: Reznick, Menschel & CO, 1928), 557-561. English translation from Wout Van Bekkum, “The Rock on Which the Church is Founded,” Saints and Role Models in Judaism and Christianity (Brill, 2004), 300.

Peter is extoled as “poet” which is a reference to liturgical hymns known in Hebrew as “piyyutim.” The midrash concludes that Peter “Composed great hymns for Israel” (Bekkum, 299). A hymn recited every Shabbat morning, known as the “Nishmat Kol Chai” was traditionally attributed to Peter. Works like the The 11th Century Ashkenazic Siddur (prayer book) known as “Mahzor Vitry” would write: “Simon Peter, the error of Rome…established this prayer [the Nishmat Kol Chai].” It’s association with Peter was so strong, Rashi leveraged his reputation in an effort to officially dismiss the “rumor.” Yet, In the book “Why we pray what we pray” Rabbi Barry Freundel concedes that the claim of Peter’s authorship may be accurate.

The Nishmat Kol Chai prayer:

The soul of all [the] living shall bless Your Name, Hashem our Deity, and [the] spirit of all flesh shall glorify and exalt Your remembrance, our King—forever. From [this] world and unto the world to come [You are the ] Deity, and for us apart from You is no king, redeemer, and savior, liberator and rescuer, and sustainer, and merciful one in every time of trouble and anguish—for us is no king to help and support, except You. Deity of the first and of the last; Deity of all creatures, Master of all generations, who is praised in a multitude of worship, who guides His world in compassion and His creatures in mercy. And Hashem is vigilant. See! He does not slumber and neither sleeps. He awakens the slumberers, and rouses the sleepers, and makes the mute speak, and frees captives, and supports the fallen, and straightens the bent. To You alone we give thanks! Were our mouths full of song as [the] sea, and our tongues singing as the multitude of waves, and our lips praising as the breadth of the sky, and our eyes illuminated as the sun and as the moon, and our hands spread out as eagles of the heavens, and our feet swift as deer, we could not sufficiently thank You, Hashem our Deity, and Deity of our fathers, and bless Your Name concerning one thousandth of the thousands of myriad myriads of times of the goodnesses, miracles, and wonders that You performed with us and our fathers previously. From Mitzrayim You redeemed us, Hashem our Deity, and from the house of slavery You restored us. In famine You nourished us, and in plenty You sustained us. From [the] sword You saved us, and from plague You spared us, and from wicked and enduring diseases You delivered us. Until now we have been helped by Your compassion, and Your kindness has not left us. And do not abandon us, Hashem our Deity, forever. Concerning thus, the limbs that You set in us, and the spirit and soul that You breathed into our nostrils, and the tongue which you set in our mouth—these shall thank, and bless, and praise, and glorify, and exalt, and revere, and sanctify, and coronate Your Name, our King. For every mouth shall thank You, and every tongue t You shall swear, and every knee shall bend to You, and every upright one before You shall bow, and all hearts shall fear You, and every innards and kidney shall sing to Your Name, for the word is written: “All my bones shall say, ‘Hashem, who is like You? You save the poor man from one stronger than him, the poor and destitute from the one who would rob him.’” Who is like You, and who is equal to You, and who is compared to You, O great Deity, Mighty and Awesome, Highest Deity, Owner of heaven and earth? We shall praise You, and worship You, and glorify You, and extoll Your holy Name, as it says: “For David: My soul shall bless Hashem, and all my innards His holy Name.” The Deity, in the boldness of Your strength; the Great One, in the glory of Your Name; the Mighty One forever, the Feared One, in Your fearsomeness, the King who sits upon the throne—exalted and high. He who dwells forever—lofty and holy is His Name. And it is written: “Sing, you righteous, in Hashem; for the upright praise is beautiful.” By the mouth of the upright You shall be praised, and by the words of the righteous You shall be blessed, and by the tongue of the kind ones You shall be exalted, and in the midst of the holy ones You shall be sanctified.

According to tradition, two blessings are recited before an Israelite may read the ‘Shema’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). The two blessings recited prior to the Shema would vary over time. However, today, tradition has consolidated two specific prayers: “Yotzer Or” and the “Ahava Rabbah.” Given the proximity of the Ahava Rabbah with one of Judaism’s most honored commandments (reading the Shema twice a day) it is remarkable that Jewish tradition also attributes authorship of the Ahava Rabbah to the Apostle Peter.

The Ahava Rabbah prayer:

Deep is Your love for us, Lord our God, boundless Your tender compassion. You taught our ancestors life-giving laws. They trusted in You, our Father and King. For their sake graciously teach us, Father, merciful Father, show us mercy; grant us discernment and understanding. Then will we study Your Torah, heed its words, teach its precepts and follow its instruction, lovingly fulfilling all its teachings. Open our eyes to Your Torah, help our hearts cleave to Your mitzvot. Unite all our thoughts to love and revere You. Then shall we never be brought to shame. Trusting in Your awesome holiness, we will delight in Your deliverance. Bring us safely from the ends of the earth, and lead us in dignity to our holy land. You are the Source of deliverance. You have called us from all peoples and tongues, constantly drawing us nearer to You, that we may lovingly offer You praise, proclaiming Your Oneness. Praised are You, Lord who loves His people Israel.

In addition, one other prayer known as the “Etein Tehillah” written for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) also has a history of association with Peter.

The “Etein Tehillah”:

I shall praise the praiseworthy Deity; I shall recount in awe a few of His works. Deity from eternity, and ever-watchful. Never before, and never after will a deity be formed. He conquers and with Him is no stranger speaking and doing, and no man shall help in His singular judgment, and none shall supersede Him. Truth is His speech, and mercy is upon His lips. Mighty in power, removing iniquity, great in counsel, and passing over concerning error—He reveals mysteries from the midst of the darkness. Seated in secret, and seeing all [that is] secret. Knowledge and understanding go forth from His mouth, and His eyes go about, and no eye sees Him. His word reigns, and His reign is forever. The fullness of the whole earth is His glory, and the heights do not hold Him.