(4) The passages in which prayer accompanies the appointment to ministries naturally raise another question. In Ac 13^ 14^ fasting accompanies praj-er, cf. Lk 2". The connexion between fasting and prayer has already been observed in OT, but was It continued in the Apostolic Church ? These two passages "o in that direction, and it would be natural that tlie Christians should not abandon a practice in which as Jews they had been trained, and which appeared to have a possible sanction from Mt 9". But, in considering fastin" as sub- sidiary to prayer, it should be observed that in four passages where it appears in that light in AV, viz. Mt 17-", Mk 9-'», Ac 1(1™, 1 Co 7», RV, follo\ying textual evidence, omits all mention of the subject. See, further, art. FASTING.
(5) One other point of interest from Acts is that prayer here bears out what was said under OT of prayer as colloquy tenth God. Such is the prayer in 1;he visions of Ananias (Ac 9'>-'») and St. Paul (Ac 22"-»').
iii. The Epistles and Apocalypse. — (1) St. Janus. — This Ep. takes up and applies to daily life the teaching of the gospel, and is especially related to Mt. Hence there is much as to prayer. The need of faith in prayer, and the fatal eB'ect of doubting ( Ja I*'*, observe same word [diaKpivo/uit] for ' doubt as in Mt 21^') ; the neglect of prayer, and character of wTong prayer ( Ja 4'- '), are put in a practical way.
PRAYER
PREACHING
45
Hilt tlie must important passage is Ja 5""". There in an empliatic positiun almost at the close of the Kpistle we have the reeommendution of a partitMilar act of prayer on the part of the elders of the congelation, accompanied with the use of oil (in accordance with the early apostolic practice described Mk 6'"). This prayer is not only to efl'cct hodily but also sjuritual healing. The suHerers sins will be forgiven. And then the jiower of praver is still furtlier urged, and the e.vample ol Elijah given. Intercession for one another is to be the rule of the Church (cf. 1 Jn 5"'). (•2) E/>ji. of St. Paul. — Only a few points can be noticed, (a) The co-opcratioii of the Hull/ S/iirit in praver conies out clearly. In Ro 8'' the Sjiirit enaldes us to cry 'Abba, Father,' and in v.-" inlcr- cedes for us (i;irepe>'Tii7xa>'ei) along with our <le- fective praj'ers. There is a special litncss in the u.se of 4i'Tvyx<i>'u (and its compound) with rcg.ird to the Spirit (as here) and the Son (v." and He 7-°), as it signilies clo.se approach. For the help of the Spirit in prayer .see also Eph 6'* and Juite-'"'. Further, the gift of tongues was used in prayer as well as in praise (I Co U"- "). The distinction which St. I'aul here draws l)etwcen the otlice of his (own) siiirit and his niind in prayer is well illustrated by Thorn. Aquiii. ii. 2. l.\.\xiii., who says that prayer is 'ratioiiis actus.' There must be some arrangement of petitions (ordinatio), ivnd for this the mind mu>.t take part. (^) The re- ciprocal prayer of SI. Paul and hit concerts. He con.stantiy [nays for them, he tells them so, and tiiey pray for him. His prayer for them i.s .some- times in an.xiety and somelimos with joy (I'h l'). It included mention of peiMins by name, e.g. Timothy and Philemon, and no doubt countless others. He looks on this reciprocal prayer as a bond. He begins and often closes his I'-pj). with mention of it. He regards the circumstances of his own life and his movements as in part de- termined by the prayers of the saints (2 Co 1", I'hilem '"). (7) I'raj'er is stricinq, an 07011' (like Jacob's wrestling), see Ro 15*, Col 2' and 4'". (0) Some light is given as to the iiraj'ers of the conijre- gatiim. There is the injunction in 1 Ti 2', where we hrid the rudiments of a li.xcd order of prayer. Clem. Kom. 01 shows how this command was obeyed. The chapter above <iuoted, 1 Ti 2, gives negatively in v." the same conditions of acceptable prayer 'without wrath and doubting' as are given positively in Mk U'-^, where forgiveness and faith are required for prayer. 'Wrath' here means rcfu.sal to forgive; such a condition condemns a literal use of the Imprecatory I'salm.s. («) In tlie I'astoral Ejip. prayer has already become the special dull) of a certain class (I Ti 5°).
(3) Ep. to Hebrews. — Tlie great le.sson here is freedom of access to God in prayer. This Christ has obtained for us (He 4" 10-"). The latter verse reminds us that the baptized no longer need the ritual wa-shiiig of their bodies before prayer (see above on prayer in Apocrypha).
(4) E/ip. of St. Jn/in. — Ilere again is the same thought as in He 4'°, expressed by the same word {irapf/ri<ri(i). I'ut in 1 Jn there is no question of entrance and approach (fr<rooo5, vpoaipx^cOai) ; we are already near. Thus irafip-qiria has more dis- tinctly its primary sense of ' freedom of utterance' in prayer. See 1 Jn 3-'---, where the jimmi^cs of the certain fullilmcnt of prayer given 111 Jn 14''-" 15'- '° lU-"- " are concentrated and dwelt upon. The still stronger repetition of this assurance in 1 Jn 5U. IB e.xplains any dilliculty that might attach to it, by substituting 'according to His will' for 'in His name.' These two comlitions are really equivalent. We cannot truly associate ourselves with Christ in prayer (in His name) without Uia spirit of entire subniission to the Father's will.