While Jesus likely spoke a few languages, including Hebrew and Greek, he spoke with his disciples and delivered his sermons in Aramaic. Scholars have come to a consensus that this ancient dialect was the primary language of Jews living in Palestine during the first century.
Looking at the two appearances of the Lord’s Prayer in the New Testament (Luke’s and Matthew’s Gospels), scholars have found that the translations lead us back to Aramaic. In the first century, this prayer was delivered by Christ for everyone — not just people who were educated in Greek or Hebrew.
The Lord’s Prayer is for everyone — anytime, anywhere. Praying the Lord’s Prayer in its original language offers a special opportunity to remove ourselves from the modern world.
Through prayer, we can better appreciate the beauty of Christ’s words from the first century. Often, when we read or listen to a prayer we aren’t as familiar with, it helps us meditate on it in a new way. By praying the Lord’s Prayer in its original language, we might find a new way of connecting with Christ in our daily meditations.
