Why Did Jesus Pray? (Part 1) (2024)

Why Did Jesus Pray? (Part 1)

A study of the Gospels reveals that Jesus prayed. Often. It was hishabit. In fact, the time Jesus spent in prayer and the depth of his prayersputs our own prayer lives to shame.

But why did Jesus pray? And why did he pray so much? “The only Son of God,eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God fromtrue God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father”? [1] Surely Jesus did not pray tomerely leave us an example, for most of the times we find Jesus praying he istrying to be alone (e.g., Matt 14:23; Luke 5:16). As he himself advocated,“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father whois in secret” (Matt 6:6).

Nevertheless, in the Gospels, when Jesus prays or refers to prayer, wecan discern why it was so important to him to pray. Furthermore, learning moreabout what motivated Jesus to pray is a wonderful way to strengthen our ownhabit of prayer.

LoveYour Enemies

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,

… Love your enemies andpray for those who persecute you,⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, andsends rain on the just and on the unjust.⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not eventhe Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸You therefore must beperfect,as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:44–50).

Here, Jesus teaches thatpeople in general can reciprocate love, but only those who are mature (teleios, “perfect,” full grown) childrenof the Father can learn to love their friends and their enemies, the just andthe unjust. Moreover, Jesus’s leading idea in this text of how to expresslove for one’s enemies is to pray forthem.

Did Jesus Pray for His Enemies?

Luke 23:34 comes immediatelyto mind as the ultimate example of praying for those persecuting you. Nailed toa cross, dying an agonizing death, mocked by his enemies, Jesus genuinelyprayed,

“Father,forgive them,for they know not what they do.” [2]

By praying this way forhis enemies, Jesus shows himself to be the“perfect Son of the Father.” He demonstrates profound love not only throughhis death itself for the entire sinful world, but even in the way he faced hisdeath, showing grace and compassion even when he received only cruelty andhatred.

But this premier examplecannot be the only time Jesus prayed for those who hated him. If we read theGospels closely perhaps we can discern that Jesus may often have prayed forthose who were against him.

We know that Jesus prayedfor Peter regarding Peter’s unconscionable denial of the Lord. Jesus told Peterpointedly,

“Simon, Simon, behold,Satan demanded to have you,that he might sift you like wheat, butI have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again,strengthen your brothers.”

Petersaid to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you bothto prison andto death.”

Jesussaid,“I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me” (Luke 23:31–34).

Peter did indeed deny hisassociation with Jesus, in the early morning hours on the day Jesus wascrucified. The account is recorded in all four Gospels, and in Mark andMatthew’s rendition Peter even invokes a curse upon himself and swears, “You’vegot the wrong guy! It wasn’t me! I don’t know him!” (Matt 26:69–74; Mark14:66–72).

This is why Jesus tellsPeter, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned again ….”Returned from where? Returned from Satan’s sifting of his soul, that he mighttest Peter just as he tested Job in ancient times.

Yet, ostensibly, Satandemanded not only Peter but also Judas, and even entered into Judas, urging himforward to the evil act of betrayal (Luke 22:3). Did Jesus pray for Judas? Weare not told explicitly. But we do know that Judas is included in John’sassertion that Jesus “loved his own [disciples] who were in the world … to theend,” and that, moments before Judas left to betray him, Jesus washed Judas’sfeet (John 13:1–5).

We also know that Jesusprayed in the garden for those who had yet not turned to him when he said tohis Father, “I do notask for these only, but also forthosewho will believe in me through their word” (John 17:20). Could thathave included those who were about to crucify him? Or those who would be hissworn enemies before they turned to him in faith? When Jesus confronted Saul onthe Damascus road he said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Could Jesus have prayed in advance forthe young, rising Pharisee, Saul? Could it be that he alsoprayed for other religious elites, the scribes and pharisees who were alwaysseeking to destroy him?

Again, the textualevidence is not explicit. However, we can be assured that Jesus practiced whathe preached. And if he was a man of prayer who loved people, then he prayed forall people—even his enemies—that the Father would be merciful to them.

If we want our prayerlife to be more like Jesus’s prayer life, then our motivation for prayer mustbe like his. Therefore, identify your enemies, those who hate you, those whoare even determined to hurt you, or simply those who are hardened toward youbecause of your walk with Christ. And love them enough to pray for them. Youwill be praying for the same reason Jesus prayed.

Continue reading Why Did Jesus Pray? (Part 2)

[1]From the Nicene Creed.

[2]This dominical saying is disputed, since it isabsent from some of the earliest manuscripts, including P75. But Luke’s way of implyingparallels between Jesus and the leaders of the early church (cf. Steven’s dyingwords in Acts 7:60) argue for its authenticity. Moreover, there are tenabletheories explaining why some scribes may have intentionally omitted the sayingearly on.

4 responses to “Why Did Jesus Pray? (Part 1)”

1. Rev. Luke Curry says:

   April 24, 2022 at 5:18 am

   Very insightful and helpful!

   Reply

   See Also

   Why God Doesn't Always Heal (2 Cor. 12:8-10)

2. Naseem Joseph says:

   July 31, 2022 at 3:05 pm

   Jesus prayed to his Father who was his God. He asked his Father to take this cup of pains, he also prayed ,”Eli Eli ,,,,”, on the cross.
   All these situations raise questions in my mind.

   Reply

3. OMINI AYENI UJONG says:

   November 16, 2022 at 7:36 pm

   Thank you for reviewing the truth God Almighty continue to make use of you in the way Him as purpose in your life.

   Reply

4. Jackline Mwikwabe says:

   December 2, 2022 at 4:42 pm

   Okay! , Now I can understood why did Jesus prayed 🙏, Thanks be blessed…

   Reply

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