I had an Islamic friend ask me: “If Jesus is God, then why does he pray?” Any help would be appreciated. I prefer a scripture based answer.
That is a very good question that has probably even puzzled some believers on the Lord Jesus Christ. One very important principle of Christianity is the truth of the trinity; that God is one and yet exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For a good example of that truth, let’s read Mark 1:9-11, “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” In this instance, all three of the Godhead are mentioned. The Lord Jesus was baptized; the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father spoke from the heavens. Isaiah 45:5 tells us emphatically that there is only one God. It says, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me…” So we see that there in one God that is manifested in three persons. We, being created in the image of God are also three in one. As one person, we are made up of our body, soul, and spirit.
Is Jesus really God? He certainly is. Listen to the testimony of the Word of God concerning the deity of the Lord Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:16 says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” God was manifest in the flesh means that God took upon Himself a fleshly body. We read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then we read in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” We even have the testimony of God the Father about His son in Hebrews 1:8, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” God the Father calls His son God. What an incredible testimony of the deity of the Lord Jesus!
So, if Jesus is God, why did He pray to God? When the Lord Jesus became flesh at His birth, He took on a role of being obedient to His Father. He said in John 6:38, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” He also said in John 8:29, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” How did the Lord Jesus learn to be obedient? Hebrews 5:8 tells us that, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” By the things that He suffered, the Lord Jesus learned how to do what He had never done before. He learned how to be obedient.
So, living a life of obedience, we find that the Lord Jesus was an incredible man of prayer. He stayed in constant touch with His Father. As far as equality with God, Jesus Himself said in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” We also read of the equality in Philippians 2:5-6, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” In other words, for Jesus to claim to be God, He was not taking anything that did not already belong to Him.