Praying in the name of Jesus

[Dr. Walter]

1. Can you find any example of prayer in the New Testament?

2. Can you find any prayer in the new Testament that used "in the name of Jesus. Amen" as the verbal closure to that prayer?

3. What does it mean to pray "in my name"?

 

[Amy.G]

John 14:13-14 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.


I assume this verse is the reason for praying in Jesus' name.

 

[Jerome]

More:

John 16:23-24
verily, verily, I say to you, as many things as ye may ask of the Father in my name, He will give you; till now ye did ask nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Ephesians 5:20
giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father;

Colossians 3:17
and all, whatever ye may do in word or in work, [do] all things in the name of the Lord Jesus — giving thanks to the God and Father, through him.

James 5:14
is any infirm among you? let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil, in the name of the Lord,

 

[billwald]

It is a Christian mantra, like "if it is in your will." "Please give me the winning lotto ticket if it is your will. In Jesus' name. Amen."

 

[Salty]

It is a Christian mantra

Since I did not know the meaning, I looked it up

Click here for the meaning

and for English language* learners click here

* includes Americans

Salty, WD**

** without a degree

 

[Alcott]

At work, you might sign a contract or a check, engage a contractor, order stock or equipment...not acting for yourself but for your company. You're doing these things in the name of the company. It's for the entity that gives you authority that you are acting or asking. But if you 'engage a contractor' to build you a driveway at your home, in the name of the company, and write the check on company draft, you are not acting for the company, but for yourself, and the consequences could be dismissal from the job and maybe crimnal prosecution.

The idea of abusing "the name of Jesus" ina similar way is monstrous. What we do in his name is what he authorizes. To close a prayer with that phrase may or may not be proper, depending on for whose benefit we are praying. And certainly when it is treated as a magic word, or some such thing, to get what we want, that would show we're still at the milk stage of the gospel.

 

[Dr. Walter]

At work, you might sign a contract or a check, engage a contractor, order stock or equipment...not acting for yourself but for your company. You're doing these things in the name of the company. It's for the entity that gives you authority that you are acting or asking. But if you 'engage a contractor' to build you a driveway at your home, in the name of the company, and write the check on company draft, you are not acting for the company, but for yourself, and the consequences could be dismissal from the job and maybe crimnal prosecution.

The idea of abusing "the name of Jesus" ina similar way is monstrous. What we do in his name is what he authorizes. To close a prayer with that phrase may or may not be proper, depending on for whose benefit we are praying. And certainly when it is treated as a magic word, or some such thing, to get what we want, that would show we're still at the milk stage of the gospel.

Very good! I see the command to pray and do things in the name of Jesus throughout the New Testament. However, I do not see anyone using it as a verbal formula at the close of their prayer.

If I may, let me summarize what you have stated under three headings. To pray "in the name of Jesus" means:

1. That you are praying in keeping with his revealed will (1 Jn. 5:16) and/or in accordance with what he has authorized (Acts 4:7).

2. That you are approaching God on the basis of his merits/provisions (instead of your own merits/provisions) as our Mediator/high Preist/Representative (Heb. 10:10-22).

3. That you are asking/petitioning things in keeping with His revealed character.

 

[Dr. Walter]

More:

John 16:23-24
verily, verily, I say to you, as many things as ye may ask of the Father in my name, He will give you; till now ye did ask nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Ephesians 5:20
giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father;

Colossians 3:17
and all, whatever ye may do in word or in work, [do] all things in the name of the Lord Jesus — giving thanks to the God and Father, through him.

James 5:14
is any infirm among you? let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil, in the name of the Lord,

These are certainly apostolic commands in keeping with Christ's command. However, can you find any example of an actual prayer where that prayer ended with the words "in the name of Jesus Amen"?

 

[Dr. Walter]

John 14:13-14 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.


I assume this verse is the reason for praying in Jesus' name.

This would be the reason for praying in Jesus name but is this the explanation for what He means to pray "in my name"? In other words, does he mean that your prayer should end with the verbal formula "in the name of Jesus. Amen!"?

 

[Dr. Walter]

It is a Christian mantra, like "if it is in your will." "Please give me the winning lotto ticket if it is your will. In Jesus' name. Amen."

I believe you are partially correct. You seem to be saying that it MEANS pray in keeping with my will!

Now, his REVEALED will is provided in the Scriptures as the Scriptures are the revealed will of God. Hence, to pray contrary to the explicit precepts or implicit principles and examples would be a prayer not "in my name" even though the verbal formula "in Christ's name" may be attached to such a prayer.

 

[Amy.G]

This would be the reason for praying in Jesus name but is this the explanation for what He means to pray "in my name"? In other words, does he mean that your prayer should end with the verbal formula "in the name of Jesus. Amen!"?

No. It means according to His will and His authority to carry it out. We must submit to God in the same way that Christ did, according to the Father's will.

I know His name is used like some magic word that makes things happen the way that we want, but that is not what Jesus meant when He said to pray in His name. Jesus has all authority on earth and in heaven. We ask according to this authority but never against the Father's will.

 

[Dr. Walter]

No. It means according to His will and His authority to carry it out. We must submit to God in the same way that Christ did, according to the Father's will.

I know His name is used like some magic word that makes things happen the way that we want, but that is not what Jesus meant when He said to pray in His name. Jesus has all authority on earth and in heaven. We ask according to this authority but never against the Father's will.

You are absolutely correct! However, I think there is much more involved. His will and authority are worthless apart from His provision to make approach to God possible. Hebrews 10:10-22 demonstrates that the possibility of coming before the presence of the Father is completely based upon the provision of Christ as both sacrifice and High Preist together forming the mediation between God and man. To come before the Father "in the name of Jesus" is to believe and confess that Jesus is the basis for approaching God. That is, He is the complete satisfaction of God's wrath and righteousness in regard to the petitioner. To pray "in the name of Jesus" is to embrace the very essence of the gospel as the personal basis to approach God for anything including prayer:

19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

To pray "in the name of Jesus" is to come before God and petition of the Father through mediation of the Christ provision. It is to come to the Father not on your merits but his merits, not by your righteousness but by his righteousness, not by your faithfulness but by his faithfulness, not by your authority but by his authority, not according to your will but according to His will. It is to come through both the sacrifice and mediatorial Priesthood of Jesus Christ as a completed, satisfactory, sufficient, substitutionary provision.

 

[Dr. Walter]

Does Hebrews 10:10-22 demonstrate his sacrificial and High Priestly work is finished and as reprensented in Christ's Person in heaven serves as the basis for the sufficient, satisfactory and finished mediation between God and His people? If not, then what is lacking that must satisfy the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ in behalf of His people between God and them?

You are absolutely correct! However, I think there is much more involved. His will and authority are worthless apart from His provision to make approach to God possible. Hebrews 10:10-22 demonstrates that the possibility of coming before the presence of the Father is completely based upon the provision of Christ as both sacrifice and High Preist together forming the mediation between God and man. To come before the Father "in the name of Jesus" is to believe and confess that Jesus is the basis for approaching God. That is, He is the complete satisfaction of God's wrath and righteousness in regard to the petitioner. To pray "in the name of Jesus" is to embrace the very essence of the gospel as the personal basis to approach God for anything including prayer:

19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

To pray "in the name of Jesus" is to come before God and petition of the Father through mediation of the Christ provision. It is to come to the Father not on your merits but his merits, not by your righteousness but by his righteousness, not by your faithfulness but by his faithfulness, not by your authority but by his authority, not according to your will but according to His will. It is to come through both the sacrifice and mediatorial Priesthood of Jesus Christ as a completed, satisfactory, sufficient, substitutionary provision.

 

[David Lamb]

These are certainly apostolic commands in keeping with Christ's command. However, can you find any example of an actual prayer where that prayer ended with the words "in the name of Jesus Amen"?

I agree with your implication, Dr. Walter. Doesn't it come down to what "name" really signifies in the bible? For example, John 2.23:

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
​

We know (don't we?) that that verse doesn't mean, "Many believed that there was such a name as J-E-S-U-S", (or the equivalent spelling in their language.)

 

[Dr. Walter]

I agree with your implication, Dr. Walter. Doesn't it come down to what "name" really signifies in the bible? For example, John 2.23:

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
​

We know (don't we?) that that verse doesn't mean, "Many believed that there was such a name as J-E-S-U-S", (or the equivalent spelling in their language.)

Yes sir! I believe there are at least four implications to praying or doing anything "in the name of Jesus"

1. In keeping with His revealed will - 1 Jn. 5:16
2. In keeping with his authority - Acts 4:7
3. In keeping with his character or honor - Jn 14:12-13
4. In keeping with his representative redemptive provision - Heb. 10:18-22

It is number 4 that is preeminent and upon which all previous implications ultimately rest. One may pray in keeping with his revealed will, his authority, his character but his prayers are utterly in vain if it is not in keeping with his redemptive represetative provision because without that he has no access to the Father whatsoever.