1 Timothy on Prayer

1 Timothy: On Prayer

Speaking about the prayer we can identify a few sub-topics:

Types of prayer – this will/might determine the content of prayers

Prayerful posture – kneeling, hands up, and what about Abrecht Durer?

Place of prayer – special building/room or where?

A. Types of prayer. In 1 Timothy St. Paul identifies four types of prayers: supplications, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving (2:1, cp. Phil. 4:6).

Supplication – lit., entreaty or petition. Something one asks of the LORD, 1 Peter 3:12.

Prayer – very general term. Time, dedicated to a formal ceremony at a specific place (Acts 16:13,16).

Intercession – petition (on a person’s behalf). Later St. Paul will use this word to describe a prayerful engagement (4:5).

Thanksgiving – lit. good gifting. This is what Adam and Eve failed to do in the Garden of Eden. What Jesus had to restore for the disciples at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19).

B. Prayerful posture. Modern culture promotes minimalism as it pertains to spirituality. Hiking, fitness, diet, exercises – anything that is related to body life should be done actively. But the spiritual exercises – the less action, the better. That’s a reflection of materialistic worldview that penetrated the church. Along with turning a church into a lecture hall, the main posture for the people is sitting.

In the Bible the only “person” who sits is a king. Everyone else is either prostrated, kneeling, or standing up. Therefore, the apostle picks up on that in 2:8, since we are in the presence of the King, we should stand, and the worshiping attitude can be expressed by raising “holy hands.”

At the same time, we can enjoy the care of the Church for the varicose veins of her members, allowing people to sit during a lesson or a sermon. Side note, as you might know, benches came to church gradually beginning XIII-XIV century. It was the Protestant Reformation (not Lutheran) that, shifting the accent of the service from Lord’s Supper to sermon, sprang a wide pew installation project. It resulted in the architectural collapse of modern church buildings, which look like a warehouse (outside, and what is worst of all – inside). People come to be fed, to listen, to consume, creating “what did I get from the service?” attitude. Apostolic Church was the church of prayerful engagement of the congregation as a whole, going through words and motions of the liturgy (Psalm 136). Yet, even now, some Lutheran churches keep the kneelers (cp. Bethey, Lompoc-CA) to maintain a variety of prayerful postures.

C. Place of prayer. St. Paul does not address the question of a dedicated building in the letter. At the same time, when the apostle talks about the Church, he brings up “building” references – pillar and buttress of the truth. On one hand, it is a good visual. People of the I century AD were very familiar with the temple structures.

This is not the first time Scripture uses construction terminology as a description of metaphysical realities. Solomon talks about the wisdom is a “house builder” (Proverbs 9:1).

On the other hand, as mentioned above, first church communities had special/dedicated places or buildings for “prayer. See Acts 16:16). When St. Paul speaks of “every place” (2:8) he does not mean wherever you are individually. He means that in every city, town, and community men (note the plural form) should get together for prayer and teaching. There is no deviation from the service of the sacrament – the prayer includes the eucharistic part (the last one), as we talked before.

ROMANS 8. Part 2

ROMANS 8 (part 2, vv. 18-39)

the structure of the chapter as a whole can be found here.  

Part A’, vv. 18-30

St. Paul concludes the previous part with the claim of our heirloom in Christ, as long as we suffer with Him to be glorified with Him. Latin saying: “per aspera ad astra.” Through perils to stars…

Then he goes into a consideration of suffering and glory. Two things: (1) the level of suffering is not compatible to the “amount” of glory we will receive in Christ, example of groaning creation (vv. 19-25). 

(2) the Spirit (v. 26) helps us! For even do not know how to pray, but Spirit intercedes for us in our groaning…

For God knows us, predestined us, called us, being justified, and glorified! (vv. 29-30).

Conclusion (vv. 31-39). It begins like the other famous parts of Romans – 4:1, 6:1, 7:7. Later he will use it twice more in the next block (9:14, 30).

This paragraph can be an answer/conclusion to

Chapter 8, compare 8:1 reinforced by 8:38-39.  

Chapters 5-8, the name and the title if Jesus is the same in 5:1 and 8:39 (5:11, 21; 6:23; 7:25). So, it is the end of many-side discussion of the assurance we have in our LORD Jesus Christ. 

Chapters 1-8, it can be a answer to righteousness/faithfulness of God (1:17) set at the beginning and “challenged” in 3:1-8 (set of rhetorical question).  

God’s love shown in the sacrifice of Jesus is a proof and guarantee of our heirloom (v. 32):

Death and life

Angels or rulers

Things present or things to come (future)

Powers

Height or depth

ANYTHING in the created world – total 10 “units”

Can’t separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our LORD.       

Advent Readings: Luke 11

Luke 11

The chapter is part of a larger portion. Two parts of the central part of the block are dedicated (d) to the Lord’s prayer and prayer in general and (d’) to teaching on an unclean spirit. Many words have been said and written about prayer life. Jesus gives an exemplary prayer and a lesson on persistence in prayer.

In a parallel passage we see Jesus’ exorcism and teaching on the unclean spirits. The main lesson for today is persistence in the life of sanctification. When unclean spirit is cast out of life of a child of God through the Word and/or Sacrament of Baptism, the life of discipleship assumes a progress. It doesn’t mean that we constantly will go uphill only. For sure, there will be setbacks, but a Christian should keep his house filled with Holy Spirit to withstand attacks of the evil ones.

I am not talking about some kinda mystical non-biblical experiences. There are four main exercises any Christian should repeat on a regular basis. The Book of Acts 2:42 describes the regular life of a believer, following a four aspects pattern: being in the Word (teaching of the apostles), in fellowship with other believers, a regular participation in the Sacrament of the Altar (breaking of the bread), and in prayers.

As Jesus was teaching on the unclean spirits, a women raised a voice with a glorification of a mother who raised Him. In stead of concentrating on His family, He points out the true blessing: “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!” (Lk. 11:28). Assuming Jesus was speaking with His disciples and the crowd in Judea on Hebrew or Aramean, the root shamar – to keep means not only keeping or observance, but also a guarding. We are encouraged by Jesus Himself to defend a purity of the Word proclaimed and practiced in our churches, in our homes, and in our lives. 

PRAYER: Thanksgiving

PRAYER: Thanksgiving

Why do we need to talk about it?

Actually, it is un-natural to be thankful.

Or, in the beginning of creation thankfulness was a proper place – even God was “thankful.” Every day He acknowledged the achievements of every day with the statement “it is good” or, on the sixth day “it is very good.”

PRAYER: Praise

We gives thanks God for what He does for us. But we praise God for who He is. That's why we need to talk about His attributes. 

Attributes of God

Hymn: How great Thou art!

 

There is a long list of attributes, we’ll talk about just a few

Two most important ones:

Eternal (transcendence), Ps. 145:4 and 

at the same time Personal (immanence), Ps. 145:1-2

 

Three transcendent attributes or 3 OMNI:

Omnipresent – present everywhere, Ps. 139:7-10 

Omniscient – Knowing everything (also, most wise), Ps. 147:5

Omnipotent – All Powerful, Ps. 24:8

 

Another “trinity” – 3 immanent attributes, relational to us, to people:

Just – His judgements/evaluations are always correct, Ps. 51:4

Merciful – He is forgiving, and doesn’t punish the way we deserve, Ps. 51:1-2

Gracious – He is (freely) giving, we receive what we don’t deserve, Ps. 51:18-19 

 

All seven are obviously reflected in the fact of creation, Ps. 104 

 

ROMANS: ALL Y'ALL

 Studies in Romans: ALL Y'ALL  

Passage: Rom. 1:8-12

Structure:

a. 1:8, I thank God that your faith is proclaimed in all the world

  b. 1:9, praying without ceasing mentioning you

  b’. 1:10, I pray that I may come to you

a’. 1:11-12, we may be mutually encouraged, you and me 

Important terms:

Faith is a complicated and very loaded word in the Bible. On one hand faith needs an object of faith or believes and, therefore, can be treated as a concept or a set of statements/propositions (cp. our Creed: I believe…). ON the other hand, the Epistle of James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:17,19). Also, author of Hebrews says that faith is not only an acknowledgement of God [as an idea], but an expectation of relationship (Heb.11:6). Also, if we assume the later date of writing (see Introduction), the apostle, most likely, addressed the Romans after the Nero’s attack on Christians. Therefore, faith in the letter should also assume faithfulness to LORD – reflection of their faith. That’s what St. Paul could’ve meant when he mentions that their faith is proclaimed in all the world – burning of Rome was an impactful event for Christian community of the empire.          

When St. Paul speaks of the world, he uses this word in four different, but not excluded meanings. The world as it is created by God. That’s what he and St. John refer to in the context of forgiveness and reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19; 1 John 2:1-2). Second, being a Jew, the apostle might refer to the world of Jewish settlement – being in the world. This would include Mediterranean territories and further into the East – Persia etc. Third, the world can be understood as a Roman empire. Similar to a statement of Jesus who sends His disciples to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The last but not least is the meaning of this world as an opposition to the world to come. He uses this in Rom. 12:2.      

Prayer is a “conversation with God,” but in the words of the apostle it means an “organized” or liturgical prayer (cp. Phil. 4:6-7).

By the end of our passage, we see a Spiritual gift. In the Book of Acts of the Apostles there is the gift of the Holy Spirit – salvation (Acts 2:38-39). Toward the end of Romans (12:3-8) and in 1 Corinthians (12-14) St. Paul talks about a variety of spiritual gifts or gifts of grace. Here he means a very specific thing – a gift of fellowship that God gives us for mutual encouragement (1:12).    

Commentary: It is very interesting to see how St. Paul asks God to be his witness. Maybe because at this point of his life he has no one to rely upon. Or because he appeals to the highest authority – God Himself. In a sense he exhibits a godly habit, being in Christ, who swore by Himself (cp. Gen. 22:16).    

Gospel – is a message of good news; both for the [repenting] sinners, and a comfort to believers (cp. John 20:30-31). Obviously, Paul writes to the believers, calling them “brothers.” He will use the word throughout the Epistle applying both meanings. For example, Rom. 1:16 talks about the Gospel as a power of God for salvation. Yet, here he means it in the second way – support and comfort of believers through mutual encouragement.     

Importance of mutual encouragement. God made us as social beings because we are patterned in His image and likeness. God is three in one, and we need each other: to correct if needed (Pr. 27:17; Mt. 18:15-18) or to encourage (cp. Heb. 10:24-25). The word for encouragement is related to comfort/help provided to us by the Holy Spirit (cp. John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-10).     

Book of Concord: 1:12 – Smalcald Articles IV. Luther lists the ways how Gospel comes to us: preaching of the Gospel, Baptism, Sacrament of the Altar, Office of the Keys (Confession and Absolution), and mutual conversation. That’s where Luther refers to our passage.   

Hymnal:

LSB 649 – Blest Be the Tie that Binds.

LSB 651 – I Love Your Kingdom, Lord.

St. PETER'S PRISON STORY

St. Peter behind the bars story  

The Passage: Acts 12:1-23

Structure:

a. 12:1-2, Death of Jacob, brother of John, by an order of Herod (by sword)

  b. 12:3-5, group of soldiers

    c. 12:6-10, Lord’s angel

      d. 12:11, Peter is released   

    c’. 12:12-17, His angel

  b’. 12:18-19, group of soldiers

a’. 12:20-23, Death of Herod (by worms)

Praying for bold preaching

Prayer for bold preaching   

The Passage: Acts 4:23-31

Structure:

a. 4:23, the report of what happened

  b. 4:24, Sovereign Lord

    c. 4:25-26, gathered together against You and Your Anointed

    c’. 4:27-28, gathered in the city against Your servant Jesus whom You anointed

  b’. 4:29-30, Lord

a’. 4:31, continued to talk/speak  

Historical and geographical context:

St. Peter and St. John go to their friends (this can be understood psychologically/emotionally or sociologically – as those who support them). Probably, it is the same house where they were gathered to choose the replacement for Judas and/or during events of Pentecost.  

Theology:

The report. It is important to see that the unity of the church is built upon common confession, togetherness in worship, and honesty in the description of life. St. Peter and St. John go and share their unpleasant experience with the rest of the gathering. Which teaches us a value of shared lives – all the good and all the difficult episodes of our walk with God. The unity of disciples in prayer let to the similar effects like the people of Israel experienced during the wilderness – shaking of the place.    

Addressing God as the Creator. Interesting how the disciples address God as the creator of the heavens and the earth, and the sea. He is the One who has the power to create and to restructure the world. This is the reason for the parallel passage in v. 29-30, where they ask for boldness, and the continuation for the healing, signs and wonders that were performed “through the name of Your holy servant Jesus”. Holy servant Jesus is the one whom Sovereign Lord raised from the grave overcoming the power of death – this is one more reminder of the creative powers of God who is the only one who can overcome the mortality.     

Using the psalms in prayer. First, check out how easily the disciples can incorporate the text of a psalm in their prayer. Not as a starter, and not as a conclusion (like we use Lord’s prayer to conclude the meeting or so). They address God as the Creator of the Universe and then apply the text of Psalm 2 for their particular situation. Or, better put – they see their situation through the lenses of Psalm 2. Which presupposes years of practice of praying using the Psalter.   

Inspiration of Scripture. There was no questions or confusion among the believers on the sources and the Source of the Word. For sure they recognized the difference in authorship of different parts or books of the Bible. That’s why NT writers often go back and mention Isaiah (Lk. 3:4-6), Jeremiah (Mt. 2:17-18). Here the communion of saints reflected on the words of king David. At the same time without any hesitation, they state that David was moved by the Holy Spirit when he wrote the psalm. Similar thought we can find in 2 Pet. 1:19-21. Thinking about the nature of Scripture, Peter says that the Word that we have is true (v. 19). His reasoning is based on the fact that prophetic word was not done according to the will of men, but “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (v. 21).   

Other themes:

Saying everything up to this point creates an interesting hermeneutical challenge (challenge for interpretation) – the attribution of Ps. 2 to David. The Hebrew text of the psalm (as we have it right now) does not have the superscription referring to David’s authorship. Does it post a contradiction? No, because this is a perfect example for us to see that the Bible is a Book that should be read in its entirety. There are parts of the Old Testament that help us to understand the mission of Messiah (Mt. 21:4-5) or the ministry of the Church (1 Cor. 10:11). At the same time there are parts of the New Testament that clarify and add a nuance or two to our proper understanding of the events, people, and situations that happened before the Incarnation of the Son of God. Therefore, the inspired voices of the disciples said that Ps. 2 is written by David. So be it!