John 17:1-26
I will have to post later – Carol and I have Audra for today and overnight. But for now, please read all my comments from my 2019 posts below. This chapter in John, Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer” is powerful. I am touched every time I read it.
See also: November 9 / John 17:1-5; November 10 / John 17:6-19; November 11 / John 17:20-26
OK, Audra is napping and I’ve got a few minutes.
“Sanctify” is not a word we use in our everyday lingo, but I’ve trained myself to say “set apart” (for sacred use) whenever I see the word “sanctify”. So now I need a substitute word for “glory”, because (outside of our Christian-speak) we seldom use the word “glory”. I comment on synonyms for glory in my first post above, but another word I thought of was “splendor”. I like that one. “Glorify” is also a word we seldom use and from above I find the word “exalt”. So I’m going to try to use those synonyms (and the original word) when I see “glory” and “glorify”. So here’s verse 5 with synonyms plugged in: And now, Father, glorify (exalt) Me in Your own presence with the glory (splendor) that I had with You before the world existed. I like that!
Jesus speaking of His disciples: I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. (v. 9) Strange that Jesus says explicitly that He is NOT praying for those who are “in the world”, but only for His disciples – and then a few verses later (v. 20) for us! No doubt He loved them all, even the most hardened Pharisees who gave Him the most grief. But evidently this was not the time to pray for them.
I think I’ll read the whole chapter through again!
I was struck by v 10b. “I have been glorified in them (the disciples)”. My Bible study indicates that we glorify Him by revealing His character and His presence. This focuses me on becoming more like Him in my words and actions, humble, gentle, loving, truthful, caring for others especially the marginalized, faithful to God… He says this having washed Judas’ feet and shared communion with him even though He knew he’d be betrayed.
It must break His heart to see the divisions within the Church, when His prayer was for unity among us, focused on the triune God.