Day 1170: The glory of Jesus - John 17 vs 1 - 5

1-2 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” John 17:1-5 English Standard Version

What a precious reading for this week as we remember why Jesus would be glorified. J.B. Phillips said that “Jesus, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to His prerogatives as God’s equal - but stripped Himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature, and being born as mortal man. And, having become man, He humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying. And the death He died was the death of a common criminal. That is why God has now lifted Him so high, and has given Him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, whether in Heaven, or earth, or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:6-11 J.B Phillips.)

It seems from John's account that Jesus prayed this prayer after the wonderful truths He told the disciples as recorded in Chapters 13 to 16. It took place as He was on the way to the garden of Gethsemane where He would be betrayed and arrested. It would also be the time when the ones He was praying for - would all forsake Him! So what did He ask that the Father would do? (vs 1-2)

He asked that God would glorify Him. 'Glorify' comes from a root meaning 'to suppose', and was used for an opinion or an estimate. And the highest estimate we can give anyone is to exalt their name and praise them. And that's what it seems Jesus prayed for. He asks that His disciples would come to honour Him in the same way that He honoured the Father. How did He do that? (vs 4)

By finishing the work that God had given Him to do.

The Father had granted Jesus authority over all mankind to give eternal life to everyone the Father gave Him. Now, knowing that He had completed that task, He was ready to seal it with His own blood. As Paul said to the Philippians, “Being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.”

A few days after Jesus had stood at Lazarus' graveside He said: “Now is my soul troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:27-28)

But, while Calvary was a crucial reason for why Jesus would be glorified, He also prayed for the glory He had known before He came into the world. “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (vs 5) The New Living Translation reminds us that “Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.” Before the world had ever come into being, Jesus enjoyed the glory that belonged to God. John started his gospel by saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3)

At this Easter time may it be our chief delight to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God!