Biblical Order Of Prayer And Intercession
The biblical order of prayer and intercession is rooted in the practice of seeking God through various forms of prayer, including supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings [9]. The biblical basis for intercessory prayer is seen in the examples of Christ, who interceded for his people while on earth (Luke 23:34; John 17:9-24) and continues to do so in heaven (Heb. 9:12, 24) [1].
The early Christian practice of intercession is encouraged in the New Testament, with instructions to pray for all people, including those in authority, ministers, the church, and the sick (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Jas. 5:14) [2]. The biblical model for prayer includes elements such as bowing the knees, lifting up the soul and heart, and pouring out the heart before God [3].
In the Old Testament, the practice of intercession is seen in the prayers of figures like David, who prayed for deliverance and forgiveness (Ps. 119:170; Ps. 16:1) [5, 6]. The Israelites were also instructed to pray toward the temple, with Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple serving as a model for intercessory prayer (1 Kings 8:30) [4, 8].
The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, understands the parts of prayer to include supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, with intercession being a key component [9]. In contrast, the Reformed tradition, as represented by John Calvin, emphasizes the sole intercession of Christ, while still encouraging believers to pray for one another [10, 11].
The Jewish tradition, as represented by Maimonides, outlines a specific order of prayer, including the recitation of the Kaddish and the Shema, with variations for different occasions such as fast days [12, 13]. While the specifics of the order of prayer may vary across traditions, the underlying biblical principles of intercession and prayer remain a common thread.
The biblical order of prayer and intercession is characterized by a focus on seeking God, praying for others, and giving thanks. As seen in the Psalms, prayer can take many forms, including supplications, prayers, and intercessions (Ps. 140:2) [7]. The practice of intercession is rooted in the biblical command to pray for all people and is modeled by Christ's own intercession [2, 1].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Intercession of Christ — Christ's priestly office consists of these two parts, (1) the offering up of himself as a sacrifice, and (2) making continual intercession for us. When on earth he made intercession for his people (Luke 23:34; John 17:20; Heb. 5:7); but now he exercises this function of his priesthood in heaven, where he is said to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:12, 24). His advocacy with the Father for his people rests on the basis of his own all-perfect sacrifice. Thus he pleads for and obtains the fulfilment of all the promises of the everlas”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Intercessory — Christ set an example of -- Lu 22:32; 23:34; Joh 17:9-24. Commanded -- 1Ti 2:1; Jas 5:14,16. Should be offered up for Kings. -- 1Ti 2:2. All in authority. -- 1Ti 2:2. Ministers. -- 2Co 1:11; Php 1:19. The Church. -- Ps 122:6; Isa 62:6,7. All saints. -- Eph 6:18. All men. -- 1Ti 2:1. Masters. -- Ge 24:12-14. Servants. -- Lu 7:2,3. Children. -- Ge 17:18; Mt 15:22. Friends. -- Job 42:8. Fellow-countrymen. -- Ro 10:1. The sick. -- Jas 5:14. Persecutors. -- Mt 5:44. Enemies among whom we dwell. -- Jer 29:7. Those who envy us. -- Nu 12:13. Those who ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- I Kings “I Kings 8:30 (BSB) — Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.”
- Psalms “Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word. -- Psalms 119:170”
- Psalms “Oratio David. Exaudi, Domine, justitiam meam ; intende deprecationem meam. Auribus percipe orationem meam, non in labiis dolosis. -- Psalms 16:1”
- Psalms “Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo ; elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum. -- Psalms 140:2”
- 1 Kings “1 Kings 8:30 (NASB) — "Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive.”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Prayer, Art. 17: Article: Whether the parts of prayer are fittingly described as supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings? I answer that, Three conditions are requisite for prayer. First, that the person who prays should approach God Whom he prays: this is signified in the word "prayer," because prayer is "the raising up of one's mind to God." The second is that there should be a petition, and this is signified in the word "intercession." In this case sometimes one asks for something definite, and ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: have shown that this derogates in no respect from the sole intercession of Christ, because all trust to that intercession in commending themselves as well as others to God. Moreover, we have shown that this is ignorantly transferred to the dead, of whom we nowhere read that they were commanded to pray for us. The Scripture often exhorts us to offer up mutual prayers; but says not one syllable concerning the dead; nay, James tacitly excludes the dead when he combines the two things, to “confess our sins one to another, and to pray o”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: are confirmed and fulfilled in him. 18. And we must carefully attend to the circumstance of time. Christ enjoins his disciples to have recourse to his intercession after he shall have ascended to heaven: “At that day ye shall ask in my name,” ( John 16:26 ). It is certain, indeed, that from the very first all who ever prayed were heard only for the sake of the Mediator. For this reason God had commanded in the Law, that the priest alone should enter the sanctuary, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulders, a”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 9:1: The order of prayer is as follows: In the morning, [while] all the people are sitting, the leader of the congregation descends before the ark in the midst of the people and recites the Kaddish . Everyone responds with all their strength: Amen. Yehei shemeih rabba mevarach le'alam ul'almei almaya . They answer "Amen" at the end of the Kaddish . Afterwards, [the chazan ] declares: Barchu et Ado-nai hamevorach , and they answer: Baruch Ado-nai hamevorach le'olam va'ed . He then begins by reciting the Shema and its ”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Fasts 4:14: For the seventh of these blessings, he begins, "Heal us, O God, and we will be healed," and concludes the Shemoneh Esreh in its usual order. The trumpets are sounded. This is the order of prayer [on these fasts] in all places.”