Our Father

The Lord’s prayer – part 2

Jesus told us to treat God as Father, but not the authoritarian sort of father that some think of when they think about God. I have heard a sermon where it was said that Jesus used the Aramaic word Abba in the prayer, a word like the English Daddy, one that would be used by children. I don’t know any Greek, but simply Googling shows that is not the case. A more formal term is used here.

Perhaps that is not surprising, given the question from the disciples, “Teach us to pray as John taught his disciples to pray. As John taught his disciples to pray, there’s the context: Maybe John taught them a formal way of praying, and this is what the disciples were asking for.

But Jesus is not pray that way. His prayers to his Father were close and intimate. On occasion he is recorded as using the word Abba.

Paul says similar things in his letters:

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” – Galatians 4:6 ESV

We come as children, our hearts crying out Abba, Daddy.

God being our father means that we are loved individually. God is a loving father who longs to spend time with his children. We can approach God our father for all our needs.

Previous – The Lord’s Prayer – Next