Jesus came to earth many years ago to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus had to put aside his godly power and make himself human to relate with human beings. The BibleBible records that during his time on earth, Jesus made several prayers for different reasons. So, one may ask, “what did Jesus pray?”
Jesus prayed for several reasons throughout his three and half years on earth. First, Jesus prayed for strength and wisdom to resist temptation from the Devil. Second, Jesus prayed for the will of God to be done, as seen in Mathew 26:42 records. Jesus also prayed for guidance before he made a big decision, like before he chose his 12 disciples. Lastly, Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those after his life.
So, how did Jesus pray? What types of prayer did Jesus say to God? What did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane? What did Jesus pray before he died? Read on to learn the answers to these questions.
How did Jesus pray?
A few ways are recorded in the Bible, which showed how Jesus prayed on different occasions. The first way in which Jesus prayed was in lonely places. In Mark 1:35, Jesus is seen going out early in the morning out of town in a lonely place to pray. We can only conclude that he had a lot on his mind that day and wanted some quality time alone to communicate with his father in heaven through prayers.
Jesus also prayed sometimes while facing down, as recorded in the book of Mark 14:35. When Jesus and a few of his disciples reached Gethsemane, he went a little further ahead of them and threw himself on the ground started praying to God. When you read the scripture, you can see that Jesus threw himself down as a sign of submission, as he already knew what was coming ahead was not an easy task.
Another way that is recorded in the Bible regarding how Jesus prayed is in John 17:1, where Jesus lifts his hands. This was the time Jesus was praying for his disciples as his time on earth ended. Jesus prayed for their safety, as he knew he would no longer be there with them, and they needed more strength to keep going even in his absence.
Jesus also prayed by offering up supplications and requests to his father, as written in Hebrews 5:7 “In his life on earth Jesus made his prayers and requests with loud cries and tears to God, who could save him from death. Because he was humble and devoted, God heard him.” This scripture is often linked to Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, where he requested Jesus to take the cup of suffering away from him.
What types of prayer did Jesus say to God?
Jesus said different types of prayer to God, as different situations needed different prayers. Below are the types of prayers Jesus said to God;
Prayer to resist temptations
This is the first type of prayer Jesus ever made, recorded in Mathew 4:1-11. When Jesus was about to begin his ministry officially, he was baptized by John the Baptist and led into the wilderness by the spirit to be tempted by Satan. Jesus spent 40 days and nights alone in the wilderness, as he required enough spiritual strength to resist temptation. Even though he was in human form, the BibleBible reveals Jesus was of no sin, meaning that he could avoid all temptation.
Prayers of praise
This is another prayer that Jesus made during his earthly stay, as he praised God for his actions and who he was. In Mathew 6:9-13, when he was teaching his disciples to pray, he praised Jesus in the prayer when he said, “may your holy name be honored .”Jesus also prayed to God in Luke 10:21 after he was filled with joy by the holy spirit. The BibleBible reveals that at that moment, Jesus offered a prayer of praise and thanked him for showing the unlearned what he had hidden from the wise and the learned ones.
Prayer of unity to all the believers
Jesus prayed this type of prayer on the night he was arrested, as recorded in John chapter 17. Jesus prayed to God that he might keep his disciples safe away from the evil one, as he was no longer going to be with them and protect them. Continuing his prayer, Jesus also prayed for those who believed in him, that they might be one and united.
Prayer of submission for the will of God to be done
Jesus also prayed for submission on the night that he was to be arrested. While praying in Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, requesting Jesus to remove the cup of suffering that he was about to go through. Although God had the power to make all of that, that was to happen to go away; he did not as he had planned for all of it to happen even before Jesus was sent to earth. Jesus then prayed for God’s will to be done.
Although Jesus knew what would crush him, with God’s strength and guidance, he could still do his work until the end.
Prayer of thanksgiving
Jesus is also seen making this type of prayer severally in the BibleBible, especially when he was about to share a meal with his disciples. Additionally, Jesus prayed for thanks while feeding the 5000 people and was able to feed them with five loaves of bread and two fish.
A prayer for forgiveness
This is the last type of prayer Jesus made while he was on earth. He prayed on the cross, asking God to forgive those who had crucified him, as they did not know what they were doing. Jesus knew how important forgiveness was, and he forgave those who caused him the pain he was going through. We humans find it difficult to forgive and let go, but Jesus set an example of what Christians should do.
What did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane is the most remembered prayer Jesus made while he was on earth, as it showed his human side no one had ever seen from him. Jesus made two prayer requests to God that night. One, Jesus requested God to take away the cup of suffering from him. Jesus already knew that his time on earth was coming to an end and the suffering he was to go through. Although his spirit was willing to do it, his flesh was weak, making him want God to use another way.
The second prayer that Jesus made was for the will of God to be done. Jesus knew that he had to finish what he and God had started, and he fully prayed in his submission to what God had already willed. Jesus would be arrested that night, tortured, and crucified the following day. He could rise from the dead on the third day, as he had defeated death through the spirit of God.
What did Jesus pray before he died?
Jesus prayed for three things when he was on the cross before he died. First, Jesus prayed to God to forgive those who had crucified him, as they did not know what they were doing. Luke 23:34 says, “Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus then prayed to God not to abandon him, as he felt in his flesh as if God was no longer with him. Mark 15:34 says, “At three O’clock Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani?” which means “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
Lastly, Jesus prayed to God to receive his spirit as his work on earth ended. Luke 23:46 says, “Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father! I place my spirit in your hands!” he said this and died.”
References
What three things did Jesus pray for?
Inspiring lessons from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden
What Christ’s last prayer reveals about his death
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
