Up to this time in Jesus’ prayer in the upper room, he had mentioned only his covenant with his Father and his work with and his desire for his disciples, who were present with him at that time. He brought his prayer to its conclusion by saying his desire for his present disciples was not his only concern. He also had all future believers in mind (John 17:20), namely, those who would believe the testimony of these, his beloved disciples who were with him and ready to depart for Gethsemane.
Jesus prayed that we, those who believe in him as a result of his first century disciples’ testimony about him, that we would be one as both he and his Father were one (John 17:21), thus, referring back to what Jesus asked in verse-11. Namely, that the Father would sanctify us, separate us from the world, by helping us to identify with Christ, through the Father’s word, which is truth (John 17:11-17). Therefore, we, too, shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15; cp. Luke 12:35-40), which is preserved from judgment, because of the presence of each generation of believers in Christ (John 17:15, cp. Isaiah 57:1). This is such an awesome responsibility to understand that the world, today, is not judged by God, because of our presence. In other words, if the world is judged by the Lord, it is due t to the fact that we are not following Christ by being separate from the world in such a manner that we are lights pointing to Christ, images of God (2Corinthians 3:18), whom the world has long ago forgotten and has not known (John 1:10) and doesn’t want to know (Romans 1:21-23, 28).
Therefore, if we are one as the Father and Jesus are, namely, if we hold to the testimony of the word of God as preached by his first century disciples and remain separate from the world, the world will come to realize that God had sent Christ (John 17:21). There is power in the word of God, and power in a life lived by God’s word, power that is not readily understood by flesh. Nevertheless, the flesh will yield to the power of the spirit, eventually.
Put another way, Jesus claimed that he had given his disciples his glory, the glory which the Father had given Jesus. What does this mean? We are told in Colossians that our hope of glory is Christ within us (Colossians 1:27), and Jesus’ glory in the flesh was the Father in him (John 1:14, 16, 18). In other words, the divine presence of God is seen by the world in the face of the bearer of that Presence. Moses’ face was changed and physically lit up, because he was in the very presence of God (Exodus 34:29-35). Nevertheless, that glory faded, because it was a physical manifestation of what occurred to Moses, because he was with God. On the other hand, the Lord’s presence in the face of the believer grows stronger and stronger, until the world is unable to deny it (2Corinthians 3:11-18). The glory of God is seen by the world, as we with open face behold the Spirit of God, through the looking glass of his word and obeying what God says there (1John 3:24). Thus, the word of God separates us from the world (John 17:17), and the Spirit of God within us (Colossians 1:27) manifests the glory of God unto the world (John 17:22-23).
Moreover, not only would we, as obedient believers manifest the glory of God to the world, but Jesus prayed that we would be able to perceive that glory, not like Judas who was unable to even consider Jesus as the Messiah, once he understood that Jesus claimed he needed to die to save Israel. Jesus prayed that we would be able to understand the crucifixion as something glorious, for God loved Jesus before the rebellion in Eden (John 17:24).[1] In other words, Jesus was slain, vis-à-vis there was a need for the crucifixion and it was planned, Adam’s rebellion (cp. Revelation 13:8).
So, the world has not known or understood this, having rejected (John 1:10; cp. Romans 1:21-23, 28) and hated both the Father and the Son without cause (John 15:24-25). Therefore, Jesus, who alone had known the Father, came into the world to reveal him to mankind (John 1:14, 18). Jesus’ disciples, though not completely understanding it all without the Spirit of God in them (cp. John 14:17), did believe Jesus was sent by the Father, and that is enough for the Spirit of God to work with, once he had come. Jesus both declared the Father’s name vis-à-vis what he is like, and would declare it more intimately and clearly, when he would come in the flesh of men (1John 4:2-3; 2John 1:7; cp. Colossians 1:27). Finally, in doing so, the love with which the Father had loved Jesus would also be in us who believe (John 17:25-26).
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[1] The translators are incorrect in translating the Greek into foundation (G2602) of the world, some have beginning or creation. The Greek refers, instead, to Adam’s rebellion (see my earlier study in the Epistle of Peter The Overthrow of the World).
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