Is Jesus God? Part 15: "Jesus Prayed to & Worshiped God"

Return to the previous - Part 14: "Disciples did not believe Jesus was God"

Hebrews 2:17 “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

If Jesus is God, where is the need for being fully human? To be fully human means to have no special powers, and to not know everything. Why would he have to be ‘in service’ to God if he is God? God created the entire universe, but can’t forgive sins in God form?

Hebrews 5:5 “In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”

Jesus did not glorify himself, and was made to be a priest by God. Does God have to make himself a priest, nor glorify himself? Is God the father of himself?

Hebrews 5:7-9 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Many points to consider from these verses: 1- Jesus cried and prayed hard to God to the ONLY ONE THAT CAN SAVE HIM. Does God need to pray to himself to save himself? 2- He was once not obedient and had to learn to be. Is God not obedient to himself? 3- He was later made to be perfect, meaning he wasn’t prior, and that he couldn’t save anyone until he became perfect. 4- He was a priest that called others to God, and not that he was God.

According to Trinitarian doctrine, Jesus is God the Father, and the son, with each being equal (See Colossians 1:19 “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him”) Therefore, if he was God, he would already be these things from the start.

John 11:41-42 “So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. “I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” (See also Jeremiah 1:5 )

Jesus is thanking God that he heard him. Does God need to talk to himself? Is it possible that God can’t hear himself, or others? Then he continues to state that God hears him and responded to him, and it was proof for the others to know that God had sent him as a prophet to deliver God’s message.

Luke 5:16 “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Does God need to pray to himself? This verse also shows that he was NOT praying to teach others how to pray, because he was doing it alone away from others.

Luke 6:12 “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

Jesus prayed to God. Does God need to pray to himself? Why should anyone pray to Jesus if Jesus had to pray himself to God?

Luke 11:2 “He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”

Jesus tells others to pray to the Father, not himself.

Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to instead serve God. This is a clear statement he is not to be worshipped/served, and only God should be.

Matthew 26:39 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Jesus prayed to God. Does God pray to himself? He prays how Muslims do…with this face to the ground. I personally don’t ever see Christians today praying in this manner, and here is JESUS HIMSELF praying that way, but they don’t follow his ways of doing things. (There are dozens of verses that show how the prophets and disciples prayed – like this, but it is not relevant here, as I’m focusing on Jesus.)

Matthew 27:46 “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").”

Does God need to beg himself, and ask himself why he forsook himself? Jesus was thinking God had forgotten about him!

Qur’an 3:51 “Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.”

Allah is my God, and your God.

Qur’an 6:102 “That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.”

There is no deity – only Allah should be worshipped.

Qur’an 6:106 “Follow, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you from your Lord - there is no deity except Him - and turn away from those who associate others with Allah.”

Allah tells Muhammad that there is no God but Allah, and not associate with those that worship anyone or anything else. Jesus, Muhammad, and the other prophets worshipped only Allah alone.

Qur’an 29:17 “You only worship, besides Allah, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allah do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned."

Allah rebukes those that pray to and worship others, telling them that it is all in vain, because only Allah can do what they are asking for.

Qur’an 43:57-59 “And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud. And they said, "Are our gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute. Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.”

Allah is stating that Jesus was a servant that he anointed (chosen and blessed).

Qur’an 43:63 “And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, "I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me.”

Allah tells of when Jesus brought his proofs, which Jesus told the people he was given the word of God, and to fear God, and obey him, because he was commanding what was given to him by God. He did as God commanded him to do.

Continue to the next Section – Part 16: "Jesus & others said to worship God ONLY"

Return to the Main Directory Listing Page for this Series

Recommended Reading:

Bible Corruption Series:

Part 1 – Intro to Bible Version Differences

Part 2 – 1 John 5:7, The Three That Bear Record in Heaven (Comma Johanneum)

Part 3 – John 7:53-8:11, Pericope of the Adulteress

Part 4 – Mark 16:9-20, Resurrection of Jesus

Part 5 – Conflicting Gospels on the Empty Tomb & Ascension of Jesus

The Corruption of the Torah

Is the Crucifixion of Jesus Really Foretold in the Old Testament?

Do Muslims Believe in the Bible?