A Fresh Perspective

Did you notice how often the word “world” appears in this passage? v. 6: “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world.” v. 9: “I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world.” v. 11: “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. . . . protect them in your name that you have given me” v. 14: “the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world.” v. 15: “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” v. 16: “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.” v. 18: “As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” That last statement is the one I want to focus on today. Luke says the Holy Spirit will turn Jesus’ followers into witnesses. Here in John we are told that as the Father sent Jesus on a mission to the world, so the Christ sends us to continue his work.   ...

John 17 is set in a context of Jesus praying. Though what follows is framed as a prayer, the instruction of the disciples that began in chapter 13 continues. An important theme in this prayer has to do with the relationship of Jesus’ disciples to the world: v. 6: “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. v. 9: “I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world. v. 11: “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. . . . protect them in your name that you have given me” v. 14: “the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world. v. 15: “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. v. 16: “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.” v. 18: “As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. vv. 22-23: “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that ...

On the night of his arrest, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him into the garden to pray. Jesus wants their support, but this is also to prepare them for the trial to come. Jesus tells them to stay awake. It was important that they see his struggle and participate in it. But they could not. They went to sleep. Jesus calls Peter out especially, because he had been the most outspoken and boastful, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour?” Then he says, “Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial,” that is, “that you may not be overcome when you enter the trial coming upon you.” “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” he says (see Mark 14:32–42). Jesus knows that they need to nurture the spiritual fortitude, strength, courage, and endurance that comes from being discerning of God’s will and awake to God’s presence. When Jesus tells them to stay awake and pray, he is telling them to be reflective and discerning. If they are to ask G...