May One Pray to Jesus Christ?
Of course one may. But we have this commandment not from Scripture, but from Tradition.
Can One Assert on the Basis of Scripture Alone That We Must Pray to Jesus Christ?
In the Bible there is no commandment to pray to Jesus Christ. However, there are certain signs in John. 14:14 (see the Greek text: ἐάν τι αἰτήσητέ με — “if you ask Me anything”; the NRSV renders it this way: “If in my name you ask me for anything”).
Jesus Christ prayed to the Father (Mark. 14:36; Luke. 22:42) and gave the prayer “Our Father” (Matt. 6:9; Luke. 11:2), that is, He taught to pray to the Father.
Those who build their faith without Tradition, on Scripture alone (on their own understanding of Scripture, of course), cannot bring themselves to deny prayer to Jesus Christ. So they say that the practice of praying to Jesus Christ exists, and therefore one may pray to Him. However, they often have difficulty even in showing the practice, because it is very rare, but of course it exists. For example:
“While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed (ἐπικαλούμενον), ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’” (Act. 7:59)
Criticism
“Ask in My Name”
Protestants object, pointing out that the commandment is in this verse:
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John. 14:14)
However, in the same farewell discourse the Lord Jesus Christ teaches to ask the Father:
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (John. 16:23)