The Gospel of John Lesson 73 (05-04-14) John 17:1-2

The Gospel of John Lesson 73 (05-04-14) 

Lesson 73 – John 17:1-2

In chapter 17 Jesus seals the deal. Knowing that His disciples do not have what it takes to accomplish what He has entrusted to them to do He resorts to the only sure and trustworthy thing that He knows, prayer to the Father. He prays to the Father knowing that the Father has the ability to make it so and that without Him it ain’t happening!

Having instructed His disciples in the things that they would need to preform and accomplish the mission that He has given them, Jesus turns to the Father entrusting Him with the process and the outcome. (Prov. 16:9) Jesus knows that the Father will do it because it was the Father Himself that had given Jesus His mission and task. Now having completed His mission Jesus commits it back to the Father for the outcome.

A couple of quick observations, Jesus in praying to the Father looks up. Some would say that God is everywhere and technically they would be right. There is not any place where the Presence of God cannot be found. But, we must consider Jesus’ focus and posture for He knew where the Father was and in praying in this fashion and direction He gives us an example of where to put our focus especially during prayer. Jn. 8:23

Second, in v. 1 Jesus knew the will and timing of the entire plan of God for Him. Knowing that all the details of the Father’s will were completed and also knowing the exact timing of these events, Jesus now knows that it is time for His work to be completed asking the Father to finish His plan and glorify Him. What is this glory? It is rather obvious; it is the Cross, doing the work, taking the penalty for our sin and making payment and restitution for our offenses.

Most would say, “What glory is that”. That’s only pain and suffering…blood and guts. But, some would understand by replying with a well-known phrase, ‘no guts no glory’. Jesus knew that those that would receive the benefit of His death would be eternally grateful giving Him glory forever.

Jesus knew the sacrifice that it took to receive glory, and, we know that He did not do it for the glory, however, Jesus knew that it was the Father’s will to glorify Him putting ‘duty’ before Him in the end receiving the glory that went with it. But, at the end of v. 2 Jesus in justly receiving glory having earned it does not keep it, so to speak. Instead He gives the Glory that He receives back to the Father.

This glory and glorification is on a level that we do not fully understand or comprehend. Being human it is only natural to want some credit, or glory, for an act or mission well done. We naturally at least want to be recognized and or appreciated for our duty and personally sacrifice. However, God’s acts are not done for any recognition. His works are done because He is who He is and because they are right. It is because of His acts, in and of themselves being right, and, as such being the acts of God, that glory is naturally given. It is how it is.

In v. 2 Jesus in praying to the Father tells us that the Father has given Him authority and power over all flesh. All too often we read past statements like these too quickly, not pausing long enough to consider their meaning and implication. When He says all flesh we might want to know what is meant by this statement because all flesh would include us.

We find a parallel reference to this in Matthew’s Gospel in chapter 28 and verse 18 where Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth is given to Him. This means that if what Jesus is telling us is true then He is responsible for us giving accountability to the Father concerning us, and, that we are under Him and in turn accountable to Jesus.

He says in v. 2 of John 18 that the Father gave this authority to Him. If this is true then Jesus is not making a claim as to who He is and what His level of authority is, but instead is coming acting on an edict given to Him from a source of authority, in this case God the creator of the universe. (Edict - an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority.) 

What Jesus tells us that He is responsible for in v. 2 is pretty important. In His prayer that He says to the Father He says that He is responsible for things eternal saying that it is His responsibility, and, that He has the power to give life that is eternal. Wow! I thought that only God could do that. Maybe Jesus is telling us something here that we need to be sure to listen too. Maybe…what Jesus is saying here will be a reality that in the end when it is all said and done will be so even if our opinion does not agree or match what He is saying here.

If what He says is true, His authority to carry out this job and task comes from a pretty high source, and, if what He says is true, He will have the power to see it through completing His mission exactly as given to Him by His Father. It would be wise to for us consider what He says from His perspective remembering that our opinion may not be as practical as we may think.

In v. 2 Jesus in His prayer to the Father Jesus tells us that those that He will give eternal life to are given to Him by the Father. Jesus will make mention of this 7 times in this prayer. Jn. 17:2, 6(twice), 9, 11, 12, and 24. Scofield makes reference to this in his reference Bible saying that Jesus was God the Father’s love gift to the world, Jn. 3:16, and that believers are the Father’s love gift to Jesus. It is Jesus that commits believers to the Father for safe keeping, and, because of this the believer’s security rests upon the Father’s faithfulness to His Son.