Waiting for Peace in Prayers of Jews and Christians as an Example of Definition of Identity

Abstract

In this article, I present the biblical meaning of peace, and I suggest that in Matthew’s Gospel the petition of «forgiveness of debts» in the Lord’s Prayer may specify a characteristic of peace. Then, I point out the meaning of peace in the prayer of the Benedictus and present examples of prayers of the second Temple Period in order to show the variety of meanings of peace among the Jewish groups of that period. I then present the meaning of peace mentioned in some prayers of the synagogue. Finally, I suggest the reasons why it is possible to argue that in some case with the request of peace it is differentiated intentionally the religious identity of those who recite these prayers from the identity of those who recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Benedictus.

Keywords

• peace
• prayer
• forgiveness
• lord’s prayer
• benedictus
• ‘amȋdāh
• shәma‘
• qadȋš