The objective of this lesson: to stress the importance of the motive in the prayer of the one who prays.
Prayer has been a fundamental expression of righteous people's faith in and dependence on Jehovah God in all ages and generations. Abraham prayed to God (Genesis 20:7, 17). Moses prayed to God (Numbers 11:2; 21:7). David prayed to God (2 Samuel 7:18-29; Psalms 51). Solomon prayed to God (1 Kings 8:22-54). Prophets prayed to God (1 Kings 13:1-6). Kings leading reformation prayed to God (2 Chronicles 30:18-20). Ezra (Ezra 10:1), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4, Job (Job 42:8, 10), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:6-8), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 32:16-25), and Daniel (Daniel 9:4) prayed to God. So did Jesus (Matthew 26:36-44), the apostles and earliest Jewish Christians (Acts 4:26-31), and first century gentile Christians (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
The point of this paragraph is to stress that the activity of praying to God always has been a part of talking to God--even in the times of visions and dreams.
This certainly is not given [and is not!] a role call of those who prayed to God. It has one purpose: to make you reflect on the truth that people, including Jesus, in every age and generation prayed to God. Jesus' statement in our text is not a condemnation or repudiation of the role of prayer in people's lives.
The point of the opening: Jesus was not condemning the activity of prayer, but he was emphasizing the importance of ungodly motives when a person prayed.
Consider the text.
Consider reading Matthew 6:5-15 to focus attention on Jesus' concerns.
(1) Jews who sought God were not to pray as the hypocrites. Here the concept of hypocrites was not emotionally charged with moral implications. At that time it was a word associated with actors or with those who had no concern for God. It is not unjust to paraphrase Jesus' statement in this way: "Do not pray as if you are acting or as a person concerned with his image but not with God's." The problem Jesus rejected in the text was not prayers that humbled a person before God, but prayers that were unconcerned with God.
This is not intended to be a lengthy discussion of hypocrisy. The concept of hypocrisy attaches more emotion to the word today than was attached to it in the first century. This word, in this context, does not deal with "people professing godliness" violating godly values but with "people professing godliness" being unconcerned about God. Jesus' concern was in regard to prayers that were unconcerned about God.
The object of the rejected prayers was concern with advancing the image of the person. Personal prayers were prayed publicly to enhance the image of a person as a "deeply religious person," a distinct advantage in a religious society. They prayed to attract human attention/recognition in a religious society. They succeeded! People noticed, were impressed, and praised the prayer for being a devout person. The prayer received what he wanted when he prayed--the attention of people who elevated or underscored their good opinion of the prayer. The prayer sought people's approval, and he received that approval. He was "paid in full." His prayer was not offered to glorify God. Both his prayer and God were merely a means to his objective. This person reached his objective. He should expect nothing from God. He certainly would receive nothing from God.
Stress that Jewish society was a religious society. In the American society, in some social or business circles, a secular perspective is preferred while a religious perspective is condemned or ridiculed. This was not typical of Israel's first century society. Civil law and all forms of national leadership were religious in that society. There were definite advantages to being regarded publicly as a religious person.
What Jesus condemned was the person who used prayer as a means to attract attention to himself. When motives in prayer are unconcerned about God, God does not grant the one who prays anything. When the one who prays achieves his objective, he is "paid in full."
(2) Jesus urged the Jewish people to pray personal prayers privately. God's awareness of a person's petitions, thanksgiving, or intercessions in no way depended on people hearing those prayers. Even in the most private of circumstances, God heard.
There are prayer matters suitable for public petitions, thanksgiving, and encouragement, and there are prayer matters suitable for personal petitions, thanksgiving, and encouragement. "My" comfort level is not the criteria for determining what matters are or are not suitable for public prayer!
A word of caution: Do not think this matter is so simple as making certain that prayer occurs in private circumstances. Solomon's prayer in the dedication of the temple was certainly public (1 Kings 8:22). Read 1 Kings 8:44-53. Note two things. (1) Note if Israelites were exiled they were to face their land, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple when they prayed. Remember, exiles were often slaves without many choices regarding their worship! (2) Note how often Solomon referred to "Thy people" and used plural pronouns. When Daniel offered his private prayers, he did as Solomon directed exiles to do. His act of prayer was at least visible (Daniel 6:10-16).
Jesus' statement is not a blanket condemnation of all public prayer.
The prayer in Acts 1:23-26 was in a group. There is no reason to conclude the prayers offered in Acts 2:41-47 were not in a group context. The prayers in Acts 4:31, 20:36, and 21:5 were definitely in group contexts.
There definitely are examples of public prayer in the early church. Prayer served purposes in that age we would not consider today. For example, have you carefully considered the use of public prayer to address the misrepresentation of Christians in an idolatrous society when they could not pray allegiance to Caesar in pagan temples (1 Timothy 2:1, 2, 8)?
The focus in Matthew 6:5-15 is on the motive in prayer.
Why a person prays is extremely important to God. More is involved than merely the fact a prayer occurs.
(3) Jesus drew a distinct contrast between the prayers in pagan worship [gentile idolatry] and the prayers of God's people. Gentile idolatrous prayer [in some forms] concluded the god or goddess was impressed with the mathematical number of times the prayer was offered. A favorable impression could be generated by offering a petition a number of times. That was in contrast to the impassioned pleas of faith-filled supplication.
There is a genuine distinction to be made between prayers offered to glorify the living God and prayers offered to manipulate a professed deity.
There is a distinct difference between meaningless repetition and faith-filled supplication. Repetition for repetition's sake places confidence in numbers. Supplication places confidence in a caring God's deep concern for His children. Supplication permits Christians to express their depth of concern. Unlike many forms of idolatry, Christianity does not have to gain God's attention (read 1 Kings 18:25-39 to see a contrast between a Baal worshipper's concept of gaining divine attention and gaining Jehovah God's attention).
The problem is not found in repeatedly praying about a matter of concern, but in the motive producing repeated prayer. It is one thing to cry out to God, but quite another to think God equates sincerity with numbers.
(4) If one expects to receive forgiveness through prayer, he/she must extend forgiveness. A refusal to forgive people separates us from the opportunity to have God respond to our failures against Him with forgiveness. Again, God's follower reflects God's character. Prayer is one avenue of surrender to God's values and character.
We should not ask God to do for us what we are unwilling to do for others.
In appropriate prayer: (1) The one praying understands he/she is not informing God of a need. Prayer is an expression of confidence that benefits us, not God. (2) The core of appropriate prayer acknowledges God's superiority. (3) It is committed to God's purposes. (4) It understands the prayer is dependent on God. (5) It understands eternal protection from evil's advances are in God's acts.
Stress appropriate prayer in Christianity is God-centered.
Through prayer, the human prayer glorifies and elevates God even in moments of distress. Prayer is about human motives, not about establishing a "correct ritualistic process." The person's faith motives make prayer a meaningful expression to God.
We too often are concerned about the "hows" with little or no concern about the "whys." Christians are deeply concerned about both.
For Thought and Discussion
Yes, it has. The first paragraph contains multiple examples from many different time periods.
They were not to play the role of actors when they prayed. They were not to be unconcerned about God when they prayed.
One wrong objective was to focus prayer on selfish objectives while being unconcerned with God's objectives.
They should be prayed secretly. God hears a person even if he/she prays in the most private of situations.
Jesus was NOT condemning all public prayer. Numerous examples of public prayer in both Old and New Testaments are given.
Meaningless repetitions place confidence in influencing deity through statistics (mathematics). Faith-filled supplication places confidence in God's care for His children.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 4