Is Jesus praying to the Father just for show? or does it signify a deep truth that we have been overlooking?
Jesus Christ is God, Correct? Then why did he need to pray? Surely, Jesus cannot be a hypocrite doing this thing for show or even as an example or role model unless it is based on a real truth that Christ REALLY did need to pray. In fact, the gospels point out repeatedly that Jesus even went out early in the morning sometimes to the hills to pray for a relatively long time.
Well if Jesus is God as orthodox belief tells us, why then did He need to pray a long time or even why did He need to pray at all?
Only our theology can answer this logically and biblically and then again only because we have the correct foundational approach to bible exegesis and hermeneutics.
Again we have to go back to the Pauline concept of kenosis as stated in Philippians 2:5. And the following would be the easy logical answers:
Jesus Christ is God, Correct? Then why did he need to pray? Surely, Jesus cannot be a hypocrite doing this thing for show or even as an example or role model unless it is based on a real truth that Christ REALLY did need to pray. In fact, the gospels point out repeatedly that Jesus even went out early in the morning sometimes to the hills to pray for a relatively long time.
Well if Jesus is God as orthodox belief tells us, why then did He need to pray a long time or even why did He need to pray at all?
Only our theology can answer this logically and biblically and then again only because we have the correct foundational approach to bible exegesis and hermeneutics.
Again we have to go back to the Pauline concept of kenosis as stated in Philippians 2:5. And the following would be the easy logical answers:
- Christ Incarnate is the "emptied" Christ. He laid aside His rightful powers in order to truly function as a man. With the intentional absence of His powers, Christ Incarnate was TRULY dependent on God. Hence his role model for prayer is real and there is absolutely no pretence to His dependence on God.
- The Kenosis of Christ disqualified Him (intentionally) from using any of His powers for His own benefit nor even for the manipulation of human events or the human hearts of the people He encountered. Hence, He truly needed God the Father to take over this issue. This is the ONLY reason the first temptation of Jesus to turn stones into bread was a temptation at all. Otherwise, there is really nothing wrong with turning stones into bread.
- The Incarnation agenda of the Triune God necessitated the demonstration of a perfect life but being human direly needed very close relationship and communion with the Father.
- Christ being human was subject to stressful conditions, in fact, very stressful conditions considering the mission of Christ and the looking forward to the end result which is the giving up of His life for the world, resisting the manipulations of the Adversary in trying to foil that plan, and a definitely busy schedule to complete before the crucifixion, which includes no less than revealing truths about the Kingdom of God in a clear manner to be recorded by some of His disciples as well as demonstrating the power of God and faith in God through His various miracles which would also be recorded.
- It is a very important point to note that the Incarnate Christ experience a clear "NO" as an answer of God the Father to his Gethsemane prayer as recorded in Mark 14:36 saying "Abba Father, all things are possible with you. Remove this cup from me..." This is such a great lesson on answered prayer when God's answer is a clear "NO" but we reserve that for another blog session.
The Incarnate perfect Christ truly needed to pray, commune and wrestle and agonize with God while on earth.
Need we do less?
No comments:
Post a Comment