Topic(s): Prayer, Worship

Todd Clippard

Colossians 3:17 teaches us to do all things in the name of Jesus. This means we must do things by his authority. You may recall in old TV police shows where a policeman would say, "Stop in the name of the law!" He meant, 'As a duly authorized agent of the law, I am commanding you to stop.' The same goes for Colossians 3:17; we must only act by the authority of Jesus.

Jesus never gave authorization to pray to Mary. Neither did any apostle ever pray to Mary or command others to do so. Jesus prayed to the Father (John 17), and taught His disciples to do the same (Matthew 6:9-13).

Jesus taught that our heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8), this includes the very necessities of life (Matt 6:32). In Matthew 7:11, Jesus also said our heavenly Father gives good gifts to them that ask Him. James said the same thing in James 1:17.

See also John 15:16; John 16:23; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 4:6-7; James 1:5; and 1 John 5:13-15. These passages, and many more like them, all speak of our praying to or making our requests known unto God our Father.

There is no passage anywhere that gives us license to pray to Mary. In fact, there is no real reference to Mary in the New Testament after Acts 1:14, and here she is only mentioned as being present with the 120 disciples. She played no role of authority in the church, and any reverence directed toward her is the result of the doctrines of men (Matthew 15:7-9).