Book Review - A Prayer to Our Father

By Doula Brandi

A Prayer to Our Father ~ Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson

Put on your comfy “traveling” clothes; grab a cup of tea and sit back to enjoy this adventure from the comfort of your own easy chair. This book chronicles the discoveries of two very different men. One is a Karaite Jew Nehemia Gordon, who lives in Israel. The other is an ordained Methodist minister from the US, Keith Johnson. Johnson relates his divine experience in meeting Gordon and starting out on this journey.

The differences of these two men are shared in the pages of the book; one is a self proclaimed white man and the other an African American. One has an extensive background and understanding in the Jewish faith and culture. The other is drawn to the ancient roots of his Christian faith through Divine Intervention.

These men put aside their differences and focus on the two things that unite them; God the Father, and the ancient Hebrew that forms the basis of the two respective faiths.

Gordon and Johnson alternate chapters in the book sharing from their own perspectives. I really enjoyed Gordon’s technical expertise in the Hebrew language, which can be quite confusing to the novice; he relates it in an understandable manner. I’m intrigued with foreign languages and am always interested in learning something new, especially about one so central to our understanding of Scripture. Johnson brings a fresh perspective that resonates with the Christian faith. There is a mutual respect between the two men; the concept of “dwelling together in unity” comes alive through the pages of A Prayer to Our Father.

The book has two major sections, the first focuses on the journey through the land of Israel, the second goes through the Lord’s Prayer, line by line. Each line is given in Hebrew & English and an in depth explanation follows. Although the differences are slight, the smallest word can make all the differences in the understanding of the whole text.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the ancient roots of the “Avinu” or Lord’s Prayer.