What did Lord Jesus Christ disciple the church about ‘posture’ during prayer?
Jesus’ disciples are the ones who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and the reference is there.
Thank you and shalom in Jesus name
Hello @Fredjames
I’m not totally sure what you are asking, but I will give it a shot. It’s a common misconception that Jesus prescribed a specific physical “manual” for prayer. In fact, if you look at the Gospels, Jesus was a bit of a “posture rebel.” He seemed far less concerned with whether your knees were hitting the floor and far more concerned with where your heart was pointing.
He used various physical stances depending on the situation, but his teaching always prioritized sincerity over ceremony. Jesus himself modeled several different physical positions. I suggest that this is showing that the “correct” posture is whichever one matches your current spiritual state:
The most common Jewish posture of the time was standing. Jesus assumes this in many of his parables, Mark 11:24-25, for example.
“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
Kneeling was used in moments of intense petition or submission. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22:41 notes he knelt to pray.
“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,”
Prostrate or face down. In that same moment of extreme agony in Gethsemane, Matthew 26:39 says he “fell with his face to the ground.” This represents total undoing and absolute surrender.
When multiplying the loaves or healing, Jesus often looked toward heaven (Mark 6:41, John 11:41), symbolizing his connection and appeal to the Father’s authority.
Then Jesus talked about the posture of the heart (The “Inner Room”). When Jesus explicitly taught about how to pray (rather than just modeling it), he focused on spatial posture rather than physical limbs.
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6), he warned against the “Legalists” of his day—the Pharisees—who stood on street corners to be seen. He taught: Go into your ‘inner room’: This is a posture of secrecy. By closing the door, you strip away the “audience” and ensure your prayer isn’t a performance for others.
Avoid “vain repetitions”: This is a posture of relational trust. Legalism suggests that if you say the right words enough times, you “activate” God. Jesus taught that God already knows what you need; you aren’t “informed” by your prayer, you’re “aligned” by it.
Hope this helps.
Peter
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First of all, let’s not be haughty and wise in our own conceit.
Instead of making things and answers short and simple like our Master given to children, we unwisely make it complicated and irrelevant.
Confusing the children even more than they already are, because Jesus teaching is simple even in regards to the ‘posture’ given or forbiden to the church.
It’s in the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, let’s stick to that and thank you.
Jesus didn’t give any specific instructions as far as the correct posture for prayer, but I believe we can conclude from Scripture that the posture of our heart toward God when we pray is to be like a beloved child talking with a parent—respectful, truthful, trusting.
As far as physical posture, I think it is appropriate to stand, sit, kneel, depending on the situation. The church I attend has times of prayer in the service in which churchgoers are invited to kneel, and I find that this submissive, reverent posture can help my heart adopt the same kind of posture toward God.
One other thing I’ll note is that Jesus warned several times not to pray for the sake of sounding good or looking impressive to others. So, I would say, whatever posture you feel is most natural to you and allows you to focus on God rather than what others think of you and your praying is probably the best.
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How would you apply that to what I shared to answer the question?
What is your example that you seem to be the answer to the question? At the beginning of Matthew is a geography, the birth of Jesus, etc. How is any of that
Peter
Amen. God does not care how you come, just that you do. Jesus biggest complaint was being a “Holy for show only” person. He said they have their reward.
Peter
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What about the sermon on the mount, the beginning of Christ making disciples for the Kingdom of GOD after they became born again?
And the same before His ascension, He commissioned them to make disciples of all nation as well?
Why are you and alike, give us your own teaching about the ‘posture’ during prayer, and ignore Christ’s teaching even in context?
Looks like you and alike are not His disciples, but rather disciples of man made doctrines and church traditions.
GOD does not care how you come??
As a result that’s why we have divided denominations and lawlessness in Christendom, where each church does their own thing.
Without faith in the every word that proceeded out of the mouth of GOD, one cannot please GOD.
Yet GOD pours out HIS goodness during the grace period for repentance and change, but towards the end there’ll be live or damnation.
While there’s time to get serious, let’s get serious, because obeying His commandments is to love Him.
Thank you
Can someone help me out here? I must be missing something. The question is
pos·ture /ˈpäsCHər/ noun The position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting.
I responded that Jesus showed us it did not matter
Standing, praying on His knees, face down. He is not concerned with your posture, but rather that you come to Him in prayer anyway you can. I guess this is not what @Fredjames was asking?
I guess someone needs to clarify the question a bit more for me. If you @Fredjames is saying there is only one posture to prayer, then YOU are the one who is giving us your own teachings, and not following what Jesus Himself demonstrated.
Peter
Serious allegations from you here, “you and like”…
…the context of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) makes it clear that His statements were primarily directed to His disciples rather than to the crowds at large. The opening verse of the sermon explicitly frames it as a teaching to “His disciples” -Matthew 5:1–2[1]. The repeated pronouns and imperatives in the Beatitudes and throughout the sermon assume a committed, ongoing relationship with Him, which is characteristic of disciples, not casual listeners.
When Jesus speaks about being salt and light, about loving enemies, or about fulfilling the Law, these instructions presuppose the capacity for intimate adherence and moral formation, which He expects from disciples who have responded to His call and are undergoing formation under His instruction. The crowds may observe, but the content is addressed to those who are following Him and who are being trained to embody the kingdom ethic.
In terms of “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), that is a commissioning statement given later, after the resurrection, which extends beyond the immediate context of the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon lays the ethical and spiritual foundation for discipleship, whereas the Great Commission operationalizes that discipleship outwardly. In other words, the teaching of Matthew 5–7 is preparatory and formative for those already committed, not a universal call to all people in the crowd.
Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
Mat 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
I am with you. Matthew’s Gospel begins with the prophecy that the Savior’s name would be “Emmanuel, that is, ‘God with us,’” (1:23, in which the author has linked Isa 7:14 and 8:8, 10 together) and it ends with Jesus’ promise to be with his disciples forever. The Gospel of Matthew thus forms an inclusio about Jesus in his relationship to his people that suggests his deity.
J.
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them - ESV ↩︎
There’s no serious allegation but rather serious correction and awakening from ‘lawlessness’.
Those who are redeemed and saved and do not know first of all the law and order of a King and ignorantly breaking them are workers of ‘iniquity’ or ‘lawlessness’.
Therefore, such ‘ignorant’ are reminded by His serving unworthy servants who are serving here on earth, before on that day the King Himself declares them to ‘depart’.
Rest assured, we who serve Him are also accountable to the same law and order in the New Testament,
Which is the New Covenant GOD through HIS Son makes with the church, even of today.
Henceforth as ‘hearers’ to His law and order as King who’ve paid the ransom and allowed us to the FATHER’s Kingdom.
Also diligently become ‘doers’ cum ‘abiders’ to them, and bear much good fruit similarly and in discipleship ikewise.
Therefore allow me to start what you’re truly missing, also among others, hence are in ‘lawlessness’, and bear much fruit of likewise ‘lawlessness’.
Remember that GOD corrects the ones HE love, especially HIS children, first born from above, second born of water and of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 6:
5. And when thou prayest, ‘thou shall not’ be as hypocrites are; for they love to pray ‘standing’ in the synagogues(church) and in the corners of the street, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Exodus 20:
. ‘Thou shall not’ …
John 14:
21. He that hath My ‘commandments’, and ‘keepeth’ them, he it is that loveth Me: …
23. …, If a man love me, he will keep my words: …
24. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings:: …
Ephesians 2:
20. And are built upon the foundation of the ‘Apostles’ and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Cheif Corner Stone;
Jesus discipled His disciples from the Sermon on the mount, and overall in context to 3 other Gospels, until to the book of Revelation.
As Apostles, Jesus commissioned them, as well the 13th, likewise to make disciples of all nation and the church His law and order.
Only an ‘imposter’ and ‘counterfeit’ to our faith in the word of GOD, since unlearned and unstable oneself, do ‘wrest’ the doctrine and the scriptures to ones destruction.
Well, so glad you cleared that up, my legalist friend. However, you ARE making an allegation that I now ask you to prove.
I think you meant to say, state? Let’s go with that. What is the lawlessness that you claim you see committed by me or others here? Name it.
I believe I said this as well. Of course, we agree on this. Can you show me where I do not?
Assuming you mean the Commandments. Which do you accuse me of breaking? Or anyone else here of breaking? Again, name them.
You say you are “correcting" someone here, so correct us. Where is your evidence that we are either imposters or counterfeit? What verifies this in your eyes? If I tell one of my kids, “Hey, don’t do that,” yet I leave out what that is, how will they “not do it"?
Honestly asking. These are indeed serious accusations. Let’s talk about it.
Peter
Who’s being the legalist here?
Seem like your reply back and forth, cum based on your self interpretation thus far and not to the point Jesus made in discipleship, is the ‘legalist’ here.
What about the one you pointed out that, ‘He(Jesus) is not concerned with your ‘posture’, but rather that you come to Him in prayer anyway you can’?
Next, you claim that i am saying there is only one posture to prayer, and when did i?
And further implying, am giving my own teaching to you all?
Apparently you’re the ‘legalist’, ministering and witnessing one’s ‘lawlessness’ version, and against the Law of Christ that sets us free.
Moreover you couldn’t quote to the point where Jesus disciples us about ‘posture’ when thou prayest, which we’ve been asking about from the start.
Deflection is not the winning of an argument. The purposeful misspelling of the word “come” shows your mentality.
Sadly, no one knows what you are saying. Except for unfounded accusations that you seem to refuse to back up with facts or examples.
Another baseless claim. As for
I answered this in several different ways. Perhaps you do not understand your own question.
Peter
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Can you quote us scriptures on all of Jesus’ ‘posture’ during prayer in the Gospel, as you claim He have shown us?
And you also have claimed that it doesn’t matter to Jesus, whatever posture is acceptable to Him and GOD when His lambs and sheep pray.
But scripturally it mattered to Jesus and GOD, and have given us lambs and sheep a commandment, on the posture and person one should not become or imitate or follow.
To conclude, there’s this lawless version you legalist minister and witness that conflicts with the lawful version Jesus have ministered and witnessed.
[quote="PeterC, post:2
For the record, Jesus doesn’t contradict Himself that in this verse He’s permitting ‘standing’ and praying, and while in the other He ‘forbids’.
He’s just referring to based on the usual traditional ‘posture’ Jews follow, that is when they stand and pray to GOD.
And hence the lawful things one as born again believers in their new life must do before their prayer to GOD.
About as subtle as an ICBM. If I answer your questions three willst thou allowst us to pass thy bridge?
Care to share where Jesus “forbids standing and praying?” I believe you may be incorrect.
I did.
Again, so us where we are wrong in scripture.
Peter
i did too, and will quote once again, thank you.
Matthew 6:
3. And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray 'standing in the synangouges and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 7:
24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. (we know Christ is that rock)
(And on the contrary those who heareth and doeth them not are liken unto foolish man right?)
As for the first quote, Jesus giving us a commandment (like the 10 commandments) forbidding us not be as hypocrites are.
(As referring to from the Sanhedrins to their Jewish followers and has been a tradition until the coming of their Messiah)
First of all, they love to ‘stand’ and pray. (in our time the church gatherings does)
Second, in the synagogues (in our time the church gathering buildings)
Third, and in the corners of the streets (in our time, the street ministries church does)
Violating, they’re already rewarded and their storage in Heaven is empty, and are unto foolish men, likewise workers of ‘lawlessness’ obeying not His given commandment.
To conclude, therefore they love not the Lord and King who’ve paid the ransom and freed them from their bondage and masters.
Also gave He them power to become sons of GOD and settled forth in the Kingdom of the FATHER.
(‘Citizens’ who obey not the laws of their King love Him not, and therefore are workers of ‘lawlessness’.)
Accumulating only trouble for oneself for on that day, when at the moment the King have travelled to a far away country and soon to return.
When and where citizens as servants will have to give an account of their good and faithfulness during His absence.
This quote is not a parable spoken to crowds but personal ‘instructions’ spoken to His disciples.