Evidence · Case 04 · The Trinity
The Son prays to the Father, John 17 and Luke 22:42
One exhibit from the free evidence repository at apologetics.pro.
Jesus prays at length to the Father in John 17, and in Gethsemane he prays “not my will, but yours, be done.” This is genuine address between two parties.
Sources
John 17, NASB.
Luke 22:42, NASB.
Objections & responses
- Jesus praying to the Father is the best evidence that Jesus is not God. God does not pray to God.
The Trinitarian reply is that the Son prays to the Father because they are distinct persons, and that the incarnate Son prays as a genuine human being, which the doctrine requires. God does not pray to God assumes that God is one person, which is the point in dispute. What the prayers rule out is modalism, the view that Father and Son are one person wearing two masks. What they do not settle is whether the one praying shares the Father’s nature, and that question is answered by the other claims in this case, especially the one on submission and equality sitting side by side.