Let's start this morning by reading John 13:1-5 (NRSV), and remind ourselves of where we are in the gospel of John:
Now, before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end/uttermost. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table,[a] took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
Jesus knows that his hour has come. Viewed from a lower, earthly, human level, this hour is going to be rough. Jesus is going to the cross. He's going to be killed as a criminal, and buried.
But viewed from above, this hour, is the hour of his glorification. Jesus will be lifted up-- 3 times. He will be lifted up, exalted, on the cross. He will be lifted up, raised up, from the grave. And he will ascend to heaven, to be with his Father.
Jesus, knowing all of this, for the last three chapters has loved his disciples to the uttermost. He has modeled what it looks like to serve others. He has called them to abide in him, to keep his commands, to love one another. He has given them promises-- that every prayer will be answered, that the Holy Spirit is coming, that the Father and the Son will come and make a home with them, and in them.
Now, in chapter 17, Jesus stops addressing his disciples, and turns toward his Father. But when he does this, we are supposed to realize, that this is part of how he loves his disciples to the uttermost. And when we read this, understand that part of how he loves you to the uttermost, is by praying this prayer to our Father, for you. This is what Jesus wants for you. And Jesus is the kind of Person, who receives what he asks for in prayer.
The first section of the prayer runs from verse 1-5. Let's read this, and then go back over it more slowly:
(1) These things Jesus said,
and lifting his eyes toward heaven, he said,
"Father, the hour has come.
Glorify/honor your son,
in order that the/your son would glorify/honor you,
(2) [just as/in as much as] you have given him authority over all flesh,
in order that everyone whom you have given him, he would give to them eternal life.
(3) Now, this is eternal life: that they would know you-- the only true God--
and whom you sent-- Jesus Christ.
(4) I glorified you on the earth,
the work completing that you gave to me, that I would do [it],
(5) and now glorify me, Father, in your own presence, with the glory that I had before the world existed in your own presence.
Verse 1:
(1) These things Jesus said,
and lifting his eyes toward heaven, he said,
"Father, the hour has come.
Glorify/honor your son,
in order that the/your son would glorify/honor you,
Jesus starts his prayer here by asking his Father to exalt him-- to glorify him. Jesus wants this, not as an end, but as a means to an end. If Jesus is glorified, this will result in his Father being glorified. And that's what he ultimately wants-- his Father to be honored, and glorified, and exalted.
This brings us to verse 2. The connection between verse 1 and 2 is a little tricky. There's not a nice way to translate it, and English Bibles clean it up one way or another (but maybe losing a little something in the process).
(2) [just as/in as much as] you have given him authority over all flesh,
in order that everyone whom you have given him, he would give to them eternal life.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus has already been given authority over all flesh (read John 5:19-29?). Jesus has the authority to give life to whoever he wishes (John 5:21). Jesus has the authority to judge everyone (John 5:22).
Because Jesus has this authority, he already has glory, and honor. Jesus is already the big deal. But now, Jesus asks for his ultimate glorification-- the glorification that comes through the cross, resurrection, and ascension. If God grants him this, then God will himself receive even greater glory/honor.
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Whitacre:
In verse 2 Jesus expands this request for glorification, though following his exact train of thought requires careful attention. According to the NIV, Jesus’ request for his glorification is grounded on (for) the authority that the Father already gave him over all people (pases sarkos, “all flesh”). But for (kathos) could also be translated “just as,” indicating that the previous granting of authority is not the grounds for the glorification, but, rather, comparable to the glorification. We will soon see reason to prefer this alternative.
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Verse 3:
(3) Now, this is eternal life: that they would know you-- the only true God--
and whom you sent-- Jesus Christ.
Eternal life, in the gospel of John, has to do with knowing God the Father, and who he sent-- Jesus Christ. This is as close to a definition of eternal life, as you will find anywhere in this gospel. And understand-- this is John's definition. You can't read this into Paul (Rom. 6:23; Gal. 6:6-8).
When we read verse 3, what does it teach us? Eternal life is primarily about a relationship with God the Father, and with Jesus. It's about knowing them. Not, in the end, knowing about them. Or knowing about what they've said in the Bible. Knowing the Father, and the Son, now. Living in relationship, friendship, service to, the Father, and Jesus, now. Worshipping the Father, and the Son, now.
That's eternal life. And that's something we have now. We have a share in the divine life.
Verse 4-5:
(4) I glorified you on the earth,
the work completing that you gave to me, that I would do [it],
(5) and now glorify me, Father, in your own presence, with the glory that I had before the world existed in your own presence.
Verse 4 is a tricky little verse, when we think about it from the perspective of time. How can Jesus say that his work has already been completed? How can Jesus say that he is ready to return to his Father, and be glorified there?
There's two ways to answer this:
(1) Option #1 is that Jesus is like Babe Ruth, calling his homerun before he hits it. Jesus knows exactly how this will all unfold. And he has total confidence that he will end up victorious in all of this. And this confidence, lets him speak about all of this as though it's already happened (Whitacre, maybe Gail O'Day). John 17:24 is clear support for this option-- Jesus speaks as though he is already with his Father. It's like he has a foot in both worlds-- the heavenly, and the earthly.
(2) Option #2 rethinks what it means, that Jesus has completed the work God gave him to do. We tend to think that Jesus' work, fundamentally, revolves around the cross, resurrection, and ascension.
But there's another approach. The work God gave Jesus to do, revolves around Jesus' disciples (H/T Francis Moloney).
Up to this point in John, Jesus has been the good/noble shepherd to the people God gave him. Jesus has protected his disciples, provided for them, taught them. And Jesus has been successful in all of this. The existence of this little band of disciples, is proof that Jesus' work is done. He has finished creating, and sustaining, what God gave him to do.
I think Option #2 is the likely winner here, because of how Jesus continues. Jesus, verse 6, goes on to talk to his Father about his disciples, and what Jesus has done for them. What Jesus is doing here, is describing the work he has completed:
(6) I revealed your name to the people
whom you gave me from the world.
Yours, they were,
and to me, them, you gave,
and your word they have kept.
(7) Now they know
all the things that you have given to me, from you they are,
because the words that you gave me, I have given them,
and they received [them],
and they know truly that from you I came,
and they believed that you, me, you sent.
So Jesus has finished the work his Father gave him to do. He revealed God's name to them (Jesus is "I AM"). He taught them to keep his Father's word. And his disciples, hearing Jesus' words, believe them, and "keep" them. They believe that Jesus is sent from God, and so his words are true, and reliable.
Now, there are lots of things the disciples still don't understand. Jesus has told them that they have too much sorrow, to be able to understand everything he wants to say to them. But they know enough, for now. And more importantly, they have to come to the right place, and are abiding with the right person-- Jesus Christ. We don't have to get everything right. We don't have to know everything perfectly. But we need to stick with Jesus. And this, his disciples have done perfectly (so far).
Now, up to this point, Jesus has prayed for himself, and reminded God about how he has faithfully carried out his Father's mission for him. Starting in verse 9, Jesus begins to pray specifically for his disciples-- for the ones his Father has given him for safekeeping.
Verses 9-12:
(9) I on their behalf am asking--
not on behalf of the world I am asking,
but on behalf of the ones you have given me,
because yours, they are,
and all of my things, yours they are,
and your things, mine,
and I have been glorified in/by them,
(11) and no longer I am in the world,
and they, in the world, they are,
and I, toward you, I am coming.
(12) When I was with them, I was keeping/protecting them in/by your name which you gave me,
and I guarded [them],
and none of them was lost/perished, except only the son of destruction,
in order that the scripture would be fulfilled.
Jesus, up to this point, has been a good shepherd to his disciples. He has kept them, and guarded them, and protected them all from getting lost along the way. The only exception to this, Judas, was a necessary exception.
Scripture had to be fulfilled, that the one who eats his bread, would lift his heel against him (John 13:18; Psalm 41:9).
But when Jesus has done all of this, he has done so for disciples who are not only his. This flock, sitting around him in the upper room, is also God's flock. They belong to God. They are God's responsibility, as well. And so Jesus reminds his Father of this.
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So, on one hand, Jesus can warn his disciples against falling away (John 16:1), and assume that we have some responsibility in this (John 6:60-68). On the other hand, Jesus has made sure that his disciples don't fall away.
You could say that there is a tension here, between human responsibility, and divine sovereignty, and maybe there is. But we are supposed to hold them both together.
The other thing, practically speaking, we should probably learn from this, is that when we see disciples in danger of falling away-- they are vulnerable, stumbling-- we should ask God to keep them, and protect them.
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Starting in verse 13, Jesus is going to remind his Father of something else. The hour is here, when Jesus will no longer be able to shepherd God's flock the same way. He is returning to his Father. And what this means, is that his Father is going to have to take over. The baton has to be passed:
Verse 13-19:
(13) Now, I am now coming toward you,
and these things I am saying in the world,
in order that they would have my joy completed in themselves.
(14) I have given them your word,
and the world hated them,
because they aren't from the world,
just as I am not from the world.
(15) I don't ask, (in order) that you would take them from the world,
but (in order) that you would protect/keep them from the evil one.
(16) From/of the world, they are not,
just as I am not from/of the world.
(17) Sanctify/dedicate them in/by the truth.
Your word, truth, it is.
(18) Just as me, you sent into the world, also I sent them into the world,
(19) and on their behalf, I sanctify/dedicate myself,
in order that they would be-- also they-- sanctified/dedicated in/by the truth.
What does Jesus ask for, specifically?
(1) Prayer request #1 is found in verse 15.
In verse 15, Jesus makes it clear what he's not asking for. He doesn't want God to pull them out of the world-- either by calling us up into his presence in heaven, or by starting up little Hutterite colonies in rural ND.
What Jesus asks for, is protection. Even the though the evil one-- satan-- has been defeated, he hasn't given up.
And he can still make life harder than it needs to be for God's people. So Jesus asks God, that God would protect us from satan.
(2) Prayer request #2 is found in verse 17. Jesus asks God to "sanctify them in the truth."
Now, I'm going to be honest. When I read that, my head hurts. [and it made me grab another cup of coffee].
Let's start unpacking this, by talking about "sanctification." This is one of those million dollar theology words, that's used in a way that's not particularly biblical (technically speaking). When theologians talk about "sanctification," they are talking about how we steadily become more and more like Christ. Sanctification is the process of throwing off the things that entangle us, and becoming more righteous in Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
All of which is true. This is what should be happening to us.
But that's not really what "sanctification" means. Sanctification, is about "consecration," or "dedication to God." We understand, from everyday life, what dedication looks like. A good musician is dedicated to her music. A good runner is dedicated to waking up most days, and getting their miles in. And Jesus' prayer, is that we would be dedicated to God.
Now, what does it mean, that we are sanctified/dedicated "in the truth"?
When we hear the word "truth" in the gospel of John, we are supposed to think about the truth about Jesus, and the Father. It's the truth that Jesus is sent from God, with words from God. That Jesus is the Lamb of God. That he is the way and the truth and the life. Jesus prays that we would be dedicated to God, with a full understanding of who he is, and of who we are in him.
And, again, this is Jesus' prayer. This is what he asks God to do, for you.
Now let's reread verses 18-19:
(18) Just as me, you sent into the world, also I sent them into the world,
(19) and on their behalf, I sanctify/dedicate myself,
in order that they would be-- also they-- sanctified/dedicated in/by the truth.
In the same way that the Father sent Jesus into the world, as his agent, to do his will, so also Jesus has sent us.
We are a people committed to the Father, and to the Son. We live, dedicated to doing what God wants, and to testifying to the world about Jesus.
And when Jesus sends us out, he does so as someone who is also "consecrated/dedicated." Jesus is committed to you, to helping you, to praying for you, to strengthening you.
This brings us to verse 20. Here, Jesus begins to pray specifically for us-- for every believer who has received Christ, through the testimony of those who came before us:
(20) Now, not on their behalf I ask only,
but also on behalf of the ones giving allegiance to me through their word,
(21) (in order) that all, one, they would be;
just as you, Father, [are] in me,
and I [am] in you,
that also they, in us, they would be,
in order that the world would believe that you, me, you sent,
(22) and I, the glory that you have given me, I have given to them,
in order that they would be one,
just as we [are] one,
(23) I in them,
and you in me,
in order that they would be having been made completely into one,
in order that the world would know
that you, me, you sent,
and you loved them,
just as me, you loved.
Let's pause here. What Jesus prays for here, is unity. Jesus wants us to be one, just as he, and the Father, are one.
We read this, and we squirm. We think that unity is impossible. Even if we ignore the bigger picture, of how different denominations could possibly work together, and just think about the people in this room... it seems hopeless. We are too different. We have too many competing agendas. The other people in this room-- not us, but others-- have the wrong priorities, and ideas. But Jesus prays, that we would be united.
If this is you, or me, let's note five things, about how Jesus describes unity:
First, understand that Jesus is talking about a unity of mission. Jesus sends us out into the world as a people who are "consecrated/sanctified/dedicated." We have a job. And if we keep our focus outward, on our mission, unity shouldn't be that hard. If we are focused on reaching this community-- our friends, coworkers, neighbors, customers-- reaching these people for Jesus, then we have the most important thing in common. And even if you think I had bad taste in worship songs, or bad ideas about how this church should look, or I misread some verses, or you think I'm annoying, you can overlook those things, because of our shared mission. And I can overlook the same things in you. :)
Second, understand that Jesus is talking about a unity found in the Father, and in the Son. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. And if we abide in Christ, and keep his words, we will find ourselves living in joy, and peace, with each other. We live together as one, in Christ.
Third, understand that unity is something Jesus prays for, for us. Unity is something that God can give this church.
Fourth, our unity, is essential for our mission to the world. When the world sees that we love each other-- that we love the people in this room-- they find themselves realizing that what we say about Jesus, is the truth. Our love testifies to the truth about Jesus.
Fifth, our unity is something that's a process (verse 23). Let's not beat ourselves up over a lack of unity. If/when we fail, let's confess our sins to each other. Let's be reconciled, and move on. If we find ourselves squabbling about stupid stuff, let's speak up, and remind each other of our mission. And let's pray, as Jesus prayed-- that we would be one, just as Jesus and the Father are one.
Verse 24:
(24) Father, what you have given to me, I want that where I am, also those ones would be with me,
in order that they would see my glory that you have given me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Here, Jesus expresses the desire, that we would see Jesus' full glory. If we had a vision of what Jesus truly was, and of the glory he truly has (Rev. 5?), that would change everything. It would fill us with confidence, and joy, and peace.
Verse 25-26:
(25) Righteous Father, also the world, you, hasn't known.
Now, I have known you,
and these ones have known
that you, me, you sent,
(26) and I made known to them your name
and I will make it known,
in order that the love [with] which you loved me, in them it would be,
and I [would be] in them.
The only people who truly, actually, know God, are Jesus' disciples. Everyone outside of the church can talk all they want about "God," but only we "know" God (John 17:3).
And the reason we know God, is through the faithful witness of Jesus, and of his disciples who preceded us. My parents, and grandparents, and pastors, all faithfully pointed me toward Jesus, and revealed who God truly is.
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And with that, we find ourselves at the end of the chapter. I'm really not sure of the best way to help you, in applying this.
Maybe it's just this: Jesus loves you, as much as anyone can possibly love you. And the Father loves you, the same way, to the same degree. Your Father in heaven loves you, just as much as He loves his son.
So if you find yourselves discouraged, or torn apart by disunity, or overwhelmed by your mission, remember this chapter. Remember how Jesus prayed for you, and continues to pray for you. Remember that you belong not only to Jesus, but also to your Father in heaven. Your Father has taken on the responsibility of providing for you, and protecting you. And God is the best possible Shepherd.
Remember your Father's love, and remember his calling. Live in peace with each other, and testify to the world about Jesus.
Translation:
(1) These things Jesus said,
and lifting his eyes toward heaven, he said,
"Father, the hour has come.
Glorify/honor your son,
in order that the/your son would glorify/honor you,
[just as/in as much as] you have given him authority over all flesh,
in order that everyone whom you have given him, he would give to them eternal life.
(3) Now, this is eternal life: that they would know you-- the only true God--
and whom you sent-- Jesus Christ.
(4) I glorified you on the earth,
the work completing that you gave to me, that I would do [it],
(5) and now glorify me, Father, in your own presence, with the glory that I had before the world existed in your own presence.
(6) I revealed your name to the people
whom you gave me from the world.
Yours, they were,
and to me, them, you gave,
and your word they have kept.
(7) Now they know
all the things that you have given to me, from you they are,
because the words that you gave me, I have given them,
and they received [them],
and they know truly that from you I came,
and they believed that you, me, you sent.
(9) I on their behalf am asking--
not on behalf of the world I am asking,
but on behalf of the ones you have given me,
because yours, they are,
and all of my things, yours they are,
and your things, mine,
and I have been glorified in/by them,
(11) and no longer I am in the world,
and they, in the world, they are,
and I, toward you, I am coming.
(12) When I was with them, I was keeping/protecting them in/by your name which you gave me,
and I guarded [them],
and none of them was lost/perished, except only the son of destruction,
in order that the scripture would be fulfilled.
(13) Now, I am now coming toward you,
and these things I am saying in the world,
in order that they would have my joy completed in themselves.
(14) I have given them your word,
and the world hated them,
because they aren't from the world,
just as I am not from the world.
(15) I don't ask, (in order) that you would take them from the world,
but (in order) that you would protect/keep them from the evil one.
(16) From the world, they are not,
just as I am not from the world.
(17) Sanctify/dedicate them in/by the truth.
Your word, truth, it is.
(18) Just as me, you sent into the world, also I sent them into the world,
(19) and on their behalf, I sanctify/dedicate myself,
in order that they would be-- also they-- sanctified/dedicated in/by the truth.
(20) Now, not on their behalf I ask only,
but also on behalf of the ones giving allegiance to me through their word,
(21) that all, one, they would be.
Just as you, Father, [are] in me,
and I [am] in you,
that also they, in us, they would be,
in order that the world would believe that you, me, you sent,
(22) and I, the glory that you have given me, I have given to them,
in order that they would be one,
just as we [are] one,
(23) I in them,
and you in me,
in order that they would be have been made completely into one,
in order that the world would know
that you, me, you sent,
and you loved them,
just as me, you loved.
(24) Father, what you have given to me, I want that where I am, also those ones would be with me,
in order that they would see my glory that you have given me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
(25) Righteous Father, also the world, you, hasn't known.
Now, I have known you,
and these ones have known
that you, me, you sent,
(26) and I made known to them your name
and I will make it known,
in order that the love [with] which you loved me, in them it would be,
and I [would be] in them.
