The Bible does not teach to pray to Jesus

[John Evens]

Jesus is God according to Christian theology, supported by various biblical references.

Biblical Affirmations: Jesus declared Himself to be God, as seen in verses like John 1:1, which states, "the Word was God".

Recognition by Followers: His followers recognized Him as God, exemplified by Thomas's declaration, "My Lord and my God!".

Theological Significance: The belief that Jesus is God is central to Christian faith, as it underpins the concept of salvation.

Trinitarian View: In Christian doctrine, Jesus is part of the Trinity, which includes God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.

These points collectively affirm the belief that Jesus is indeed God in Christian theology. So it should be fine to pray to Him.

Copilot Answer​

 

[TomL]

To be fair, none of those verses directly say Jesus was prayed to nor are they commands to pray to Jesus. On the point of there being one directive to pray to the Father, Matthew 6:6,9 takes the cake. So don't ignore Scripture yourself. Do you pray the way Jesus taught to pray?

Um they clearly do

prayer
[prer]
noun

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship:

There you go ignoring scripture again

Clearly Stephen prayed to Jesus

Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) — 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Christians call on the name of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2 (LEB) — 2 to the church of God sanctified in Christ Jesus that is in Corinth, called to be saints, together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Paul prayed to Christ

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (LEB) — 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Christians pray to Christ

1 John 5:13–15 (LEB) — 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Christ tells men to pray to him and he will answer

John 14:13–14 (LEB) — 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The apostles prayed to Christ

Acts 1:24–25 (LEB) — 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place.”

 

[Believe]

What if we pray in tongues?

 

[Foster]

What if we pray in tongues?

You can pray to Jesus in tongues.

Praying in tongues, also known asglossolalia, its a form of prayer where individuals speak in sounds and syllables that are not human languages, but are believed to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. It's seen as a direct communication with God, allowing the spirit to commune with the Father and the Son..

Praying in tongues is believed to be a direct form of communication between the Godhead, bypassing the limitations of human language and thought.

In Mark 16:17, Jesus tells us about this gift. He lays it out—authority in the unseen spirit realm, authority to operate over demons, and authority to have open access to the realm of the Holy Spirit—to speak with new tongues. You can pray to Jesus in tongues.

Tongues is the Master Key to operating in the Kingdom in a higher dimension and accessing the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Everything the Spirit does and every way He does it can be touched through tongues. In other words, whatever you need, tongues will take you there.

 

[Runningman]

Um they clearly do

prayer
[prer]
noun

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship:

There you go ignoring scripture again

Clearly Stephen prayed to Jesus

Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) — 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Christians call on the name of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2 (LEB) — 2 to the church of God sanctified in Christ Jesus that is in Corinth, called to be saints, together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Paul prayed to Christ

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (LEB) — 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Christians pray to Christ

1 John 5:13–15 (LEB) — 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Christ tells men to pray to him and he will answer

John 14:13–14 (LEB) — 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The apostles prayed to Christ

Acts 1:24–25 (LEB) — 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place.”

A teaching would be to show or explain to someone how to do something with instructions. Nothing you quoted there is a "teaching" to pray to Jesus nor do any of them say the word "prayer." So, no, the Bible does not teach to pray to Jesus. The Bible teaches to pray to the Father. Means Jesus isn't God.

Matthew 6​

6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.​

7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.​

9So then, this is how you should pray:​

‘Our Father in heaven,​

hallowed be Your name.​

The Bible also doesn't teach to worship to Jesus. Once again, it teaches to worship the Father explicitly. Only the true worshippers worship the Father for He alone is God. All others are false worshippers. No teachings to worship Jesus in spirit and truth in Scripture.

John 4​

23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. 24God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”​

 

[Runningman]

That doesn't answer the question I asked.

Try not dodging it next time.

Try making relevant points if you want a relevant answer.

 

[Fred]

Try making relevant points if you want a relevant answer.

Try not dodging just because your false teaching can't be defended.

 

[Runningman]

Try not dodging just because your false teaching can't be defended.

The Bible is doing just fine presenting only one teaching on who to pray and worship. See post 3625

 

[Fred]

The Bible is doing just fine

I agree.

Stop distorting it.

 

[Runningman]

I agree.

Stop distorting it.

Stop fighting the Bible. Do you agree that Jesus' only teaching is to pray to the Father?

 

[Fred]

Stop fighting the Bible.

I won't stop your distortions of the Bible.

 

[Runningman]

I won't stop your distortions of the Bible.

You're calling the truth a distortion, that's on you if you want to debate Jesus.

 

[Fred]

You're calling the truth a distortion,

No, I am calling your twisting of the truth a distortion.

 

[Runningman]

No, I am calling your twisting of the truth a distortion.

Matthew 6:6-9 being the only instruction on who to pray to in the New Testament isn't a distortion. It explicitly states that the Father is the one to be prayed to.

 

[Fred]

Matthew 6:6-9 being the only instruction on who to pray to in the New Testament

https://berean-apologetics.community.forum/threads/the-bible-does-not-teach-to-pray-to-jesus.2040/page-19#post-114059

 

[TomL]

A teaching would be to show or explain to someone how to do something with instructions. Nothing you quoted there is a "teaching" to pray to Jesus nor do any of them say the word "prayer." So, no, the Bible does not teach to pray to Jesus. The Bible teaches to pray to the Father. Means Jesus isn't God.

Matthew 6​

6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.​

7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.​

9So then, this is how you should pray:​

‘Our Father in heaven,​

hallowed be Your name.​

The Bible also doesn't teach to worship to Jesus. Once again, it teaches to worship the Father explicitly. Only the true worshippers worship the Father for He alone is God. All others are false worshippers. No teachings to worship Jesus in spirit and truth in Scripture.

John 4​

23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. 24God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”​

Seriously

You fail to understand what prayer is

Um they clearly do

prayer
[prer]
noun

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship:

There you go ignoring scripture again

Clearly Stephen prayed to Jesus

Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) — 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Christians call on the name of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2 (LEB) — 2 to the church of God sanctified in Christ Jesus that is in Corinth, called to be saints, together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Paul prayed to Christ

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (LEB) — 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Christians pray to Christ

1 John 5:13–15 (LEB) — 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Christ tells men to pray to him and he will answer

John 14:13–14 (LEB) — 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The apostles prayed to Christ

Acts 1:24–25 (LEB) — 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place.”


And Christ is worshipped

Philippians 2:9–11 (LEB) — 9 Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hebrews 1:6 (LEB) — 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “And let all the angels of God worship him.”

Matthew 28:16–17 (LEB) — 16 So the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated for them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.

Revelation 5:12–14 (LEB) — 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 And I heard every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them saying, “To the one who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

 

[Runningman]

Seriously

You fail to understand what prayer is

Um they clearly do

prayer
[prer]
noun

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship:

There you go ignoring scripture again

Clearly Stephen prayed to Jesus

Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) — 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Christians call on the name of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2 (LEB) — 2 to the church of God sanctified in Christ Jesus that is in Corinth, called to be saints, together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Paul prayed to Christ

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (LEB) — 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Christians pray to Christ

1 John 5:13–15 (LEB) — 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Christ tells men to pray to him and he will answer

John 14:13–14 (LEB) — 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The apostles prayed to Christ

Acts 1:24–25 (LEB) — 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place.”


And Christ is worshipped

Philippians 2:9–11 (LEB) — 9 Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hebrews 1:6 (LEB) — 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “And let all the angels of God worship him.”

Matthew 28:16–17 (LEB) — 16 So the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated for them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.

Revelation 5:12–14 (LEB) — 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 And I heard every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them saying, “To the one who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Yet none of them say "When you pray, pray to Jesus." That isn't a Christian teaching in the Bible.

Read Matthew 6:6-9 again. This is the only teaching to pray to Jesus.

 

[Runningman]

Yet none of them say "When you pray, pray to Jesus." That isn't a Christian teaching in the Bible.

Read Matthew 6:6-9 again. This is the only teaching to pray to Jesus.

Edit: Read Matthew 6:6-9 again. This is the only teaching to pray by Jesus.

 

[TomL]

Yet none of them say "When you pray, pray to Jesus." That isn't a Christian teaching in the Bible.

Read Matthew 6:6-9 again. This is the only teaching to pray to Jesus.

Again, understand the meaning of the term

prayer
[prer]
noun

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship:

Clearly Stephen prayed to Jesus

Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) — 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Christians call on the name of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:2 (LEB) — 2 to the church of God sanctified in Christ Jesus that is in Corinth, called to be saints, together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.

Paul prayed to Christ

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (LEB) — 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Christians pray to Christ

1 John 5:13–15 (LEB) — 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Christ tells men to pray to him and he will answer

John 14:13–14 (LEB) — 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The apostles prayed to Christ

Acts 1:24–25 (LEB) — 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place.”


And Christ is worshipped

Philippians 2:9–11 (LEB) — 9 Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Hebrews 1:6 (LEB) — 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “And let all the angels of God worship him.”

Matthew 28:16–17 (LEB) — 16 So the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated for them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.

Revelation 5:12–14 (LEB) — 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 And I heard every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them saying, “To the one who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.