Spiritual liberation

Israel had known mighty warriors, but God’s power through his Son was aimed at greater enemies than mere human militarists. Jesus was the Liberator (Luke 1:69-74) providing the way to freedom from the chief source of oppression, Satan and his demons. (Heb. 2:14, 15) He not only personally freed many from demonic obsession (Luke 4:33-36), but by his powerful words of truth he opened wide the gates to freedom for those wishing to cast off the oppressive burdens and slavery that false religion had imposed on them. (Matt. 23:4; Luke 4:18; John 8:31, 32) By his own faithful, integrity-keeping course he conquered, not just a city or an empire, but “the world.”—John 14:30; 16:33.

Relative importance of miraculous acts

Though Jesus laid principal stress on the truths he proclaimed, he nevertheless showed the relative importance of his powerful works, regularly calling attention to them as authenticating his commission and message. Their importance lay particularly in their fulfillment of prophecy. (John 5:36-39, 46, 47; 10:24-27, 31-38; 14:11; 20:27-29) Those seeing such works came under special responsibility. (Matt. 11:20-24; John 15:24) As Peter later told the crowds at Pentecost, Jesus was “a man publicly shown by God to you through powerful works and portents and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” (Acts 2:22) These evidences of divine power showed that God’s kingdom had “overtaken” them.—Matt. 12:28, 31, 32.

By God’s significant use of his Son, the ‘reasonings of many hearts were uncovered.’ (Luke 2:34, 35) They were seeing ‘the arm of Jehovah’ manifested, but many, the majority, preferred to read some other meaning into the events beheld, or to allow selfish interests to keep them from acting in harmony with the “sign” seen. (John 12:37-43; 11:45-48) Many wanted personal benefits from God’s power but were not sincerely hungering for truth and righteousness. Their hearts were not moved by the compassion and kindness that motivated so many of Jesus’ powerful works (compare Luke 1:78; Matthew 9:35, 36; 15:32-37; 20:34; Mark 1:40, 41; Luke 7:11-15; with Luke 14:1-6; Mark 3:1-6), which compassion reflected that of his Father.—Mark 5:18, 19.

Responsible use of power

Jesus’ use of power was always responsible, never done for mere display. The cursing of the barren fig tree evidently had symbolic meaning. (Mark 11:12-14; compare Matthew 7:19, 20; 21:42, 43; Luke 13:6-9.) Jesus refused to engage in purposeless theatrics as suggested by Satan. When he walked over water it was because he was going somewhere with no transportation at hand at that late hour, something quite different from jumping off a temple battlement like a potential suicide. (Matt. 4:5-7; Mark 6:45-50) The wrongly motivated curiosity of Herod was left unsatisfied as Jesus refused to put on any performance for him. (Luke 23:8) Jesus earlier refused to cause a “sign from heaven” at the request of Pharisees and Sadducees, evidently because they sought such, not to strengthen their faith in the fulfillment of God’s Word, but to obviate the need of such faith. Their motive was bad.—Matt. 16:1-4; compare 15:1-6; 22:23, 29.

Similarly with his activity in Nazareth, the town of his youth and early manhood. The lack of faith there kept him from performing many powerful works, certainly not because his source of power was insufficient but because the circumstances did not warrant it, did not allow for it. Divine power was not to be wasted on unreceptive skeptics. (Mark 6:1-6; compare Matthew 10:14; Luke 16:29-31.) That the faith of others was not an absolute essential for his performing miraculous acts can be seen in his healing the severed ear of the high priest’s slave, part of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus.—Luke 22:50, 51.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to spirit life was the greatest demonstration ever of God’s power. Without it, Christian faith would be “in vain,” his followers would be “of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Cor. 15:12-19) It was the act most consistently recounted by Jesus’ disciples and the greatest single factor in strengthening faith. Distance had not hindered Jesus’ exercise of power when on earth (Matt. 8:5-13; John 4:46-53), and now, from his heavenly position, Jesus anointed his followers with God’s spirit on Pentecost, enabling them to do powerful works in his absence. He thereby authenticated their testimony concerning his resurrection (Acts 4:33; Heb. 2:3, 4) and also gave proof that these were God’s approved people, his congregation.—Acts 2:1-4, 14-36, 43; 3:11-18.

The death of his Son as a human had not shortened Jehovah’s hand, as the many miracles, signs and portents performed by the apostles and others testified. (Acts 4:29, 30; 6:8; 14:3; 19:11, 12) The powerful works they performed were like those of their Master, healing the lame (Acts 3:1-9; 14:8-10) and ill (Acts 5:12-16; 28:7-9), raising the dead (Acts 9:36-41; 20:9-11), casting out demons (Acts 8:6, 7; 16:16-18), doing so without seeking personal benefit or honor for themselves. (Acts 3:12; 8:9-24; 13:15-17) Through them God expressed judgments against wrongdoers, even as he had done through the earlier prophets, fostering due respect toward himself and his representatives. (Acts 5:1-11; 13:8-12) New abilities were granted them, such as the ability to speak in foreign languages and interpret them. This, too, was for a “beneficial purpose,” for they were soon to extend the preaching work beyond Israel, telling Jehovah’s wonderful works among the nations.—1 Cor. 12:4-11; Ps. 96:3, 7.

Jehovah God did other powerful things for them as well, opening up ‘doors’ of opportunity for them to preach in certain territories, protecting them against those who would shut down their ministerial work, directing their activity, doing so in ways generally unobserved by the public.—Acts 5:17-20; 8:26-29, 39, 40; 9:1-8; 10:19-22, 44-48; 12:6-11; 13:2; 16:6-10, 25-33; 18:9, 10; 1 Cor. 16:8, 9.

The miraculous abilities granted by the spirit to the apostles, and passed on by them to others were foretold to last only during the ‘infancy’ of the Christian congregation, thereafter ending. (See GIFTS FROM GOD [Gifts of the Spirit].) The Biblical Theological and Ecclesiastical Encyclopaedia by M’Clintock and Strong (Vol. VI, p. 320) says that it is “an uncontested statement that during the first hundred years after the death of the apostles we hear little or nothing of the working of miracles by the early Christians.” Nevertheless, Jesus and his apostles warned of future deceptive powerful works that would be done by apostates and also by political organizations, enemies of God.—Matt. 7:21-23; 24:23-25; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 13:11-13; see BEASTS, SYMBOLIC.

The expressions of God’s power reach a high point in the establishment of his kingdom by Christ Jesus and the judgment acts that result from that event.

PRAETORIAN GUARD

A special group of Roman soldiers, originally organized by Augustus as an imperial bodyguard for the emperor. It consisted of nine (later increased to ten) cohorts of 1,000 men each. They were all Italian volunteers; their pay was double or triple that of a soldier in the legions. Tiberius concentrated this corps d’elite in Rome by constructing fortified barracks N of the walls of the city. Though cohorts might be sent to foreign lands, three were always stationed in Rome, one being in barracks adjacent to the emperor’s palace. Since the Praetorian Guard were basically the only permanent troops in Italy, they came to constitute a powerful political force in supporting or overthrowing an emperor. Eventually the size and makeup of the Praetorian Guard changed, men from the provinces even being admitted. It was finally abolished by Emperor Constantine in 312 C.E.

In the Gospels and Acts the Latinism prai·toʹri·on is used with regard to a palace or residence. The tent of an army commander had been known as praetorium and so, in time, the term was applied to the residence of a provincial governor. Thus Pilate interrogated Jesus in the praetorium or “governor’s palace.” (John 18:28, 33; 19:9; see GOVERNOR’S PALACE.) Evidently judgments were rendered and troops were barracked there. (Matt. 27:27; Mark 15:16) At Caesarea, Paul was “kept under guard in the praetorian palace of Herod.”—Acts 23:35.

In view of this usage, some have suggested that prai·toʹri·on at Philippians 1:13 applied to Nero’s palace on Palatine Hill or to a judgment hall where Paul’s case might be heard. However, the Cyclopœdia by M’Clintock and Strong (Vol. VIII, p. 469) points out: “It was not the imperial palace, . . . for this was never called prætorium in Rome; nor was it the judgment-hall, for no such building stood in Rome, and the name prætoria was not until much later applied to the courts of justice.” When first imprisoned in Rome, Paul was “permitted to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him.” (Acts 28:16) So his prison bonds would have become public knowledge in association with Christ among the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard, and especially so if his guard was changed daily. As a consequence, many translators understand prai·toʹri·on at Philippians 1:13 to signify the Praetorian Guard and not some building or judicial body.—RS, NW, AS, TC.

The Textus Receptus includes at Acts 28:16: “the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard.” (AV) This latter officer has been explained by some to have been Afranius Burrus, the prefect of the Praetorian Guard under Nero from 51-62 C.E. Darby even renders it: “the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the prætorian prefect.” However, Darby’s version puts this material in brackets as an instance where there are variations in the manuscripts. Other modern versions omit the phrase altogether since it is not in ancient manuscripts such as the Sinaitic, Alexandrine and Vatican MS. 1209.—RS, AT, NW, JB.

PRAYER

Worshipful address to the true God, or to false gods. Mere speech to God is not necessarily prayer, as seen in the judgment in Eden and in the case of Cain. (Gen. 3:8-13; 4:9-14) Prayer involves devotion, trust, respect and a sense of dependence on the one to whom the prayer is directed. The various Hebrew and Greek words relating to prayer convey such ideas as to ask, make request, petition, entreat, supplicate, plead, beseech, beg, implore favor, seek, inquire of, as well as to praise, thank and bless.

Petitions and supplications, of course, can be made to men, and the original-language words are sometimes so used (Gen. 44:18; 50:17; Acts 25:11), but the English word “prayer,” used in a religious sense, does not apply to such cases. One might “beseech” or “implore” another person to do something, but in so doing he would not view this individual as his God. He would not, for example, silently petition such one, nor do so when the individual was not visibly present, as one does in prayer to God.

THE “HEARER OF PRAYER”

The entire Scriptural record testifies that Jehovah is the One to whom prayer should be directed (Ps. 5:1, 2; Matt. 6:9), that he is the “Hearer of prayer” (Ps. 65:2; 66:19), and has power to act on behalf of the petitioners. (Mark 11:24; Eph. 3:20) To pray to false gods and their idol images is exposed as stupidity, for the idols have neither ability to hear nor to act, and the gods they represent are unworthy of comparison with the true God. (Judg. 10:11-16; Ps. 115:4, 6; Isa. 45:20; 46:1, 2, 6, 7) The contest concerning godship between Baal and Jehovah, held on Mount Carmel, demonstrated the foolishness of prayer to false deities.—1 Ki. 18:21-39; compare Judges 6:28-32.

Though some claim that prayer may properly be addressed to others, such as to God’s Son, the evidence is emphatically to the contrary. True, there are rare instances in which words are addressed to Jesus Christ in heaven. Stephen, when about to die, appealed to Jesus, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59) However, the context reveals a circumstance giving basis for this exceptional expression. Stephen at that very time had a vision of “Jesus standing at God’s right hand,” and therefore evidently felt free to speak this plea to the one whom he recognized as the head of the Christian congregation. (Acts 7:55, 56; Col. 1:18) Similarly, the apostle John, at the conclusion of the Revelation, says, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20) But again the context shows that, in a vision (Rev. 1:10; 4:1, 2), John had been hearing Jesus speak of his future coming and thus John responded with the above expression of his desire for that coming. (Rev. 22:16, 20) In both cases, that of Stephen and of John, the situation differs little from that of the conversation John had with a heavenly person in this Revelation vision. (Rev. 7:13, 14; compare Acts 22:6-22.) There is nothing to indicate that Christian disciples so expressed themselves to the resurrected Jesus under other circumstances. Thus, the apostle Paul writes: “In everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God.”—Phil. 4:6.

The article APPROACH TO GOD considers the position of Christ Jesus as the one through whom prayer is directed. Through Jesus’ blood, offered to God in sacrifice, “we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place,” that is, boldness to approach God’s presence in prayer, approaching “with true hearts in the full assurance of faith.” (Heb. 10:19-22) Jesus Christ is therefore the one and only “way” of reconciliation with God and approach to God in prayer.—John 14:6; 15:16; 16:23, 24; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 2:18; see JESUS CHRIST (His Vital Place in God’s Purpose).

THOSE WHOM GOD HEARS

People “of all flesh” may come to the “Hearer of prayer,” Jehovah God. (Ps. 65:2; Acts 15:17) Even during the period that Israel was God’s “private property,” his covenant people, foreigners could approach Jehovah in prayer by recognizing Israel as God’s appointed instrument and the temple at Jerusalem as his chosen place for sacrifice. (Deut. 9:29; 2 Chron. 6:32, 33; compare Isaiah 19:22.) Later, by Christ’s death, the distinction between Jew and Gentile was forever removed. (Eph. 2:11-16) At the home of the Italian Cornelius, Peter recognized that “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) The determining factor, then, is the heart of the individual and what his heart is moving him to do. (Ps. 119:145; Lam. 3:41) Those who observe God’s commandments and do “the things that are pleasing in his eyes” have the assurance that his “ears” are also open to them.—1 John 3:22; Ps. 10:17; Prov. 15:8; 1 Pet. 3:12.

Conversely, those who disregard God’s Word and law, shedding blood, and practicing other wickedness, do not receive a favorable hearing with God; their prayers are “detestable” to him. (Prov. 15:29; 28:9; Isa. 1:15; Mic. 3:4) The very prayer of such ones can “become a sin.” (Ps. 109:3-7) King Saul, by his presumptuous, rebellious course, lost God’s favor and, “although Saul would inquire of Jehovah, Jehovah never answered him, either by dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.” (1 Sam. 28:6) Jesus said that hypocritical persons who sought to draw attention to their piety in praying received their “reward in full”—from men, but not from God. (Matt. 6:5) The pious-appearing Pharisees made long prayers, boasted of their superior morality, yet were condemned by God for their hypocritical course. (Mark 12:40; Luke 18:10-14) Though they drew near with their mouths, their hearts were far from God and his Word of truth.—Matt. 15:3-9; compare Isaiah 58:1-9.