Exploring Jesus' Teachings on Prayer and Divine Attributes
Jesus has always emphasized the importance of prayer and devotion to the one true God, as He taught His disciples and followers to pray to 'the only true God'—His God and their God. This article delves into Jesus' teachings on prayer and his claims about his own divine attributes, examining textual evidence from the New Testament to understand the true teachings of Jesus and how they resonate with the divine nature presented in Christian doctrine.
Prayer and the One True God
Life is an ongoing prayer, as Jesus continuously taught and demonstrated through His actions and words. He emphasized the importance of praying to a single, true God, not to Himself. Jesus said, 'my Father and your Father, my God and your God' (John 20:17), and scholars agree that the one true God is the proper recipient of prayer according to Christian theology.
Other faiths often boast about their prophets and claim exclusivity in the path to salvation. However, Jesus spoke against such exclusivity, advocating for a path of obedience and life lived according to the commandments (Luke 10:28, 37). He taught that 'why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.' (Mark 10:18, Luke 18:18-19)
The Nature of Jesus' Claims
Jesus did not claim to be God. On the contrary, He frequently referred to Himself as the 'Son of Man,' and He did not command others to worship Him as God. In Matthew 19:17, Luke 18:19, and Mark 10:18, Jesus denied the idea of 'original sin' and atonement, instead emphasizing the need for obedience to earn eternal life (Luke 10:28, 37). He stated, 'Do this and you will live' (Luke 10:28) and 'Go and do the same' (Luke 10:37).
Resisting Miracles and Divine Attributes
Jesus was not pedestalized for His miracles; rather, He condemned those who asked for miracles, saying, 'A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign!' (Matthew 12:39, Mark 8:12, Luke 11:29). His focus was on truth and obedience, not on miracles. He clarified, 'The Father is greater than I' (John 14:28).
Teachings on Miracles and Divine Powers
Jesus did not claim to have autonomous divine powers. He expressed, 'I can of Myself do nothing: as I hear I judge; and My judgment is just because I seek not My own will but the will of the Father which hath sent Me' (John 5:30). He also acknowledged, 'I am not equal to God' (John 10:33).
Jesus' praxis of prayer is evident: He prayed to God (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, John 17:11, Matthew 26:39, Luke 10:21, Luke 22:44) and taught others to pray in His name (John 14:13-14). He reminded His disciples to pray to 'the only true God' and His God (John 20:17).
Introduction and Reception as a Prophet
Jesus was introduced and accepted as a prophet, not as God. Those who met Him recognized Him as a man, not a demi-god: 'a man who has told the truth' (John 8:40) or 'the man sent from God' (Acts 2:22, 23). Jesus did not command others to worship Him as God. His teachings were consistent with the role of a prophet, demonstrating faith in the one true God (John 17:3).
Further Teachings and Divine Powers
Jesus' actions and words demonstrate His submission to the will of the Father. In John 17:6-8, Jesus acknowledged that God had given Him power and authority, not that He owned it. In John 12:49, He stated, 'For I have not spoken of myself but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say.' Jesus' teachings and actions point to His submission to God, not to any claim of equality or divinity.
Conclusion
The true teachings of Jesus emphasize the importance of prayer, obedience, and submission to the one true God. Jesus did not claim divinity, but rather, He affirmed His role as the 'Son of Man' and taught that the path to salvation through good works and obedience to God's commandments is the true path. As with all prophets, Jesus' teachings were about serving and glorifying the one true God, not about claiming divine status.