This week, we are looking at the prayer that Jesus prayed shortly before He went to the cross. Some call it, \u201cThe High-Priestly Prayer.\u201d It\u2019s found in John chapter 17.<\/p>\n
There are three parts of this prayer. He prayed first for Himself, then for His apostles (vv. 6\u201319), and finally for future believers (vv. 20\u201326).<\/p>\n
First, we looked at Jesus\u2019 prayer regarding Himself (John 17:1\u20135).<\/p>\n
Next, we look at Jesus\u2019 prayer for His apostles (John 17:6-19).<\/p>\n
And now, we look at Jesus\u2019 prayer for the future believers..<\/p>\n
John 17:20\u201326 (ESV)<\/p>\n
20 \u201cI do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.\u201d<\/p>\n
So here, Jesus the High Priest extended His prayer beyond the apostles. He prayed for generations yet unborn. \u201cI do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.\u201d (verse 20) In fact, every believer reading this verse can say, \u201cJesus prayed for me over 1900 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
What follows is Jesus\u2019 prayer for the Church that would be established through the apostles.<\/p>\n
Again, I\u2019m going to break this section down in an outline form and let the Scriptures speak for themselves.<\/p>\n
1..He asks that the Father unify the Church (17:20\u201321a, 22).<\/p>\n
20 \u201cI do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us,\u2026 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,..\u201d<\/p>\n
2. He asks that the Church honor the Son (17:21b).<\/p>\n
21 \u2026 so that the world may believe that you have sent me.<\/p>\n
3. He asks that the Church display God\u2019s love (17:23).<\/p>\n
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.<\/p>\n
4. He asks that the Church experience God\u2019s love (17:25\u201326).<\/p>\n
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.\u201d<\/p>\n
5. He asks that the Church enjoy Christ\u2019s glory in heaven forever (17:24).<\/p>\n
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.<\/p>\n
Some comments on this passage from some old theologians add deeper meaning for me to the passage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe love of God which, before the creation of the physical world, had its adequate object in the person of the Son (v. 24), finds it, since the creation of the new spiritual world, in all those who are united with the Son.\u201d \u201cWhat God desired in sending His Son here on earth was precisely that He might form for Himself in the midst of humanity a family of children like Him.\u201d ~ F. L. Godet, Commentary on the Gospel of John, II:345<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is because the Lord Jesus is in the believer that God can love him as He loves Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n
So dear, so very dear to God,<\/p>\n
I cannot dearer be;<\/p>\n
The love wherewith He loves the Son,<\/p>\n
Such is His love for me!<\/p>\n
(Poem by Catesby Paget)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe petitions made by Christ for His people refer to spiritual things, to heavenly blessings. Not for riches, or honor, or worldly influence, but deliverance from evil, separation from the world, qualification for duty, and a safe arrival in heaven.\u201d ~ Rainsford, Our Lord Prays, p. 173<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This week, we are looking at the prayer that Jesus prayed shortly before He went to the cross. Some call it, \u201cThe High-Priestly Prayer.\u201d It\u2019s found in John chapter 17. There are three parts of this prayer. He prayed first for Himself, then for His apostles (vv. 6\u201319), and finally for future believers (vv. 20\u201326). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4261"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4261"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4264,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4261\/revisions\/4264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southsidealive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}