This argument overlooks the central truth of the Incarnation. Jesus Christ is true God and true man (John 1:14; Council of Chalcedon, 451). In his divine nature, he does not need to pray, for as the Son he is one with the Father (John 10:30). But in his human nature, he lives perfectly as the new Adam, who prays for us, teaches us to pray, and fulfills perfect obedience to the Father.
The prayer of Jesus is not evidence against his divinity, but rather a testimony to the reality of his becoming human: “He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). As true man, he turns to the Father in prayer; as true God, he is at the same time the one to whom the disciples may pray.
Moreover, the prayers of Jesus reveal the intimate relationship between Father and Son: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me” (John 11:41–42). No prophet could ever pray like this—with the certainty that every word would be heard. This is a sign of divine authority, not weakness.
The Church Fathers understood this clearly: Augustine explains in De Trinitate (Book 1, Ch. 11) that Christ “prays as man, is heard as God.” Athanasius writes in Orationes contra Arianos (around 360): “When he prays, he prays for us as man; when he is heard, he is heard as God.”
Counterargument from the Other Side
“Jesus prayed because, like a prophet, he was completely dependent on God.”
Brief Refutation:
Yes, he prayed as true man—but no prophet ever said: “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do” (John 14:13). The prayer of Jesus is not merely an expression of dependence, but a revelation of his unique sonship and divine power.