Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Texts and Abbreviations
- 1 Introductory
- 2 Intercessory prayer material in Paul's letters
- 3 Intercessory wish-prayers: their background and form
- 4 Function of the wish-prayers in I Thessalonians
- 5 Function of the wish-prayers in Romans, I Corinthians, and Philippians
- 6 Blessings and curses
- 7 Intercessory prayer-reports: their form and function
- 8 Function of the prayer-reports in the thanksgiving periods
- 9 Function of the prayer-reports in the body of the letters
- 10 Requests and exhortations about intercessory prayer
- 11 Concluding statement
- Appendixes
- Bibliography
- Index of passages cited
- Index of authors
- Index of subjects
7 - Intercessory prayer-reports: their form and function
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Texts and Abbreviations
- 1 Introductory
- 2 Intercessory prayer material in Paul's letters
- 3 Intercessory wish-prayers: their background and form
- 4 Function of the wish-prayers in I Thessalonians
- 5 Function of the wish-prayers in Romans, I Corinthians, and Philippians
- 6 Blessings and curses
- 7 Intercessory prayer-reports: their form and function
- 8 Function of the prayer-reports in the thanksgiving periods
- 9 Function of the prayer-reports in the body of the letters
- 10 Requests and exhortations about intercessory prayer
- 11 Concluding statement
- Appendixes
- Bibliography
- Index of passages cited
- Index of authors
- Index of subjects
Summary
We proceed now to the second major class of intercessory prayer passages, the ‘prayer-reports,’ to which the next two chapters will be devoted. At the beginning of most of his letters, in the formal thanksgiving period, the apostle assures his readers not only of his continual thanksgivings for them, but also of his constant intercessions on their behalf, and he indicates briefly some of the contents of his prayers; for example:
I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,… and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. (Philem. 4–6)
In the body of the letters there are reports of prayers by the writer(s) for the readers, by the writer for a third party, or by a third party for the readers; for example:
But we pray God that you may do no wrong…. What we pray for is your improvement. (II Cor. 13: 7, 9b)
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Rom. 10: 1)
While they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. (II Cor. 9: 14)
Although the prayer-reports offer somewhat less direct evidence of the apostle's intercessions than do the main wish-prayers, they nevertheless form an important element in our study.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Paul's Intercessory PrayersThe Significance of the Intercessory Prayer Passages in the Letters of St Paul, pp. 156 - 174Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1974