Jews did not ask the saints to pray for them

[DM_P]

9why is the custom of asking prayers not present in the jewish custom before jesus birth? Thank you in advance for your answers

 

[commenter]

1. We don’t know much about what the “customs” were in Old Testament times, since you use that term. Maybe some did. But customs don’t always get recorded.
2. Belief in the afterlife developed only gradually in the Old Testament. It was still controversial among the Saducees, for instance.
3. Catholic requests for prayer from the saints is related to the merits of Christ, on the Cross, not the merits of the saints themselves.
4. The concept of including the blessed dead as part of the “Body of Christ” or the Church Triumphant obviously goes along with Christianity.
5. In the OT communication with the dead was considered controversial. Confer 1 Sam 28, and the witch of Endor.

 

[Milt]

The gates to heaven were not opened until after Christ died and opened them. In short there weren’t any saints until that time.

 

[DM_P]

This is my position also. But more insights on this will greatly help me. Thank you for sharing!=)

 

[Vico]

9why is the custom of asking prayers not present in the jewish custom before jesus birth? Thank you in advance for your answers

One example of praying for the dead. Is that what you are asking about?

2 Maccabees 12:43-45

43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. 44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.

 

[twf]

We do see the concept of the intercession of saints and angels starting to develop in the Jewish Scriptures. In Tobit, Raphael the Archangel says that he brought prayers before God. In Maccabees, there’s a scene where the spirit of a deceased holy high priest intercedes for the people.

 

[po18guy]

Yes, they most certainly did! Your confusion stems from the fact that you have an incomplete bible at just 91% of the scriptures. Jesus quoted from the Septuagint Greek collection of OT scriptures - close to 90% of the OT quotes in the NT come from the Septuagint. Don’t you think that Jesus knows the correct collection?

Or was Martin Luther smarter than our Lord?

He went to those who rejected Christ - descendants of the Pharisees. Does that strike you as a smart thing to do? Read Matthew 23 for Jesus’ opinion of the Pharisees.

Anyway, get a Catholic bible and read 2 Maccabees 12. Collections were taken up and a sacrifice was made in the temple (which the Maccabees reclaimed and purified from the pagan Seleucid kings) for the dead - that they might be loosed from their sins. They had died a godly death in defense of Israel, but wore amulets of idols. So, prayer was offered for them that they might be loosed from their sins so as to rise in glory at the resurrection.

Oh, but your bible does have Revelation in it. Look at Rev. 5:8 and Rev. 8:3. We see that the Saints in heaven present our petitions before the throne of God. That, my fellow Christian, is the intercession of the saints. How do they know? No idea, but they just know.

See? It’ds all in the bible! Amazing! But, you do have to look for it.

It is a shame - an utter and complete shame - that modern Christians do not seem to know any of this!