Abstract

This article deals with the early development of the Jesus prayer in Early Christian monasticism of the 4th to the 7th century. It proceeds in two steps. First, a quite uniform matrix of practices and aims related to three early monastic authors is discerned. It is evident that the practice is not clearly defined in this period. It is also apparent that the practice evolves in conversation with other similar practices, like the meditation of short verses from the Bible, and the practice of remembrance of God. Secondly, from a comparison with meditative practices in Greco-Roman philosophy, it is argued that it is very likely that the early practice of the Jesus prayer, to a large extent, evolves from these philosophical practices. Despite such a probable dependency, there are also apparent changes in the transmission into the new monastic context, like the use of Christian texts as objects of meditation or prayer, an intensified attitude of prayer involved in the practice, and new sorts of attitudes that are to be implanted in one's soul, as effects and aims of the practices