why did Jesus pray to God.

#jesus #christiandoctrine

[TheDisciplineLife-mf]

To understand Jesus as God on earth praying to His Father in heaven, we need to realize that the eternal Father and the eternal Son had an eternal relationship before Jesus took upon Himself the form of a man. Please read John 5:19-27, particularly verse 23 where Jesus teaches that the Father sent the Son (also see John 15:10). Jesus did not become the Son of God when He was born in Bethlehem. He has always been the Son of God from eternity past, still is the Son of God, and always will be.

Isaiah 9:6 tells us that the Son was given and the Child was born. Jesus was always part of the tri-unity, along with the Holy Spirit. The tri-unity always existed, the Father God, the Son God, and the Spirit God, not three gods, but one God existing as three persons. Jesus taught that He and His Father are one (John 10:30), meaning that He and His Father are of the same substance and the same essence. The Father, Son and Spirit are three co-equal persons existing as God. These three had, and continue to have, an eternal relationship

When Jesus, the eternal Son of God, took upon Himself sinless humanity He also took on the form of a servant, giving up His heavenly glory (Philippians 2:5-11). As the God-man, He had to learn obedience (Hebrews 5:8) to His Father as He was tempted by Satan, accused falsely by men, rejected by His people, and eventually crucified. His praying to His heavenly Father was to ask for power (John 11:41-42) and wisdom (Mark 1:35, 6:46). His praying showed His dependence upon His Father in His humanity to carry out His Father's plan of redemption, as evidenced in Christ's high priestly prayer in John 17. His praying demonstrated that He ultimately submitted to His Father's will, which was to go to the cross and pay the penalty (death) for our breaking God's law (Matthew 26:31-46). Of course, He rose bodily from the grave, winning forgiveness and eternal life for those who repent of sin and believe in Him as the Savior.

There is no problem with God the Son praying or talking to God the Father. As mentioned, they had an eternal relationship before Christ became a man. This relationship is depicted in the Gospels so we can see how the Son of God in His humanity carried out His Father's will, and in doing so, purchased redemption for His children (John 6:38). Christ's continual submission to His heavenly Father was empowered and kept focused through His prayer life. Christ's example of prayer is ours to follow.

Jesus Christ was no less God on earth when praying to His Father in heaven. He was depicting how even in sinless humanity it is necessary to have a vital prayer life in order to do His Father's will. Jesus' praying to the Father was a demonstration of His relationship within the Trinity and an example for us that we must rely on God through prayer for the strength and wisdom we need. Since Christ, as the God-man, needed to have a vibrant prayer life, so should the follower of Christ today.

[bobbyflay]

Jesus Christ IS God, and WAS God in the flesh. "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given". "And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." The Son shall be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father. The original Hebrew in Isaiah 9:6 says El-gibbor, Mighty God, the same "EL" of Genesis, such as Genesis 14:22's "LORD God".

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.
John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

So the word was God, and the Word became flesh. I know the argument may be made that the "was" in John 1:1 is past tense to mean the division of two entities to be the Father and Son, but John 1:14 is written in the same past tense.

Revelation 19:11
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful, and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Revelation 19:13 - He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (A reference to John 1:1 and John 1:14; The Word was God that became flesh, and Jesus name is The Word of God).


The name of Jesus is the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is God.

Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Acts 19:1-7 - [1] And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples [2] he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” [3] And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” [4] Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” [5] When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [7] Now the men were about twelve in all.

John 14:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

The name of the Holy Spirit is JESUS, and we must be baptized in the name of Jesus, who fulfills the three titles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three titles filled by the name of Jesus.


Exodus 3:13-14 - [13] Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” [14] And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

The "I AM" in Exodus 3:14 in the original Hebrew is "eh-yeh" or "become", or "to become".

The "I AM" in John 8:58 in the original Greek is "ego eimi", which translates to something along the lines of "to be", or "to exist", which many scholars believe to be the Greek equivalent of Exodus 3:13's "I am that I am".


Jesus is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13) who is God made flesh (John 1:1, 1:14), whose name is the Holy Spirit (14:26), whose name we must be baptized by for the remission of sins, and more Importantly IS the NAME of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, Acts 19:1-7), who is the Great I AM before the time of Abraham (John 8:58, Exodus 3:13-14).

Lord Jesus, I pray that you would draw near unto those of us who seek after You with a fervent heart, who desire to know the edification of Your name and who desire to more closely walk with You. We so desperately want to behold Your glory and to share it more abundantly with those who have yet to have an experience of Your Spirit. I pray that you would make yourself known to those who bear their hearts and minds to Your Word, and that you would make Your Truth apparent through Your Living Word.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.