Have you ever wondered what Jesus’ prayer life was like?

We know what he taught about prayer because those teachings are preserved in the New Testament. But what was his actual personal practice?

Theologian Joachim Jeremias explains the daily habits of devout Jews in the first century.

First, he would have said the Shema in the morning and in the evening. That’s the creed from Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Second, he would have said the Amidah (or 18 Benedictions) in the morning and in the evening, and also at 3pm. That’s when the sacrifices were occurring in the temple. So no matter where you were, if you were offering prayers at 3pm you were united, in a sense, with your fellow Jews in other regions.

Third, Jesus would have been in weekly worship in the synagogue. This would have included singing psalms, prayers and instruction from the Bible. 

We know that Jesus prayed at other times too. He would go off by himself to pray, or pray in response to a particular situation. Plus, he was so saturated with the Bible that he could quote it at will in response to whatever he was dealing with.

To summarize, when Jesus got up in the morning he recited Scripture and prayed. He prayed in the middle of the day. And he again recited Scripture and prayed at night. Prayer and Bible recitation were like an invisible clock which gave spiritual structure to his day.

As Christians today, we are not commanded to pray in that exact same manner. But my point is this. Let’s be consistent. When we are reading the Bible and praying in a consistent way, we are more likely to be focused on God, seeking his will, and living with gratitude, no matter how we are feeling, because we are tethered to the Almighty God of grace.

What at first feels like an interruption to your day starts to become an engine to your day.

“Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

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Notes:

–New Podcast: “The Importance of Sunday School Teachers – some reflections by the Rev. Dr. Richard Topping.” Being a Sunday School teacher can be tough. But it’s also meaningful. If you want to make a long-term difference for the kingdom of God, it’s the place to be. In this 6-minute episode you can listen to Dr. Topping (the president of the Vancouver School of Theology) share a few reflections on the importance of Sunday School teachers. Be encouraged! Click here, or tune in to ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ wherever you subscribe.

–*Joachim Jeremias, The Prayers of Jesus (SCM Press, 1967), chapter 2.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.