Q. Can I use the words “through Jesus” instead of “in the name of Jesus” when praying? Are they interchangeable? Do they mean the same?

Consider: (1) “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in [en^G1722] the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20); (2) “… I thank my God through [dia^G1223] Jesus Christ for you all” (Romans 1:8). “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17, ASV). Are they the same? Can we say either “in the name of” or “through” in our prayers?

WHAT ABOUT SPEAKING TO GOD “THROUGH” JESUS?

Review. Paul wrote, “I thank Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me” (1 Tim. 1:12). Many of us were taught to only direct prayer in public to the Father ending with “in the name of Jesus.” Our study has shown that this is scripturalⁱ (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17; John 16:23-24) but is not exclusive nor a required pattern of recitation.

“In the name of” versus “through Jesus.”

DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. Both passages thank God but obviously with two different prepositional phrases. Their meaning is different as well. Prepositional phrases in either English and Greek are defined as “a group of words that show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object.”ⁱⁱ

1. The Preposition “IN” [en^G1722]. Thayer defines “in” as being between the motion “into” and the motion “out of.” “In” according to Strong’s Dictionary is a location word, “(fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality.” An example is “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by [en] the will of God to come unto you” (Romans 1:10). “In the name of Jesus” therefore can mean “that which is fixed by Jesus”; i.e, the means of our doing something by Jesus’ authority.

The preposition “in” is used for both the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit in praying; e.g., “… praying in [en^G1722] the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20b).

Purpose of Scripture. According to Johnⁱⁱⁱ, the purpose of his section of Scripture is to make known the name of Jesus so that we can be assured and confident in what we believe and can pray in accordance to His will (1 John 5:13-14). “These things have I written unto you” that we might “know with settled and absolute knowledge”^iv In this passage “into the name of Jesus” is used synonymous with “according to the will of Jesus”; i.e., according to what Jesus has authorized: “if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (v. 14). Now John was directed in his writings by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; Acts 2; 2 Peter 1:20, 21). Hence, his writings are “by the instrument of the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, we have this passage confirming the participation of both Jesus and the Spirit in authorizing how to pray acceptably.

Scripture → Source of our knowing → what to believe;

i.e., Jesus’ will^v ← We thereby know He hears us.

According To Grace’s Teaching. “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:12). The “name of the Lord Jesus” is glorified when we abide by the teaching from God’s grace which Jesus revealed by the Holy Spirit through the apostles.^vi “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us...” (Titus 2:11, 12). Since the Spirit is involved in this teaching, it can be said to be done “in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20).^vii

Therefore, I agree with the following conclusions in this matter.^viii “When Jesus told us to pray in His name, He wasn’t asking us to use a particular phrase at the end of each of our prayers, though the expression ‘in Jesus’ name, Amen’ is certainly appropriate...”^ix “‘IN THE NAME OF JESUS’” must mean that one must pray by Jesus’ authority^x as was revealed by the Spirit in the Scriptures (Matthew 28:18).

2. “THROUGH [dia] JESUS.” The preposition “through” [dia^G1223], on the other hand, means access, “the channel of an act” (Strong’s) and “the reason by which something is or is not done” (Thayer).^xi It can therefore be and has been translated as “because of”; for example, “persecution ariseth because of [dia^G1223] the word” (Matthew 13:21).

“For through [dia] Jesus we both have access by [en] one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). It is true that acceptable prayer must be through Jesus and in one Spirit. “Through Jesus” is not something which must be recited EITHER but is what Jesus has made available to mankind. It is what supplies our access to the Father. Notice in the endnote all the good things in addition to prayer that can be acquired through [access to] Jesus.^xii

Two prayers with “through Jesus.”

Romans 1:8a. “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ.” The ABP+ translates this verse as “I give thanks to God because of Jesus Christ…”

Romans 7:25. Some translations have “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25a). A few versions have something like, “Thanks be to God because of Jesus who delivers me.”^xiii Rather than being a pattern, this text could be a thanksgiving for our deliverance due to Jesus Christ.^xiv

CHAIN OF COMMAND? Does thanking God “through Jesus” mean that prayer is a “chain of command” (Hebrews 7:25; John 14:6)? Some have likened prayer to a “chain of command” like a “relay system.”^xv But, did Jesus not say that the Father loves us (if we love Jesus) and therefore Jesus does not have to relay requests (John 16:26-27a)? But if Christians sin Jesus is our advocate (1 John 2:1; Romans 8:34) to bring us back into communion with God. “Prayer to the Father, it must be acknowledged, is where the weight of emphasis falls in the New Testament revelation.”^xvi It is the Father who planned to bless us with fellowship with Him through Jesus (Ephesians 1:3-6). Jesus is our mediator (1 John 2:1; 1 Timothy 2:5-6) and our intercessor (Hebrews 7:25) and therefore it is only natural that we have the blessing of speaking to God directly “because of” Jesus.

Summary. “In” appeals to the authority and will of Jesus as revealed by His Holy Spirit in the Holy Scriptures. “Through” is the reason for it all! “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:14). Paul had just written, “For through Him [Jesus] we both [Jew and Gentile believers] have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

- Gaylon West

THROW OUT THE LIFELINE

xii Through Jesus we have (1) RICHES (2 Corinthians 8:9); (2) GOD’S PROMISE (Galatians 3:14); (3) RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS (Ephesians 2:7); (4) THE PEACE OF GOD (Philippians 4:7); (5) RENEWING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Titus 3:6); (6) SANCTIFICATION (Hebrews 10:10); (7) TO DO WELLPLEASING IN HIS SIGHT (Hebrews 13:21); (8) We GLORIFY GOD by our speaking and our ministering (1 Peter 4:11); (9) ESCAPED POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD (2 Peter 2:20); (10) JUSTIFICATION BY GOD’S GRACE (Romans 3:24); (11) JUSTIFIED BY FAITH giving us PEACE WITH GOD (Romans 5:1); (12) JOY IN GOD and atonement (Romans 5:11); (13) GIFT OF GRACE (Romans 5:15); (14) ALIVE UNTO GOD through Jesus (Romans 6:11); (15) ETERNAL LIFE (Romans 6:23); (16) THANK GOD (Romans 7:25); (17) GLORY IN THINGS pertaining to GOD (Romans 15:17); (18) GLORY TO GOD (Romans 16:27); (19) VICTORY (1 Corinthians 15:57).

xiii (e.g., NIV, Murdock, GW, ABP, CEV, ERV, GNB)

xiv Popular New Testament

xv https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/go-directly-to-god

xvi https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/you-asked-can-i-pray-to-jesus/