(14 votes, average: 3.57 out of 5)
Loading ...A Prayer to Our Father Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer By Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson
It sounds like the beginnings of (a perfectly tasteless) joke: An Israeli Jew and a black Christian walk into a synagogue… But no! It’s real, and the inspiring setup for a spiritual, cultural, and archaeological tale of interfaith friendship and mutual challenge and discovery.
Two billion Christians worldwide consider the Lord’s Prayer the ultimate expression of their faith—but few know the stunning story of its Hebrew origins. A Prayer to Our Father is the unfolding story of an exciting journey of faith, involving a Jewish Bible scholar and an African American pastor who join forces to uncover the truth about the most beloved prayer in the Christian world.
Their provocative new book reads like a detective novel. Written by two most unlikely collaborators, the charismatic personalities of the authors are as riveting as their story. Former chaplain to the Minnesota Vikings, Keith Johnson has ministered to some of the top names in the NFL and NBA. Jerusalem-based Jewish scholar and author Nehemia Gordon has spent his career translating the Dead Sea Scrolls and studying the deep mysteries of the Jewish faith.
Johnson and Gordon’s gripping adventure begins in the ancient city of Jerusalem and takes them to the very spot in Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray. Along the way they discover a Hebrew version of the Lord’s Prayer, preserved in secret by Jewish rabbis for over a thousand years – and that’s just the beginning. Could it be that one of the four canonical Gospels was originally penned in Hebrew, before being copied in Greek or even Aramaic? Johnson and Gordon’s riveting journey and extraordinary relationship are chronicled in A Prayer to Our Father.
How many of you were Ooze Viral Bloggers when we first offered The Shack, like a year before anyone else ever heard of it? A small press book with a big message and real word-of-mouth factor…well, I think lightning is about to strike twice. The authors here had a major publishing contract but they turned it down; they wanted to do it right, and do it their way. In just a matter of months since its June 2009 publication, a burgeoning viral phenomenon has brought this book fans in 66 countries! This is a provocative and unforgettable book.
[hide]
This Title Has Been Closed for Review
:: Special Viral Blogger Section ::
Link-love for your review:
http://www.aprayertoourfather.com – official website
http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Prayer-to-Our-Father/64724168340 – book fan page
http://www.wfae.org/wfae/18_93_0.cfm?do=detail&id=10404 – authors’ interview on NPR
http://www.sanctuarycov.org/ee-assets/my-uploads/sermons/2009_07_12_Get_A_Bigger_Box.mp3 – Keith Johnson’s message at Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, “Get A Bigger Box”
Interview Availability:
The authors are available for blog and podcast review, as well as for booking to speak at churches, universities, and public events in 2010. You will receive their contact information if you select A Prayer to Our Father this month.
Buzz
“The impressions are deep and stirring. I want to recommend this book far and wide. It is one of the most inspiring, instructive, and spiritually important works I have read in a long time.”
Dr. James D. Tabor, Chair, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
“Both Jews and Christians could learn a great deal from this book… I highly recommend it!”
Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, Congregation Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem
“There is much power in this story. And along the way the insights gained from reading the prayer with a Hebrew lens fascinate and inspire.”
Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Professor of Reconciliation Studies, Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota
“If you enjoy detective mysteries… this book is a veritable gold mine… as we discover hidden truths and marvel together with the authors.”
Christine Darg, Exploits Ministry
“I am so thankful to the Father for this book. …Once I started reading, I could not pull myself from the book… I felt like I was on a spiritual journey with so many things confirmed and also revealed.”
James Thrash, NFL Player
“This is a wonderfully written book by two men who chose to humble themselves and honor God.”
Qadry Ismail, ESPN Sports Commentator and Ex-NFL Player
“It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke of some type: what does a white Israeli Jew have in common with a black American Christian pastor? …the answer is not a joke, but rather a wonderful journey into the Lord’s Prayer…”
Judith Koch, The Porterville Recorder (June 27, 2009)
“This book… contains thoughts and feelings about the Scriptures and also background information which are invaluable for Bible lovers.”
Diamond Wong, Hong Kong, China
Your Commitment:
Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about A Prayer to Our Father within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post to this one. Thank you!
For Podcasters & Bloggers: Suggested Review and Interview Topics
- Reggie White – The late Football Hall-of-Famer Reggie White was involved in Keith Johnson’s ministry Christian Athletes United for Spiritual Empowerment. Through this connection, Nehemia Gordon got Reggie White in to see the most important manuscript of the Hebrew Bible in a secret vault in the bowels of the Israel Museum. White later described seeing this manuscript as the best day of his life, better than winning the Super Bowl, and “an answer to prayer”. [pages 32-37]
- Hebrew Manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew – The authors examined a Hebrew manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew that was pillaged by Nazis during World War II and taken to Hitler’s “Museum of the Extinct Race” in Prague. [pages 119-120]
- Interfaith interracial collaboration – One author is a university trained white Israeli Jewish Bible scholar who works with Hebrew manuscripts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. The other is a seminary-trained African American pastor, ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church, with over twenty years experience in ministry. Their collaboration on uncovering the Hebrew origins of the Lord’s Prayer is unique.
- Prayer and Reconciliation Meeting – The authors presented their book at a “Prayer and Reconciliation” meeting hosted by Sanctuary Covenant Church of Minneapolis, MN. The event was attended by a wide variety of people of various ethnicities and denominations. At the meeting, the Lord’s Prayer was recited in 5 languages: English, Spanish, Swahili, French, and Hebrew.
- Search in Israel for the place the very spot where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray – The traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount (of which the Lord’s Prayer is a part) shown to most tourists does not fit the biblical accounts. The authors traveled around Israel in search of the true location. They discovered that the evidence in the New Testament and the oldest Christian traditions pointed to the Horns of Hattin, an archaeological site better-known as the mountain where Salladin routed the Crusader army on July 4, 1187. [pages 75-81]
- Our Father sign – Referring to God as “Father” is often thought of as a Christian thing to do, even by many Jews. During their travels in Israel, the authors came across a billboard with large red Hebrew letters proclaiming God to be “Our heavenly Father”. A quick investigation located the author of the billboard, an eccentric old rabbi who wore a Jewish prayer shawl draped across his shoulders like a superman cape. The rabbi and the authors fellowshipped on the shore of the Sea of Galilee discussing God’s role as our heavenly Father. [pages 92-95]
[hide]
Sphere: Related Content
matt2819
This book is absolutely amazing! I loved it!
This was written by two men with different perceptions; a Jew and a Christian. The Lord’s Prayer (The Avinu Prayer) is one which both, those of the Jewish faith and the Christian faith, can apply to their life.
The authors laid the ground work of the biblical text that they were going to use; Hebrew Matthew and the Hebrew Bible. The King James Version (KJV), New International Version (NIV), and others are Greek translations. There is a version of the Gospel of Matthew (Hebrew Matthew) that was written in Hebrew and text within Matthew is consistent with how Hebrew was written.
Six chapters describe the six possible locations of where Yeshua (Jesus) could have taught this prayer to his disciples. They visited each site, described what they saw, and researched Scriptures and other Hebrew materials to draw their conclusion on each location. As I was reading each chapter, it felt like I was in a treasure hunt. In the end, with what they described, I too came to the same conclusion as to where the location was.
The authors then broke down each of the eight statements of the Lord’s Prayer by devoting a complete chapter to each statement. Within each chapter they talked about Hebrew mannerisms and customs in a very understandable fashion. It is truly amazing to see when a word is translated this way or that way (Hebrew vs. Greek), how different the statement means.
This book has caused me to thirst for more. There are other books that the Jewish author has written that also intrigue me. He is an expert in translating the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. In addition, I want to dig into the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament and of the Hebrew Matthew Version.
Below I have included the KJV version and the Hebrew Matthew Version of the Lord’s Prayer. I invite you to read both versions and think about the differences.
King James Version
Our Father who 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.
Hebrew Matthew Version
Our Father in heaven,
May your name be sanctified.
May your kingdom be blessed.
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth.
Give us our bread continually.
Forgive us the debt of our sins
as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us.
Do not bring us into the hands of a test,
and protect us from all evil.
Amen.
Sep 19th, 2009
gdeitz
I just completed the book A Prayer to Our Father by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. When I had the opportunity to review this book, I was very excited. I had read the promo blurb about it and was very excited as it explores the origins of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a journey that is carried out by a Christian and a Jew together. I was not disappointed with this book in the least. It appealed to my desire for knowledge, but it also added in a very personal meaning. It also didn’t hurt that much of what the book spoke on and detailed lined up with what I believe about the kingdom of God as well how faith should be lived it. I also enjoyed the simplicity with which some of the complex word meanings are outlined.
The book can in some regard be broken down into two parts. The first is a look at how the two authors came to meet each other as well as explaining how a Jew and a Christian can explore the Scriptures together. It was a good example of a dialog between the faiths. The second part is an actual break down of the prayer from its original Hebrew (the authors explain the history as to why the prayer was in Hebrew as opposed to Greek). They take each line and break it down into what it would mean to both the cultural groups and how it can play into their identity. As a Christian, I enjoyed having the Jewish perspective there as Jesus and His followers were Jewish.
There are many interesting tidbits that the authors point out and I truly enjoyed reading about the history as well as reading the slight changes in the versions of the prayer. These changes are minor, but add much to what I would believe is the truth behind the Lord’s Prayer. By having someone look at the Hebrew version, it appears that this “version” lines up with more with the remainder of the Scriptures.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys church history explained in layman’s terms.
Sep 22nd, 2009
jbonewald
I was excited to select and read “A Prayer to Our Father” as my second Ooze Viral Blogger book review, primarily because I was intrigued by the prospect of the sort of synergy and dialog that might happen when a Jew and a Christian meet together to study scripture. If the book had more deeply explored that synergy and dialog it might have been a more worthy read. Unfortunately it did not.
This is not to say the book is not without its merits. The best part of the book, and what I presume was meant to be its primary focus, is its exploration of the Lord’s Prayer.
Using a little known manuscript the authors refer to as Hebrew Matthew, they explore the Hebraic origins of the Prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. I think the book does a good job of showing the various complexities related to biblical interpretation that an average church-going English reader of the text most likely would not be exposed to.
There is not a lot of ‘ground’ breaking work done on the Prayer that the average mainline seminary trained person is not going to have some working knowledge of. However, I was pleased that the book did address a number of popular misconceptions in the church about Judaism. Like the fact that Jesus was not breaking any new ground in referring to God as Father. This fact alone, I am sure would be eye-opening for your average layperson.
There is much that I did not like about this book. For instance why is over half of it devoted to an exploration of where Jesus might have given the sermon on the mount and taught the prayer? I’ve never understood the purpose of this sort of exercise. It seems to me to be nothing more than a big waste of time and effort. It may be interesting to some folks, but it does absolutely nothing for me.
The other thing that was troubling is that there was little interface in this book with modern biblical scholarship. The authors primarily build the argument of this book by working solely with a little know manuscript they refer to as “Hebrew Matthew.” Contending, based on the work of George Howard, a scholar at Macon University, that Matthew was originally written in the Hebrew language.
I am the first to admit that I am not a biblical “scholar” by any means, but you can’t just throw that sort of claim out there and build the basis of your book on it without also interacting with other already established theories of how the various texts as we know them came into being. It’s irresponsible to do so and it will not engage an educated audience in your work.
My recommendation? Use and read the last third of the book that explores the Lord’s Prayer. It will give you some insight into Judaism and the devotional aspects of this material may help deepen and enrich your prayer life. However, you can just go ahead and skip the rest of the book.
Sep 28th, 2009
patjdawson
Book Review: A Prayer to Our Father
The premise of the book was to document the findings of a study of the Hebrew origins of the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). A Christian and a Jew embarking on this journey together, putting aside differences in their faiths, and taking a fresh look at the Lord’s Prayer from the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew.
Sounds interesting enough right? Well, as great as a topic that it was, the book fell very short of my expectations.
The first half of the book describes their journey from day one on how they met to how they feel like they’ve found the actual spot in which Jesus taught the sermon on the mount. They visited numerous sites that were said to be the spot in which he delivered the sermon on the mount. They critiqued each one and made their conclusion on which location he actually taught on.
It was obviously a passion of the authors to find the exact location. However, reading about it for the first half of the book wasn’t very engaging for me as a reader. It read more like a treasure hunt, which did in fact keep me engaged for a while, but it dragged on for way too long.
Once they started to dive into the Hebrew orgins of the Lord’s prayer it did pick up a bit. Obviously, some of the original language gets watered down by the time it is translated to English, so there were a few interesting points that were made. Similarly, I think their actual study and findings were watered down too much by the time they wrote the book. They didn’t expound very much on their ‘discoveries’ and a common theme that was lacking throughout the book was depth.
The pages in the book did a poor job of reflecting what must have been a complex and challenging study. Maybe that’s what they set out to write, a book that was easy to read. However, it left me very disappointed and wanting much more.
Oct 1st, 2009
Monster
A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer
The Book
I remember my father telling me that when he was in elementary school (back when prayer was still allowed in the public school system), his teacher used to start the day by having her students say the Lord’s Prayer. A Jewish classmate of his was concerned about whether or not this was “kosher” and sought the advice of his Rabbi. The Rabbi told him, “There is nothing in this prayer that a good Jew cannot say. Go ahead and pray the Lord’s Prayer with your classmates.”
It was with my dad’s story in mind that I began reading “A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer.” Co-written by Nehemia Gordon, a Jewish scholar residing in Jerusalem and Keith Johnson, an African American pastor and former chaplain to the Minnesota Vikings, it has a unique perspective that transcends the usual “interfaith dialogue” type of fare. I consider myself something of a connoisseur of books on prayer, and I was excited to add this one to my collection. The 174 page paperback was released in 2009 by Hilkiah Press.
Quote
“[The Lord’s Prayer] is so much more than a beautiful piece of liturgy. Its nine statements are full of wisdom on how to live a moral and ethical life in the presence of the Father of all mankind, and in relation to our fellow human beings” (page 173).
The Good
The book has an interesting premise: an African American Christian pastor and a Jewish scholar living in Israel team up to uncover the Hebrew roots of the Lord’s Prayer. For the most part, the book lives up to its opening pitch. After the unlikely duo is providentially brought together, they embark on a Dan Brown style adventure involving ancient manuscripts (including a Hebrew version of the Gospel of Matthew), religious eccentrics and sacred places. Gordon and Johnson not only study the prayer at the museum and in the library, they also spend much of the first half of the book physically hiking through the deserts and mountains of Israel in search of the place where Jesus first taught this historic prayer. The second half of the book is dedicated to their interpretation of the prayer as well as principles for personal edification and application.
The Bad
I’ve read a number of similar books over the years that take the reader on a King Solomon’s Mines type romp through the Bible Lands in search of whatever the Holy Grail du jour may be. At their climax, all of these books contain virtually the exact same sentence: “Overcome with emotion, we realized that we may have found the very spot on which Yeshua stood when he taught the Avinu Prayer to the Jewish multitudes” (page 81). Fill in the blanks with your choice of Moses and the Ten Commandments, Solomon and his wisdom, St. John the Divine and the Revelation, and you get the idea. I don’t mean to cast doubt on what I’m sure was an emotional moment for the authors, but the whole “we’ve found Noah’s Ark” thing is more than a little clichéd by now.
I also would have liked to see a little more scholarly support for the authors’ conclusions. Gordon and Johnson appear to accept rather uncritically the idea that the Gospel of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew, citing Origen and a few other church fathers in support. But what does Bart Ehrman or N.T. Wright think? What’s the scholarly consensus? These questions are never addressed in any detail.
In addition, I thought the expository sections of the book were a little light. Quite frankly, almost any preacher with a modern English translation of the Lord’s Prayer could have arrived at the same interpretations without ever viewing the microfilms of Hebrew Matthew.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that “A Prayer to Our Father” is well-written and gives a unique Jewish/Christian perspective on the Lord’s Prayer. Although it was a quick and engaging read, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to seasoned spiritual seekers or those desiring a deeper treatment of the subject. This book will better serve those who want a solid devotional exploration of what is surely the most famous prayer in the world.
Oct 1st, 2009
sheyduck
A Prayer to our Father by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson was one of my two recent reads for viralbloggers. I very much enjoyed pouring through this book in a couple of days.
I deeply appreciate that this book is co-authored by a Jew and a Christian. I further appreciate that they acknowledge in the introduction that this is significant. The camaraderie they share makes the story they tell even more powerful. The shared respect for each other, for texts, for tradition, for the process, and for the pursuit of Truth is admirable.
Gordon and Johnson devote 6 chapters to their quest to find the most probable location of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. I was skeptical that this was off point for discovering meaning in the Avinu Prayer (as they call the Lord’s Prayer, based on the first word of the Hebrew version), yet I was drawn into this quest along with them, and enjoyed the rich history of the region. This quest, or the way they narrate it, draws together the 20 centuries that have passed since Jesus walked there.
I read two other books on this prayer earlier this year, for the season of Lent(this one by Willimon and this one by Claiborne & Wilson-Hartgrove). I would place A Prayer to Our Father along side these on matters of information and insight. I would, however, recommend it ahead of either of these as a single source because of the way they tell the story. This book is worth reading for the experience of having read it.
If you pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, the Avinu Prayer, you should read this book.
Oct 2nd, 2009
TgotK
“A Prayer to Our Father” is a journey through the misunderstandings of New Testament literature. The authors, despite their varied backgrounds and experience, both have managed to produce a entertainingly unscholarly work about the backgrounds of the Lord’s prayer.
The first section of the book, focused on finding the location of Jesus’ delivery of the Sermon on the Mount shows a complete misunderstanding of how the Gospel’s are written and are to be read. The Gospel writers were focused on getting across theological points about a Man, not the latitude and longitude of a speech. It is doubtful that Matthew 5-7 was delivered all at one time and one place, if we understand 1st century historiography correctly.
The second half of the book gives a line-by-line analysis of the Hebrew version of the Lord’s prayer. The reason they are doing this to the Hebrew is based off of a largely uncritical acceptance of a late manuscript as the “original Matthew.” They reach this conclusion mostly by jumping and with the assistance of misquoting Papias (who stated that Matthew wrote down “logia,” not his Gospel in Aramaic/Hebrew).
This book should only be read as a reference to uncritical and unscholarly research on a Biblical text.
Oct 3rd, 2009
Warren Wade
I, like other reviewers of this book have noted, found the concept behind this journey to be one of the more intriguing component of this study of the Lord’s Prayer. Far too few attempts have been made to journey with a Jewish brother through our shared testament and, especially, the New. Most Christian studies, I would presume, that involve some form of reflection and etiology would be executed with preconceived notions derived from the perspective of a person coming from that faith tradition. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this approach. It is understandable to undertake, as a Christian, a study of the Jewish heritage and words with the intent to arrive at a new-found conclusion by studying the context of the literature; however, the basic premise of this book, that two individuals from different faith traditions who cherish a similar sacred text could enthusiastically and collaboratively study the components of one tradition derived from the other and the contexts that inform that tradition, is refreshing. Their journey together through the Hebrew texts surrounding the Lord’s Prayer was informative, especially for a Jewish history and Israeli geography novice, such as me.
What was simultaneously interesting by way of random archeological facts and somewhat boring by way of the flow of the book was the first half of this book. While it does lay a sort of frame work for the second half of the book, so much more time could and should have been dedicated to a discussion around some of the findings and their implications, socially, historically and religiously. The story does carry a sort of adventure feel to it which could have made for great fiction but detracted from the theological robustness of this book.
Knowing that the “implications” of the findings would be different for each author, I can understand why the majority of these findings were discussed in somewhat vague, Abrahamic-faith tradition language. And, don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad thing. More conversations need to take place regarding the shared tradition and similarities between the traditions in order to promote interfaith peace and cooperation as we achieve God’s calling. But, as a Christian looking for more insight about the Lord’s Prayer and what that means for my life, I found myself not entirely motivated by the amount of time dedicated to research, discovery and shared experience and implications.
That being said, the last 90 pages of this book offered almost tidbits of theology which both piqued my curiosity and whet my appetite. The breakdown of every line in the Lord’s Prayer and spending an adequate amount of time discussing both the Hebrew text and the contexts in which they were written provided new insight to this reader. And, while each section revealed something new to me, the part and analysis of that prayer that most grabbed me and, I think, has the most devastating effect on many contemporary theologies while also being inspirational and excited is “Your Will Shall Be Done on Heaven and on Earth.”
Although disappointing that only a few pages were dedicated to this section, the addition of the word “shall” (an appropriate addition that was not included in the Greek version) is extremely significant. Nehemia discusses the implications:
“While the Greek version of the Avinu Prayer contains a call to action to do God’s will, the Hebrew contains a statement of fact: ‘Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth.’ (128-129)
While I am not sure that what follows this statement throughout the rest of the chapter about what this change means is entirely new nor incredibly insightful (e.g. “These Hebrew words…express the idea that our heavenly father is all-powerful” (129)), to me this change is of monumental importance.
When a Christian reads this change and hears the words of Jesus time and time again throughout the New Testament that “the Kingdom of God is upon you” and that it is now, not set in some ephemeral plane sometime after we die, it should inspire. As people suffer under in the Kingdom of Man, to know that God wants us to enact the Kingdom of God here and now on this earth should provide fresh motivation. It should spur the believer to decisive action and announce the Gospel as the good news to the poor, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the orphan and the oppressed. For, as the Hebrew rendition of this prayer suggests, God’s will shall be done on earth. As Christians, it is our responsibility to make that happen.
At the end, while the book’s conclusion makes sense structurally (with a resounding “Amen” chapter), I found myself left hanging, confused that this brief journey was over. I was hoping for more substance. And, again, while the journey of two men from two different faith traditions was unique and interesting, personally, I would be interested in Mr. Johnson expanding on his findings, shedding more light to the implications this Hebrew prayer may offer to a Christian in a supplemental sequel. All in all, as a light, well-written book, it’s worth reading.
Visit my blog at warrenwade.wordpress.com for more reviews. Please, I’m new at this. Leave me comments, ideas, questions and concerns.
Oct 6th, 2009
jroddy
I recently finished “A Prayer to Our Father” and have mixed reviews of it. I was excited to dive into this book based on the premise of a Christian and a Jew looking into the Hebrew origins of the Lord’s Prayer. I believe that we as Christians miss out on some of the nuances of the Hebrew Scriptures because we don’t read them with a Hebrew mind. So I was really looking forward to gaining some insight on this prayer that means so much to my life. While I think some of the insights in the book were very helpful, I mostly felt that I was eating an appetizer. After finishing each chapter I kept wishing that there was more or that the authors would have gone deeper.
I did thoroughly enjoy the personal stories shared in the book. I found the authors journey fascinating from the moment that they met to their meetings in the Holy Land. I really found myself longing even more for a trip to the Middle East to see and experience the land where Jesus walked and where many of the stories of the Hebrew Scriptures take place.
Overall I would recommend this book to someone not looking for heavy academic information but maybe a new perspective on the Lord’s Prayer.
Oct 7th, 2009
mwwestmoreland
I read this for some light reading before bed, which means that I read this with my “academic hat” off. If you want a fast-paced, entertaining read about two men searching for the so-called Hebrew origins of the Lord’s Prayer, then you should definitely check out A A PRAYER.
If I were sitting in my office or out doing research and stumbled upon a text such as this, I would be very hesitant to pick it up and read it. It’s not a book for an academic or any serious biblical literature/language scholar. This text would never be considered as “publication worthy” at even third tier academic presses. But this should not be seen as a harsch critique of the text. The book accomplishes exactly what it stated it would on the back cover. It tells of the authors exciting story and encourages the reader to “join them on this provocative exploration of the Hebrew origins of the Lord’s Prayer!”
The text shared a joyful story of two men of different faiths coming together in search of the meaning behind a world famous/influential prayer. I read much of A PRAYER with a smile on my face, no so much because of the text itself but for the story they told. It was encouraging.
Again, as for the quality of scholarship presented in the text itself, I would be hesitant to even mention the book to colleagues. But this is alright; the authors were not writing to appease academics.
Best regards to Gordon and Johnson. May you both be blessed.
Oct 12th, 2009
taddelay
A couple of weeks ago I received a copy of Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson’s new book, A Prayer To Our Father for review. The book is a joint Jewish/Christian study of the Avinue (lit. “Our Father”), the Lord’s Prayer. Nehemia plays the part of the Jewish theology geek from Israel, and Keith plays the part of the Christian pastor-jock from Minneapolis, an odd couple that struck up a friendship when Nehemia met Keith while giving tour guides in Israel. Nehemia’s tutorship in ancient Hebrew eventually turned to his suggestion that they launch into a deep study of the Hebrew version of the Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew as we read it today in English is based on Greek manuscripts, often hundreds of years removed from original authorship. The Gospel texts were passed around under various names for several hundred years, in varying formats, until they settled into standardized texts under the currently assumed names we read today. By the time we have fully standardized Greek manuscripts of a Gospel, it has been redacted unknowable numbers of times and is at the very least changed by translation. Any linguist will attest that translating is always tinged by agenda, even if unknowingly, and no translation will perfectly match it’s original source in meaning. Because of this confusion (as well as the early Church references to Matthew originally being written in Hebrew, not Greek or Aramaic), Keith and Nehemia sought the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Matthew, and produced this book specifically on the Avinue prayer from Matthew chapter 5.
This is the Avinue, the Lord’s Prayer, as they translate it to English from Hebrew Matthew. Notice the differences with the standard English versions translated from Greek:
Our Father in Heaven
May your name be sanctified
May your kingdom be blessed
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth
Give us our bread continually/daily
Forigive us the debt of our sins as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us
Do not bring us into the hands of a test
And protect us from all evil
Amen
Pros
They consistently took pop-shots at common Chrisitan myths, such as the idea that it was revolutionary for a Jew to refer to God as “Abba/Father.” That was an eye opener for me. It was embarrassing, really, to see how many places the Scriptures reffered to God as “Avi,” the Hebrew equivalent of the Aramaic abba. Even Genesis, a book put together five hundred years before Christ, names the forth person of all time as Avi’el (lit. “Father, god” or Abel in English).
The Hebrew refresher was much appriated throughout, as I have not studied Hebrew in a year. It was good to feel the linguistic geek in me resurface.
Oh, and they decide on the age old debate of how the name of God, YHWY, is supposed to be pronounced (in case you ask, they settle on “Yehovah”), although I’m not sure if such a debatable claim being settled with such immediate certainty is a good thing or not for credibility.
But seriously, the book could serve as a great introduction to basic Biblical linguistics and criticism. And Biblical criticism is something that I think more Christians ought to be exposed to, with all the usurping questions that scholarship can create to question, twist, do violence to, and recreate a faith.
Cons
Even while only coming to a grand total of 172 pages, the book felt stretched. The duo’s search for the place where Christ most likely gave the sermon on the mount took up nearly a third of the book. And they came to a conclusion all right (at the expected last of 8 failed treks described in detail, I might add), but when you are on detailed-trek 3 of 8 and you know which one they will decide is the right one, do you really want to keep reading? There was lots of this stretching of the material, and I’m pretty sure I could have gotten half the book’s content with Google search (although the Jew-sight was appreciated).
The duo also consistently refer to a gospel that a disciple named Matthew wrote, and that irritated me in a way. There was not even a hint of doubt cast on Matthew’s authorship, the fact that a semi-stable and consistent version of Matthew didn’t exist for a couple hundred years after supposed authorship, or the fact that we cannot verify original authorship’s language anyways aside from a few references from 3rd century church fathers who could be notoriously sloppy with their side references to history. For a book on the Hebrew Matthew, I was expecting at least a little scholarship on the authorship of Matthew, a solid reasoning to believe the original source was Hebrew, or even a defense of the idea that a disciple named “Matthew” wrote the piece. Alas, given the surprising lack of scholarly evidence that Jesus himself existed, maybe we can let Matthew slide. Still, if you are going to write a biblical examination, at least prove to me that what you are writing on is legit if you claim the establishment has it wrong on the source.
Suspending disbelief is great for a church service, but if you are writing a book on ancient Hebrew manuscripts, of which we have no originals, I would prefer you acknowledge the whole thing could easily be a fraud and give defense, if only for the sake of being intellectually honest.
—
A quick warning: if you believe the Bible as we have it today is exactly the same as some original manuscript actually written by a guy the book is named after, be forewarned that Nehemia and Keith will make light work of this view in a mere side note in the opening pages. You should probably stay away from this book (or any Jewish thought on Scripture… or scholarship in general for that matter)
In the end, it’s a quick and easy read. You pick up lots of Hebrew and the authors bring a skimmed scholarship to the highschool level. Though I would suggest this book to anyone familiar with the history of Jewish belief on the Bible, if you haven’t read any Jewish perspective, scholarship, language, or philosophy before, this could be a great place to start.
Oct 12th, 2009
Brian294
Ever watch The Discovery Channel? Picture two guys going on multiple journeys to Israel to find the places where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount and where Jesus was tested in the desert. Their writing style was colorful and I wished they had filmed their expedition for others to see.
But why did they spend nearly half the book chronicling their expedition? It played an essential inspirational role to discover the meaning behind the words.
What also made this book unique was that they relied heavily on Hebrew Matthew, not the Greek or Latin versions that were derived afterward. Things that are ambiguous in Greek were crystal clear in Hebrew.
I was happy to see that in the chapter titled, “May Your Kingdom Be Blessed” they recognized the fact that God’s kingdom is both present and future. It’s not just a future event, but a present reality. Very good kingdom theology.
I also loved how they used so much Hebrew scripture to shed light on the Lord’s prayer. Very Hebraic! I will pass along this book to my Messianic Jewish friends. I know they’ll love it.
Shalom,
Brian
Oct 13th, 2009
staucody
Jesus’ teachings become so fresh and so much more challenging when one places him firmly in his tradition, learning who he really was. Nehemiah Gordon, an Orthodox Jewish Bible scholar, and Keith Johnson, an African American Pastor and NFL chaplain, came together on common ground to uncover the history and origins of a shared treasure- Christians call it “The Lord’s Prayer.”
A Prayer to Our Father recounts the time they spent together, from visiting all of the possible locations for Jesus’ teaching on prayer, to investigating the ancient manuscripts of Hebrew Matthew. Along the way they make some exciting discoveries, but the most exciting aspect of the entire journey is the interaction between Nehemiah and Keith, the way they find common ground and learn from the unique perspectives they each bring to the table. A basic understanding of history from the last 1,600 years puts this work in proper perspective- it’s a thing of beauty that it was even created.
The last section of the book is extremely useful for group study, as they break down line for line the Hebrew “Our Father,” providing fresh teaching on this sacred passage. The nine lines contain deep moral and ethical teaching, and about how one can relate to Our Father and to our fellow human brothers and sisters.
Oct 19th, 2009
everydayliturgy
Co-authors Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson explore the Hebrew foundation of the Lord’s Prayer in their book A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer.
The authors intend for this book to be very exciting. They are excited people. They are Hebrew nerds, and they go on a dramatically and suspensefully told quest to plumb the depths of time and manuscripts to flush out the Hebrew underpinnings of the Lord’s Prayer, or in Hebrew, the Avinu Prayer.
Gordon and Johnson do not publish anything radical, controversial, or suspect. They back up their suspicions and hunches with adequate scholarship. The book proves to be part theological book and part travelogue as the pair criss-cross continents and the Holy Land in search for the authentic roots of the Lord’s Prayer.
Their quest is admirable, and achieved, but its not one I really wanted to go on. If you are a language nerd or think of reading a Hebrew dictionary or studying Hebrew as a fun and enjoyable activity, I suggest you buy this book. You’ll enjoy it.
Myself on the other hand, the book started boring me about half way through. I just am not interested in the peculiarities of Hebrew to Greek to English translations, and most of their insights I had read in N.T. Wright’s book The Lord and His Prayer.
The book does try to be exciting, and it deserves much credit on that point. It just didn’t click with me. There are many books I read (and review) that people would find boring as well, so this book is in the eye of the beholder, and at $19.95 for a paperback (a high price in my opinion) I would suggest that unless you are a Hebrew nerd or transfixed by the Holy Land buy Wright’s The Lord and His Prayer instead (it’s $8 on Amazon).
Oct 28th, 2009
artzar
This Prayer is one of the best known passages in the Bible, appreciated by those who are not practitioners of Judaism or Christianity. You can find it. in the Parliaments of the world, in places of education, metro stations and public markets. It became a common platform where Christians can meet and communicate with each other.
The book “A Prayer to Our Father” / A prayer to Our Father “- made available by courtesy of the” Ooze Viral Books “- was a surprise to me primarily through approach. Nehemia Gordon, a learned Jew of Jerusalem and Keith Johnson, an African-American pastor, approaches the subject by personal paths. Apparently two directions for understanding and a common denominator found in God and in the form of relationship: Our Father. Personal prospects interact with the text of Scripture resulting emphasis on a meditative moment.
For me it was a useful exercise to know the new details of the context of prayer, of its cultural meaning and its role in Jewish and Christian religious practice.
How to interpret a prayer without spiritualize it? I know that sometimes, some evangelicals are guilty of excessive spiritualization of biblical texts. It is fascinating to see the intertwining Old Testament essence through Gospel values and ethos further into the Christian faith.
It is a successful attempt from my perspective to see the elegant interaction between Hebrew and one teaches a Christian, open to receive information one at the.
The book brings in me the desire to explore more Jewish manuscripts of biblical texts.
A Prayer to Our Father can serve as a good start to reach the issue criticism biblical language can satisfy the taste for biblical history of some not so accustomed to the pretentious terminology.
Beyond a liturgical piece, the Lord’s Prayer reveals how to live morally and dependence of the One who made us and he became a father not only by Creation but also through salvation.
More in Romanian version on
http://www.blog.punctul.com
Nov 3rd, 2009
MicahMin
This short, exciting read sent me to my telephone to tell a far-away friend, “you MUST read this book.” Engaging, intriguing, and fascinating are the three best terms I have to describe this terrific book. The scholarship and candid dialogue from unlikely co-authors will at once teach and inspire. The Jewish and Christian perspectives on the Lord’s Prayer provide important historical interpretation that will be meaningful and helpful to all who read this volume.
Nov 15th, 2009
spiritofburning
“A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer” by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson chronicles the journey, both physical and spiritual, of two men of different faiths, as they seek out the Hebrew origins of the Lord’s Prayer. Gordon, a Jewish scholar, and Johnson, a pastor, meet in Jerusalem in interesting circumstances. What begins as a chance encounter becomes a Bible study and later shifts into a journey to discover a truer meaning to the Lord’s Prayer.
The first half of the book is dedicated to telling the story of Gordon and Johnson’s trip through Israel, in search of the location where Yeshua gave the Sermon on the Mount and originally spoke the Lord’s Prayer. They visit the six most-likely locations, evaluating each possibility by referencing descriptions in various religious documents. The research is thorough, and the authors use it well to make a strong case for their choice. They eventually decide on the Horns of Hattin, which provides the best acoustics and easiest access, and it most closely matches descriptions in the Bible and other religious texts.
The second half explores the prayer in detail, explaining the differences between the original Hebrew and the later Greek and English translations. The authors provide explanations of the original Hebrew words when the English translations of those words differ greatly from translations from Greek or when the Hebrew words have ambiguous meanings. They also take time to explain what these words would have meant to the Jews listening to the prayer when it was first spoken. These cultural references provide the reader with new insight and a different perspective on the Lord’s Prayer. It is fascinating to compare the two versions to see where the similarities and differences lie.
“A Prayer to Our Father” offers the reader a chance to explore what is likely to be a familiar prayer in a new way. The authors have clearly devoted much of their time to the study and understanding of the prayer, and their enthusiasm and eagerness to share the research and discoveries shines through the text. The authors’ academic approach to the subject makes the book an interesting read for readers of many different beliefs.
Nov 18th, 2009
BLePort
I admit that this book lost me early on. I know we are supposed to try to engage it, but it felt like a lot of scholarly assumptions were being made without support from the first pages. I think I zoned out from there.
The “Jewish” side of Christianity is all the buzz nowadays, and rightfully so, but some books seems to be sent to print more as a bandwagon addition than an actual contribution. This book is more of a personal narrative; a devotional of sorts.
Mar 7th, 2010
for “A Prayer to Our Father Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer By Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson”
You must be logged in as a VIRAL BLOGGER to post a review.