753
THE KING’ S BUSINESS
for the. disciples,'and what they had done with it, Jesus now proceeds to pray for them. He prayed for no others than those described in verses 6 to 8 (cf. Heb. 7:29; 9:24). It was because they, were the Father’s ( “thine” ) that Jesus prayed for them. One thought ought always to encourage us in praying for helievefs, viz., the thought that they belong to God (cf. Ex. 32:11). It is another yronderful wo£d that Jesus speaks in verse 10, “All things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine.” In those who are God’s own and Christ’s own Christ Himself is glorified (cf. Gal. 1:23, 24j_ Phil. 1:20). It was because He was about to leave them and they were to be no longer sheltered by H is presence with them that Jesus prayed for the disciples at this time. And note carefully what He prays, He prays for the Father Himself to now keep them, and to keep them in His own name, (i.e., by His own revealed person and character) (cf. Prov. 18:10). O f course the Father heard this prayer, for He hears Jesus always (ch. 11:42). There fore, the believer is eternally safe for he is kept by the Father’s power and character in answer to Jesus’ prayer, and what God the Father keeps cannot be lost (cf. .John 10:29; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; 1 Cor. 10:13). The object o f the Father’s keeping was in order that they might be one. In this we see how God the Father and Christ, the Son longed for the unity o f believers (cf. vs. 2 1 , 22). Jt is only through God’s keep ing that believers can be truly one. The Devil and our own hearts are always lead ing us to division. During Jesus’ stay with the disciples He had Hintself kept them, and as a result, o f that keeping “riot one o f them perished” (R . V .). “ The son o f perdition” perished, but the form o f expression here used does not imply that he was one o f them whom the Father had given to Christ and whom He had there fore kept. The use o f this form o f expres sion in excepting some one or something that does not belong to the class mentioned, is common. Judas never really was Christ’s. Judas’ own fall and destruction
me to do” (cf. 2 Tim. 4 :7 ). It was on the cross that Jesus finished this work that the Father had committed to Him (ch. 19:30). Because He had accomplished the work that the Father gave Him to do and thus glorified the Father He could now ask the Father to glorify Him with Himself. The glory with which the Father would now glorify Him was the same glory that He had with the Father before the world was. This glory He had voluntarily put aside that He might redeem us ( Phil 2 : 6 - 8 ; 2 Cor. 5:21), but now this work o f redemp tion was accomplished (or would be the next day when He died on the cross) and now that the work was accomplished God „ will restore to Him the glory that He gave up to accomplish it (Phil 2:9-11). Jesus now turns from praying for Himself to praying for His immediate followers, but before asking the Father to do for them He recounts what He Himself had done for them. First o f all He had manifested the Father’s name to them. The name stands for the nature and character as revealed (Ex. 3:13-15; 34:5-7). Jesus had revealed to them the nature and character of God. This lay at the foundation o f all that H e had done for them. No .other real blessing is possible until Jesus gives us to know God. While Jesus on His part had revealed God to them, they on their part had kept God’s Word. Those then who belong peculiarly to the Father and whom He bestows upon the Son are those who keep (or guard and treasure) His Word (cf. ch. 8:31, 32; Rev. 3:8, 10, 11; Luke 8:15). In the second place, Jesus had given them God’s “words” and they had received them. In consequence o f thus receiving God’s words they knew that Jesus had come forth from God, and believed that God did send Him (cf. ch. 16:27). We, Jike Jesus, should give out to others only those words that God gives to us, but when God does give us His words we should give them out. Monday, August 14 . John 17 : 9 - 12 . In consequence o f all that Jesus had done
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker