Jesus praying to God

Many believers ask the question why would YESHUA pray to the Father if he is God. Isn't this a contradiction? 

No, there is no contradiction.

First of all it is important to understand who is ELOHIM commonly called "God".

According to the etymology of words, ELOHIM is the plural of the Hebrew word "EL" or "Eloah" (God). Although sometimes used with a lower "e" to refer to other deities, the term ELOHIM with a capital "E" refers to a Plural of majesty. In other words, ELOHIM is a plurality, He is not just God but He is "GODS (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit)". Note that when the title ELOHIM is used in reference to the Supreme God of the universe, it is very often preceded by the article HA-, which means, in combination. Thus in Hebrew one says HA-ELOHIM to designate the God of the universe. For this reason alone, referring to Him as "God" is not the proper title, but saying "ELOHIM" or "HA-ELOHIM" is an accurate representation of who He is.

If you carefully read Scriptures, you will understand that there are at least two implications to the prayers of YESHUA.

First, the relational nature of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit implies an unbroken communion between them. Through prayer, the Son was in constant communion with the Father in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Second, His incarnation required the addition of a real human body to His heavenly nature, so that He would be no different from the rest of humanity, and enable Him to offer Himself as a substitute sacrifice for our sins.

• Hebrews 2:17 "For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people."

Due to this human nature, YESHUA was required to keep the Law that commanded to pray and honor ELOHIM. Thus, He prayed to affirm that it is an essential part of the relationship with YAHWEH (The Father) and RUACH (The Holy Spirit).

However, YESHUA did not pray for fleshly desires, nor for His own protection, nor for revelations. But He prayed primarily for the reasons below:

► He would regularly retreat to be alone and enter into communion with the Father. No one knows exactly what was said during His solitary prayers, but we do know that He would also enter into communion with departed prophets and that He was being attended by angels.

• Mark 1:13 "He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him."

• Luke 5:16 "Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray."

• Mark 1:45 "Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places."

• Matthew 14:23 "After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone."

• Luke 9:29-30 "And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. And behold, two men began talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah."

• Mark 9:2-3 "After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them."

► He prayed for children, blessed them and laid hands upon them to bestow the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

• Matthew 19:13 "Then the little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them."

• Mark 10:16 "And having taken them in arms, He was blessing them, having laid the hands on them."

► He prayed for the strengthening of the faith of those who believed in him.

• John 17:9 "I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours."

• Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

► Like a defense lawyer, He interceded for sinners.

• Isaiah 53:12 "Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors."

• Romans 8:34 "Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us."

• Hebrews 7:25 "Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them."

It is important to understand that Satan (the accuser) is constantly accusing us, pointing out our sins and weaknesses before the Judgement Court of ELOHIM, which includes: The 24 elders and the messengers of death

• Revelation 4:4 "Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads."

• Job 33:22 "He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death."

But by virtue of YESHUA's defense, his accusations against Christ's followers fall on deaf ears in heaven.

Note that the Holy Spirit also intercedes for the saints by enabling them to properly express their prayers.

• Romans 8:26-27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

► He prayed with others, to show them that prayer is the natural act of the devout, to teach them how to pray and to teach them perseverance in prayer.

• Luke 9:28 "About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray."

• Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart."

In his human incarnation, YESHUA could truly feel what any human being would feel in a moment of suffering; that is, the natural refusal to go through such great pain. Psalms 22 illustrates His inner feelings and the pain He felt in His human flesh.

Yet YESHUA did not pray for His own protection, as He could have readily eliminated His executioners by calling upon legions of angels.

• Matthew 26:53 "Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"

But rather He prayed to the Father for the moral strength to carry out His mission until the end, for He anticipated unprecedented suffering, intense humiliation, and insulting contempt from those to whom He had abandoned His divine nature to assume the role of a subordinate so that they may be saved.   

It is also possible that YESHUA experienced a very rare phenomenon called haematidrosis or bloody sweat, which occurs in cases of great emotional stress. Tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, mixing blood with sweat.

• Luke 22:42-44 "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done. Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him."

May the Holy Spirit guide you in understanding this message.