The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by means of his holy spirit, reveals through the scriptures that He Himself (Jehovah/Jehovah) is the only true God, the unipersonal God and Father of the Lord Jesus. Jesus has One who is the Supreme Being over him (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3); Jesus is not his Supreme Being whom he worships, prays to, and who sent him, and whose will he carried out in willful obedience. -- Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10; Matthew 22:29-40; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:46; Mark 10:6; Mark 14:36; 15:34; Luke 4:8; Luke 22:42; John 3:34; 5:30; 6:38; 10:36; 17:1,3; 20:17; Acts 3:13-26; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 4:6; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 1:9; 10:7; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 2:7; 3:2,12.
Please note that we believe that one can offer a prayer to Jesus since Jesus is the representative of his God and Father, and since Jesus is our high priest and advocate before God. Nevertheless, we believe many scriptures are often misused along this line. -- Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14,15; 7:25; 8:1; 9:24; 10:21; 1 John 2:1
John 14:14
John 14:12 - Most assuredly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these will he do; because I am going to my Father.
John 14:13 - Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If you will ask anything in my name, that will I do.
Jesus here is speaking of praying to the only true God (John 17:1,3) in his [Jesus’] name. This can be seen from John 15:16:
You didn’t 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 will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Acts 1:24
Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, YHVH, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Acts 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.– Sacred Name King James Version.
Obviously, this prayer is directed to Jehovah, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 3:13-36) Many may dispute this, but more than likely the disciples prayed to the God of Jesus, not to Jesus himself, as recorded in Acts 4:24-30.
Acts 7:59
Acts 7:59 – They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit!”
Acts 7:60 – He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Verse 59 could be considered a prayer, although it is more than likely a response to to seeing Jesus in the vision more so than a formal prayer. As such, it is similar to the communication the disciples had with Jesus between the time of his resurrection until he ascended. Verse 60 probably refers to Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3), as in Acts 7:30,31,33,37,49.
1 Corinthians 1:2
1 Corinthians 1:2 – to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours.
Any prayer directed to the God and Father of Jesus should in the name of Jesus, and such would be calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus. (John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23,24,26) Such prayer does not mean that the name of our Lord Jesus should take the place of the Father.
Sometimes some present a scripture related to calling upon the name of Jehovah in prayer from the Old Testament, such as Psalm 116:4. It is therefore claimed that this proves that Jesus is Jehovah. In reality, it is Jehovah, the only true Supreme Being who sent Jesus (Isaiah 61:1; John 17:1,3) who speaks through Jesus (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; John 3:34; 5:24; 6:29; 8:42; 14:24; 17:1,3,8; Acts 3:13-26; Hebrews 1:1,2), and thus Jehovah tells us through Jesus to offer prayer in the name of Jesus. Nothing in this means that we need to imagine and assume that Jesus is Jehovah.
Nevertheless, we see nothing wrong with prayer to Jesus as our Advocate with the Father, as our priest, and as the representative of the only true God. Such prayers certainly do not mean, however, that Jesus is Jehovah.
2 Corinthians 12:8
2 Corinthians 12:8 – Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
The term “the Lord” , more than likely replaces the Holy Name. In the Old Testament, expressions of begging is used of Jehovah many times. -- Numbers 12:13; 1 Samuel 23:11; 2 Samuel 24:10; 2 Kings 19:19; 20:3; Nehemiah 1:5; Psalm 116:4; 118:25; 119:108; Isaiah 38:3; 64:9; Jeremiah 38:20; Amos 7:2,5; Jonah 1:14; 4:3.
Regardless, even if Paul was saying that he begged Jesus, it would still not mean that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
1 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me to his heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
This is not actually a prayer, but rather a statement of deliverance followed by a proclamation of glory.
Again, more than likely, in 1 Timothy 4:14,17,18, God’s Holy Name has been replaced with “the Lord”, and thus verse 18 would be understood as, “And Jehovah will deliver me from evil work, and will save me to His heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” This would correspond with Jesus’ model prayer of Matthew 6:9-12 (which is directed — not to Jesus — but to the God and Father of Jesus) and many Old Testament verses. The proclamation phrase is without a verb, although the verb “be” is added in translation. W&H interlinear reads: TO WHOM THE GLORY INTO THE AGES OF THE AGES. AMEN.
Regardless, it is proper to to proclaim both the glory of Jesus and the God of Jesus. It is man, not the Bible, that sets the limits in definition regarding who such a proclamation can be made regarding. It is the God and Father of Jesus, however, who has exalted Jesus to the highest position of glory in the universe, next to the Most High. (Acts 2:33,36; 5:31; Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 1:4,6; 1 Peter 3:22) At any rate, even if Paul was saying that it was Jesus who “will deliver” him, it would not mean that we need to imagine, assume, add to, read into the scripture that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
1 Peter 3:18
1 Peter 3:18 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Likewise, this is not actually a prayer, but a proclamation of glory to Jesus. Such praise to Jesus is proper since the one person who is the God and Father of Jesus has exalted Jesus to an office above all else (with the evident exception of being the Most High). — Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:3,20-22; Philippians 2:9.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
Revelation 1:6 and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Again, it is not certain if the proclamation of glory is directed toward Jesus or the the God and Father of Jesus. Nevertheless, since the God and Father of Jesus has exalted Jesus, and made all dominion subject to Jesus, such a proclamation is certainly proper for Jesus.
Does Prayer to Jesus prove that Jesus is God?
One states that the fact that the Bible teaches that Jesus is prayed to proves that Jesus is God. As we have shown above, one is hard pressed to find any scripture that actually “teaches that the Lord Jesus is prayed to.” Indeed, the Bible does not record of any formal prayer to Jesus, nor does it ever state that we should offer formal prayer to Jesus. On the other hand, we do not find anything in the Bible that says that Jesus needs to be omniscient or omnipotent in order to receive prayers on behalf of the only true God; the idea that petitions given to Jesus means that Jesus is God -- the Supreme Being -- is simply man’s reasoning.
The unipersonal God and Father of Jesus has given to Jesus absolutely all power that is needed, the plenitude [Greek, pleroma] of mightiness [theotes] bodily that he needs to fulfill all that God has given him to do. (Matthew 28:18; John 3:35; 5:36; Colossians 2:9,10; Ephesians 1:3,17-21; Philippians 2:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:27; 1 Peter 3:22) Thus, we have no doubt that Jesus has the power and authority from God to hear prayers.
Some Related Studies
Colossians 2:9 – The Fullness of Deity
