Jesus’s Farewell Discourse
Mrs Gwen Clucas
Give us grace, O Lord, not only to hear your Word with our ears, but also to receive it into our hearts and to show it forth in our lives; for the glory of your great name.
The Gospel reading from John Chapter 17 is one of twenty-one prayers of Jesus that appear in the Gospels. John devotes five chapters to Jesus’ last gathering. This differs from the other Gospels which devote less space to this gathering. John’s description of the gathering is often called “Jesus’s Farewell Discourse".
In the lectionary, Jesus’ prayer concerning glory comes at the end of the Easter season. In John’s gospel the prayer occurs at the end of the last supper, so that it leads into the passion. The prayer is the longest of Jesus’s prayers. It is a glimpse into the heart of Jesus. The first part of the prayer cements Jesus’s credentials.
The prayer was addressed to his Father by Jesus Christ. It took place immediately before his betrayal and crucifixion, the events which the gospel often refers to as his glorification. It provides an insight into the purposes of Jesus's suffering. He prayed that those who believed in Him would be protected, have joy, be sanctified, be filled with the Father's love, and truly know His Father and have eternal life. This means he honoured God through his obedience to God's commands. During his public ministry Jesus taught what God wanted him to teach, and performed the healings and other works that God wanted him to perform.
The first part of the prayer cements Jesus’s credentials. It expresses much of what Jesus aimed to explain in his work, and gives a glimpse of the depth and range of ideas. This prayer is divided into three parts in the Bible: Firstly, Jesus prays for Himself (17:1-5). Secondly, Jesus prays for His disciples (17:6-19) and thirdly, Jesus prays for all believers (17:20-26). The organisation for each of the three parts of the prayer follows a parallel pattern:
Each part begins with what Jesus is asking or praying for.
Each part has a theme of glory.
Each part has an address to the Father halfway through.
Each part mentions followers given to Jesus by the Father.
Each part has a theme of Jesus’ revelation of the Father to his followers.
The first eight verses of the reading we heard today are usually referred to as ‘Jesus prays for himself.’ However the NIV Commentary says it is not entirely true to see these opening verses as Jesus praying for himself, in contrast to praying for others. Jesus does not have a list of petitions that he is offering to God. He is not self-seeking. There is just a single petition that is repeated in the verses, “Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” In this section Jesus is talking to his Father about his efforts on earth to glorify God and be obedient to his will. Glory goes to God for the good we do. Jesus had the habit of addressing God as the Father and he uses this term six times in this passage.
Jesus said ‘the hour has come’. This indicated that he knew his death was imminent. This period incorporates many events, from his final night with his disciples through to the cross and resurrection. Jesus asks to be glorified. The Greek word that was used here means to venerate, bring homage or praise. Jesus’s oneness with the Father means that as he is glorified, so too is the Father glorified. He is not asking for self-promotion but for glorification, so that the Father can be honoured through his obedience. Because Jesus has a unique connection with the Father he possesses a divine authority over all humanity, so that he can give to them eternal life. The eternal life offered by Jesus is defined in Verse 3 Chapter 17 “Now this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” The idea of ‘knowing’ In the Hebrew culture encompasses experience and intimacy and for Christians this means obedience to and love for God. This knowledge must include an commitment to Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Jesus now claims he has accomplished the task God has given him to do. His life has glorified God.
The last three verses of today’s reading tell us Jesus is praying for his disciples as he is commissioning them to carry on the work he was doing. He asks the Father to protect them as now they are God’s people, as what was Jesus’s, now belongs to God. Jesus’s final prayer to his followers is commissioning them to carry on his work. Jesus is handing over his mission to the disciples and by extension to all the believers who will come after them.
The reading from Acts begins where the Gospel according to Luke left off. The reading is about the Ascension of Jesus. He rose from the dead and forty days later he ascended into heaven. Before the ascension Jesus made a few additional promises. He reaffirmed that his followers “will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come.” He declares that God will empower them to be witnesses across the Roman world, beginning where they are. Later they will move throughout the broader Roman province of Judea, northward into Samaria and ultimately to “the ends of the earth.”
The first part of Jesus ministry was on earth in his by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then he ascended into heaven and that was the turning point in Jesus’ mission. The second part of his ministry is from heaven through his body, the church, by the power of the Spirit.
The other reading this week is from 1 Peter. 1 Peter was written to Christians in the first century who were suffering various types of trials and troubles, including being persecuted simply for being Christians and living a Christian life.
Peter, pointed to Christ as the source of hope as trials are endured. The disciples were told that just as Jesus went up into heaven, he will one day return from heaven in the same way. Peter urges the Christians living in the areas we now know as Turkey to stand firm in faith, knowing their brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
To conclude I will read again the last two verses from 1 Peter chapter 5 verses 10 and 11.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever, Amen.