An intimate view of Jesus and God

John Chapter 17 is a monumental section of scripture. Jesus is preparing for His crucifixion and praying to His Father, our God. Jesus is intimately speaking of those whom God gave to Him out of the world. Those who brought Him Glory by knowing He was sent by God and believed the Words God gave to Him that He gave to them and they believed.

He speaks with love of those who believe in Him becoming one with them and prays that they would know the same perfect unity that they have always known. While He prays for believers He clearly says He is not praying for the World. His prayer is for those whom believe and trust in Him, not those who don’t or will not believe. To say this is profound does not adequately express what has been communicated.

In verse 11 Jesus says makes a request from His Father now that He will remain in the world no longer. He asks His Father to take over the role of protector and to safeguard them by His name, the name He gave to Him.

11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus says he kept ALL who was given to Him safe and lost none. Those who had been given to Him by the Father. Jesus will now be leaving this earth and will raised from the dead in three days. Jesus is asking God to protect those He had protected while on earth while He will be in the tomb. This is truly breathtaking to consider. This intimate view into the relationship of God and Jesus is incomprehensible. We get to witness the most heartfelt expression of love I am able to imagine. Jesus the sacrificial lamb who will now be slaughtered speaks only of love, unity and protection of His children and His Father. Jesus looks to the Father and asks for Him to stand in the gap for this one time He will be gone. I cannot truly understand all this but this is truly amazing.

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@Brian , your reflections on John 17 indeed highlight the profound intimacy between Jesus and the Father, showcasing the depth of their relationship and the love that permeates this prayer. This chapter serves as a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John, emphasizing not only the divinity of Christ but also His role as the mediator between God and humanity.

To broaden the topic, let us explore some complementary biblical principles and themes that resonate throughout the Gospel of John, particularly concerning the nature of Jesus, His mission, and the eternal life He offers.

  1. The Word Made Flesh: John’s prologue (John 1:1-14) establishes Jesus as the eternal Word, affirming His divinity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). This foundational truth is essential as it frames the entire narrative of John’s Gospel, culminating in the revelation of Jesus as the source of life and light.

  2. Unity and Relationship: The theme of unity is central in John’s writings. Just as Jesus prays for the unity of His followers in John 17:21, we see a call for believers to reflect the same oneness that exists between the Father and the Son. This unity is not merely organizational but deeply spiritual, as seen in John 15:5, where Jesus states, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This illustrates the necessity of abiding in Christ for spiritual vitality.

  3. Eternal Life: John emphasizes the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. In John 3:16, we find the essence of the Gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This promise is not just for the future but is a present reality for believers, as expressed in John 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

  4. The Role of the Holy Spirit: As Jesus prepares to leave, He promises the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), who will guide, teach, and remind believers of all that Jesus has said. This is crucial for understanding how believers are empowered to live out their faith in unity and protection, as Jesus prayed in John 17.

  5. The Fulfillment of Scripture: Throughout John, there is a consistent theme of Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. In John 17:12, when Jesus refers to the one who was lost, He alludes to Psalm 41:9, which foreshadows Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. Understanding these connections deepens our appreciation for how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.

These themes not only enrich our understanding of John 17 but also invite deeper reflection on how they apply to our lives as believers. As we consider the implications of Jesus’ prayer, it prompts us to think about our own unity with Christ and with one another, our reliance on the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of eternal life.

In this spirit, I encourage you and the community to reflect on how these truths manifest in your daily lives. How do we live out the unity Jesus prayed for? In what ways can we deepen our relationship with Christ, the Vine, and bear fruit for His Kingdom? Let these questions guide your discussions and reflections, always anchored in the profound truths of Scripture.

Everything you have detailed testifies to the Glory of God. Jesus exists in John 1 with the father as you said.

We also see in the first book of the Bible in Genesis, the existence of the Trinity once again gathered together and now before man had ever been conceived being created. God desired to create man to love and created mankind together and blessed them.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man[h] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them.

Jesus continues in John 17 to express His love not only for those who were with Him, the Apostles and loved ones but for all who would ever come to believe through their testimonies. God plan of redemption was at work.

Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus did not come for the righteous, but He came for us.

Matthew 9:13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

@Brian , your insights beautifully connect the themes of Scripture, highlighting the unity of the Trinity and the overarching narrative of God’s redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. Indeed, the verses you’ve quoted from both Genesis and John reinforce the profound truth that God’s love and intent for humanity were established before creation.

  1. The Trinity in Creation: In Genesis 1:26, the plural pronouns “us” and “our” strongly suggest the presence of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—participating in the creation of humanity. This foundational truth sets the stage for understanding our identity as image-bearers of God. We see that God’s intention was not merely to create, but to create beings capable of relationship, reflecting His own nature of love and community.

  2. Jesus’ Prayer for Future Believers: Your reference to John 17:20-26 is particularly poignant. Here, Jesus explicitly prays for those who will believe through the apostles’ message, indicating His foresight and deep concern for the unity and spiritual well-being of all believers throughout the ages. The call to unity is not just a desire for harmony but a reflection of the divine relationship within the Godhead. As you noted, Jesus desires that believers experience the same love and unity that exists between Him and the Father. This is a powerful reminder of our calling to live in a manner that reflects this divine unity.

  3. Mission to Sinners: In Matthew 9:13, Jesus’ mission is clarified: He came not for the righteous but for sinners. This underscores the heart of the Gospel—that it is through grace that we are saved, not through our own righteousness. The acknowledgment of our sinful state is the first step toward receiving the mercy and redemption Christ offers. In Romans 5:8, we see this love in action: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This highlights the depth of God’s love and the lengths to which He went to restore our relationship with Him.

  4. The Purpose of Unity: The unity that Jesus prays for serves a broader purpose: that the world may believe that the Father sent Him. This mission is foundational to the Church’s witness. When believers exemplify the love and unity of Christ, it becomes a testimony to the world of His reality and His love.

  5. The Continuation of Revelation: Jesus’ promise in John 17:26 to continue making the Father known is crucial. It emphasizes that our understanding of God is not static but dynamic. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are continually led into deeper truths about God, enabling us to experience His love more profoundly.

As we reflect on these profound truths, it is essential to consider how they influence our lives today. Are we living in the unity that Jesus prayed for? Are we actively participating in the mission of bringing others to know Christ? Let us strive to embody the love of Christ in our relationships with one another and in our witness to the world, always pointing back to the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

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