A Prayer to Our Father [Perfect Paperback]

Nehemia Gordon (Author), Keith E. Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

A Prayer to Our Father is the exciting journey of faith of a Jewish Bible scholar and an African American pastor who join forces to uncover the truth about the most beloved prayer in the Christian world. Their gripping adventure begins in the ancient city of Jerusalem and takes them to the very spot in Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray. Along the way they discover a Hebrew version of the Lord's Prayer, preserved in secret by Jewish rabbis for over a thousand years. The richness of meaning that the Hebrew unlocks reveals a powerful message of spiritual growth for Jew and Christian alike. Join them on this provocative exploration of the Hebrew origins of the Lord's Prayer!

Editorial Reviews

Review

A Prayer to Our Father... represents a rare and uncommon collaboration between Nehemia Gordon, a Jew devoted to the ancient Hebrew faith, and Keith Johnson, a dedicated African American Christian believer and pastor. The book is as much about the remarkable relationship of these two men, and how they embarked on a common quest for the historical and Hebraic origins of the prayer, as it is about the understanding of the prayer itself... The book is written in an autobiographical style that pulls the reader into an engaging, unfolding story, that is every bit an adventure in learning and discovery. The most remarkable aspect of this story for me was to see how Johnson, as a devoted Christian seeking the Hebraic roots of Jesus (Yeshua), was drawn to study Hebrew with Gordon, and how Gordon in turn, without sharing Johnson's messianic views, could nonetheless wholeheartedly participate in the historical quest for the Hebraic roots of Jesus' most famous and well-known teaching the Lord's Prayer. This symbiotic relationship alone makes the book stand out as a unique and singular contribution that can be of great interest to both Christians and Jews. But what is just as remarkable are the results of the historical investigation itself. Johnson and Gordon take turns narrating their stories in a gripping first person style. Central to the book is an analysis of the Prayer as it appears in the various copies of Hebrew Matthew preserved by Ibn Shaprut, a 14th century Rabbi living in Spain. This is the text of Hebrew Matthew (called Even Bohen) that Professor George Howard brought to the attention of the academic world in 1987 (see my notes and summary). I agree with Howard, as do Gordon and Johnson, that this version of Matthew is not merely a translation of our Greek New Testament manuscripts, but represents an independent and ancient source written originally in Hebrew that was passed down in rabbinic circles for centuries. Hebrew Matthew offers us an opportunity to examine the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in the original Hebrew, rather than an approximated version based on a translation from the Greek. The book is divided into two "terrains," one geographical and the other textual. Gordon and Johnson first examine all available evidence as to where Yeshua might have taught the prayer. They take the reader to all possible geographical locations, from Jerusalem to the Galilee, based on references in the New Testament and other early Christian sources. At each place they relate their own experiences and analysis of what appears to have been the most likely setting for the "mountain" scene depicted in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. They then turn to a line by line, phrase by phrase, analysis of the prayer in Hebrew, compared with the traditional English translations that are based on the Greek. There are surprises and insights at every turn, and frankly, I don't want to spoil the adventure for readers by revealing in this informal review much about the content. Let me just tantalize a bit here and say that no one reading this book, whether Jew, Christian, Muslim, or secularist, will ever be able to think of, much less pray, the AVINU (Hebrew for "Our Father") prayer in the same way again. One's understanding of the simple power and meaning of this prayer will be thoroughly enlightened and transformed. I am pleased to recommend this book to any and all who will take up the challenge to expand their horizons and experience the excitement of historical and textual investigations. You will not be disappointed. --Dr. James D. Tabor, Chair, Deptartment of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Gordon and Johnson provide a gentle walk through unfamiliar territory surrounding the Lord s Prayer. The territory is unfamiliar because they explore the Hebrew version of this well-known passage of Scripture. The walk is gentle because they have included their personal experiences as they traveled the land of Israel in search of the Hebraic roots of these verses. In a combination of travelogue, history and linguistic detective work, this book guides the reader to insights that only appear in the Hebrew original. It is a journey worth taking.

Clearly written with the average reader in mind, A Prayer to Our Father does not overwhelm with etymological intricacies or theological arguments. Instead, it presents a journey of enlightenment, for the authors and for the reader, as it traverses the land of Israel, examining culture and history in an effort to peel back two thousand years of translation accumulation. The journey reaches its climax in an analysis of the Hebrew worldview connected to our Lord s simple prayer. The insights and corrections discovered in this recovery are formidable and immediately applicable. This is a valuable contribution to any believer s library.

--A. J. Moen, D. Phil., Academic Dean, Master s International Divinity School, Evansville, Indiana

I just finished the book and really enjoyed it. I teach liturgy at the Hebrew Union College so I know how important and difficult it is to teach and write about the topic. A Prayer to Our Father is a multi-layered love story: the love of prayer, the love of learning, the love of the land of Israel, the love of the Hebrew language, and the love of Judaism and Christianity. It is part detective story, part guide-book, part text-study and all love. It is also a fabulous model of chevruta (the interactive Jewish learning model) two people learning together, challenging each other and inspiring each other. Both Jews and Christians could learn a great deal from this book about their own and each others traditions. I highly recommend it! --Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, Congregation Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem

About the Author

Nehemia Gordon holds a Masters Degree in Biblical Studies and a Bachelors Degree in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Gordon has worked as a translator on the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. He has been invited to speak in synagogues and churches around the world and has led groups of pilgrims and visitors on tours of biblical sites. A native of Chicago, Nehemia has made his home in Jerusalem, Israel since 1993.

Keith Johnson earned his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has spent nearly two decades in Christian ministry. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Johnson has served as pastor of Park Avenue Church in Minneapolis and as chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson was also chosen as one of only 40 chaplains from around the world to serve the athletes of the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta. Keith lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and sons.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 175 pages
• Publisher: Hilkiah Press; 1st edition (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976263742
• ISBN-13: 978-0976263746
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good not great., October 6, 2009

By 

Warren Wade (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Prayer to Our Father (Perfect Paperback)

I, like other reviewers of this book have noted, found the concept behind this journey to be one of the more intriguing component of this study of the Lord's Prayer. Far too few attempts have been made to journey with a Jewish brother through our shared testament and, especially, the New. Most Christian studies, I would presume, that involve some form of reflection and etiology would be executed with preconceived notions derived from the perspective of a person coming from that faith tradition. Now, there's nothing wrong with this approach. It is understandable to undertake, as a Christian, a study of the Jewish heritage and words with the intent to arrive at a new-found conclusion by studying the context of the literature; however, the basic premise of this book, that two individuals from different faith traditions who cherish a similar sacred text could enthusiastically and collaboratively study the components of one tradition derived from the other and the contexts that inform that tradition, is refreshing. Their journey together through the Hebrew texts surrounding the Lord's Prayer was informative, especially for a Jewish history and Israeli geography novice, such as me.
What was simultaneously interesting by way of random archeological facts and somewhat boring by way of the flow of the book was the first half of this book. While it does lay a sort of frame work for the second half of the book, so much more time could and should have been dedicated to a discussion around some of the findings and their implications, socially, historically and religiously. The story does carry a sort of adventure feel to it which could have made for great fiction but detracted from the theological robustness of this book.
Knowing that the "implications" of the findings would be different for each author, I can understand why the majority of these findings were discussed in somewhat vague, Abrahamic-faith tradition language. And, don't get me wrong, this is not a bad thing. More conversations need to take place regarding the shared tradition and similarities between the traditions in order to promote interfaith peace and cooperation as we achieve God's calling. But, as a Christian looking for more insight about the Lord's Prayer and what that means for my life, I found myself not entirely motivated by the amount of time dedicated to research, discovery and shared experience and implications.
That being said, the last 90 pages of this book offered almost tidbits of theology which both piqued my curiosity and whet my appetite. The breakdown of every line in the Lord's Prayer and spending an adequate amount of time discussing both the Hebrew text and the contexts in which they were written provided new insight to this reader. And, while each section revealed something new to me, the part and analysis of that prayer that most grabbed me and, I think, has the most devastating effect on many contemporary theologies while also being inspirational and excited is "Your Will Shall Be Done on Heaven and on Earth."
Although disappointing that only a few pages were dedicated to this section, the addition of the word "shall" (an appropriate addition that was not included in the Greek version) is extremely significant. Nehemia discusses the implications:
"While the Greek version of the Avinu Prayer contains a call to action to do God's will, the Hebrew contains a statement of fact: `Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth.' (128-129)
While I am not sure that what follows this statement throughout the rest of the chapter about what this change means is entirely new nor incredibly insightful (e.g. "These Hebrew words...express the idea that our heavenly father is all-powerful" (129)), to me this change is of monumental importance.
When a Christian reads this change and hears the words of Jesus time and time again throughout the New Testament that "the Kingdom of God is upon you" and that it is now, not set in some ephemeral plane sometime after we die, it should inspire. As people suffer under in the Kingdom of Man, to know that God wants us to enact the Kingdom of God here and now on this earth should provide fresh motivation. It should spur the believer to decisive action and announce the Gospel as the good news to the poor, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the orphan and the oppressed. For, as the Hebrew rendition of this prayer suggests, God's will shall be done on earth. As Christians, it is our responsibility to make that happen.
At the end, while the book's conclusion makes sense structurally (with a resounding "Amen" chapter), I found myself left hanging, confused that this brief journey was over. I was hoping for more substance. And, again, while the journey of two men from two different faith traditions was unique and interesting, personally, I would be interested in Mr. Johnson expanding on his findings, shedding more light to the implications this Hebrew prayer may offer to a Christian in a supplemental sequel. All in all, as a light, well-written book, it's worth reading.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't Quite Live Up to the Drama..., November 12, 2009

By 

T. T. Turner II "Everyday Liturgy" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Prayer to Our Father (Perfect Paperback)

Co-authors Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson explore the Hebrew foundation of the Lord's Prayer in their book A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord's Prayer.

The authors intend for this book to be very exciting. They are excited people. They are Hebrew nerds, and they go on a dramatically and suspensefully told quest to plumb the depths of time and manuscripts to flush out the Hebrew underpinnings of the Lord's Prayer, or in Hebrew, the Avinu Prayer.

Gordon and Johnson do not publish anything radical, controversial, or suspect. They back up their suspicions and hunches with adequate scholarship. The book proves to be part theological book and part travelogue as the pair criss-cross continents and the Holy Land in search for the authentic roots of the Lord's Prayer.

Their quest is admirable, and achieved, but its not one I really wanted to go on. If you are a language nerd or think of reading a Hebrew dictionary or studying Hebrew as a fun and enjoyable activity, I suggest you buy this book. You'll enjoy it.

Myself on the other hand, the book started boring me about half way through. I just am not interested in the peculiarities of Hebrew to Greek to English translations, and most of their insights I had read in N.T. Wright's book The Lord and His Prayer.

The book does try to be exciting, and it deserves much credit on that point. It just didn't click with me. There are many books I read (and review) that people would find boring as well, so this book is in the eye of the beholder, and at $19.95 for a paperback (a high price in my opinion) I would suggest that unless you are a Hebrew nerd or transfixed by the Holy Land buy Wright's The Lord and His Prayer instead (it's $8 on Amazon).

5.0 out of 5 stars A real gem., July 26, 2011

By 

William - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Prayer to Our Father (Perfect Paperback)

This book contains a description of some interesting detective work and anyone who reads it will receive a real blessing when they learn the original meaning of the prayer that the Saviour gave us. It also comes with a delightful short DVD.