Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Greetings fellow pilgrims,
I think this could be an interesting topic.
Why did Jesus pray?
So, why did Jesus pray?
Did he need to?
If so, why did he need to?
Jesus prayed a lot. Here's a link to a page that shows approximately 21 times where Jesus prayed. Many times we hear the words of his prayers, while other times there it is just mentioned that he prayed at this or that occasion.
What I say below is presented as if it were a clear, dogmatically clear, doctrine Scripture. I assure you it is not. Many places in the Gospels would seem to disprove my thesis. But here it is, so pick at me all you want.
I ask again why did Jesus pray?
I have found that people often consider it a strange idea when I give the answer that, "Because Jesus lived his life as a man. A man born without a sin nature, but a true man who relied on God the same way we do."
This observation can only be understood if we realize that God can do things that we consider impossible. I don't think it's correct to consider Jesus as a world-class marathon runner who just jogged and pretended he couldn't run. Jesus was not just pretending he didn't have the full power as the second person of the Trinity, but, in a way that we cannot understand, it was as though he actually didn't have that power. We know from his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness that he could have used his power but did not and would never do so apart from the Father's will. I think it is somewhat like the doctrine of the Impeccability of Christ that teaches that he could not possibly have sinned, yet at the same time maintains that Christ's temptations were real. So severe were they that in Gethsemane, he might have died or been too weak to continue his mission to suffer as the Messiah. It took a visit from an angel to give him the strength he, living as a man, did not have.
I believe the Bible teaches that Jesus was not born with the knowledge that he was the Son of God. Still, through the use of means, the same means available to us, he came to that knowledge through prayer, worship, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit which together revealed to him that he was the incarnate Son of God. It seems he understood this by around age 12, but simply calling God his Father does not prove that. His development followed the pattern shown in Scripture.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
(Luke 2:52)
As I often say when I speak of something somewhat controversial,
Now, where did I go wrong? I'm sure some of you will tell me.
I think this could be an interesting topic.
Why did Jesus pray?
Luke 6:12
And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
So, why did Jesus pray?
Did he need to?
If so, why did he need to?
Jesus prayed a lot. Here's a link to a page that shows approximately 21 times where Jesus prayed. Many times we hear the words of his prayers, while other times there it is just mentioned that he prayed at this or that occasion.
What I say below is presented as if it were a clear, dogmatically clear, doctrine Scripture. I assure you it is not. Many places in the Gospels would seem to disprove my thesis. But here it is, so pick at me all you want.
I ask again why did Jesus pray?
I have found that people often consider it a strange idea when I give the answer that, "Because Jesus lived his life as a man. A man born without a sin nature, but a true man who relied on God the same way we do."
This observation can only be understood if we realize that God can do things that we consider impossible. I don't think it's correct to consider Jesus as a world-class marathon runner who just jogged and pretended he couldn't run. Jesus was not just pretending he didn't have the full power as the second person of the Trinity, but, in a way that we cannot understand, it was as though he actually didn't have that power. We know from his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness that he could have used his power but did not and would never do so apart from the Father's will. I think it is somewhat like the doctrine of the Impeccability of Christ that teaches that he could not possibly have sinned, yet at the same time maintains that Christ's temptations were real. So severe were they that in Gethsemane, he might have died or been too weak to continue his mission to suffer as the Messiah. It took a visit from an angel to give him the strength he, living as a man, did not have.
I believe the Bible teaches that Jesus was not born with the knowledge that he was the Son of God. Still, through the use of means, the same means available to us, he came to that knowledge through prayer, worship, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit which together revealed to him that he was the incarnate Son of God. It seems he understood this by around age 12, but simply calling God his Father does not prove that. His development followed the pattern shown in Scripture.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
(Luke 2:52)
As I often say when I speak of something somewhat controversial,
Now, where did I go wrong? I'm sure some of you will tell me.