The Gospel of John Lesson 74 (05-11-14) John 17:3-10

The Gospel of John Lesson 74 (05-11-14) 

Lesson 74 – John 17:3-10

In v. 2 we are told that Jesus is responsible for giving eternal life to those that the Father gave to Him and in v. 3 of chapter 17 we are told what that eternal life is. So what is eternal life? One might say, “Well, it is obvious. It is life that lasts forever, having no end.” But, is that enough of a definition to explain what Jesus has offered and/or is giving us?

In v. 3 Jesus tells us that there is more to it than that...more than life that does not end. If all we were given was life that did not end then as a result we might go on living as we are, being miserable forever. Some would desire the proverbial ‘fountain of youth’ instead of what Christ offers here, but that would not help us or our condition much.

Jesus says in v. 3 that eternal life really is ‘knowing’ God and not just knowing about Him. This was the mistake of the Pharisees. They knew about God, but they did not know enough about Him personally to recognize Him when He showed up.

Specifically John 17:3 says that we ‘might know God and Jesus Christ’. From Jesus’ statement and prayer here we can assume that prior to coming to Christ in reality we did not know God. However, if we study further in the Scriptures we would find out that in really it is much more grave than this. When looking at the Scriptures it gives the picture that prior to coming to Christ we did not know God at all, being in reality dead to Him.

This may be hard for us to acknowledge and receive. If asked, most of us would say that we at least believe in God, and, that we would consider ourselves at least somewhat enlightened, knowing God on some level.

However, Jesus says later in this prayer in, v. 25, that the world does not know the reality of God. The truth is, if God had left man alone and had not invaded this world, first in revelation and second with His Presence in Jesus Christ, man would have willingly replaced the concept or reality of God with himself. (The song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon is a good example of this.) The Bible refers to this lack of knowing God as death. This death is both physical and spiritual.

Eph. 2:1-5 says:

(Ephesians 2:1-5)

Amplified Bible (AMP)

2 And you [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins

² In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].

³ Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.

⁴ But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (^[a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

However, even though we were once dead to God, Eph. 2:5, because of Christ He has made us alive. Alive to what? Alive to God. John chapter 1 verse 4 tells us, “In him (Christ) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” In Jn. 11:25 we also see Jesus tell Martha and those present, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in (knows) me will live, even though they die; In Jn. 6:57 Jesus also said, “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” And, Jn. 10:18 says, “No one takes it from me (My Life), but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

So often, however, our actions would say that in reality we want to take or receive our eternal life and run, running off back to our own way of life. But, we do not just get eternal life from God like receiving a ticket , getting into heaven. We have eternal life because we know Him. It is a relationship that begins with a focus and knowledge of God and that focus never ends. God continues to be our Life throughout eternity.

Eternal life is found in knowing Him and will eternally be about Him. In claiming to know Jesus and God and having eternal life this is something that we need to be sure we are comfortable with. Eternal life is not just knowing about God or Jesus, but eternal life is knowing Him, meaning an ongoing relation. Our ‘Eternal Life’ comes from knowing Him, continually. Knowing Him will be an ‘eternal’ prospective!

So, a question comes up in my mind when thinking about this. If eternal life is found in knowing God in relationship and not just knowing about Him, then why is it that many claiming to be His followers appear to spend so little time getting to know Him not reading and studying the Bible?

In v. 3 John says gives us some more interesting details about God. He says that in knowing God one of the facts about Him is that He is the One and only. Jesus in His prayer in v. 3 says that this is eternal life that we know Him and that He is ‘the only True God’. There is no other. Isaiah 44:6, 8, 45:5, 18-25

John also says in v. 3 that they that know God will also know Jesus Christ, that they would know Him not only as God’s messenger and representative, but that they would also know Him personally and in time know Him intimately.

V. 4 Jesus says that He has presented and shown God’s Glory to all the earth and those on it. This was something that was not known in its fullness until Jesus had come. Prior to this time God’s glory was a mystery and man was blinded to it. Prior to Jesus man was caught up in his own pride giving himself or something else the glory and credit for God’s deeds and goodness toward man.

However, Jesus’ presence and witness and testimony revealing the truth of the Father and His goodness by His words and His life did nothing but praise the Father for His continual goodness. Isaiah 6:3 tells us that the whole earth is full of God’s glory. (Read)  The Psalmist prays to the Lord in praise to Him, praying for the whole earth to be full of His glory.

However, man did not and still does not recognize the goodness and mercy of God’s continual goodness toward him. Jesus admirably represented the true Glory of the Father which the Father rightly deserved for His love and goodness toward His creation and especially toward man. Even though Jesus deserved credit and honor for His acts and deeds, He lived His whole life in obedience to the Father and showed forth the Father and His glory.

However, at the end of v. 5 Jesus makes an interesting declaration. In His prayer to the Father He asks the Father to restore the union and position of glory that He had with the Father before the world was even in existence. Two things are of interest here in v. 5. One, that Jesus found and received His own glory by the Father’s presence. Jesus did not find His glory, even though He was worthy of it, in Himself. It was in the Presence of the Father that Jesus found His life and it was the Father’s Presence that was His glory. And, second that Jesus says that He had this union and glory with the Father before the world was even in existence, before Jesus as a man appeared on the earthly scene.  This is a clear claim to Jesus’ deity being equal and one with the Father.

But, not all listened to Him. V. 6 says that only those that the Father had given to Jesus would listen and understand what Jesus was saying. They would see what Jesus was referring to concerning the Father’s glory and would also keep the Father’s words that He had given to Jesus, Jesus having shared these words with them. V. 7 and 8 says that they were the ones that believed Jesus’ words and His witness concerning the Father. They clearly understood that what Jesus had shared with them were words from the Father and had no doubt that Jesus was sent by Him to declare this to them.

In v. 9 Jesus makes another interesting statement. He tells us that He prayed to the Father for those who the Father had given to Him, but He says that He does not pray for those who the Father had not given to Him, or those He refers to as of this world. In saying this it is clear that Jesus’ focus and eye of protection was on those that the Father had given to Him and not on those that had continually rejected Him. Those receiving Jesus’ words and message showed clearly who the Father had given to Jesus and those who rejected Him and identified with this world being blind to the truth that Jesus was proclaiming.

This is a great mystery. We know that Jesus declares in John 15:16 that the thought of deciding to follow Jesus did not originate with His followers. In that verse, Jesus tells us that before they chose or decided to follow Him, He had already chosen them to follow Him. As we have discussed earlier, Jesus refers to those that the Father had given to Him seven times in this prayer. He says in v. 10 that all that are the Father’s are His and all that are His are also the Father’s. It appears from the conversation and content of this prayer that there were a definite amount that were ordained to come that were given to Christ by the Father and that there were those who would in the end chose to remain in darkness remaining blind to God’s open invitation to come.

This indeed is a great mystery. That God knew who would choose to come, and, even a greater mystery that God had chosen those who would come beforehand, before the foundation of the world, and, that others would remain in darkness blind to God’s offer. Eph. 1:4; Rev. 17:8 At the end of v. 10 it tells us that Jesus was glorified in this mystery, in particular being glorified in those that the Father had given to Him.