“Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers”
From “The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 2”, James H. Charlesworth (1985)
D. A. Fiensy writes: “Scattered among the Christian liturgy in Books Seven and Eight of the Apostolic Constitutions are sixteen prayers which may be remnants of Jewish synagogal prayers. The prayers praise God’s deeds in creation and history, and extol God’s attributes in terms often reminiscent of hellenistic philosophy. Some prayers have more specific functions: Prayer 5 explains and defends Sabbath observance, and Prayer 16 invokes God’s mercy on those who have died.” (The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 2, p. 671)