CHAPTER XVII. THE LORD'S PRAYER. This prayer, so solemn and so tender, would never have been recorded had it not been intended for our study and profit, but. approach it with. feeling that it is almost too sacred for the usual verbal and textual criticism. It is the overflow of the full soul of the... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHER, THE HOUR IS COME. After the discourses were ended, he "lifted up his eyes," the very attitude being stamped on the memory of John, and began his prayer. "The hour" of the great sacrifice, of the tragedy of the cross, the hour for which Christ came into the world had now come; in this hour h... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THOU HAST GIVEN HIM POWER OVER ALL FLESH. This shows how the Son is to be glorified. It is by "giving him all power in heaven and earth," and "committing all things" to him, raising him from the dead so that "he should give eternal life.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE, ETC. The knowledge of God as manifested in Jesus Christ is the first requisite to salvation and life eternal. When there is full knowledge,. recognition by the heart as well as the intellect, of God in Christ, then comes submission and eternal life.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE GLORIFIED THEE ON THE EARTH. He had done this because he could say, "I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do." In. few hours he would cry from the cross, "It is finished.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW,. FATHER, GLORIFY ME, ETC. In this prayer the word Father occurs six times. Jesus never says, "Our Father," as he teaches us to pray, nor "My Father," which would separate him from us, but "Father." He repeats the requests to be glorified and explains what he means. He asks. restoration of... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE MANIFESTED THY NAME TO THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVEST ME, ETC. In the first five verses he had prayed for himself. Now he prays for his disciples. The apostles are especially meant. To them he had "manifested the name by revealing the Father in himself and showing God's matchless love.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ALL THINGS... GIVEN ME ARE OF THEE. The Lord had taught with great emphasis that he and the Father were one, and that his words and works were of the Father. This the apostles were now learning. As all was of God it would stand firm and eternal, in spite of the cross.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE BELIEVED THAT THOU DIDST SEND ME. The life, teaching and miracles of Jesus had wrought profound faith in his disciples, but they were startled and staggered when he told them he was about to die. Hence, we have these long and tender discourses for their preparation. They have the desired... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAY FOR THEM. The apostles. The prayer from verse. to verse 19 is for these. I PRAY NOT FOR THE WORLD. Not at this time; he came into the world to save it, and we are not to conclude that he would never pray for its conversion and welfare. Now, however, his petition is confined to the apostles,... [ Continue Reading ]
AM GLORIFIED IN THEM. Christ's glory here upon the earth is manifested by his disciples. These are all God's, for "all mine are thine, and thine are mine." There are no separate interests. He therefore pleads for his disciples; 1. Because they are the Father's; 2. To them is entrusted the work of m... [ Continue Reading ]
AM NO MORE IN THE WORLD, BUT THESE ARE IN THE WORLD. He now goes to the Father; these are left behind to preach the gospel, establish his kingdom, manifest his glory. Hence, he pleads that he may "_ keep them_ through his name," or power and love. He especially pleads that they may be kept "one," u... [ Continue Reading ]
NONE OF THEM IS LOST BUT THE SON OF PERDITION. God had given him twelve; he had kept them in the name of the Father, and only one was lost, Judas, the traitor, the son of perdition, which the Scripture had predicted. See Psalms 41:9. So, even one of those that God had given him could be lost.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK THESE THINGS IN THE WORLD. I am now coming to thee, and about to leave the world, but before. leave it,. speak these things in order that my joy, the joy. feel over my completed work and return to my Father, might be fulfilled in them, by their being partakers of my joy.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE GIVEN THEM THY WORD. I have entrusted to them the word of the Lord, to preach it, the gospel, to men.... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAY NOT THAT THOU SHOULDEST TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD. The world had hated the Master and was about to slay him, because he was not of the world. So it would hate the apostles, who were not of the world, and seek to slay them; he does not pray that they should be taken out of, the world, for they... [ Continue Reading ]
SANCTIFY THEM BY THY TRUTH: THY WORD IS TRUTH. To sanctify is to render holy, or to consecrate. Those sanctified are saints. The means of canonization is not. Pope, but the truth, and lest some should mistake, Christ adds, "Thy word is truth." He prays for their consecration by the power of the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEIR SAKES. SANCTIFY MYSELF. He did this when he came into the world, when he made it his meat to do the Father's will, and when he gave himself to death. We sanctify ourselves when we "present our bodies as living sacrifices.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER PRAY. FOR THESE ALONE. We enter upon the third section of the prayer, that for all disciples in every age,. prayer for us, for all who should believe on the Lord through the preaching of the gospel by the apostles. Every one who loves the Redeemer should reverently seek what the Lord prays... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE;... THAT THEY MAY BE ONE IN US. This is. prayer for the closest union among the saints. As the Father and Son are one they are to be one. The Lord all through this discourse has shown the intimate union between the Father and himself. The Father is in him and he in the Fathe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GLORY.. THOU GAVEST ME. HAVE GIVEN THEM. God gave Christ the glory of Sonship and this resulted in their unity. So Christ gives to his disciples the glory of becoming the sons of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1). This glory, the adoption and gift of the Spirit, ought to effect that they be ONE AS W... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL THAT THEY... BE WITH ME WHERE. AM. That in due time all my disciples shall follow me to heaven, where they shall see the glory of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE KNOWN THEE. The world knew not God, and Christ came to reveal him. He had revealed him to his disciples and they would reveal him to the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE DECLARED UNTO THEM THY NAME. The character and love of God and the blessings of his service. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. 1. Our Lord prayed for himself, not for temporal benefits, but for eternal glory. So, too, we may pray, but not that we may have to spend upon our lusts. We may pray for conse... [ Continue Reading ]