Tyler Staton, pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon (Staton took over when John Mark Comer stepped down in 2021), did a number of interviews about his book, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, like this video with Peter Greig, which this writer viewed in early 2023 and subsequently wrote a Facebook post about. However, the video has since disappeared. There is a similar one where Greig discusses the same examples of what he terms unanswered prayer from Jesus. The order in this article is based on the original video because I think they discuss these examples in a different order in the newer video.
Pete Greig is founder of 24-7 Prayer International, teaches prayer in the context of Contemplative practices, and has given positive remarks about Perennial Wisdom teachers Richard Rohr and “Christian” author, David Benner. Staton is also the National Director of 24-7 Prayer USA.
Jesus and Four Unanswered Prayers
In the context of addressing people who become despondent over unanswered prayer, Greig asserts that “Jesus experienced four unanswered prayers.”
The Blind Man in Mark 8
His first example is from Mark chapter 8. Greig says Jesus had to pray twice for the blind man to see. Is this correct?
And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. Mark 8:22-25
First of all, Jesus did not pray in this case. He spits on the man’s eyes and the man sees only figures looking like trees. Jesus then lays hands on the man’s eyes and the man sees clearly. Clearly, Jesus had a reason for taking this approach, perhaps to give the man time to adjust to seeing. After all, the text states that this man was brought to Jesus; he himself did not ask Jesus for sight.
Since we do not know the reason Jesus healed this way, it is unreasonable to conclude that Jesus had to make two attempts to heal because the first one was insufficient. That is an assumption with no basis in the text. The text does not tell us why Jesus did it this way but Jesus did everything deliberately at exactly the right time since he never failed, and always abided perfectly in God’s will. Since we know that is the case, then we can know that Jesus did not fail in his first attempt to heal.
Understanding the character of Jesus refutes the idea given by Greig.
The Garden of Gethsemane
The second time Jesus had unanswered prayer, Greig tells Staton, is in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asks the Father to take the cup from him. “God clearly doesn’t answer that,” asserts Greig.
There are many factors that oppose Greig’s view.
- First of all, Jesus and the Father of course knew Jesus was going to die on the cross. Jesus had predicted it several times and what he predicted would come to pass.
- Secondly, Jesus immediately said after asking for the cup to pass, ”yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42; see also Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36).
- Third point, Jesus had already stated he was laying down his life voluntarily. The will of Jesus had been expressed to give up his life.
- Lastly, if God had answered that request, then God would have been going against his own purpose and plan, and God does not oppose himself. Nor would Jesus desire that God go against that plan since the Father and Son are harmonious and are one in will.
Rather than unanswerd prayer, this request by Jesus expressed the humanity of Jesus and how he experienced weaknesses as man. Some passages in the Gospels highlight the humanity of Jesus and some highlight his divinity.
Jesus on the Cross
The third time Jesus had unanswered prayer, claims Greig, is when Jesus is on the cross and quotes from Psalm 22, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Here again, this is not a request from Jesus but is quoted as a question. However, some believe that Jesus was referring to the whole Psalm by quoting the first line. There are many Messianic verses in this Psalm, such as verses 14 to 18, and the Psalm ends on a note of triumph. Quoting this part of the Psalm also emphasized the dire situation of Jesus on the cross in experiencing the wrath of God on sin.
The High Priestly Prayer
The fourth example is the high priestly prayer that the church be one:
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; )that they all may be one, 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. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:20-23
Greig states that we can see the “church is divided” and so here again, Jesus “learned to live with unanswered prayer.”
I am not sure what Greig means by the church being “divided.” Actually, all believers are one in Christ baptized into the same Spirit (this refers to baptism by faith not water). The Bible teaches that if one departs from the faith then that person is not and never has been in the church, the body of Christ (1 John 2:19; 2 John 9).
The church is one because all believers are part of the body of Christ; and Christ, being the head of church (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:8 ), keeps it as one. Christ sustains creation (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3) and the church will not fail or end (Matthew 16:17). Barnes comments on this passage:
“All may be one – May be united as brethren. Christians are all redeemed by the same blood, and are going to the same heaven. They have the same wants, the same enemies, the same joys. Though they are divided into different denominations, yet they will meet at last in the same homes of glory. Hence they should feel that they belong to the same family, and are children of the same God and Father…snip…Hence, Christians, in the New Testament, are represented as being indissolubly united – parts of the same body, and members of the same family, Acts 4:32-35; 1Co. 12:4-31; Ephesians 2:20-22; Romans 12:5” From Bible Hub
Since it is not clear what Greig means by a “divided church,” and since he offered no biblical evidence for his claim, it cannot be said that this prayer from Jesus is unanswered.
Disagreements on secondary issues in the church do not constitute division. The word “division” (also rendered as “dissension”) in Scripture “refers to a state of division or dissension, often implying a separation into opposing factions or parties,” which is opposing biblical teaching. So anyone rejecting essential doctrines (such as the Trinity, the deity/humanity of Christ, the atonement for sins, the bodily resurrection) is, by definition, not in the church.
Answering the Question
Nothing in the biblical texts cited by Greig supports his claim that Jesus had unanswered prayer. He offers these as a way to make people feel better who have what they think is unanswered prayer.
That raises the issue of what unanswered prayer is. For many, it means God is not answering the way we want, maybe not healing someone we prayed for, someone not coming to faith in Christ who has been prayed for, not providing a desired job, etc. But there actually is no unanswered prayer.
God always does what is best so not having a prayer answered the way one desires does not mean it is unanswered. Instead, God has another answer or way to address the issue. Unanswered prayer could mean
- God has something other for you than what is asked for.
- It could mean that the resolution will come much later in God’s timing (such as praying for someone to come to Christ who may finally trust Christ after 20 years of prayer).
- It could be that God is answering in ways you don’t realize or know about.
- God could be withholding what you requested but, if so, it is for his purposes and for good reasons, such as a way to cause you to trust him more, or to spur your maturity in Christ.
Unanswered prayer is really just God answering another way (sometimes better than what was asked for), whether by providing something else or withholding it for a good reason, or that it will come about at another time.
The core issue is trusting God. God does tell us to ask but also to trust him. So one prays a request and leaves it in God’s hands according to God’s will. However that prayer may be answered, even in ways we may not know of, is always for the best. Instead of talking about Jesus having unanswered prayer, it is far better to examine what one believes unanswered prayer is in light of God’s word and in light of God’s character. Doing this is what gives reassurance, not giving false examples of Jesus not having prayer answered.
Poor handling of Scripture continues to be a hallmark of those who go down the contemplative path. As has been noted many times, not a single Bible verse or passage has used to support contemplative practices has been correctly used.
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