Here are 10 reasons why Jesus prayed. But first, do you think Jesus needed to pray? Was he not in the form of God? (Philippians 2:6). I thought he had everything at his disposal and a host of angels as his servants. Why did he still allow himself to pray? I still wonder. Why did he have such a strong prayer life? Have you ever wondered, likewise?
Studying the prayer life of Jesus reveals that he prayed too much. Many individuals who live in peace, good health, and abundance do not pray because they only consider prayer to be a means to ask God for something. While some people who are poor, sick, or in other terrible conditions do not pray because they believe it to be ineffective.
Jesus is a perfect example of one who is in both a situation of abundance and lack, sick (had compassion for the sick) and sound, in peace and in trouble, etc. and he prayed. This teaches us that we should always pray irrespective of the situation we find ourselves in.
In this post, I shall give thorough explanation to the reason why Jesus prayed despite being God himself, and as well unveil 10 reasons why Jesus prayed.
[Read:10 Reasons why Jesus prayed alone]
Table of Contents
Why Did Jesus Pray If He Is God? Understanding the Dual Nature of Christ
Deep within the fabric of Christian doctrine lies a fascinating paradox: Jesus Christ, considered God in flesh, often engaged in prayer during his time on Earth. To fully grasp why Jesus prayed, one must first comprehend the concept of the hypostatic union – a theological term that refers to the dual nature of Christ. According to this doctrine, Jesus is both fully divine and fully human.
- Jesus as God: In Christian belief, Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each distinct, yet one in essence. They are not three Gods but one God in three persons.
- Jesus as Man: At the same time, Christianity poscribes that Jesus was fully human. Born to a human mother, he experienced hunger, thirst, fatigue, and ultimately, death.
Jesus’ Prayer as a Reflection of His Humanity
One of the reasons why Jesus prayed was to highlight his humanity. When Jesus prayed, he was doing what was natural and necessary for a human being.
- Expression of Dependency: Human beings are, by nature, dependent creatures. We rely on food for sustenance, companionship for emotional well-being, and so on. In the same vein, prayer is an expression of our dependence on God. By praying, Jesus was modeling this dependency.
- Model of Prayer: Jesus’ prayers also serves as a model for our own prayer. His prayers are recorded in the New Testament and offer guidance on how to approach God in prayer. Before you proceed, you’ll need to read my article on “All Recorded Prayers of Jesus.” Who knows? Perhaps you’ll discover something that will forever change the way you pray.
Jesus’ Prayer as a Reflection of His Divinity
Though seeming paradoxical, Jesus’ prayers also affirm his divine nature. They underscore the unity within the Trinity.
- Communication within the Trinity: As part of the Trinity, Jesus’ prayers can be seen as communication between the Father and the Son. This highlights the relational aspect of the Trinity, a central belief in Christian theology.
- Fulfillment of His Mission: Jesus prayed to align his human will with the divine will of the Father, demonstrating his perfect obedience. This was crucial for the fulfillment of his mission on Earth.
Understanding why Jesus prayed despite being God involves diving deep into the Christian understanding of the person of Christ. His prayers were a reflection of his dual nature – both fully human and fully divine. Thus, these seemingly simple acts of prayer become windows into the profound mystery of the Incarnation in Christian belief.
You might also like to read this: Why should we learn from the prayer life of Jesus?
10 Reasons Why Jesus Prayed
These are some reasons why Jesus prayed.
1. To overcome temptation:
We have to understand that while Jesus was in the flesh, he was susceptible to yielding to temptations. The temptations that came his way were as real as the ones that do come our way. (Hebrews 4:15).
Moreover, when the Spirit led him into the wilderness, it was not to pray but to be tempted. But before the tempter could arrive, Jesus had already armed himself with fasting and, supposedly, prayer. (Matthew 4:1).
In Matthew 26:41, Jesus taught Peter the same saying, “watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.”
2. To set an example for us:
The person who said, “Men ought always to pray,” lived by it. He came to show us the best way to live.
Among other reasons why Jesus prayed, he prayed to show us an example of how seriously we should take prayer.
To be a Christian means to be like Christ and Jesus is the Christ. If we must be called Christians we ought also to imitate Christ’s prayer life. As Christians, we have to be like Christ. One of the most essential aspects of a Christian’s life is his prayer life and so the prayer life of a Christian should resemble that of his master at least to an extent.
If Jesus prayed, we must pray! Consider going through this 14 life-changing lessons to learn from how Jesus prayed, so that you can benefit maximally from His perfect example.
3. To carry out the will of the Father:
Jesus didn’t come to do his own will. He came to live according to what was written about him. Death on the cross was never an easy task for him to carry out.
In Luke 22:41-44 and Matthew 26:39-44, we see that he had to pray repeatedly before he received the strength to suffer crucifixion.
Had he not prayed, maybe, he might have either run away from being arrested with his disciples or commanded angels to fight for him. As a result, the will of the Father wouldn’t have been done.
4. To communicate with the Father:
Being in the flesh, prayer was the only means Jesus had to communicate with his heavenly Father. Jesus, knowing that effective and frequent communication is what keeps every relationship lively, never skipped praying.
This teaches us that the Father loved Jesus and Jesus loved the Father. Two people who love each other always love being together and often communicate deeply and long.
One expressway to fall in love with a person is to communicate often. As a result a Christian who doesn’t hear from and speak to God often cannot deeply love him.
5. Total dependence:
Without the Father, Jesus knew he couldn’t accomplish anything, not even heal the sick (John 4:19). He would spend the entire night in prayer and heal anyone who came into contact with him the next morning.
Jesus, being in the flesh, was entirely dependent on the God of all flesh. As a Son, he trusted his Father. Even though he was on Earth, he looked to heaven for assistance.
6. For divine guidance:
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.(St. Luke 6:12 KJV)
Before making the very important decision of selecting those with whom he would work (his 12 disciples), Jesus stayed up all night praying that he would make the right choice.
7. Because of others:
Jesus, being in the flesh, was also an intercessor. He prayed for other people. In Luke 22:32, he told Peter that he had already prayed for him so that his faith would not fail.
In John 17, Jesus prayed for his disciples and other believers, but that was after he prayed for himself.
8. Because he was right with God:
Do your friends find it difficult to communicate with one another? Absolutely not!
One of the reasons why Jesus prayed so much was because he was so attracted to the Father. It is effortless for one not in enmity with God (a righteous man) to turn to God in prayer.
One key thing that keeps us from praying is unconfessed and unforgiven sins. Sin takes us far away from God and makes God far from us. But as for Jesus, he was without sin. He had no sin to confess and to be forgiven of. It is therefore natural for a just man to turn to God in prayer at all times with ease.
Nevertheless, when he got separated from the Father on the cross because of the sins of humanity, he cried out also in prayer, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (St. Matthew 27:46)
9. Because he believes in and understands prayer.
It is the belief system that propels everyone. Jesus had a perfect understanding of what prayer is and what it does. As a result, he prayed and prayed and prayed! He prayed too much. He gave too much time to prayer and communion with the Father.
Staying up all night to pray is what perfect understanding can cause. Staying away from men to stay with the creator of men is a product of a strong belief in the very act of prayer.
10. Because he was a man. (though God).
St. John 1:14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. (NLT)
Jesus, being in the flesh, walked this earth as a typical human being. He would not have needed to pray to God if he had walked as God. But because he did everything as a man, it was necessary for him to pray because men ought always to pray.
Furthermore, he was born a Jew, and Jews traditionally pray three times a day: in the morning, afternoon, and night.
Conclusion
Did Christ pray? Yes, He did!
Should Christians pray? Yes, they must pray!
Read also: Men ought always to pray: 11 reasons to be prayerful.
Having considered some of the reasons why Jesus prayed, we see reasons why we also must pray.
Prayer now is therefore no more a matter of choice and convenience but that of necessity, no matter what.
Despite the necessity and importance of prayer, known to many Christians, they still find themselves struggling to pray consistently. Read my article on “Understanding 7 Root Causes of Prayerlessness: Why We Struggle to Pray,” to know why. Also, you can read, “Top 7 Reasons Why Our Prayers Are Not Answered.”
Aside from these 10 reasons why Jesus prayed, are there other reasons why he prayed? I would be glad to know them. Please drop them in the comment section.
God’s grace!
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