Amen

March 17, 2018

The second part of the Lord’s prayer (Mt 6:11-6:13)

“Give us

Our daily bread

Today!

Forgive us

Our debts!

We also have forgiven

Our debtors.

Do not bring us

Into the time of trial!

Rescue us

From the evil one!

 

Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον

καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν·

καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.

 

In the second part of the “Lord’s Prayer,” “The Our Father,” Matthew and Luke, chapter 11:3-4, have the 4 human petitions, perhaps indicating a common Q source.  We should ask the Father to give us (δὸς ἡμῖν) our daily bread or sustenance to sustain our human life (Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον) today (σήμερον).  Every day, even today, we need our daily nutrition to live.  The hope is that God the Father will provide for us.  We should ask the Father to forgive our debts (καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν).  This includes whatever we owe to God, because our sins that have put us in debt with God.  If we ask for forgiveness, that assumes that we have forgiven our debtors (ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν).  We ask the Father not to lead us into temptation or be tested in a trial (καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν).  Finally, we ask the Father to rescue or deliver us from painful evil or the evil one (ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ).  A Byzantine manuscript has an addition here that has become popular as the ending of the Lord’s Prayer because it has an “Amen” at the end of it.  “For the kingdom (Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία) and the power (καὶ ἡ δύναμις) and the glory (καὶ ἡ δόξα) are yours forever. Amen (εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν).”  This would have fit in better after the first 3 petitions about God the Father, since these 4 petitions are about us here on earth.

November 5, 2016

The words of the alliance (Jer 11:3-11:5)

“‘Cursed be anyone

Who does not heed the words

Of this covenant

That I commanded your ancestors,

When I brought them

Out of the land of Egypt,

From the iron furnace,

Saying,

‘Listen to my voice!

Do all that I command you!

So shall you be my people!

I will be your God!

Thus I may perform the oath

That I swore to your ancestors.

‘I will give them a land

Flowing with milk and honey,

As it is until this day.’

Then I answered.

‘So be it, Yahweh!”

Here are the words that Yahweh wanted Jeremiah to proclaim to his people. Anyone who does not heed the words of this commanded covenant will be cursed. Yahweh had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt that was like an iron blast furnace. Jeremiah was to be clear. They were to follow his commands. They will be his people and he will be their God. Yahweh had sworn this to their ancestors since he said that he would provide a promised land of milk and honey. Jeremiah responded that he was up to the task as he said the famous Amen, or so be it.

December 3, 2015

Praise Yahweh (Ps 106:48-106:48)

“Blessed be Yahweh!

The God of Israel!

From everlasting to everlasting!

Let all the people say.

‘Amen!’

Praise Yahweh!”

This 4th book of psalms ends with a rousing Alleluia, praise to Yahweh, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” This doxology praise is an addition to this psalm since it probably belonged at the end of Psalm 105. However, it seems a fitting end to this book of psalms with this everlasting praise to Yahweh with the great “Amen.”

October 27, 2015

Blessed be Yahweh (Ps 72:18-72:19)

“Blessed be Yahweh!

The God of Israel!

He alone does wondrous things.

Blessed be his glorious name forever!

May his glory fill the whole earth!

Amen and Amen!”

This psalm naturally ends with a cry of blessing to Yahweh, the God of Israel. He alone has done wondrous things. Clearly Yahweh is superior to the king. The glory and name of Yahweh should last forever and fill the whole earth. This seems to add to the preceding verses that made the king seem almost divine. This was a reminder that Yahweh was the only God of Israel, not the king. This psalm ends with the rousing “Amen” twice.

September 24, 2015

Doxology end to the first book (Ps 41:13-41:13)

“Blessed be Yahweh!

The God of Israel!

From everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen.”

There is a shout out to Yahweh. As the end of this psalm, this praise of Yahweh closes out the first book of psalms. He was and is the God of Israel forever. The response of all, like the great ending of all doxologies or prayers to God is “Amen, Amen.”

March 29, 2015

The praise for Judith (Jdt 15:8-15:10)

“Then the high priest Joakim, and the elders of the Israelites who lived in Jerusalem, came to witness the good things that the Lord had done for Israel. They wanted to see Judith and wish her well. When they met her, they all blessed her with one accord. They said to her.

‘You are the glory of Jerusalem!

You are the great boast of Israel!

You are the great pride of our nation!

You have done all this with your own hand.

You have done great good to Israel.

God is well pleased with it.

May the Almighty Lord bless you forever!’

All the people said. ‘Amen.’”

The high priest Joakim and the Israelite elders came to see Judith and wish her well. They blessed her. They called her, the glory of Jerusalem, the great boast of Israel, the pride of their nation. She did all this by herself. God was well pleased with her. She should be blessed forever. Of course, all the people chimed in with ‘Amen.’ This praise rests heavily on Judith rather than God.

March 28, 2015

The prayer of the people and Uzziah (Jdt 13:17-13:20)

“All the people were greatly astonished. They bowed down and worshiped God. They said with one accord.

‘Blessed are you, our God,

You have this day humiliated the enemies of your people.’

Then Uzziah said to her.

‘O daughter,

You are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth.

Blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth!

He has guided you to cut off the head of the leader of our enemies.

Your hope will never depart

From the hearts of those who remember the power of God.

May God grant this to be a perpetual honor to you!

May God reward you with blessings!

You have risked your own life

When our nation was brought low.

You averted our ruin.

You walked in the straight path before our God.’

All the people said. ‘Amen! Amen!’”

Obviously the people were astonished to see the head of General Holofernes. They immediately worshiped God as they said with one voice, that God was blessed for destroying their enemies. Then the leader of the town of Bethulia Uzziah said to Judith that she was blessed by God above all women on earth. This seems to be somewhat similar to the later popular Roman Catholic prayer, the ‘Hail Mary,’ where Mary is ‘blessed art thou among all women.’ However, the prayer quickly turns to the Lord God, who created heaven and earth, not Yahweh, or the God of Israel. God had guided Judith to cut off the general’s head. However, Judith should be blessed with a perpetual memory for risking her life when things were bad. In the canticle of Deborah and Bara, in Judges, chapter 5, Jael, who killed Sisera, was also called a blessed woman. Judith had averted the ruin of Israel and yet walked in the straight path before God. The obvious conclusion of the people is the great ‘Amen.’

February 25, 2015

Tobias in Ecbatana (Tob 14:12-14:15)

“When Tobias’ mother Anna died, he buried her beside his father. Then he and his wife and their children returned to Media. He settled in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. He treated his parents-in-law with great respect in their old age. He buried them in Ecbatana of Media with honor and magnificent funerals. He inherited both the property of Raguel and that of his father Tobit. He died highly respected at the age of one hundred seventeen years. Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh. He saw its prisoners being led into Media, those whom King Cyrus of Media had taken captive. Tobias praised God for all he had done to the people of Nineveh and Assyria. Before he died, he rejoiced over Nineveh. He blessed the Lord God forever and ever. Amen.”

After the death and burial of his mother Anna, Tobias with his wife and children returned to Ecbatana to be with the parents of his wife Sarah. He treated his elderly in-laws well, and buried them correctly. He then inherited both the estates of his father Tobit and his father-in-law Raguel. It made sense to return to Ecbatana, so that his wife could be with her elderly parents. Before Tobias died, King Cyrus took over Nineveh and Assyria. In fact, Tobias praised God for the Persians and King Cyrus. There definitely was a strong tendency to favor the Persians over the Assyrians and Babylonians. He died blessing God forever, so that it was fitting to end with an Amen.

February 22, 2015

The prayer of Tobias (Tob 8:5-8:8)

“Tobias began by saying.

‘Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors.

Blessed is your name in all generations forever.

Let the heavens and all the creation bless you forever.

You made Adam.

For him you gave his wife Eve

As a helper and support.

From the two of them

The human race has sprung.

You said.

‘It is not good that the man should be alone.

Let us make a helper for him like himself.’

I now am taking this kinswoman of mine

Not because of lust,

But with sincerity.

Grant that she and I may find mercy.

Grant that we may grow old together.’

They both said. ‘Amen. Amen.’  Then they both went to sleep for the night.’”

This prayer of Tobias is an ode to creation. It is one of the first prayers that talks about Adam and Eve. In fact, it uses the words of Genesis, chapter 2. This prayer combines the God of his ancestors with the God of heaven. Tobias maintained that he did not marry out of lust but because of sincerity for his family. He asked for God’s mercy, and the famous saying, “Grant that we may grow all together.” They both say amen and go to sleep. There is no mention of sexual intercourse.