Who Do We Address in Our Prayers?
Introduction. The relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are profound and beyond our comprehension. It is revealed that they all share the same nature and abilities. Yet their role in the material creation and in God’s eternal purpose in the church were different. God (our Father in heaven) has all authority and everything is subject to Him. In the creation He spoke, the Word (Jesus) created, and the Holy Spirit completed. In God’s eternal purpose He planned and directed. The Word who become flesh (Jesus) did His Father’s will and never His own. The Holy Spirit was sent to teach us all things and be our Comforter who will be with us forever. Our relationship to each of them is clearly revealed in the pages of Scripture.
Prayer is our only means of communicating with God. Through prayer we praise, thank, petition and intercede. When we sin, prayer is our means of confessing and seeking forgiveness. The question posed and answered in this article is who do we address in our prayers? After we are baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, should we pray to each of them? Do we have the authority to speak directly only to God our Father, or do we also have Scripture to approve our speaking directly to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and also the Holy Spirit?
From the time of Seth, men have been calling on the name of the Lord. When Moses asked about His name, God told him it was YHWH (Jehovah - ASV). Every recorded prayer in the OT was addressed to Him. Every psalm of praise was to Him, all prayers, petitions, praise and thanksgiving were addressed to God alone.
It was not until the revelation of the gospel, that God made us aware of the role of the Word in the first creation and in our salvation. We learned the Word was with God and was God. He was in the form of God and possessed equality with God. (Jn. 1:1-3, 14; Phil. 2:5-11). He dwelt among us as Immanuel (God with us – Mt. 1:21-23). Thomas called Him “my Lord and my God” (Jn. 20:28), and God addressed Him as God. (Heb. 1:1-12). While in the flesh Jesus gave all glory and submission to God. He came, not to do His will but only the will of the Father.
Jesus also revealed that God was His God and our God, His Father and our Father. (Jn. 20:17). He prayed to God and He commanded us to pray to God: “our Father in heaven hallowed be your name.” He taught that “the Father is greater than I.” (Mt. 6:9; Lk. 11:2; Jn. 10:29; 14:28).
When Jesus returned to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God. Even at God’s right hand, God is still higher than Jesus. Although He was given all authority in heaven and earth, it did not include God and at the end, the Son will be subject to Him, that God may be all in all.
Our relationship to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ are different. Although they are both God we cannot treat or look at them as identical. The Holy Spirit always kept a clear distinction. We are commanded to glorify, bless and give thanks to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 15:3; 2Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:3). Although they share the same attributes, there is only one God and Father of all who is above all. The Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ are separate and have entirely different roles in our salvation.
When we think of God, we are thinking of the Father. While Jesus is God, Our Father in heaven wants us to see Him as the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one God and Father and one Lord Jesus Christ. We must always make this distinction as the Holy Spirit always made this distinction.
God the Father reigns supreme. In the first gospel sermon, we are told Jesus was approved of God by the miracles God did through Him. God raised Him from the dead. God said, “sit at My right hand,” and “God made Him both Lord and Christ.” He is now sitting on the throne as the Son of David. In the second sermon, He is called the other prophet Moses had promised God would raise up for them. “Moses said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren.” Jesus was taken from among His brethren to be the Prophet. In Hebrews “He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” (Heb 2:17). God is still the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
While the first chapter of Hebrews emphasized His equality with God, the rest of the book revealed His role as a man. God made Him the captain of our salvation and perfected Him through sufferings. Jesus now calls us His brethren and is our merciful and compassionate High Priest (Heb. 2:10-18). While Moses was faithful as a servant, Jesus was faithful to Him in all things as a Son over all His house (Heb. 3:1-6). A prophecy cited five times in Hebrews reveals that Jesus sits on David’s throne at God’s right hand as a High Priest forever. Jesus is called priest and High Priest about 30 times in Hebrews.
A High priest is “appointed for men in things pertaining to God” He intercedes on our behalf to God. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 4:14-16; 5:1; 7:25). As High Priest of the good things to come and the mediator of a better covenant based on better promises, He is now High Priest over the house of God.
Although it is not impossible for the role of the high priest to change, a high priest was always a mediator between God and man. If that role is now changed, we need a Scripture to reveal it. But Scripture reveals just the opposite. The Holy Spirit made it clear that when we pray to the one God, we are to see Jesus as the one Mediator between God and man. Even clearer is Paul’s statement this one mediator is “the Man Jesus Christ.” Why did the Holy Spirit call Him “the Man Christ Jesus” if God wanted us to see Him and pray to Him as God?
When we address our prayers to God our Father, and end our prayers with the name of our mediator, Jesus Christ, we are in harmony with every Scripture in the Bible. We are fulfilling the commands of the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to thank God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Giving thanks to God the Father always for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus is about as clear as Scripture can make it. When we pray, all thanksgiving always goes to God the Father. Jesus is our Mediator and High Priest. We pray in His name because He is our Brother and He made it possible for God to be our Father. Think about it! We pray to our Father, not our Brother.
If we thank God in the name of Jesus we are doing exactly what the Scriptures reveal. If we thank Jesus directly, what do we do with the Father? Where do we place God in such a prayer? We can’t pray to Jesus in the name of God our Father because there is no Scripture to justify such a practice. We can’t pray to Jesus and ignore God completely. So how can we pray directly to Jesus and comply with these Scriptures?
In order to pray directly to Jesus we have to ignore that He is man, our brother, our high priest, and our mediator. Since it is Jesus’ role to stand between God and man and intercede, who is interceding when we pray directly to Jesus? Did God truly authorize us to change our view of prayer and no longer address Him exclusively in prayer. If someone is praying to Jesus and leaving God out of the prayer, it is necessary to prove beyond any doubt that God approved of it.
Those who pray to Jesus must answer all of these things. Yet, after examining all the texts put forth to justify the practice, it becomes obvious that they all have some degree of doubt. The passage we need, the one that says “pray to Jesus”, doesn’t exist.
Shortly after Jesus’ ascension, Peter offered a prayer: “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all” (Acts 1:24). While some say this was directed to Jesus, there are grave doubts.
First, the public proclamation of the New Covenant had not yet occurred, waiting for the day of Pentecost to arrive (Acts 2). As Jews still living under the Law of Moses, did they have the authority to change the Law? Second, the book of Acts many times used “Lord” as God the Father.
When the Holy Spirit quoted David, the “Lord” was always God the Father. “'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, You will not leave my soul in Hades, and “The Lord said to my Lord,” (Acts 2:25-27, 34). As the book unfolds more and more doubt is created that this initial prayer was to Jesus. While “times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” sounds like Jesus, it can’t be! Because this Lord will “He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,” (Acts 3:19-20). In the second prayer recorded in Acts Lord is used again and again of God the Father. “they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ... Against the Lord and against His Christ.' ... 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, .. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ... 30 through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (Acts 4:24-30). If Lord is God the Father in the second prayer, why would He be Jesus in the first prayer?
We have similar doubts with the examples of Paul and Stephen. In the first century there were visions where people were allowed to enter a conversation with Jesus. His words to Paul and Ananias (Acts 9:4-6, 10-16; 22:6-11) were clearly not prayers. They were conversations. Paul’s discussion with Jesus about leaving Jerusalem may have been a prayer, but it is more likely a conversation. (Acts 22:18-21). When Jesus told Paul He had many people in the city of Corinth, it was a vision.
While Stephen’s words may be a prayer to Jesus, what if it was not? What if like Saul and Ananias in Chapter Nine, it is a vision in which conversations with Jesus are possible? Can we change an established practice of praying to the Father that goes back to the beginning based on a doubtful possibility that in the vision, Stephen’s words were a prayer? In Peter’s vision, a voice says “rise Peter, kill and eat.” There is no reference to who the speaker is. He is identified only as “a voice” and “the voice” yet Peter called him Lord in a conversation. Was this a prayer?
And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' Acts 11:7-10
When Paul said, I pleaded with the Lord three times, how do we know it was a prayer? It must have been a vision because Jesus spoke to Paul. How can we imitate that? It was a part of the miraculous age that ended with the last apostle.
With all these references, there is some degree of doubt. They do not rise to the level where other commands in the Scriptures can be set aside to allow us to pray to Jesus and not to the Father.
What of Jesus’ final words to His disciples (John 13-17)? Is there anything said there that would justify praying to Jesus?
While the NASB and NIV offer a different translation, still there is doubt.
In the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament all the variants in the ancient manuscripts are compared and given a letter. “A” signifies virtually certain, “B” some degree of doubt, “C” considerable degree of doubt, and “D” a very high degree of doubt.” They gave the NASB translation a “B” revealing there is some degree of doubt. Should we change an established practice on a passage with “some degree of doubt?
The truth is clearly stated by Jesus Himself.
Some point out that the ASV and NASB translate: “ask me no question” but the KVJ, NKJV, ESV and NIV leave it “ask me nothing.” Once again can we change an established command based on these doubtful possibilities?
Conclusion. Although it has been revealed that Jesus is on an equality with God and is God, nowhere is it revealed that we are to treat the Father and the Son as equals in prayer. After examining all the Scriptures and considering all the reasons why others have begun this practice, there is no clear and compelling authority to do so. If such a monumental change was going to occur after the resurrection, shouldn’t God have made this clear? Shouldn’t the Holy Spirit have commanded us to pray to Jesus or at least instructed us to do so? We are commanded to pray to God the Father. At the end of this article, all the passages of prayers in the NT are listed. Not one of them is directed to Jesus. All the proofs offered by those who practice this are doubtful and may not prove anything. For all these reasons, the safest practice is to continue to do what Seth started in the beginning. We will call on the name of the Lord, YHWH, our God and Father.
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And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen Acts 1:24
So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 “who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: “Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 “to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 “by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” Acts 4:24-30
“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 8:22
Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” Acts 8:24
a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. Acts 10:2
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Acts 12:5
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:8
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Romans 6:17
I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. Romans 14:6
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, Romans 15:30
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 1Cor. 1:4
Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 1Cor. 11:13
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 1Cor. 14:18
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:57
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2Cor. 2:14
But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 2Cor. 8:16
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2Cor. 9:15
Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 2Cor. 13:7
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, Eph. 1:16-17
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 5:20
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, Phil. 1:3-4
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Phil. 4:6
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Col. 1:3
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col. 1:12
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col. 3:17
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 1Th. 1:2
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1Th. 2:13
For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God 1Th. 3:9
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 2Th. 1:3
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 2Th. 1:11
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 2Th. 2:13
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, I Tim 2:1-6
I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, Philem 1:4
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Heb. 13:15
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Rev. 11:15-17
Prayer is our only means of communicating with God. Through prayer we praise, thank, petition and intercede. When we sin, prayer is our means of confessing and seeking forgiveness. The question posed and answered in this article is who do we address in our prayers? After we are baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, should we pray to each of them? Do we have the authority to speak directly only to God our Father, or do we also have Scripture to approve our speaking directly to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and also the Holy Spirit?
From the time of Seth, men have been calling on the name of the Lord. When Moses asked about His name, God told him it was YHWH (Jehovah - ASV). Every recorded prayer in the OT was addressed to Him. Every psalm of praise was to Him, all prayers, petitions, praise and thanksgiving were addressed to God alone.
It was not until the revelation of the gospel, that God made us aware of the role of the Word in the first creation and in our salvation. We learned the Word was with God and was God. He was in the form of God and possessed equality with God. (Jn. 1:1-3, 14; Phil. 2:5-11). He dwelt among us as Immanuel (God with us – Mt. 1:21-23). Thomas called Him “my Lord and my God” (Jn. 20:28), and God addressed Him as God. (Heb. 1:1-12). While in the flesh Jesus gave all glory and submission to God. He came, not to do His will but only the will of the Father.
Jesus also revealed that God was His God and our God, His Father and our Father. (Jn. 20:17). He prayed to God and He commanded us to pray to God: “our Father in heaven hallowed be your name.” He taught that “the Father is greater than I.” (Mt. 6:9; Lk. 11:2; Jn. 10:29; 14:28).
When Jesus returned to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God. Even at God’s right hand, God is still higher than Jesus. Although He was given all authority in heaven and earth, it did not include God and at the end, the Son will be subject to Him, that God may be all in all.
- But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. (1Cor. 15:27-28)
Our relationship to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ are different. Although they are both God we cannot treat or look at them as identical. The Holy Spirit always kept a clear distinction. We are commanded to glorify, bless and give thanks to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 15:3; 2Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:3). Although they share the same attributes, there is only one God and Father of all who is above all. The Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ are separate and have entirely different roles in our salvation.
- There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph. 4:4-6)
When we think of God, we are thinking of the Father. While Jesus is God, Our Father in heaven wants us to see Him as the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one God and Father and one Lord Jesus Christ. We must always make this distinction as the Holy Spirit always made this distinction.
- “For us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (1Cor. 8:6).
God the Father reigns supreme. In the first gospel sermon, we are told Jesus was approved of God by the miracles God did through Him. God raised Him from the dead. God said, “sit at My right hand,” and “God made Him both Lord and Christ.” He is now sitting on the throne as the Son of David. In the second sermon, He is called the other prophet Moses had promised God would raise up for them. “Moses said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren.” Jesus was taken from among His brethren to be the Prophet. In Hebrews “He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” (Heb 2:17). God is still the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
While the first chapter of Hebrews emphasized His equality with God, the rest of the book revealed His role as a man. God made Him the captain of our salvation and perfected Him through sufferings. Jesus now calls us His brethren and is our merciful and compassionate High Priest (Heb. 2:10-18). While Moses was faithful as a servant, Jesus was faithful to Him in all things as a Son over all His house (Heb. 3:1-6). A prophecy cited five times in Hebrews reveals that Jesus sits on David’s throne at God’s right hand as a High Priest forever. Jesus is called priest and High Priest about 30 times in Hebrews.
- The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ... 4 The Lord has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." (Ps. 110:1-4).
A High priest is “appointed for men in things pertaining to God” He intercedes on our behalf to God. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 4:14-16; 5:1; 7:25). As High Priest of the good things to come and the mediator of a better covenant based on better promises, He is now High Priest over the house of God.
Although it is not impossible for the role of the high priest to change, a high priest was always a mediator between God and man. If that role is now changed, we need a Scripture to reveal it. But Scripture reveals just the opposite. The Holy Spirit made it clear that when we pray to the one God, we are to see Jesus as the one Mediator between God and man. Even clearer is Paul’s statement this one mediator is “the Man Jesus Christ.” Why did the Holy Spirit call Him “the Man Christ Jesus” if God wanted us to see Him and pray to Him as God?
- “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ... 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ... (1Tim. 2:1-5)
When we address our prayers to God our Father, and end our prayers with the name of our mediator, Jesus Christ, we are in harmony with every Scripture in the Bible. We are fulfilling the commands of the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to thank God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20)
- And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col 3:17).
Giving thanks to God the Father always for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus is about as clear as Scripture can make it. When we pray, all thanksgiving always goes to God the Father. Jesus is our Mediator and High Priest. We pray in His name because He is our Brother and He made it possible for God to be our Father. Think about it! We pray to our Father, not our Brother.
- For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Heb 2:11-12).
If we thank God in the name of Jesus we are doing exactly what the Scriptures reveal. If we thank Jesus directly, what do we do with the Father? Where do we place God in such a prayer? We can’t pray to Jesus in the name of God our Father because there is no Scripture to justify such a practice. We can’t pray to Jesus and ignore God completely. So how can we pray directly to Jesus and comply with these Scriptures?
In order to pray directly to Jesus we have to ignore that He is man, our brother, our high priest, and our mediator. Since it is Jesus’ role to stand between God and man and intercede, who is interceding when we pray directly to Jesus? Did God truly authorize us to change our view of prayer and no longer address Him exclusively in prayer. If someone is praying to Jesus and leaving God out of the prayer, it is necessary to prove beyond any doubt that God approved of it.
Those who pray to Jesus must answer all of these things. Yet, after examining all the texts put forth to justify the practice, it becomes obvious that they all have some degree of doubt. The passage we need, the one that says “pray to Jesus”, doesn’t exist.
Shortly after Jesus’ ascension, Peter offered a prayer: “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all” (Acts 1:24). While some say this was directed to Jesus, there are grave doubts.
First, the public proclamation of the New Covenant had not yet occurred, waiting for the day of Pentecost to arrive (Acts 2). As Jews still living under the Law of Moses, did they have the authority to change the Law? Second, the book of Acts many times used “Lord” as God the Father.
When the Holy Spirit quoted David, the “Lord” was always God the Father. “'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, You will not leave my soul in Hades, and “The Lord said to my Lord,” (Acts 2:25-27, 34). As the book unfolds more and more doubt is created that this initial prayer was to Jesus. While “times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” sounds like Jesus, it can’t be! Because this Lord will “He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,” (Acts 3:19-20). In the second prayer recorded in Acts Lord is used again and again of God the Father. “they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ... Against the Lord and against His Christ.' ... 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, .. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ... 30 through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (Acts 4:24-30). If Lord is God the Father in the second prayer, why would He be Jesus in the first prayer?
We have similar doubts with the examples of Paul and Stephen. In the first century there were visions where people were allowed to enter a conversation with Jesus. His words to Paul and Ananias (Acts 9:4-6, 10-16; 22:6-11) were clearly not prayers. They were conversations. Paul’s discussion with Jesus about leaving Jerusalem may have been a prayer, but it is more likely a conversation. (Acts 22:18-21). When Jesus told Paul He had many people in the city of Corinth, it was a vision.
While Stephen’s words may be a prayer to Jesus, what if it was not? What if like Saul and Ananias in Chapter Nine, it is a vision in which conversations with Jesus are possible? Can we change an established practice of praying to the Father that goes back to the beginning based on a doubtful possibility that in the vision, Stephen’s words were a prayer? In Peter’s vision, a voice says “rise Peter, kill and eat.” There is no reference to who the speaker is. He is identified only as “a voice” and “the voice” yet Peter called him Lord in a conversation. Was this a prayer?
And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' Acts 11:7-10
When Paul said, I pleaded with the Lord three times, how do we know it was a prayer? It must have been a vision because Jesus spoke to Paul. How can we imitate that? It was a part of the miraculous age that ended with the last apostle.
- I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: ... 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2Cor. 12:1-9)
With all these references, there is some degree of doubt. They do not rise to the level where other commands in the Scriptures can be set aside to allow us to pray to Jesus and not to the Father.
What of Jesus’ final words to His disciples (John 13-17)? Is there anything said there that would justify praying to Jesus?
- “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (Jn 14:13-14)
While the NASB and NIV offer a different translation, still there is doubt.
- "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do {it.} (NASB)
In the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament all the variants in the ancient manuscripts are compared and given a letter. “A” signifies virtually certain, “B” some degree of doubt, “C” considerable degree of doubt, and “D” a very high degree of doubt.” They gave the NASB translation a “B” revealing there is some degree of doubt. Should we change an established practice on a passage with “some degree of doubt?
The truth is clearly stated by Jesus Himself.
- “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (Jn. 15:16)
- And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 “for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. (John 16:23-27)
Some point out that the ASV and NASB translate: “ask me no question” but the KVJ, NKJV, ESV and NIV leave it “ask me nothing.” Once again can we change an established command based on these doubtful possibilities?
Conclusion. Although it has been revealed that Jesus is on an equality with God and is God, nowhere is it revealed that we are to treat the Father and the Son as equals in prayer. After examining all the Scriptures and considering all the reasons why others have begun this practice, there is no clear and compelling authority to do so. If such a monumental change was going to occur after the resurrection, shouldn’t God have made this clear? Shouldn’t the Holy Spirit have commanded us to pray to Jesus or at least instructed us to do so? We are commanded to pray to God the Father. At the end of this article, all the passages of prayers in the NT are listed. Not one of them is directed to Jesus. All the proofs offered by those who practice this are doubtful and may not prove anything. For all these reasons, the safest practice is to continue to do what Seth started in the beginning. We will call on the name of the Lord, YHWH, our God and Father.
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And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen Acts 1:24
So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 “who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: “Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 “to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 “by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” Acts 4:24-30
“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 8:22
Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” Acts 8:24
a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. Acts 10:2
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Acts 12:5
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:8
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Romans 6:17
I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. Romans 14:6
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, Romans 15:30
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 1Cor. 1:4
Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 1Cor. 11:13
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 1Cor. 14:18
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:57
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2Cor. 2:14
But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 2Cor. 8:16
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2Cor. 9:15
Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 2Cor. 13:7
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, Eph. 1:16-17
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 5:20
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, Phil. 1:3-4
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Phil. 4:6
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Col. 1:3
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col. 1:12
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col. 3:17
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 1Th. 1:2
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1Th. 2:13
For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God 1Th. 3:9
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 2Th. 1:3
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 2Th. 1:11
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 2Th. 2:13
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, I Tim 2:1-6
I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, Philem 1:4
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Heb. 13:15
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Rev. 11:15-17