Growing up, I understood that every real prayer had to end in "In the name of Jesus, Amen." I mean, didn't Jesus say, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you." (John 16:23)? Well, of course He did. So ... tack on "In the name of Jesus" and you'll get it. Now, we all know that doesn't actually work, so ... was Jesus wrong? No. We're just being silly.
What does it mean to ask "in the name of Jesus"? It is not some literal, magical use of the word, "Jesus." You'd think so, given the number of songs you hear about how "the name of Jesus" is ... beautiful, saving, breaking every chain, etc. "I pray the name of Jesus over you." I don't even know what that means. There are those who believe the word itself is ... magical. But we know better. What do we mean when we use the phrase? The dictionary says it means "under the authority of or on behalf of." When a police officer says, "Stop in the name of the law!" he's saying, "On the authority of the law, you must stop." When a rider rode into an old village in the Middle Ages with an edict "in the name of the king," it was "under the authority of the king." This isn't hard. In Scripture the term refers to that as well as the character of someone else -- the whole person. Not "Bob," but "all that Bob is and represents." When we say, "He has a good name," we are saying "He is of good character."
We are indeed called on to be baptized in the name of Christ (Acts 2:38) and act charitably in the name of Christ (Acts 3:8), to give thanks in the name of Jesus (Eph 5:20) and more. We're told, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Col 3:17). Don't think that it's a function of the spelling of the name or some magic applied to it. We're talking about the authority and character of Christ to which we submit. Remember that the next time you pray "In the name of Jesus" -- "under the authority of and according to the character of Christ." It sure changes the meaning, doesn't it?
Just like the "name above every name" is not "Jesus", but the character and authority of God.
ReplyDeleteToo many people have this idea that Jesus' name is a mystical incantation. And when they don't get what they asked for, they turn away from God. The problem being that their request was for their desire, not God's desire. "Your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven." When we pray in Jesus' name, keep in mind who's authority and character we are invoking.
This is a good reminder that when we pray, there are no “magic” words to utter during communication with God, as you say. There is, however, great power and authority in the name of Jesus--but it’s not our power or authority (like the prosperity teachers declare) but all His. I always seek to pray to the Father, by the Son, through the Holy Spirit, being mindful of the biblical truths those phrases represent. “By the Son”--or in His name--would mean (among other things) “based on the perfect work of the Great High Priest, which allows me to approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Heb. 14-16). Indeed, “under the authority of and according to the character of Christ [Jesus]”--the name above all names (Phil. 2:9).
ReplyDeleteThe "name above all names" is "Lord" (Php 2:11) ... suitable given that "in the name of" is about authority.
ReplyDelete