The blessed Son of God when becoming a man, though not Himself a creature, so fully took man's place of dependence that we find He prayed habitually. "Cold mountains and the midnight air witnessed the fervor of His prayer." The prayers of Jesus are beautiful indications of the reality of His manhood He kneels down and prays. Preeminent in all things. He is an example in this. So He entered upon His ministry with prayer (Luke 3:21). And may we not say, as a principle of Christian life, What is begun with prayer will end in praise? It was when praying thus at His baptism that the heavens were opened to Jesus. Prior to choosing apostles He spent the night in prayer to God (Luke 6:12, 13). Again, in Luke 9:18, we find Him "alone praying." It was "as He prayed" on the mount of Transfiguration that the fashion of His countenance was altered, and He received from God the Father honor and glory. He did not go up to the mountain to be glorified; He went up "to pray," and was glorified. The object was prayer, the result was glory (Luke 9:28-36).
The principal recorded instances of the Lord's praying appear to be:
1. At His baptism. Luke 3:21.
2. On the first great spread of His fame. Mark 1:35; Luke 5:15.16.
3. Before choosing the apostles. Luke 6:12.
4. After feeding the five thousand. Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46.
5. At the virtual crisis of His testimony, when He forbids His being announced as Messiah, and predicts His death. Luke 9:18.
6. At the transfiguration. Luke 9:28.
7. Occasion not mentioned. Luke 9:1.
8. At the raising of Lazarus. John 11:41.
9. In view of His death. John 12:27.
10. His wonderful prayer to the Father, "The hour is come." John 17.
11. Intercession for Peter. Luke 22:32.
12. Gethsemane. Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14; Luke 22.
13. Intercession for His murderers. Luke 23:34.
14. At death, commending His spirit to the Father. Luke 23:46.
We see then, that when, in the maturity of manhood, having patiently passed thirty years in privacy, He is at last about to enter on the momentous undertaking of His life, He does so with prayer. "And it came to pass, all the people having been baptized, and Jesus having been baptized and praying, that the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon Him; and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I have found My delight." Luke 3:21, 22, J.N.D. Trans.
Following this, He is subjected to the temptation-the Spirit, who has just descended upon Him, leading Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Emerging victorious, He now, under the testimony of John the Baptist becomes the center of gathering, calling upon men to follow Him (Luke 5:11, 27; John 1:43), and exercising authority in bestowing a name upon one of them (John 1:42). He thus formally begins His work and testimony. So far, however, the work is in His own hands alone; the campaign is opened, but is only in its first stage. The field is white unto harvest. Now an important development takes place. There is a night of prayer.
“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Luke 6:12. The result of this exercise is seen. When it is day He assembles His disciples, and out of them selects twelve to be apostles. He is already the Center of gathering, now He becomes the Source of mission. The work widens, and He employs others under Him to carry the testimony throughout the land. Thus, in the record of the Lord's life, great occasions are marked or brought about by special prayer. Not only, however, did the Lord pray specially at special crises, but He had a practice. He would go, distinctly and on purpose, to pray. Thus, "And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray." Matt. 14:23. "And it came to pass, as He was alone praying.... And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He... went up into a mountain to pray" Luke 9:18, 28. "He... went, as He was wont, to the mount of Olives.... and kneeled down, and prayed." Luke 22:39, 41. Shall we not be gently led by so sweet an example? He had not where to lay His head but with Him the solitudes of the mountain served for the walls of a closed chamber, and thus, is it not true with regard to prayer, that "Where there is a will, there is a way"?
The Lord is never recorded as praying with His disciples. He taught them to pray. He prayed about them, prayed for them, not with them.* His own position was unique. Our prayers are on the basis of what Christ is for us. He could draw near to God, as qualified in His own person and dignity; we draw near only in His name. This explains a verse which otherwise would seem a contradiction. "As He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him." Luke 9:18. The disciples were there, but He was "alone praying." And in Gethsemane He told the disciples to pray, but He, to pray, withdrew from them about a stone's cast (Luke 22:40, 41). This is important, as everything is which affects our thoughts about Christ. Christians sometimes speak of the Lord as "Our Elder Brother": Scripture never does. "Ye call Me Master and Lord," He says, "and ye say well, for so I am." We cannot exaggerate the grace of Christ towards us. but it has been well said that: "The personal dignity of Christ is never lost in the intensity and tenderness of His love. True saints among the Moravians have called Jesus 'Brother,' and others have borrowed their hymns, or the expression. The Word never says so. He is not ashamed to call us brethren, but it is quite another thing for us to call Him so.”
(* See Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:29; 11:1; 22:40, 41.)
E. Thomas