Question about Jesus

[obsolete]

Why did Jesus pray to God if he is God?

[Nerble]

Hmmm. Good question. You could pray about it? Anyway, so r u saying if he was God he wouldn't be praying? Have you ever talked to yourself? Like a pep talk or something?

[Thundercat]

Whether or not you're actually interested in answer to this, I'll have a go.

Jesus was God in the sense that God fully inhabited him; as he was a human he had an independent mind - the Son of God, not actually God, but an amalgamation of man and God. Jesus prays to God because he is still a man, a degree of separation from the full embodiment of God, he was experiencing the human emotions of anxiety and sadness. Some people might find themselves praying under stressful and upsetting circumstances, hence what Jesus did.

I hope some of that makes sense. It's difficult to explain the degrees of separation between Jesus and God.

[standardstate]

Why did Jesus pray to God if he is God?

An excellent question that has been discussed here in the past.

There are places in the bible where he is talking or praying to god - was he talking to himself? (In fact, before he was betrayed he talks to god, and since in the story the disciples supposedly fell asleep - who witnessed the events narrated there)?

When jesus is baptized a voice from the sky says "I am well pleased". Was jesus throwing his voice?

Odd all around...

[Scott]

I can think of two nonreligious answers to this question:

1. These parts of the story are holdovers from the pre-Christs. These were gods of polytheistic/henotheistic cultures and therefore it wouldn't be unreasonable for a lesser god to pray to a more powerful god for help. It is widely acknowledged that Jesus' life parallels these stories rather closely though I'm not familiar with them enough to point out instances. These were just grafted in.

2. They are leftover from a time when the Trinity had not yet been conceived and Christian theology really hadn't cemented. At the time Jesus was either not considered divine, a lesser god, or the son of god. This would explain why he is begging for help. It makes sense that they would have been in the early stories though I'm a little surprised that editors haven't removed these bits over the centuries.

[TheRighteous]

Hmmm. Good question. You could pray about it? Anyway, so r u saying if he was God he wouldn't be praying? Have you ever talked to yourself? Like a pep talk or something?

You don't pray about something like that. I've heard some Christians say things like that, but it makes no sense. OP, you can find any number of opinions on this issue. What you should do is go talk to your priest or minister/pastor depending on your sect of Christianity. He should be able to address your question properly. BTW, I love how in South Park Jesus says Jesus Christ and stuff like that.

[joshua.justice]

Jesus is gods' son so Jesus isn't praying to the same person?

[cody15]

Whether or not you're actually interested in answer to this, I'll have a go.

Jesus was God in the sense that God fully inhabited him; as he was a human he had an independent mind - the Son of God, not actually God, but an amalgamation of man and God. Jesus prays to God because he is still a man, a degree of separation from the full embodiment of God, he was experiencing the human emotions of anxiety and sadness. Some people might find themselves praying under stressful and upsetting circumstances, hence what Jesus did.

I hope some of that makes sense. It's difficult to explain the degrees of separation between Jesus and God.

I like this answer the best. Like all matters of faith, you can not use logic to explain it, that is why it is referred to as a matter of faith, not science nor logic. Jesus is man as far as his physical body goes, but his spirit is part of God as he is the son of God. Unless you have faith it would be difficult to accept this answer.

[madgeisgod]

Jesus is gods' son

EPIC fail

[joshua.justice]

EPIC fail

How so?

[TheRighteous]

EPIC fail

Maybe God had what the guy had in Fight Club. Where he lives his life as two different people, even though he is only one person. And the two people interact with each other all the time even. So in this case, Jesus and God were one, but Jesus didn't realize that he really is God, so he prayed to himself.

[standardstate]

2. They are leftover from a time when the Trinity had not yet been conceived and Christian theology really hadn't cemented. At the time Jesus was either not considered divine, a lesser god, or the son of god. This would explain why he is begging for help. It makes sense that they would have been in the early stories though I'm a little surprised that editors haven't removed these bits over the centuries.

I think this the likely explanation.

It would also fit in with the idea that jesus was a "scapegoat" - an innocent killed to pay for the sins of others. The idea of a blood sacrifice to rid one of the blame for sins is fairly old.

Like all matters of faith, you can not use logic to explain it, that is why it is referred to as a matter of faith, not science nor logic.

It's certainly a convenient dodge. You point out a logical inconsistency in a religion, or a contradiction or place where its claims differ from what we know is true from other sources, and you simply claim that belief is "beyond logic".

There are several problems with this. First, it is merely a claim, and so there is no particular reason to believe it true. Second, if a person's particular and specific religious beliefs are beyond reason, it would seem anyone could say the same of their own beliefs. So who is right - christians, moslems, animists? Each can claim that their belief is based on faith and beyond logic. In fact, one can use the same argument for any irrational belief (and I use irrational here because of your claim of religious belief as being "beyond logic" - therefore it is indeed descriptive to term such a belief irrational).

[Mr.Maestro]

I was under the impression that god is jesus' father... no?

[TheRighteous]

I was under the impression that god is jesus' father... no?

Christians claim that he is his father and him at the same time.

[neadbecker]

Jesus prayed to His Father - God the Father. I think the most basic answer is He loves His Father and simply loved to communicate with Him. The same way a son may long to communicate with and feel his father's strength. Though Jesus was perfect, He was still exposed to all of the pains and difficulties that come with piloting a mortal body. This is what made Him so great. He felt everything we feel and was exposed to every temptation we are, but He overcame them all...perfectly.