Chapter 11: “they may behold My glory” John 17

“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory” John 17.24

by John M. Riddle, England

CHAPTER ANALYSIS
He Prays in Connection with the Father – vv.1-5
He Prays in Connection with the Twelve – vv.6-19
He Prays in Connection with All the Redeemed – vv.20-26

THE LORD LOOKS BACK
What the Father Had Done
What He Had Done

THE LORD LOOKS FORWARD
In Connection with Himself
In Connection with His Disciples

John chapter 17 contains the longest recorded prayer offered by the Lord Jesus during His public ministry on earth. He prayed habitually, but little is known of the content of His prayers. It is noteworthy that He prayed at His baptism, Lk.3.21, before commencing His service for the day, Mk.1.35, and before choosing the twelve apostles, Lk.6.12. He was praying when transfigured, Lk.9.29, and, as A.W. Pink points out, “it was while praying that He ceased to breathe”¹ Lk.23.46.

¹ Pink, A.W. “Exposition of the Gospel of John”. Zondervan Publishing House, 1945.

His prayer in John chapter 17 “differs from the prayer which Christ ‘taught His disciples’ Matt.6.9-13, for in that there are petitions which the Saviour could not offer for Himself, while in this there are petitions which none else but Christ could present … In John 17 the veil is drawn aside, and we are admitted with our great High Priest into ‘the Holiest of all’ … this prayer is as a model of His High Priestly intercession for us, which He continually makes in the immediate presence of God, on the ground of His completed and accepted sacrifice.”² It is essentially an intercessory prayer, flowing out of love for His disciples, in which He prays that their interests might be secured, and He does so audibly so that they might know the nature of His intercession, for example, v.13: “these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves”.

² Ibid.

He prays in a mediatorial character: that is, as One Whose ministry is to “lay His hand upon us both” Job 9.33. In previous chapters, He had dealt with His disciples in the name of the Father. Now He deals with the Father on behalf of the disciples.

In His prayer there is no confession of defect, no intimation of deficiency or inferiority. We should note its comprehensive character: it embraces past eternity, life on earth, and onwards.

John prefaces the chapter by saying, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven” v.1. We should notice:

“These words spake Jesus”

This refers back to Jn.16.33: “These things I have spoken unto you”, that is, to His Upper Room Ministry. But now He is moving from ministry to His disciples (and to us) to ministry for them (and for us).

“And lifted up His eyes to heaven”

There were ‘clear skies’ above the Lord Jesus: there was nothing to hinder His communion with His Father. Compare the publican who “would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven” Lk.18.13. In lifting up His eyes to heaven, the Lord Jesus displayed His utter confidence. Compare the prayer of the Psalmist (in this case, probably Hezekiah): “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” Ps.121.1,2.

The Lord Jesus alone had the moral right to lift up His eyes to heaven: “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save Him from death [‘out of death’], and was heard in that He feared [‘because of His piety’ J.N.D.]” Heb.5.7.

The eyes that looked on dirty feet, Jn.13.5, now look up to heaven. The lowly, humble Son of God now engages in the holiest of exercises. In the words of J.G. Bellett, “In chapter 13 His body was girt, and He was stooping down towards our feet; here [in chapter 17], His eyes are lifted up, and He is looking in the face of the Father.”³

³ Bellett, J.G. “The Evangelists: Being Meditations upon the Four Gospels”. G. Morrish, 1860.

CHAPTER ANALYSIS

He Prays in Connection with the Father – vv.1-5

“Father”: He prays here for the Father’s glory, asking nothing for His people in these verses. The Father’s interests are placed first. He seeks nothing for Himself apart from the Father.

He Prays in Connection with the Twelve – vv.6-19

“Holy Father”: He presents them in vv.6-10. He prays for them in vv.11-19. Having presented His own, He prays for them as worthy objects of His Father’s love and care. The Lord Jesus asks for the preservation of His own in strict accord with the Father’s holy nature. Hence He says, “keep through Thine own name … that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil … Sanctify them through Thy truth” vv.11,15,17.

He Prays in Connection with All the Redeemed – vv.20-26

“Righteous Father”: He emphasises the equity of the petition. It is right that they should be supremely blessed. “The world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou didst send Me” v.25. While in vv.6-19 the Lord Jesus prays particularly for the apostles, for example vv.6,12, the language is applicable to all believers, and though vv.20- 26 concern all believers, the language is equally applicable to the apostles.

For the purpose of our current meditation, we will consider this wonderful prayer by the Lord Jesus as follows: firstly, the Lord looks back; secondly, the Lord looks forward.

THE LORD LOOKS BACK

In looking back, the Lord Jesus refers, firstly, to what the Father had done, and secondly, to what He had done.

What the Father Had Done

The Father had entrusted work to Him, people to Him, His words to Him, and glory to Him. This is seen in the expression “Thou gavest Me” vv.4,6,8,22.

The Father Had Entrusted Work to Him – v.4

“I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.”

In saying “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” we recall, for example, the Lord’s words, “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” Lk.2.49; “the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do …” Jn.5.36; “It is finished” Jn.19.30, all of which, and more, remind us of the Divine pleasure which permeates Isa.42.1-4: “Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged …”

The Father Had Entrusted People to Him – v.6

“I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me.”

Amongst other things, this clearly identifies the proper relationship between God’s people and the world in which they live. Paul puts it in graphic terms: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” Gal.6.14.

In a wider sense, the Lord Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me … And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing” Jn.6.37-39. But in John chapter 17, the Lord is speaking specifically of “the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world”. Should we ask, ‘When did the Father give them [and us, v.24] to Christ?’ The answer, most assuredly, is that He did this “before the foundation of the world” Eph.1.4. Mr. A.C. Gooding (late of Stowmarket, Suffolk) observed that while some argue about the sovereignty of God in election, he personally sat down and enjoyed it!

How reassuring to hear the Good Shepherd, when speaking of His sheep, say, “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all” Jn.10.29.

The Father Had Entrusted His Words to Him – v.8

“I have given unto them the words [plural] which Thou gavest Me.” In passing, we should notice that the Lord later speaks in the singular: “I have given them Thy word” v.14. Here, v.8, “the words” are ‘the sayings’. This refers to Divine communications, for example, Isa.50.4: “He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.”

In Isaiah chapter 50, the “tongue of the learned” belongs to One Who is taught of God. The Lord Jesus did not at any time fail “to give unto them [the disciples]” His Father’s words. In this connection He said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me” Jn.7.16; “as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things” Jn.8.28; “I speak that which I have seen with My Father” Jn.8.38; “For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” Jn.12.49.

The Father Had Entrusted Glory to Him – v.22

“And the glory which Thou gavest Me, I have given them.” We might well ask: what glory? It cannot be His essential and incommunicable glory. It has been nicely said that “God intends to fill heaven with people like His Son.” With this in view Paul writes, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” So, to this end, “whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified” Rom.8.29,30. The Lord’s prayer will be answered: “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world” Jn.17.24.

John tells us that “when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” 1Jn.3.2.

And is it so? We shall be like Thy Son,

Is this the grace which He for us has won?

Father of glory! (thought beyond all thought)

In glory to His own blest likeness brought.

(J.N. Darby)

Having noticed what the Father had entrusted to the Lord Jesus, we must now reemphasise how the perfect Servant discharged the responsibility committed to Him. So, having seen what the Father had done, we will now see what the Lord had done:

What He Had Done

To summarise: the Lord speaks of what He had done, firstly, as to the work entrusted to Him, v.4; secondly, as to the men entrusted to Him, v.6; thirdly, as to the words entrusted to Him, vv.8,14; fourthly, as to the glory entrusted to Him, v.22.

As to the Work Entrusted to Him

That is, “the work which Thou gavest Me do” v.4. Of the work committed to Him, the Lord Jesus said, “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.”

We should notice that while John chapter 17 is often called the High Priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus (which it is indeed), it is also the report of the faithful Steward: “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” v.4; “I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me …” v.6; “I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me” v.8; “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name” v.12; “I have given them Thy word …” v.14; “As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world” v.18; “I have declared unto them Thy name …” v.26.

The perfect Steward left nothing undone. Everything was perfectly accomplished. We should add that now, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, He continues to shepherd and succour His people.

Perhaps we should pause to ask ourselves about our stewardship. It was evidently necessary for Paul to write, “Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it” Col.4.17. Rather, it is better to be able to say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” 2Tim.4.7.

We cannot leave this without saying that the Lord’s words “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” have inspired our hymn-writers, including Horatius Bonar with his composition:

Done is the work that saves!

Once and for ever done;

Finished the righteousness

That clothes the unrighteous one;

The love that blesses us below

Is flowing freely to us now.

As to the Men Entrusted to Him

That is, as noted above, “the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me”, with this happy result: “and they have kept Thy word” v.6.

He Manifested the Father to Them

He did so in His life: “I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me” v.6, enabling Him to say, “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” Jn.14.9. He did so by His lips: “I have declared [‘made known’] unto them Thy name, and will declare it [‘make it known’] …” v.26.

There was no discrepancy between the life and the teaching of the Lord Jesus. Luke highlights this in saying, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” Acts 1.1. He was so unlike “the scribes and the Pharisees”, who “say, and do not” Matt.23.2,3.

It is fitting, surely, to search our own hearts, and root out any discrepancy between our lips and our lives. We may say the right thing at the right time, but are we right? “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.’” Matt.15.7,8.

In manifesting His Father’s name to His disciples:

He Watched over Them

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them [tereo, meaning ‘to watch over’ or ‘preserve’] in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept [phulasso, meaning ‘to guard’ or ‘keep watch’], and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled” v.12.

We are immediately reminded of the Lord’s teaching in John chapter 10, where the Good Shepherd constantly attends to the welfare of His sheep. Amongst other things, He is intent on their protection, vv.1-3, on their direction, vv.4,5, on their nourishment, v.9, and on their eternal security, vv.28,29. To this end, He knows His sheep individually, v.27.

As to the Words Entrusted to Him

That is, “the words which Thou gavest Me” v.8.

We have already noted that in saying “I have given unto them the words [plural], which Thou gavest Me” v.8, the Lord refers to the communications He had received from the Father, while in saying “I have given unto them Thy word [singular]” v.14, He refers to the body of truth. In connection with the Lord’s reference to “the words which Thou gavest Me”, He said, “For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak” Jn.12.49,50.

In saying “I have given unto them Thy word [singular]”, referring to the body of truth (“all the counsel of God” Acts 20.27), we suggest that this may be partly illustrated in the Lord’s Upper Room Ministry, John chapters 13-16.

The unaltered continuity of teaching: here from the Father to the Son, and from the Son to His disciples, should reflect in the ongoing testimony of His servants. Paul described his ministry as “the commandments of the Lord” 1Cor.14.37. To Timothy, he wrote, “The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” 2Tim.2.2. In writing “the same”, Paul’s message is clear: ‘Don’t alter it, Timothy!’

As to the Glory Entrusted to Him

That is, “the glory which Thou gavest Me” v.22.

In Christ, “God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in [the] Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among [the] nations, has been believed on in [the] world, has been received up in glory” 1Tim.3.16, J.N.D. “God … raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory” 1Pet.1.21. In this, the Lord Jesus is unique. He alone is worthy. And yet, wonder of wonders, at His coming He “will change our vile body [‘our body of humiliation’ J.N.D.], that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself ” Phil.3.21. In the majestic words of J.N. Darby:

Not we alone, Thy loved ones all, complete,

In glory round Thee there with joy shall meet,

All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee, Lord,

Object supreme of all, by all adored.

THE LORD LOOKS FORWARD

He looks forward firstly, in connection with Himself and secondly, in connection with His disciples.

In Connection with Himself

“Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was” vv.1-5.

It is noteworthy that the Lord Jesus sought no glory for Himself apart from the Father. This was true on earth, and it is equally true in heaven. Having said “If any man serve Me, him will My Father honour”, He went on to say that, as the perfect Servant, He had come to glorify His Father, something that He wonderfully accomplished: “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour:’ but for this cause came I unto this hour. ‘Father, glorify Thy name.’” John records that “then came there a voice from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.’” Jn.12.26-28. He had glorified His Father in His life, and He would glorify His Father in His death.

Having prayed, “Father, glorify Thy name” Jn.12.28, now in John chapter 17 He prays with emphasis on His Father’s glory. “Glorify Thy Son [not ‘the Son’, which is relative, but “Thy Son”, which is personal. He rejoices in His Father’s love], that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was” vv.1-5.

A comparable passage is found in Jn.13.31,32. “Therefore when he [Judas] was gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him.’”

“Now is the Son of man glorified” because He was about to undertake the greatest work in the history of the entire universe: something that had never been witnessed before and will never be seen again. In His death, He destroyed “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” and delivered “them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” Heb.2.14,15.

“God is glorified in Him” because every aspect of Deity was perfectly manifested at Calvary. The power, justice, holiness, faithfulness and love of God were all glorified in His death. We rightly sing:

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son;

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,

And opened the life gate that all may go in.

(Fanny J. Crosby)

“If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself.” If God is glorified through Christ, then God will bestow His glory upon Him.

“And shall straightway glorify Him.” He will do it without delay: He cannot wait to do it! God has set Him at His own right hand, Eph.1.20,21.

In Connection with His Disciples

In looking forward in connection with his disciples, the Lord Jesus speaks of His own firstly, as in the world, and secondly, as in heaven.

Of His Own in the World

In this connection, He speaks of their being left in the world, vv.11-13; being hated by the world, v.14; being sent into the world, v.18; unity in the world, vv.20-23.

They Are Left in the World – vv.11-13

The Lord prays that they will be kept. “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee” v.11.

This is very beautiful: having presented them in vv.6-8, He prays for them in vv.9-19. In praying for His own, He first speaks as if in heaven: “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world

… While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name” vv.11,12. Then He speaks as being in the world: “And now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves” v.13.

In vv.11,12, the Lord Jesus prays as our “great High Priest”, Who has “passed into the heavens [‘passed through the heavens’ J.N.D.], Jesus the Son of God” Heb.4.14. He did so on the ground of His accomplished work: “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” Jn.17.4.

In v.13, He prays (and His disciples are listening): “these things I speak in the world”, to show them how He would pray in heaven. Before He went back to heaven, He revealed to them, on earth, how He would pray for them when they could no longer see Him. How gracious, and how encouraging! While they would be deprived of His personal care as present with them on earth, He commits them to the Father: “Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me …” v.11. His form of address here, “Holy Father”, conveys the desire of the Lord Jesus for His disciples to be kept in an evil world by God, in all His holiness. See also v.15.

Being kept by a holy God is not a recipe for a miserable, gloomy life. On the contrary, it secures the greatest joy possible on earth: “that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves” v.13. The Lord Jesus had already spoken about His joy: “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” Jn.15.11. His joy lay in keeping His Father’s commandments, Jn.15.10. He said, “Lo, I come … I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart” Ps.40.7,8.

They Are Hated by the World – v.14

After speaking to His Father about His joy in the hearts and lives of the disciples, v.13, the Lord Jesus spoke to Him about the world’s hatred: “I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”. So “My joy” v.13, is followed by the world’s hatred, v.14.

He had already spoken to them about the world’s hatred: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you … If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they had not sin: but now they have both seen and hated both Me and My Father … ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” Jn.15.18,24,25. In its hatred for the Lord Jesus, the world (particularly the religious world) would have thrown Him to His death, Lk.4.29, and stoned Him to death, Jn.8.59; 10.31. Eventually, the same religious world bludgeoned the political world into having Him crucified. Paul warns us that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” 2Tim.3.12.

They Are Sent into the World – v.18

On either side of v.18, “As thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”, the Lord describes the Divine provision for their task. His servants do not labour for Him “at [their] own charges” 1Cor.9.7. Provision is made for them.

The Provision of God’s Word

“Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth” v.17. How glad we are that God, in His Word and in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who enables us to understand God’s Word, has “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” 2Pet.1.3. We should notice that the Lord does not say, ‘Thy word contains truth’, but “Thy word is truth”.

There can be no sanctification or holiness apart from the truth of God’s Word. In the New Testament the doctrine of sanctification includes our standing and our state:

As to our standing: see, for example, 1Cor.1.2: “unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called … saints”; and 1Cor.6.11: “ye are washed … ye are sanctified … ye are justified”.
As to our state: see, for example, 1Thess.4.3: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication”; and 1Thess.5.23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Word of God sanctifies those who obey it.

The Provision of Christ’s Priesthood

“And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth [or ‘in truth’ J.N.D. margin, that is, ‘in a true manner’ or ‘truly sanctified’]” v.19. This could be understood with reference to His coming death: He was to die in order that they might be truly sanctified. But the reference must involve His priesthood. He would devote Himself to them, as He expected them to devote themselves to Him. He would take up their cause. “Such an high priest became us [is perfectly suited to our case]”, because “He is able also to save to the uttermost that come unto God by Him [‘who approach by Him to God’ J.N.D.], seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” Heb.7.25.

Their Unity in the World – vv.20-23

“Neither pray I for these [His disciples then present] alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”

Has this prayer been fulfilled? Indeed it has! It has already been fulfilled, but not completely. This does not mean that we conveniently ignore “the division of Christendom into sects and parties”, with all the ensuing “bitterness and separation in spirit”⁴, but rather that, following the bestowal of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, believers – all believers – are brought into “vital relationship with each other, because of having vital relationship with the Father and the Son”.⁵

⁴ Morgan, G. Campbell “The Gospel According to John”. Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1933.

⁵ Ibid.

We would remember we are one

With every saint that loves His name,

To Him united on the throne,

Our life, our hope, our Lord the same.

(J.G. Deck)

But has this unseen unity been manifested to the extent that the world has believed that the Lord Jesus was sent by God? Not thus far, in the world at large, but, undoubtedly, countless men and women have turned to Christ as the result of the individual and corporate testimony of His people. In that respect, the Lord’s prayer has been answered. But that is not all. A day will dawn in which He “will come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe” 2Thess.1.10.

In that day, the world will be confronted by perfection. The Lord prayed for this: “that they may be made perfect in one [or ‘into one’ J.N.D./R.V.]; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me”.

Campbell Morgan points out that the words “that they may be perfect in [‘into’] one” indicates “a process, the recognition of the fact that the ultimate unity may be postponed in realisation; but the desire is that at last it shall come to consummation. What for? ‘That the world may know.’ That is something beyond belief. Here I [Campbell Morgan] think He was looking through to that hour, which has not yet arrived, to the great consummation, in which the unity of the Spirit, the unity of all believers with God and with Christ, is completely manifested.”⁶ In the words of W.E. Vine, “The great object looks on to the time when the Church will be completed and manifested with Him in glory at His Second Advent. The world will then be brought to accept all the facts involved in His being sent, and that for the very purpose He has expressed.”⁷ The world will then know, in the Lord’s own words, “that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me” v.23.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Vine, W.E. “The Collected Writings of W.E. Vine – Volume 1”. Gospel Tract Publications, 1985.

Having spoken of His own on earth, He then spoke:

Of His Own in Heaven

“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world” v.24.

This is the seventh occurrence of His words, “they … whom Thou hast given Me”: vv.2,6 (twice), 9,11,12 and now v.24. In this prayer, it is noteworthy that it is only here that the Lord Jesus says “I will”. It has been said that “this ‘I will’, uttered just before His death, may be regarded as His ‘testament’; this was the legacy which He bequeathed to us: Heaven is ours, an inheritance left us by Christ!”⁸ He places His testament in His Father’s hands.

The Lord’s desire was, and is, that those who were His disciples at the time, and all subsequent believers, v.20, “may behold My glory”. He spoke of the time when this would take place in saying, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself: that where I am, there ye may be also” Jn.14.3, and that “where I am, there shall also My servant be” Jn.12.26. It has been nicely observed that “the queen of Sheba said, ‘Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom’ 1Kgs.10.8. They that stand before the Lord and see His glory are much more happy.”⁹

⁸ Pink, A.W., ibid.

⁹ Ibid.

He spoke of the “glory” earlier in His prayer: “And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was” v.5. If we were to be asked why God “raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory” 1Pet.1.21, hopefully we would be able to give a range of excellent answers. Here is, surely, the most beautiful reason of all: the Father has given Him glory because He loved Him. In His own blessed words, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world” v.24. “The glory which has been conferred upon our blessed Saviour is commensurate with the everlasting love which the Father had for Him!”¹⁰

¹⁰ Ibid.

W.E. Vine tells us that the word “behold” (theoreo) derives “from theoros, ‘a spectator’” and “is used of one who looks at a thing with interest and for a purpose, usually indicating the careful observation of details”.¹¹ If that sounds rather prosaic, listen to David: “As for me, I will behold [not a ‘quick glance’] Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness” Ps.17.15. That is, he will be totally and completely satisfied with what he sees: the Lord’s face! The Lord’s request will be wonderfully answered, for:

He and I in that bright glory

One deep joy shall share:

Mine, to be for ever with Him –

His, that I am there.

(E. Frances Bevan)

W.E. Vine introduces his comments on the closing verses, vv.25,26, of the Lord’s prayer by observing that “just as the title ‘Holy Father’ was used as appropriate to the holiness of His followers, v.11, so now regarding the world and its unrighteous state of ignorance of God, the Lord says, ‘O righteous Father.’”¹²

¹¹ Vine, W.E. “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words”. Multiple publishers.

¹² Vine, W.E. “The Collected Writings of W.E. Vine – Volume 1”. Gospel Tract Publications, 1985.

Alternatively, as suggested in the introduction, the expression “O righteous Father” does seem appropriate in connection with the Lord’s request on behalf of His disciples. “Righteous Father” emphasises the equity of the petition. It is right that they should be supremely blessed. “The world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me” v.25.

In the words of W.E. Vine, the Lord continues by speaking retrospectively, prospectively and purposefully. Mr. Vine expands this as follows: “That which He had been doing for His own, He will continue to do, and that with one great object: ‘and I made known unto them Thy Name (compare Jn.15.15), and will make it known (see Jn.14.26 and Jn.16.13); that the love wherewith Thou lovedst Me may be in them, and I in them’ R.V. He continued to make the Name known during the forty days after His resurrection; He continued to do so by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles after Pentecost; He has done so ever since by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through the Scriptures of truth; and this will not cease in the ages to come.

“Finally, as to the purpose, the love of the Father to Him is designed to dwell in us by reason of the perpetual indwelling of Christ Himself.”¹³ In the Lord’s words, “And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them” v.26.

W.E. Vine ends soberly: “Were our hearts in such a condition that this love might be the controlling power over our lives, we should learn to love as He loves, to love one another fervently with a pure heart, and so to manifest the very life and character of Christ. That kind of life it is which will meet with the highest reward hereafter.”¹⁴

¹³ Ibid.

¹⁴ Ibid.