Extended and intense prayer is one of the wonderful spiritual aspects of the Lord Jesus. Through the words of Mark we see him rising up a great while before day and going to a solitary place to pray. Other times we see Jesus spending the whole night in prayer. Yet we are rarely allowed the privilege of knowing what he said during times of prayer.
John 17 is one of these rare exceptions, allowing us to share the thoughts of the Master. As we read these words, we find echoing in our minds the words in Hebrews: “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, and was heard in that he feared” (Heb. 5:7).
In this chapter, we are allowed to venture close that we might treasure the intimate association he shared with his Heavenly Father. And this is a time of particular intensity as it falls between the upper room institution of the memorials in John 13 and the garden of Gethsemane in John 18.
The precious moments of time are slipping away from both the apostles and the Lord as he shared with them words of encouragement and teaching.
The pattern of Leviticus 16
At this time, with the types and shadows of the law finding their fulfillment in Jesus, it is appropriate his prayer should follow the pattern of the high priest before he entered the most holy place (Lev. 16:2-6, 15).
On that day, the high priest was to make an offering for himself, secondly for his household and thirdly for the nation. In John 17, the prayer of the Lord is first for himself (vs. 1-5) then for the apostles who were as his family (vs. 6-19) and thirdly, he makes supplication for the ecclesia (vs. 20-26). We see him assume his role as the high priest; yet we also see him as the offering without blemish soon to be offered.
A prayer for himself
“The hour is come” (v. 1). It was the right era in the history of mankind and of the Jewish order of things; and now it was the right hour of the right day of the right year for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Wicked hands would soon take him and crucify him. But that would not be the end, for it was the hour when the glory of the Father would be revealed — “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (17:3). It is interesting this is the only time the Lord refers to himself as “Jesus Christ” in the gospel records. The only true God is revealed in the full significance of the title “Jesus Christ.” In very fact, the complete gospel message is related to the teachings revealed in the name of Jesus Christ.
“Jesus” (savior) was ordained by the angel to Mary “for he shall save his people from their sins.” The utter failure of the entire race to obey the commands of God necessitated the fallen race be restored to God through sacrifice. “Jesus” thus speaks of forgiveness of our sins and putting to death the nature we bear.
“Christ” (anointed) speaks of his kingly heritage. “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Being the anointed one speaks of his heirship in the line of David and his relationship to the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The whole plan of God is thus embodied in his name, as well as in him. It is embraced by those who live unto him. This is eternal life, to know Jesus Christ and his gospel, for he is the one sent by the only true God.
A prayer for his family
Turning his attention to his household, Jesus professes his manifestation of the name of God to the apostles, who were given to Christ (John 17:6). The fact they were given him by God provides insight into the patience Jesus had with their inability to grasp some concepts he taught. Provided by God, they possessed the potential for spiritual growth; and, as biblical history bears, they developed that potential, often at the point of a sword or the end of a lash.
Verse eight is full of meaning for us. It represents the crossroads of which way of life we will manifest on a daily basis. There is a three-step process:
- They Received the word
- They Knew the word
- They Believed the word.
“To receive” — the Greek word implies a possessive characteristic: “That which is taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, to apprehend” (On-line Bible). It is not a passive word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, but we are required to do something. We must lay hold of — seize upon — the word to receive it.
“To know” — the Greek means “to get a knowledge of, to become acquainted with, to know.” The On-line Bible provides the following: “To the Greeks, it meant to know facts, but these facts may or may not affect one’s conduct. To the Jews, true knowledge always manifested itself in one’s conduct. One did not know something until that fact had a practical outworking in his life.” Thus true knowledge is not a cursory or academic exercise but a conscious application of moral principles in daily life.
“To believe” — The On-line Bible again provides some information: “This word is used in the New Testament of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul to trust that Jesus and God are able to aid us in life.”
These words thus express more than simply listening to the words of Christ. They convey grasping hold of his words, giving a mental place to them and being renewed in our minds. If we let the word have dominance in our minds it will produce moral characteristics that are in accord with the true teaching of the Lord. We will then, as urged by John the Baptist, “bring forth fruits meet for repentance.”
Peter said to Jesus, “That we believe, and are sure that thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” This conviction was a crossroads in his life and should be in ours. Why should this represent the crossroads of life? Consider Eve.
Eve received the doctrine of the serpent, she knew it, and she believed it. Her mind seized and latched onto the doctrine of the serpent; she contemplated and meditated upon it and then responded with the practical outworking of her conviction. She morally defied God’s law by the putting forth of her hand and partaking of the fruit. Eve, with Adam, by placing their confidence in the doctrine of the serpent, were made subject to the law of sin and death.
This is the crossroads: whose servants are we going to be? This question is one which Jesus answered every day of his life. In complete denial of himself, not in contemplating the doctrine of rebellion, he gave it no place by responding to temptation: “Thus is it written;” “thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve.”
Prayer for the ecclesia
In John 17:17-19, we read Jesus is to first sanctify himself, that the apostles might be sanctified through the truth. And then he continues, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (v. 20). We find an Old Testament parallel here that is a wonderful type. In Exodus 20:24-25 we note the following: The children of Israel were to make an altar, either of earth or of stone, but if it was of stone, it was to be of unhewn stone. In all places where God would record His name in association with that altar, blessing would come forth.
In Exodus 29:36-37, we find more detail: The altar was to be atoned for, it was to be sanctified and whatever touched the altar was to be most holy. Why should atonement be made for an altar? The altar has committed no wrong, it has no sin, it has no guilt, why should this be done? Because it is associated with those who had done wrong; their offerings would be placed upon it and so it was atoned for and sanctified.
The altar, as we are told in Hebrews, is the Lord Jesus Christ; he is unhewn stone, of our nature, but not fashioned or shaped by the will of man. He is associated with us by the nature he bore, the nature he conquered. He has led the way and our high priest knows and understands the nature we bear. We can have a twofold response to our relationship to our high priest. Firstly, if the Hebrews’ declaration that he was, “In all points tempted as we are, yet without sin,” has impact on us, we can relate to our Lord. Jesus struggled with the same temptations and trials of life against which we may be struggling.
We may come boldly, or freely, to the throne of grace for help in time of need. As that altar would be associated with the blessing of God, the apostle Peter says, “Unto you first God, having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26).
The blessing of our altar, where the name of God has been recorded and manifested, has sprung forth in the forgiveness of sins, in turning every one of us away from our sins.
May we endeavor to receive His word, to know His word, and to believe His word.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One