Mat 21:16 Truly haven't you read that out of the mouths of babes and suckling thou has perfected praise?

In the last verse, Christ makes it clear that prayer is not bargaining with God. This raises the question about what prayer really is?

Here Christ tells us with a word he also uses for the first time in the Gospels. Prayer is the same as a child crying for milk. Like babies, we cry out to God for what we need. And like babies, we do not question what we are given, but accept it gratefully, knowing that God would not give us what is bad for us.

This is the first time that Matthew uses the words translated as "perfected" and "praise" to describe anything Christ said.

The word is translated as "praise," which has come to mean the whole process of giving glory to God, but which originally came from the idea of approving of someone and complementing them on what they have done. It means making recommendations and advise, but ultimately accepting the decision of a superior.

"Perfected" is from katartizô, which means "to adjust," "to put in order," "to restore," "to furnish," "to equip," and "to prepare."

"Praise" is from ainos, which means "praise" and "fame." It is from the verb, aineô, which means "to praise" and "to approve." It means "to be content with" and "to acquiesce in" a decision. It means "to recommend," "to advise," and "to approve."