Bits of Torah Truths – #Torah Concept in the NT: Use Not Vain Repetitions like the Heathen – Episode 658
Matthew 6:5
״כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מִתְפַּלְּלִים אַל תִּהְיוּ כַּצְּבוּעִים, הָאוֹהֲבִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעָמְדָם בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֶסֶת וּבְפִנּוֹת שֶׁל רְחוֹבוֹת לְמַעַן יֵרָאוּ לִבְנֵי אָדָם. אָמֵן אוֹמֵר אֲנִי לָכֶם, שְׂכָרָם אִתָּם.
#torah #torahwisdom #torahtruth #torahforlife #torah4you #torahtruth
Matthew 6:5
6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. (NASB)
https://www.matsati.com/index.php/category/bits-of-torah-truths/
While the Torah does not use the phrase “vain repetitions,” it does emphasize that prayer and worship must be sincere, heartfelt, and directed to the one true God, rather than empty formulas or ritualistic babbling. The NT warning in Matthew 6:5–7 against “vain repetitions” echoes Torah principles that reject mechanical or insincere prayer. – Torah Parallels – Sincerity in Worship Deuteronomy 6:5 The Shema, this command frames prayer and worship as an act of wholehearted devotion, not empty words. God Knows the Heart Deuteronomy 8:2 God tested Israel “to know what was in your heart.” The Torah stresses that God looks at inner sincerity, not outward repetition. Warning Against Pagan Practices Deuteronomy 12:30–31 Israel is warned not to imitate the nations’ worship practices. Pagan rituals often involved repetitive chants or magical incantations, similar to what Jesus calls “vain repetitions.” Prayer as Genuine Petition Numbers 21:7 The people confess their sin and ask Moses to pray for them; Moses prays, and God responds. This shows prayer as direct, meaningful communication, not formulaic repetition. Note the continuity: Yeshua’s teaching is not a rejection of prayer or liturgy (which often repeats prayers like the Shema), but a rejection of pagan-style babbling. The Torah already warned Israel against adopting such practices. The Torah parallels Matthew 6:5-7 by commanding sincere devotion, warning against pagan ritual, and showing examples of meaningful intercession. Yeshua’s teaching builds directly on these Torah foundations, rejecting empty formulas in favor of heartfelt prayer. This is how Yeshua taught Torah, the Torah has not passed away!
