Jesus’ crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection (John 19:1-37) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Jesus’ crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection (John 19:1-37)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

 

Ø  Jesus was arrest yet, Pilate fined no basis for a charge against him (John19:1-16)

 

 Three times Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (John18:38; 19:4, 6).  

 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him fluffed. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” and they struck him in the face.(John19:2-3). Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “ Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” (19:1-6).

The Jews insisted, “ We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me? Pilate said. “ Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “ You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is gquilty of a greater sin. (19:7-11)

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no fiend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha) it was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take away! Crucify him!” “Should I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (John19:12-16).

 

Verse 7 Jews said, “ According to the law he must die.” A reference to Jesus’ alleged blasphemy because He claimed to be God. Pilate , even more afraid, perhaps of several things: of possible violence; of loss of favor in Rome for his inability to control the turbulent Jews (v.15); of some sense of Jesus’ true nature (This may be indicated by the question in v.9). Verse 11 the one who handed me over to you . evidently a reference to Caiaphas (18:28).

Verse 12 The Jewish authorities reverted to the political charge against Jesus, suggesting a potent threat to a provincial governor who served at the whim of the emperor (Tiberius). The Jews had already protested to Rome Pilate’s actions in other matters where he was insensitive to their customs.

Verse 13 Stone Pavement. Almost certainly the large paved area that was part of the Castle of Antonia at the NW corner of the Temple area beneath Ecce Homo Arch. A Aramaic term from Hebrew, meaning a raised place. This must have been an elevated place. Like a reaised platform, paved with beautiful stones, as indicated by the Greek word for pavement, mentioned earlier in the verse.

Verse 14-15 Pilate’s sarcasm was directed to the chief priests (whom he hated and mistrusted) and to their clique. He drew from them the response “ We have no king but Caesar,” a blasphemous denial of the kingship of God over their nation . Day of Preparation. Friday of Passover week. In v.31 Preparation refers to Friday as the day of Preparation for the Sabbath.

Verse 16 this unjust joint sentence exposed the blindness of religion and the darkness of politics.

Ø  Jesus’ Crucifixion scriptures reading John19: 17-37

 

 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. Here they crucified him, and with him two others –one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “ Do not write ‘ The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (John19:17-22)

 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decided by lot who will get it.”  This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” So this is what the soldiers did.  (vv.23-24).

 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to this mother, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (vv.25-27)

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “ I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “ It is finished.” With that he bowed his head and gave up his sprit. (vv.28-30)

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (vv.31-34)

The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.” And as another scripture says, “ They will look on the one they have pierced.” (vv.35-37)

Verse 20 Hebrew here represents the Hebrew religion, Latin represents Roman politics, and Greek represents Greek culture. These three together represent the entire world, all of mankind. This signifies that the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God was killed by and for all mankind. Verse 22 What Pilate wrote was not of himself but of God’s sovereignty. Verse 23 in His crucifixion, the Lord’s right to be clothed (vv.23-24) and to drink (vv.28-30) was stripped from Him, along with His life. Verse 24 this was not of the soldiers but of God’s sovereignty. Verse 25 Salome (Mark15:40), the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (Matt.27:56)

Verse 26 In Luke 23:43 the Lord said to one of the two thieves crucified with Him, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” That word was in regard to salvation, since Luke’s Gospel proves that the Lord is the sinner’s Savior. Here, in vv.26-27, the Lord said to His mother, “Behold, your son, “and to the disciple whom He loved, “Behold, your mother.” These words indicate a life union, since this Gospel testifies that the Lord is life imparted into His believers. It is by this life that His beloved disciple could be one with Him and become the son of His mother, and that she could become the mother of His beloved disciple.

Verse 30 In Matt.27:34 and Mark 15:23, wine mingled with gall and myrrh was offered to the Lord as a stupefying drink before His crucifixion, but he would not drink it. In this verse vinegar was offered to Him in a mocking way at the end of His crucifixion (Luke23:36). In His crucifixion the Lord was still working, and through His crucifixion He finished the work of His all-inclusive death, by which He accomplished redemption, terminated the old creation, and released His resurrection life to bring forth the new creation to fulfill God’s purpose. In the process of death He proved that He was life. The dreadful environment of death did not frighten Him in the least; it provided a contrast that proved strongly that He, as life, was versus death and could not be affected by death in any way.

Verse 34 Two substances came out of the Lord’s pierced side: blood and water. Blood is for redemption, to deal with sins (1:29;Heb.9:22) for the purchasing of the church (Acts20:28). Water is for imparting life, to dead with death (12:24;3:14-15) for the producing of the church (Eph.5:29-30). The Lord’s death, on the negative side, takes away our sins, and on the positive side, imparts life into us. Hence, it has two aspects: the redemptive aspect and the life-imparting aspect. The redemptive aspect is for the life-imparting aspect. The record of the other three Gospels portrays only the redemptive aspect of the Lord’s death; John’s record portrays not only the redemptive aspect but also the life-imparting aspect. The words spoken by the Lord on the cross in Luke 23:34, “Father forgive them,” and in Matt.27:46, “ My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (because He bore our sin at that time)., also depict the redemptive aspect of His death. But the flowing water and the unbroken bone mentioned by John in vv.34 and 36 are signs that related to the life-imparting aspect of the Lord’s death. This death that imparts life released the Lord’s divine life from within Him for the producing of the church, which is composed of all His believers, into whom His divine life has been imparted. This life-imparting death of the Lord’s is typified by Adam’s sleep, out from which Eve was produced (Gen.2:21-23), and is signified by the death of the one grain of wheat that fell into the ground for the bringing forth of many grains (12:24) to make the one bread-the Body of Christ (1Cor.10:17). Therefore, it is also the life-propagating and reproducing death.   

Verse 36 The Lord’s pierced side was prefigured by Adam’s opened side, out from which Eve was produced (Geb.2:21-23). The Blood was typified by the blood of the Passover lamb (Exo.12:7,22; Rev.12:11) and the water was typified by the water that flowed out of the smitten rock (Exo.17:6, 1Cor.10:4). The blood formed a fountain for the washing away of sin (Zech.13:1) and the water became the fountain of life. (Psa36.9;Rev.21:6).

It was absolutely of God’s sovereignty that these things happened in such a meaningful and wonderful way. This is further proof that the Lord’s death was not accidental but had been planned by God before the foundation of the world (1Pet.1:19-20).

In the Scripture the first mention of a bone is in Gen.2:21-23; there it was a rib taken out of Adam for the producing and building of Eve as a match for Adam. Eve was a type of the Church, which is produced and built with the Lord’s resurrection life released out of Him. Hence, the bone is a symbol, a figure, of the Lord’s resurrection life, which nothing can break. The Lord’s side was pierced, but not one of His bones was broken. This signifies that although the Lord’s physical life was terminated, His resurrection life, the very divine life, could not be hurt or damaged by anything. This is the life with which the church is produced and built; it is also the eternal life, which we have obtained by believeing into Him. (3:36).

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Jesus was Passover Lamb (John 18:1-27) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Jesus was Passover Lamb (John 18:1-27)  

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

When He had finished praying Jesus left with His disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. (John 18:1-3)

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I AM He,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I AM HE, “they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:4-5) Again He asked them, who is it you want?” and they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

“I told you that I AM He,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words He had spoken would be fulfilled: “ I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me? (John 18:6-11).

  

Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound Him and brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. (vv.12-14).

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “ You are not one of His disciples, are you? “ the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.”

 It was cold, and the servants and official stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.

I have spoken openly to the world, “Jesus replied. “ I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

When Jesus said, this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

“If I said something wrong, “Jesus replied, “Testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth why did you strike me? (vv.12 -23)

Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “ Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. (vv.24-27).

 

The Kidron Vally. A ravine E. of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives. A detachment (regiment). A group of three hundred to six hundred Roman soldiers. The Lord delivered Himself of His own accord to the process of death, as He had indicated in 10:17-18. He did it voluntarily and boldly.

Verse 5, Jesus said, “I AM He”. I AM is the name of Jehovah. When the soldiers heard this name, they drew back and fell to the ground.

Verse 8, while suffering betrayal at the hands of His false disciple and arrest by the soldiers, the Lord still took good care of His disciples. This reveals that He was at ease in passing through the process of death.

Verse 11,  Jesus shows that He was willing to pass through the process of death.

Verse 13, a small inner circle of high priests, headed by Annas and Caiaphas, ruled Jerusalem regardless of who was officially the high priest. The Lord was the Lamb of God (1:29), and He was killed on the day of the Passover (v.28). As the Passover lamb was examined before it was killed (Ex0.12:3-6), so He was examined by the whole of mankind, represented by the high priest of the Jews and the governor of the Romans, and proved to be without blemish (v.38b;19:4,6). 

Verse 21, while judging the Lord, both the high priest of the Jewish religion and the governor of the Roman Empire were judged by Him in His dignity.

Verse 24, No examination before Caiaphas is reported by John. Under Roman law, as in free societies today, a prisoner was assumed to be innocent until proved guilty.

 Jesus came into the world to testify the truth (John 18:28-40)

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. (vv.28-31)

This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” ” Am I a Jew? Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done? Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“ You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (vv.32-37)

What is truth? Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want to release the king of the Jews?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. (vv.38-40)

 

 Verse 28 A references to the fourth watch 3am to 6 am. The Jew did not enter the palace. The Praetorium. This was the Roman headquarters, the barracks (also in v.33). As a dwelling place of Gentiles it was unclean. Thus the Jewish authorities would not enter, lest they be defiled for the Passover. They were willing, however, to see the murder of Jesus committed without fearing defilement!

Verse 31 we have no right. The Sanhedrin could condemn a man to death, but the Roman government had to approve and execute the sentence. (Luke 22:66).

Verse 32 The Jews’ way to put criminals to death was to stone them (Lev.24:16). But the Lord Jesus predicted, according to the type in the Old Testament (Num.21:8-9), that He would be lifted up (3:14; 8:28;12:32). It was of God’s sovereignty that not long before that time the Roman Empire had made it a law that criminals sentenced to death should be crucified. It was in this way that the Lord was executed. This proves that the Lord’s death was not accidental but was predetermined by God. (Acts.2:23).

Verse 34 Jesus asked whether Pilate’s question arose from his own Roman viewpoint (Is that you own idea) or from a Jewish viewpoint (or did others talk to you about me?   

Verse 36 Because Pilate’s answer indicated that he was concerned only about a rival political kingdom to Rome (v.35), our Lord replied as He did in this verse, indicating that His was not such a kingdom.  Pilate was then satisfied that Jesus was not a political threat and therefore wished to release Him. Kingdom, better, kingship; i.e., My authority is not of human origin.

Verse 37 in view of the entire revelation of this book, truth here denotes the divine reality embodied, revealed, and expressed in Christ as the Son of God.

Verse 38 What is truth? Pilate was not being philosophical but was simply expressing frustration and irritation at Jesus’ avoidance of a direct answer to what seemed to him to be a simple question. He did not really understand the charges (18:31,35,38;19:4,12)

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

 

 

 

Intercession–Jesus’ prayer for His disciples (Chapter 17:1-26) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Intercession–Jesus’ prayer for His disciples (Chapter 17:1-26)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts &Gospel music ministry

 

Scriptures reading John 17:1-26

 

            After Jesus said this, looked toward heaven and prayed,

“Father the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John17:1-5)

 

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the Words you gave me and they accepted them, they knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. (vv.6-8)

I prayed for them, I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world. And I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. (v.11) While I was with them, I protect them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (vv 9.-12) 

 

I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (vv.13-19)

 

My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me .

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me . (vv.20-23)

 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am., and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (V.24)

Righteous Father, though the world you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. (v.25-26)

 

 In chapter 17 Jesus’ prayer also called “high priestly” prayer the Lord prays for (1) His own glorification (vv.1,5) (2) believers’ protection (v.11); (3) believers' sanctification (v.17); (4) the unity of the believers (vv.12-23) ;(5) the ultimate glorification of believers (v.24). It is essentially an intercession for those who will form the church (vv.6-26).

He was God incarnated in the flesh, and His flesh was a tabernacle in which God could dwell on earth (1:14). His divine element was confined in His humanity, just as God’s shekinah glory had been concealed within the tabernacle. Once, on the mountain of transfiguration, His divine element was released from within His flesh and expressed in glory, being seen by the three disciples (Matt.17:1-4; John1:14). But then it was concealed again in His flesh. Before this prayer He predicted that He would be glorified and the Father would be glorified in Him. Now He was about to pass through death so that the concealing shell of His humanity might be broken and His divine element, His divine life, might be released. Also, He would resurrect that He might uplift His humanity into the divine element and that His divine element might be expressed, with the result that His entire being, His divinity and His humanity, would be glorified.

The Lord’s  prayer concerning the divine mystery is fulfilled in three stages as follows,

First, it was fulfilled in His resurrection in that His divine element, His divine life, was released from within His humanity into His many believers (12:23-24), and His whole being, including His humanity, was brought into glory (Luke24:26), and in that the Father’s divine element was expressed in His resurrection and glorification. In His resurrection God answered and fulfilled His prayer (Acts.3:13-15).

Second, it has been fulfilled in the church, in that as His resurrection life has been expressed through His many members. He has been glorified in them, and the Father has been glorified in Him through the church (Eph.3:21; 1 Tim.3:15-16).

Third, it will ultimately be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem in that He will be fully expressed in glory, and God will be glorified in Him through the Holy City for eternity (Rev.21:11,23-24). In praying in this way, the Lord unveiled His person, His deity; He is the same as the Father in the divine glory.

Verse 2 This indicates the Lord’s work. The Lord has the Father’s authority over all mankind that He may give eternal life, not to all mankind but only to those whom the Father has given Him-the Father’s chosen onces.

Verse 3 This is Christ’s definition of salvation, especially if we add what is clearly understood : sent to be the Savior of the world (3:16;4:42;6:33;1John 4:14;5:20). Eternal life is the divine life with a special function, that is, to know God and Christ are divine. To know the divine person, we need the divine life. Since the believers are born of the divine life, they know God and Christ (Heb.8:11;Phil.3:10).

Verse 4 This mean that while He was living on earth, the Lord manifested and expressed the Father.

Verse 5 This word strengthens the deity of the Lord’s person. He had the divine glory along with the Father before the world was, in eternity past; hence,He should be glorified now with that glory along with the Father. The Lord participlates in the divine glory not by Himself but along with the Father, for He and the Father are one (10:30).

Verse 6 your name and v.26 means the very name Father. The name God and the name Jehovah were adequately revealed to man in the Old Testament, but the name Father was not, though it was mentioned briefly in Isa.9:6;63:16; 64:8. The Son came and worked in the Father’s name (5:43;10:25) to manifest the Father to the men whom the Father gave Him and to make the Father’s name known to them (v.26). That name reveals the Father as the source of life (5:26) for the propagation and multiplication of life. Many sons would be born of the Father (1:12-13) to express the Father. Hence, the Father’s name is very much related to the divine life. The Father’s words are of two kinds: the constant word (v.6) and the instant words(v.8).Both are used by the Lord to impart eternal life to the belivers who receive both kinds of words.

Verse 10 Since the disciples expressed the Lord, He was glorified in them.

Verse 11 Holy Father keep them in Your name which You have given to Me. The Son’s believers are still in the world. They need to be kept that they may be one even as the Divine Trinity is one, that is, that they may be one in the Divine Trinity. The Son prayed that the holy Father would so keep them. To be kept in the Father’s name is to be kept by His life, because only those who are born of the Father and have the Father’s life can participate in the Father’s name. The Son has given the Father’s life to those whom the Father has given Him(v.2); hence, they share the Father’s name by being kept in it, and they are one in it. The first aspect of oneness, the first aspect of the building up of the believers, is the oneness in the Father’s name and by His divine life. In this aspect of oneness the believers, born of the Father’s life, enjoy the Father’s name, that is, the Father Himself, as the factor of their oneness.

Verse 15 keep them out of the hands of the evil one. The whole world lies in the evil one (1John5:19). Hence, the believers need to be kept out of the hands of the evil one, and they need always to be watchful in prayer that they may be delivered from the evil one (Matt.6:13). The word can be neuter (from evil) or masculine (from the evil one, Satan). It should be noted that Christ does not teach withdrawal from the world but that Christians should be in the world but not of it (vv.14-16).

Verse 17 Jesus prayed for the sanctification, sanctify means to set apart for God and His holy purposes. To be sanctified also is to be separated from the world and its usurpation unto God and His purposes. Not only positionally (Matt.23:17,19) but also dispositionally (Rom.6:19,22). God’s living word works in the believers to separate them from anything worldly. This is to be sanctified in God’s word, which is the truth, the reality.

In the truth, Reality is the Triune God (1:14,17;14:6; 1 John5:6) Since the Triune God is contained and concealed in His word, His word is reality. We are sanctified in the reality of this word. The Father’s word carries the reality of the Father with it. When God’s word says, “ God is light,: it carries God as light in it. Hence, God’s word is reality, the truth, unlike Satan’s word, which is vanity , a lie.(8:44)

Verse 18 The Father sent the Son into the world with Himself as life and everything to the Son. In the same way, the Son sends His believers into the world with Himself as life and everything to the believers.

Verse 19 The Son is absolutely holy in Himself. Yet, to set an example of sanctification for His disciples, He still sancifified Himself in His way of living while He was on earth.

Verse 21 That all of them may be one . All believers belong to the one Body of Christ (1Cor.12:13) and to the same household of God (Eph.2:19). This spiritual unity should be visibly expressed in the exercise of spiritual gift (Eph4:3-16), pray, and exhortation.(2 Cor.1:11;Heb.10:25). This is second aspect of the believers’ oneness, the oneness in the Triune God through sanctification, separation from the world by the word of God. In this aspect of oneness the believers, separated from the world unto God, enjoy the Triune God as the factor of their oneness.

Verse 22 The glory that the Father gave to the Son is the sonship with the Father’s life and divine nature(5:26). The sonship was given so that the Son sould express the Father in His fullness (1:18;14:9;Col.2:9;Heb.1:3). The Son has given this glory to His believers that they too may have the sonship with the Father’s life and divine nature (v.2;2Pet.1:4) to express the Father in the Son in the Son’s fullness (1:16).

Verse 22 is the third aspect of the believers’ oneness, the oneness in the divine glory for the corporate expression of God. In this aspect of oneness the believers, their self-having been fully denied, enjoy the glory of the Father as the factor of their perfected oneness and thus express God in a corporate, built-up way. This is the oneness of the divine commission; it fulfills the Son’s prayer that He be fully expressed, that is, glorified, in the building up of the believers; and that the Father be fully expressed, glorified, in the Son’s glorification. Hence, the ultimate oneness of the believers is 1) in the eternal life of God (in the Father’s name), 2) by the holy WORD of God, and 3) in the divine glory to express the Triune God for eternity. That the Son might accomplish this oneness, the Father gave Him six things: 1. the authority (v.2); 2. The believers (vv.2,6,9,24); c). 3. The work (v.4); 4.The words (v.8); 5. The Father’s name (vv.11-12);  6. The Father’s glory (v.24).That the believers may participate in this oneness, the Son gave them three things: eternal life (v.2), the holy WORD OF GOD (vv.8,14), and the divine glory (v.22).

Verse 23 The Father loved the Son by giving the Son His life, His nature, His fullness, and His glory that the Son might express Him. In the same way, the Father loved the Son’s believers by giving them His life, His nature, His fullness, and His glory that they might express Him in the Son. This is a story of love as well as glory.

Verse 24 The Son is in the divine glory of the Father’s expression. Therefore, for the Son’s believers to be with Him where He is means that they are with Him in the divine glory to express the Father. The fulfillment of this matter began with the Son’s resurrection, when He brought His believers into participation in His resurrection life, and will consummate in the New Jerusalem, when His believers will be brought fully into the divine glory for the ultimate corporate expression of the Triune God in eternal.

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.