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3. Jesus intercedes for his apostles (John 17:6-19)
JOHN 17:6
6 I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
After Jesus was convinced that his Father would strengthen him to accomplish redemption, and knew that his Father’s glory would increase through the birth of many children. His thoughts moved towards his disciples whom he had chosen out of the world and united them in divine accord.
Christ announced to his disciples God’s new name: “Father”. By announcing this, they became his children, chosen out of the world. This new being is the secret of the Church, for the believers in Christ no longer perish, but carry the life of God in themselves. Those born of God do not belong to themselves, but are the property of God, who gave birth to them. He bestowed them on His Son, who bought them by his blood. If you believe in Christ, you will be his possession.
This divine fatherhood and the believers’ becoming His children was fulfilled in the disciples by their faith in the Gospel, and their keeping of his precious words. These words are no empty clanging or vanishing smoke as are most black letters printed in the world’s presses. They are God’s words and letters overflowing with creative energy. He who keeps the Father’s words in his heart, lives in His might.
JOHN 17:7-8
7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, 8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
God’s word on the lips of Jesus creates saving knowledge to transform corrupt lives. Jesus lived out his own message and carried out his works by the power of that WORD. All his energies and blessings come to us in the Words of the Father. The Son claimed no private knowledge, but ascribed his authority, might, wisdom and love which God had bestowed on him.
Christ offered his most precious possession: his words. This was from his Father so that the Son was God’s Word incarnate. In that word is our power. We thus experience the power of that word and are enlightened by it. We received these signs and words gladly. The passages of the gospel enable us to discern the reality of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We find here Christ revealing in prayer the insight of his disciples and their grasp of his words, because he had sown the seeds of faith in their hearts. They took in his words with joy, even though not instantly. Then he poured his Spirit on them; the word grew and brought fruit in God’s time. Christ prophesied this beforehand that the events would surely take place.
Christ’s words generated faith with knowledge in the disciples. What was that faith? The procession of the Son from the Father, the presence of the Eternal in time, his divine glory in human form, his love despite hatred, his power in weakness, his deity despite his separation from God on the cross, and his life beyond death. The Holy Spirit established them in their Redeemer, and they became members in his body. They did not remain long in merley thinking about him, but clung to him whole-heartedly while he was abiding in them spiritually. They thus became conscious by the Spirit’s workings of Christ’s deity.
In Christ’s life, the disciples came to understand the meaning of: "He that is born of the Spirit is Spirit." This blessed Spirit is the divine power in the lives of the disciples. He comes through the words of Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us your Father’s words – words that are full of life, power and might. You have produced faith and knowledge in us. You are our power, we love you and magnify you with the Father who gave you to us.
QUESTION:
- What is the significance of the revealing of the Father’s name through Jesus?