THE DISCIPLES’ PRAYER
The Prayer Jesus Taught in its Historical Setting
Jeffrey B. Gibson
Christians around the world recite the “Lord’s Prayer” daily, but what exactly are they praying for—and what did it mean to Jesus in his own time? Jeffrey B. Gibson explains that the prayer is petitionary, and understanding its intent requires understanding Jesus’ purpose in calling disciples as witnesses against “this generation.” Jesus did not mean to teach a unique understanding of God; the prayer had its roots in first-century Jewish movements of protest. The prayer had little to do with “calling down” into the present realities of “the age to come.” Rather, it was meant to protect disciples from the temptations of their age and, thus, to strengthen their countercultural testimony. Gibson’s conclusions offer new insights into the historical Jesus and the movement he sought to establish.
Go give it a listen.
Zwinglius Redivivus 