Jesus prays for the Church, His bride-to-be (17:20-26)

Jesus now looks ahead down through the centuries and millennia, and the endless ‘increase of His Kingdom’. He prays for all future generations of believers, including you and me. This is astonishing, in the context. His three years’ ministry has resulted in just eleven solid disciples, and rejection by the vast majority of those to whom He was sent: ‘His own received Him not’. And even those eleven were about to abandon Him in the hour of trial, so that only the Father remained faithfully by Him.

Everything Jesus has prayed for the apostles, also applies to all subsequent believers (v 20). But there are two specific things which only apply to these future generations. They are:-

1. Supernatural, but practical, unity (v 21-23)

Having been given eternal life - fellowship with all three members of the Trinity - Jesus prays that through their union with God, they may have the same unity as that between Father and Son.

This unity:-

• Comes about through believers’ incorporation into the Godhead (v 21)

• Will witness to the world at large that Christ was indeed sent by God (v 21)

• Is cemented by the shared glory of God’s character, which Jesus has taught the Church (v 22)

• Will demonstrate that God loves the Church, just as He loved and loves Christ (v 23)

This unity is created by the Spirit (Eph 4:2), not by human effort. It comes about when we are born anew into the family of God (1:12). The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus indwells us, so that we become one spirit with Him (1Cor 6:17), and thus with all other true believers. This doesn’t however mean uniformity, for the Spirit gives each believer diverse gifts, to be used for the common good.

It is not simply a unity of love, but is based on the teachings of the apostles (v 20). It cannot therefore be created by doctrinal compromises between denominations, especially where key doctrine is at stake. [As he wrote this, John may have had in mind the early stirrings of the Gnostic and other heresies, as to whether Christ had genuinely ‘come in the flesh’ (1Jn 4:2).]

Paul writes that Christian unity is maintained by our humility, gentleness and patience: but it also has a clear doctrinal foundation -

“one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph 4:1-6).

This doctrinal and experiential unity is something that each local church has to grow into. A church is immature if it is continually riven by ‘prophetic’ conspiracy theories, or teachings which imply that some believers are superior to others. The five-fold ministry gifts are there

‘for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:11-16)

Whilst it is supernatural, our unity should be tangible to the world. When we love one another as Christ has loved us, this should be apparent to our neighbours, enough to persuade them that Jesus’ message was truly of God, and that God’s love is set on us, as it was on Christ.

Many commentators focus so much on the apparent earthly disunity of Christianity, that they conclude that Jesus’ prayer will only be answered at the Rapture. But in doing so, they overlook the reality of the early church:

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. (Acts 4:32-35)

Though Paul needed to teach the Ephesian church about the ‘one new mankind’, the demolition of the division between Jews and Gentiles, there was tangible unity - in that the churches in Achaia and Macedonia gave ‘above and beyond’ despite their own poverty, to support the Judaean believers in a period of famine (1Cor 8,9)

The reality is that Jesus’ prayer is continually being answered by Father God in the here-and-now. It is answered in every sympathetic response within the Body of Christ, such that ‘when one member suffers, all suffer; when one member rejoices, all rejoice’, It is answered in every Christian ministry to the suffering church. It is answered in the welcome a Christian receives, wherever he goes in the world, when he meets fellow-believers - of whatever ilk.

2. Vision of Christ’s glory (v 24)

What does Jesus mean, when He prays that the disciples 'may be with Him where He is, so that they can contemplate His glory'?

He has previously told them that He is going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house, and that He will come again and receive them to Himself; so that where He is, there they may be too (14:2,3). So most commentators take this as referring to the Rapture. But only seven generations after Adam, Enoch prophesied “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints” (Jude 14). So there would be no need for Jesus to pray for this to happen.

The same is true of our experience when we die: there was no need for Jesus to pray for us to be with Him then. That had already been decided.

But if we take His prayer as referring to our daily, earthly life, how has His prayer been answered?

We know that Peter, James and John had already seen Christ’s glory, the glory of His divine nature, on the Mount of Transfiguration. And they witnessed to it as a central part of their witness in their letters. But subsequent generations had had nothing comparable, at this point.

Stephen saw Jesus's glory as He was being stoned, and that Paul was blinded by the glory of Christ on the Damascus Road. He also experienced being caught up to heaven, and seeing inexpressible glory. And John Himself, imprisoned on Patmos, had a wonderful revelation when He saw Christ's glory, first as the One amongst the candlestands and then as the Lamb in the midst of the throne of God.

But what about us? Are we simply to rely on others’ experiences, or is Jesus praying for us to be able to contemplate His glory? And if so, why is this important?

Paul teaches that in the New Covenant, unlike the Old, all believers can and should spend time gazing at Christ’s glory:

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory … But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Cor 3:7-9,18)

Somehow, seeing Jesus’s glory changes us into His likeness: which is what the Father has wanted all along:

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Rom 8:29-30)

This process will be completed when we meet Jesus face-to-face, either in Paradise when we die, or at His return. This expectation is what drives our sanctification:

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

And at the Resurrection, our physical bodies will be like Jesus’s resurrection body, no longer afflicted by the effects of the first Adam’s sin and fall:-

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. (1 Cor 15:35-49)

Our gospel is ‘the gospel of the glory of Christ’

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor 4:5-7)

Christ’s glory was given Him by the Father, out of the eternal love within the Godhead (v24).

Other than through Christ, the world has never known a god of agape love. A god of might, yes; a god of war, yes; a god of fertility, yes; a god of destruction, yes - all these, and many more, exist in the world’s religions. But Jesus has declared the Father’s Name; God is love. And He will go on declaring it, so that the Father’s love for Him may flow through Him and into us, the Church, His Body, more and more (v24)

Summing up in paraphrase form, …

“Actually Father, I’m not just praying for these dear ones. By faith I can see the multitudes who will come to believe in Me as they spread the gospel, round the world and down through the ages. Everything I’ve prayed for them, I also ask for the future Church. Father, this is glorious! I can see My Betrothed, My Bride forming down through history, getting ready for our wedding feast to happen. I want Her to be utterly pure and spotless, made holy in every way through Your word. So there are two more things I want to ask, and then I’m done.

“Firstly Father, I’m asking that You will so bind them together that their unity will be like Ours. Just as We do everything in unison, and never seek Our own glory but glorify Each Other, that they would be one through their union with Us. Obviously they’ll have one Spirit, being one spirit with Me. And there’ll be foundational truths which they all hold to, about who I am, who You are, what baptism means and the like. But there will also be doctrinal fashions which come and go, and which lead to factions forming, and disunity. As well as the apostles’ leadership they’ll need prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers - and every member will need to lay aside their pride to build up, and be built up by, the others. Let them love one another as I have loved them, washing each others’ feet in humility. Let them be so changed that it becomes an inescapable conclusion for the world, that I was really sent by You. I’ve displayed the glory of Your grace and truth, and Our oneness, to them: now let that glory be manifest in their unity. Let them be so completely connected to Me, as I am to You; so that it’s obvious to all that not only did You send Me, but You love them as deeply as You love Me.

“Finally Father, I want everyone You give Me to be allowed into My Presence, so that they can contemplate My glory. So far only Peter, James and John have seen it. I know You will open heaven and show them more in years to come in special revelations. And of course they’ll see My glory when I eventually return to reign on earth. But I’m praying for their day-to-day spiritual experience. When You gave Moses the Old Covenant, he used to come into Your Presence day by day, and he’d come out shining, with Your glory having somehow changed him. If that covenant was glorious, surely Your New Covenant is much more glorious? He was the only one in all Israel who had such encounters: but I want every one of My people to gaze on My glory until they too shine. Not with a fading glory like Moses, but a glory that gets brighter and brighter as they are changed from one degree to another. It’s the sight of My glory that will change them, and will motivate them to purify themselves more and more, ready for the day when they see Me face to face.

“The world doesn’t recognise You Father, despite Your righteousness. They’ve made themselves lots of other gods - gods of war, gods of lust, gods of fertility and of destruction - but they’ve never known You as the God who is Love. These eleven men have realised that You sent Me, and I have declared Your nature to them and will go on doing so. In that way, the love that flows between Us as Father Son and Holy Spirit, will flow through Me into them - that the world may come to know You as You really are.”