Again, writing to the Colossians (l^*^), he prays that they may be 'endowed with all wisdom to apprehend [God's] verities and aU intelligence to follow His processes, hving in the mind of the Spirit — to the end that knowledge may manifest itself in practice' (J. B. Lightfoot, ad loc). Hav- ing this sure grasp of principle, he can dare to pray for them as patient and long-suffering, and always thankful despite discouragement.
In Ph 1^'^^ he prays that love and knowledge and discernment may inspire them to approve things that are excellent with a pure conscience that offends none, and a life fiUed with the fruits of righteousness.
Thus the method of St, Paul is exactly parallel to the method of our Lord's High-Priestly prayer (Jn 17^), in which intercession is concentrated first on the needs of those given to Him out of the world. The hope of the future depends on the strengthening of Christian centres before anything is said about those 'who shall believe through their word.' The beauty of the Clii-istian hfe is the nrefragable proof of the truth of Christian teaching ; so it is to uphold the ideal of Christian character that St. Paul prays most earnestly. But this does not mean that the corporate intercessions should not take also a wuder range. In 1 Ti 2^'- he exhorts that 'supplications, prayers, interces- sions, thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all that are in high place,' a direction which, as we shall see presently in the letter of Clement, was fervently followed in the Church in Rome, from which city he wrote this last Epistle.
It is a strange commentary on this teaching of St. Paul that Josephus should actually ascribe the origin of the war which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem to the refusal of the Jews, at the in- stigation of Eleazar, to offer prayer for Gentile rulers {BJ ii. xvii. 2).
2. In the Epistle to the Hebrews (7-') there is an important passage on the intercession of tiie Lord Jesus as our High Priest. 'In the glorilied humanity of the Son of man every true human wish finds perfect and prevailing expression' (B. F. Westcott, ad loc). In reliance upon Christ's ad- vocacy as both social and personal, the writer naturally asks for the prayers of his readers (13^**'), and especially that he may be restored to them the sooner.
3. In 1 John (5") intercession is regarded as the expression of ])erfect l)()liliiess in prayer which consciousness of a IJivine life brings to believers : 'The energy of Christian life is from the first social' (Westcott, ad loc). Its prevailing power is assured on behalf of all who sin a sin not unto
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death, sins which flow from human imperfection. In regard to sin which wholly separates from Christ, the Apostle does not forbid, though he cannot enjoin (v."").
4. The teaching of the Apostolic Fathers follows the lines already laid do^\^l by the NT writers.
{a) Clement goes to the root of the troubles at Corinth when he asks that intercession should be made ' for them that are in any transgression, that forbearance and humility may be given them ' {Ep. ad Cor. Ivi.). And he shows what a prominent place in the eucharistic prayers of the Church was given to intercessions (lix.) : ' Save those among us who are in tribulation ; have mercy on the lowly ; lift up the fallen ; show Thyself unto the needy ; heal the ungodly ; convert the wanderers of Thy people ; feed tlie hungry ; release our prisoners ; raise up the meek ; comfort the faint- hearted. Let all the Gentiles know that Thou art God alone, and Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture.'
The prayer for rulers and governors may also be quoted (Ixi. ) : ' Grant unto them therefore, O Lord, health, peace, concord, stability, that they may administer the government which Thou hast given them without failure. ... Do Thou, Lord, direct their counsel according to that which is good and well-pleasing in Thy sight, that, administering in peace and gentleness with godliness the power which Thou hast given them, they may obtain Thy favour.'
(6) The joy of intercession finds striking expres- sion in Hernias (Mand. x. 3), who teaches our need of cheerfulness and maintains that the intercession of a sad man hath never at any time power to ascend to the altar of God. He paints also in the Parable of the elm and the vine (Sim. ii.) the diffi- culties of the rich man, who in the things of the Lord is poor, and his confession and intercession with the Lord are very scanty, because he is dis- tracted about his riciies. As the vine seeks the support of the elm, let him help the poor man, who is rich in intercession, and gain the support of his prayers.
(c) Turning from the Church in Rome to the Church in Antioch, we find Ignatius on his way to martyrdom asking for intercession in the Eucharist that he may succeed in fighting with wild beasts (Eph. i.), and 'for the rest of mankind (for there is in them a hope of repentance), that they may find God ' (ib. 10). He requests prayer for the Church in Syria in all his letters. 'For, if the prayer of one and another hath so great force, how much more that of the bishop and of the whole Church' (ib. 5). To the llomans he writes : ' Only pray that I may have power within and without' (ib. 3).