How to pray like Jesus?
BREAKDOWN
To pray like Jesus is not merely to recite specific words, but to adopt His posture of intimate communion, profound submission, and unwavering trust in God the Father. Jesus' prayer life reveals a continuous, dependent relationship with the divine, serving as the wellspring for His ministry and teachings. Central to this approach is an intimate address to God as "Abba," signifying a deep, personal bond that transcended typical religious formalities of His time. We see this intimacy clearly in His high priestly prayer in John 17, where He speaks to the Father with profound understanding and unity of purpose, praying not only for Himself but for His disciples and all who would believe through their message. Key elements of Jesus' prayer life include submission to the Father's will, as profoundly demonstrated in the Garden of Gethsemane. There, facing immense suffering, Jesus prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Please remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire" (Mark 14:36). This illustrates the primacy of God's sovereign plan over personal preference. Furthermore, Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the hallowing of God's name, the coming of His Kingdom, and daily provisions, alongside forgiveness and deliverance from evil, encapsulated in what is known as the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4). His prayers were also characterized by perseverance, often involving solitary retreats for extended periods of communion (Luke 5:16), and by intercession for others, such as Peter (Luke 22:32). Through these examples, Jesus models prayer as a vital, transformative practice rooted in humility, devotion, and alignment with the divine purpose. Ultimately, praying like Jesus means approaching God with the heart of a child who fully trusts a loving parent, yet with the full understanding of God's holiness and sovereignty. It involves a willingness to engage in honest petition, earnest intercession, heartfelt thanksgiving, and deep adoration, always seeking God's will above one's own. It is a spiritual discipline that transforms the individual and empowers them for God's service, drawing on the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26-27), thereby enabling us to echo the very heart of Christ.
KEY TERMS
Abba
An Aramaic term for 'Father,' used by Jesus to address God with deep intimacy and affection.
Gethsemane
The garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed intensely before His crucifixion, demonstrating submission to God's will.
Lord's Prayer
The model prayer taught by Jesus to His disciples, found in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4, outlining key elements of prayer.
intercession
The act of intervening or pleading on behalf of another, a significant aspect of Jesus' prayer life.
Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity, who empowers believers and aids them in prayer, even interceding on their behalf.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
John 17
These words Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed. I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, for the words which you gave me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew truly that I came forth from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All my things are yours, and your things are mine; and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name which you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them perished, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I don’t pray that you would take them out of the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world didn’t know you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Mark 14:36
He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Please remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”
Matthew 6:9-13
Pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”
Luke 11:1-4
It happened that as he was praying in a certain place, when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
Luke 5:16
But he himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Luke 22:32
but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. You, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God’s will.
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
Ἀββᾶ
Abba
DefinitionFather; a familiar, intimate term of address to one's father.
προσεύχομαι
pray
DefinitionTo offer prayers, supplicate, worship.
δέησις
petition
DefinitionSupplication, entreaty, earnest request.
εὐχαριστία
thanksgiving
DefinitionGratitude, giving thanks.
θέλημα
will
DefinitionWill, desire, purpose.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
During the 1st century CE, Jewish prayer was a central aspect of daily life, deeply rooted in both individual piety and communal worship. Formal prayers, such as the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Amidah (or 'Eighteen Benedictions'), were recited multiple times a day in synagogues and homes. These prayers often focused on the sovereignty of God, the restoration of Israel, and adherence to the Torah. Individuals also practiced spontaneous prayer, often retiring to private places. However, Jesus' approach to prayer, particularly His intimate address of God as "Abba" (an Aramaic term equivalent to 'daddy' or 'dear father'), represented a radical departure from the more formal and reverent addresses typical of contemporary Jewish prayers. While the concept of God as Father existed in Jewish thought (e.g., Isaiah 63:16), Jesus' consistent and personal use of "Abba" highlighted a unique relationship, emphasizing filial intimacy rather than solely distant majesty. His withdrawal to mountainsides or solitary places for extended prayer also mirrored the practice of devout individuals seeking unhindered communion, yet Jesus' prayers were always imbued with a divine authority and purpose.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
Praying like Jesus is fundamentally about aligning the human spirit with the divine will, transforming prayer from a mere ritual into a dynamic, ongoing relationship with God. It reveals prayer as the primary means of communion, spiritual power, and a manifestation of radical dependence upon the Father. Through His example, Jesus demonstrates that authentic prayer is not about dictating terms to God, but about surrendering one's deepest desires and fears to His perfect plan, trusting in His love and sovereignty. This theological understanding elevates prayer beyond a personal spiritual exercise, positioning it as foundational to discipleship, evangelism, and the very establishment of God's Kingdom on earth, mediated through the intercession of the Holy Spirit who indwells believers.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Jewish)
Though Rashi primarily commented on the Tanakh, the principle of 'Kavanah' (intention and devotion) in Jewish prayer is highly relevant. Jesus' emphasis on privacy in prayer (Matthew 6:6) and His intimate address to God aligns with the Jewish notion that prayer must come from the heart, with full concentration and sincerity, rather than being a mere outward show or rote recitation, even within established liturgy.
Augustine of Hippo (Christian)
Augustine famously taught that 'prayer is the longing of the heart for God.' He would see Jesus' prayer life, especially His Gethsemane experience and His high priestly prayer, as the supreme example of this longing—a profound, consistent yearning for union with the Father's will and glorification, even amidst profound anguish.
John Calvin (Christian)
Calvin emphasized that true prayer is 'a pouring out of our heart before God.' He would highlight Jesus' prayers as models of humble yet confident access to God through His unique Sonship, enabling believers to approach God with boldness, knowing that Christ's merits provide the basis for their petitions and His example provides the manner.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Matthew Henry often stressed the practical and exemplary nature of Christ's life. He would underscore Jesus' consistency in prayer, His deliberate withdrawal for solitude, His earnestness, and particularly His submission ('not my will, but yours be done') as the patterns for disciples to follow. For Henry, Christ's prayer life provided comfort and instruction for every aspect of the believer's prayer journey.