Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

13:1-17 With his crucifixion imminent, Jesus washes his disciples' feet as a final proof of his love for them, setting an example of humility and servanthood and signifying the washing away of sins through his death. In a striking demonstration of love for his enemies, Jesus washes all of his disciples' feet, including those of Judas. Jesus' act is all the more remarkable, as washing people's feet was considered to be a task reserved for non-Jewish slaves. In a culture where people walked long distances on dusty roads in sandals, it was customary for the host to arrange for water to be available for the washing of feet. Normally, this was done upon arrival, not during the meal.

13:1 Jesus' own are now the Twelve, the representatives of his new messianic community (cf. 1:11). Though Jesus was about to die an agonizing death, he continued to love his disciples. to depart out of this world. In several places John says that Jesus is leaving the world and going to the Father (see 13:3; also 7:33; 16:28; 17:11). Yet in other places Jesus can say that he will always be present with his disciples, even after his ascension into heaven (see 14:23; Matt. 18:20; 28:20; Rev. 3:20). Both are true: Jesus in his human nature is no longer here on earth but has returned to heaven and will come again one day, but in his divine nature Jesus is omnipresent and is with believers "always" (Matt. 28:20).

13:7 Another instance of misunderstanding (cf. notes on 6:52; 12:16).

13:8 To have no share with Jesus means that one does not belong to him. Here the footwashing symbolizes the washing necessary for the forgiveness of sins, in anticipation of Jesus' death for his people, by which sins are washed away.

13:9-11 Jesus applies the footwashing in another way. Those who have been washed through Jesus' once-for-all death also need daily cleansing of their sins (symbolized by their frequent need to wash their feet). It is apparent that Jesus applies the footwashing figuratively since he says not all are clean, referring to Judas, but clearly he cleaned Judas's feet as well. Because Judas is not spiritually cleansed, unlike Peter, he does not have a "share" (v. 8) with Jesus.

13:12-17 The disciples will understand fully only after the cross, though they do grasp in part Jesus' amazing humility, which serves as a model for all of his disciples.

13:14 Footwashing continues as a regular ceremony in a number of modern denominations, which literally obey Jesus' command, you also ought to wash one another's feet. Others believe the language is figurative for the importance of serving one another, and that the act itself is not required.

13:16 messenger (Gk. apostolos). This is one of a few places in the NT where this Greek word does not refer to the office of "apostle of Jesus Christ" but simply to a "messenger" in general (it is also used this way in 2 Cor. 8:23 and Phil. 2:25).

13:18 I know whom I have chosen does not refer to choosing for salvation but to Jesus' choosing of the Twelve, including Judas, to be disciples (this is the same sense given to "choose" in 6:70, where it clearly includes Judas). Jesus cites Ps. 41:9, dealing with Absalom's rebellion against King David; the "faithless friend" there may be Ahithophel (2 Sam. 16:23). Judas's lifting his heel against Jesus brings out the treacherous and faithless nature of Judas's deed.

13:19 Jesus' statement is one of several references to his foreknowledge in this section (cf. 14:29; 16:1, 4, 32, 33; see also previous note). The statement I am he very likely has overtones of a claim to deity (see note on 8:24; also 8:28, 58; 18:5, 6, 8).

13:20 The one I send refers first of all to the disciples whom Jesus would specifically send out at 20:22. But more broadly it applies to all messengers of Christ, in every age, who bring the gospel of Christ to others. receives. To truly "receive" such a messenger is to accept and believe the gospel and to trust in Christ. (The same word for "receive" [Gk. lambanō] is also used in 1:12; 3:32-33; 5:43; 12:48.) This and similar verses (e.g., 20:22; Luke 18:17; Rom. 3:25) give the basis for using the language of "receiving Christ as Savior" in reference to hearing the gospel message and believing it.

13:21 troubled in his spirit. See note on 12:27; cf. also Ps. 31:9-10; 38:10; 55:2-14.

13:22 uncertain of whom he spoke. Judas's outward behavior conformed so nearly to that of the other disciples that they did not immediately assume that Jesus was talking about Judas.

13:23 This is the first reference to the disciple whom Jesus loved (see Introduction: Author and Title). On reclining, see note on 12:2. In such a situation it would be easy for John to lean back a bit and whisper privately to Jesus, as he does in 13:25. See also 21:20.

13:27 Satan entered into him. Though Satan had earlier put the desire to betray Christ into Judas's heart (see v. 2), Satan himself now enters into Judas, suggesting a more dominant influence in the actions to follow.

13:30 And it was night strikes an ominous note (cf. Luke 22:53: "this is your hour, and the power of darkness"). See also Matt. 26:20; Mark 14:17; 1 Cor. 11:23.

13:31-32 The passage echoes Isa. 49:3. Again Jesus' glorification is tied to his death.

13:34-35 Love must be the distinguishing mark of Jesus' disciples. Jesus' "new command" takes its point of departure from the Mosaic commands to love the Lord with all one's powers and to love one's neighbor as oneself (Lev. 19:18; cf. Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:28-33), but Jesus' own love and teaching deepen and transform these commands. Jesus even taught love for one's enemies (Matt. 5:43-48). The command to love one's neighbor was not new; the newness was found in loving one another as Jesus had loved his disciples (cf. John 13:1; 15:13). In light of Jesus' subsequent death, just as implies a love that is even willing to lay down one's life for another (see 15:13).

13:38 the rooster will not crow. See also Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34. In a number of manuscripts of Mark's Gospel, though not all, Mark mentions the rooster crowing "twice" (Mark 14:30, 68, 72), but roosters could crow a number of times separated by a few minutes. Mark specifies the first two individual crowings (as evidently Jesus did), while Matthew, Luke, and John focus on the shameful fact of Peter's denial. They therefore drop this detail and report Jesus as referring to the entire set of crowings as the time the rooster crows.

14:1 Believe in God is translated as an imperative (or command), but the Greek could also be rendered as a statement, "You believe in God." The imperative is probably better in light of the previous sentence. What troubles the disciples is Jesus' imminent departure (see 13:36). "Believe," in keeping with OT usage (e.g., Isa. 28:16), denotes personal, relational trust.

14:2-3 In light of the context (Jesus going to the Father; 13:1, 3; 14:28), it is best to understand my Father's house as referring to heaven. In keeping with this image, the many rooms (or "dwelling places," Gk. monē) are places to live within that large house. The translation "rooms" is not meant to convey the idea of small spaces, but only to keep consistency in the metaphor of heaven as God's "house." In a similar passage, Jesus speaks of his followers being received into the "eternal dwellings" (Luke 16:9; cf. 1 Cor. 2:9).

14:6 Jesus as the one way to the Father fulfills the OT symbols and teachings that show the exclusiveness of God's claim (see note on 3:18), such as the curtain (Ex. 26:33) barring access to God's presence from all except the Levitical high priest (Leviticus 16), the rejection of human inventions as means to approach God (Lev. 10:2), and the choice of Aaron alone to represent Israel before God in his sanctuary (Num. 17:5). Jesus is the only "way" to God (Acts 4:12), and he alone can provide access to God. Jesus as the truth fulfills the teaching of the OT (John 1:17) and reveals the true God (cf. 1:14, 17; 5:33; 18:37; also 8:40, 45-46; 14:9). Jesus alone is the life who fulfills the OT promises of "life" given by God (11:25-26), having life in himself (1:4; 5:26), and he is thus able to confer eternal life to all those who believe in him (e.g., 3:16). This is another "I am" saying that makes a claim to deity (see note on 6:35).

14:8-11 Philip apparently asks for some sort of appearance by God. In the OT, Moses asked for and was given a limited vision of God's glory (Ex. 33:18; cf. Ex. 24:10). Isaiah, too, received a vision of God (Isa. 6:1; see note on John 12:41). Jesus is the greater fulfillment of these limited OT events (see also Ezek. 1:26-28). In keeping with OT teaching, Jesus denied the possibility of a direct vision of God (John 5:37; 6:46; cf. 1:18), yet he makes the stunning assertion that those who have seen him have seen the Father--a clear claim to deity. Philip's request shows that he has not yet understood the point of Jesus' coming, namely, to reveal the Father (1:14, 18).

14:10 I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Though there is a complete mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son, the Father and the Son remain distinct persons within the Trinity, as does the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14), and the three of them still constitute only one Being in three persons.

14:11 The works themselves includes the miracles of Jesus and also the other actions and teachings that he did and gave (see note on v. 12).

14:12 the works that I do. In John's Gospel, the term "works" (Gk. ergon), both in singular and in plural, is a broader term than "signs." While "signs" in John are characteristically miracles that attest to Jesus' identity as Messiah and Son of God, and that lead unbelievers to faith (see note on 2:11), Jesus' "works" include both his miracles (see 7:21) and his other activities and teachings, including the whole of his ministry (see 4:34; 5:36; 10:32; 17:4). These are all manifestations of the activity of God the Father, for Jesus said, "The Father who dwells in me does his works" (14:10). Here Jesus is teaching his disciples to imitate the things he did in his life and ministry. The disciples' greater works will be possible because Jesus is going to the Father, subsequent to his finished work on the cross (12:24; 15:13; 19:30); this indicates that the "greater works" will be possible because of the power of the Holy Spirit who would be sent after Jesus goes to the Father (see 16:7; also 7:39; 14:16, 26). The expression "greater works" could also be translated more broadly as "greater things," since the Greek meizona is simply a neuter adjective and the noun "works" (Gk. erga, plural) is not included here as it is in the earlier part of the verse. These "greater works" include evangelism, teaching, and deeds of mercy and compassion--in short, the entire ministry of the church to the entire world, beginning from Pentecost. (E.g., on the day of Pentecost alone, more believers were added to Jesus' followers than during his entire earthly ministry up to that time; cf. Acts 2:41.) These works are "greater" not because they are more amazing miracles but because they will be greater in their worldwide scope and will result in the transformation of individual lives and of whole cultures and societies.

14:13 Praying in Jesus' name means praying in a way consistent with his character and his will (a person's name in the ancient world represented what the person was like); it also means coming to God in the authority of Jesus. Probably both senses are intended here. Adding "in Jesus' name" at the end of every prayer is neither required nor wrong. Effective prayer must ask for and desire what Jesus delights in. See also note on 1 John 5:15.

14:14 If you ask me gives warrant for praying directly to Jesus (but see ESV footnote). Many other verses encourage prayer to God the Father (see 15:16).

14:15 Jesus' words echo the demands of the Deuteronomic covenant (cf. Deut. 5:10; 6:5-6; 7:9; 10:12-13; 11:13, 22) and reflect his unique authority. True love manifests itself in willing obedience.

14:16-17 The Holy Spirit (cf. v. 26), the Spirit of truth who will guide the disciples into all truth (16:13), will serve as another Helper (or "helping Presence"; see also ESV footnote). He will indwell Jesus' followers forever, functioning as Jesus' emissary in his physical absence. The promise of the divine presence with Jesus' followers in 14:15-24 includes the Spirit (vv. 15-17), Jesus (vv. 18-21), and the Father (vv. 22-24). he dwells with you and will be in you. This does not mean that there was no work of the Spirit of God within believers prior to this time (see note on 7:39) but rather that the Holy Spirit "will be in you" in a new and more powerful sense after Pentecost.

14:18 I will come to you most likely means that Jesus will appear to the disciples after his resurrection (chs. 20-21). Some interpreters have taken this as a reference to the Holy Spirit's coming, which Jesus does promise (14:16-17), but both Jesus and John always use precise wording in maintaining a distinction between Jesus and the Spirit.

14:21 keeps (i.e., follows and obeys) them. Obedience to Christ is an indication of genuine love for him.

14:22 The Judas referred to here is probably "Judas the son of James" mentioned in Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13, not Judas the half brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3).

14:23 Home (Gk. monē, "room, dwelling place") is the same word used in a different context in v. 2. Just as the Father and the Son now make their home with Christians in this age, Jesus is preparing for them a place in heaven where they will one day live with God (vv. 2-3). On the theme of God's dwelling among his people, see note on 1:14.

14:26 He will teach you uses the masculine Greek pronoun ekeinos ("he") instead of the neuter pronoun ekeino ("it"), which would have been expected for grammatical agreement with the grammatically neuter antecedent Pneuma (Spirit). Many interpreters have seen this as a deliberate choice on John's part, indicating an awareness of the distinct personhood of the Holy Spirit (though others disagree, suggesting that the pronoun is masculine in order to agree with the masculine noun Helper earlier in the sentence). John follows the same usage in 15:26 and 16:13-14. That he will teach the disciples all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you is an important promise regarding the disciples' future role in writing the words of Scripture; see also 16:13-15. Jesus' promise here is specifically to these disciples (who would become the apostles after Pentecost), though there is of course a broader teaching and guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit generally in the lives of believers, as is taught elsewhere in Scripture (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16, 18). On the work of the Trinity, see chart.

14:27 The expression peace (Hb. shalom) had a much richer connotation than the English word does since it conveyed not merely the absence of conflict and turmoil but also the notion of positive blessing, especially in terms of a right relationship with God (e.g., Num. 6:24-26; cf. Ps. 29:11; Hag. 2:9). This may be manifested most clearly in the midst of persecution and tribulation from the world; see also John 15:18-19; 16:33.

14:28 In saying that the Father is greater than I, Jesus means that the Father as the one who sends and commands is "greater" (in authority or leadership) than the Son. However, this does not mean that Jesus is inferior in his being and essence to the Father, as 1:1, 10:30, and 20:28 clearly show.

14:30 On the ruler of this world, see note on 12:31. Those who do not follow Christ are not autonomous. They are serving Satan, whether they are aware of this or not. Satan is coming in the person of Judas and those with him (see ch. 18), and this is why in a short time Jesus will no longer talk much with them. But Jesus is not subject to Satan, for Satan has no claim on Jesus. Satan cannot force Jesus to do anything, but Jesus willingly submits to the suffering that is to come, out of obedience to his Father (see 14:31).

14:31 Jesus' obedience to the Father signifies his love for the Father. The transition from 14:31 to 15:1 is at times viewed as a "literary seam" (i.e., an indication that John's Gospel is pieced together from different sources). More likely, John is implying that Jesus and his followers are leaving the upper room, making their way to the Kidron Valley, and arriving in the Garden of Gethsemane (18:1).

15:1-17 Jesus' allegory of the vine and the branches is at the very heart of the Farewell Discourse (13:31-16:33). The OT frequently uses the vineyard or vine as a symbol for Israel, God's covenant people, especially in two "vineyard songs" in Isaiah (Isa. 5:1-7; 27:2-6). However, Israel's failure to produce fruit resulted in divine judgment. Jesus, by contrast, is "the true vine," and his followers abide in him and produce fruit.

15:1 This is the last of Jesus' seven I am sayings in this Gospel (see note on 6:35). True contrasts Jesus with OT Israel (see previous note), reinforcing John's theme that Jesus is the true Israel. The vinedresser refers back to Isaiah's first vineyard song, where God is depicted as tending his vineyard, only to be rewarded with wild grapes (Isa. 5:1-7; cf. Ps. 80:8-9). The fruitfulness of those in Christ contrasts with the fruitlessness of Israel.

15:2 The divine vinedresser does two things to ensure maximum fruit production: (1) he removes unfruitful branches, and (2) he prunes all the others (cf. Heb. 6:7-8). Does not bear fruit seems to indicate that the person symbolized by such a branch is not a true believer (see John 15:6, 8). In that case, in me is just a loose connection needed to make the metaphor of a vine work, reflecting a claim to be Christ's that is not genuine and not implying actual regeneration or true belief. This then would be one of several verses in John showing that not all who follow Jesus for a time and hear his teaching are genuine believers (cf. 6:66; also 13:10-11 on Judas). Others understand these branches to represent true believers who are "unfruitful" for various reasons. In favor of this view is the fact that Jesus says such branches are "in me," and that seems parallel to being "in Christ," as only believers are. However, these unfruitful branches appear to be the same branches that are "thrown away" and "burned" in 15:6, which seems clearly to be a picture of final judgment. Fruit is an image for good results coming from the life of a believer, probably in terms of bringing benefit to the lives of others and advancing the work of God in the world (see Matt. 13:8; cf. Gal. 5:22-23 for a different image of "fruit" as changed character). he takes away. The Greek verb airō can also mean "lifts up" in certain contexts, and some use this to argue that this means God "lifts up" unfruitful branches from the ground so that they will become more fruitful. This interpretation is taken by those who think the branches represent true believers who are not fruitful. But this sense seems less likely because the unfruitful branches in John 15:6 are "thrown into the fire, and burned," which is an image of final judgment. "He prunes" gives a picture of painful but necessary removal of some interests and activities in order that the remaining branches may bear even more fruit. The word translated "prunes" (Gk. kathairō) often means "to clean," and has the same root as the adjective katharos, translated "clean" in 15:3.

15:3 clean. See 13:10-11.

15:4 Abide in me means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience (see v. 10), and joy. And I in you is a phrase without an explicit verb, but it probably is an abbreviated way of saying, "See that I abide in you"; that is, "Safeguard your relationship with me so that I continue to abide fully in you." (See notes on 8:31; 1 John 2:6.) The "in" terminology in the present passage refers back to OT covenant theology, including prophetic texts regarding a future new covenant (see Ex. 25:8; 29:45; Lev. 26:11-12; Ezek. 37:27-28; 43:9). The repeated references to fruit bearing (also John 15:5, 8) underscore that this is God's primary purpose in creation (Gen. 1:11-12, 22, 28) and in redemption (cf. John 15:8, 16). The OT prophets envisioned a time when God's people would "blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit" (Isa. 27:6; cf. Hos. 14:4-8).

15:5 Apart from me you can do nothing does not mean "nothing at all," for unbelievers of course carry on their ordinary activities of life apart from Christ. Rather, it means "nothing of eternal value," or an inability to produce spiritual fruit.

15:6 The person who does not abide in me is an unbeliever who does not have a personal faith in Christ (see note on v. 4). The verse echoes Ezek. 15:1-8, where a vine failing to produce fruit is said to be good for nothing but the fire (see Heb. 6:7-8). Fire is a common Jewish and biblical symbol for divine judgment (e.g., Isa. 30:27; Matt. 3:12 par.; 5:22; 18:8; 25:41). Some take this "fire" to imply loss of reward for true believers, not eternal judgment for unbelievers, but this does not fit as well with the image of branches being entirely burned up by a fire. See also note on John 15:2.

15:7 Two conditions are given for answered prayer: abiding in Jesus, and his words abiding in believers (thus transforming their thinking). Elsewhere Jesus says that believers must ask in his name (i.e., in accord with his character and for his glory; see 14:13-14; 16:23-24). If God's people truly abide in Jesus (see note on 15:4), they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.

15:8 God is glorified not by praise and worship alone but by his followers also bearing much fruit for the advancement of his kingdom on earth. Here again, fruit bearing is evidence of being true believers, or being Jesus' disciples.

15:9 Abide in my love. Mutual love between believers and Christ is another element of this "abiding" relationship (see note on v. 4).

15:10-11 Obedience is not to be equated with drudgery; it is all about joy. The OT prophets envisioned a period of great end-time rejoicing (e.g., Isa. 25:9; 35:10; 51:3; 61:10; 66:10; Zeph. 3:14-17; Zech. 9:9). God threatened judgment if his people would not serve him "with joyfulness and gladness of heart" (Deut. 28:47-48). that my joy may be in you. Just as Jesus had great joy in obeying his Father even in the midst of opposition, so Christians will have joy in obedience.

15:12 love one another. On Jesus' "love commandment" (vv. 12-17), see note on 13:34-35.

15:13-14 You are my friends implies a stunning level of comfortable personal interaction with one who is also the eternal, omnipotent Creator of the universe (see 1:1-3, 10). In the OT, only Abraham (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) and by implication Moses (Ex. 33:11) are called "friends of God." Here Jesus extends this privilege to all obedient believers.

15:16 You did not choose me does not negate the disciples' willing decision to follow Jesus when he called them. Jesus is emphasizing that the ultimate factor in determining who would follow him was Jesus' own choice. The Greek eklegomai has the sense of "to choose or pick out from a group," and it clearly has that sense also in v. 19. That you should go and bear fruit implies that the purpose of Christ's choosing people is not merely that their sins be forgiven and they have eternal life but also that their lives be fruitful and productive in fulfilling God's purposes. For key passages on the doctrine of election, see Romans 9 and Ephesians 1.

15:19 therefore the world hates you. Christians should not be surprised that unbelievers in the world hate them. It follows a pattern seen in the world since Cain murdered Abel (see Gen. 4:8; Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12), and it is seen in the world's reactions to Christ himself (see John 15:18).

15:22 They would not have been guilty of sin does not mean all sin (see Rom. 3:23), but the specific sin of rejecting the supreme revelation of God that came in Christ himself, a sin that is particularly manifested in hating Christ (see John 15:18, 23, 24). their sin. See note on 5:31-47.

15:25 Jesus declares that the Jews' hatred of him fulfills OT Scripture, specifically Ps. 69:4 (cf. Ps. 35:19; also note on Isa. 6:9-10). This Davidic psalm depicts the figure of a righteous sufferer who is zealous for God but is persecuted by God's enemies for no good reason. Thus Jesus found a precedent for his enemies' hatred toward him in the antagonism encountered by David. Without a cause reminds believers that hatred and persecution against Jesus and his followers is often not because of any wrong that they have done but simply because of irrational evil in the hearts of the persecutors.

15:26 The Helper is the Holy Spirit; see notes on 14:16-17; 14:26. Whom I will send indicates that the Holy Spirit will come in new power into the world in obedience to God the Son. But who proceeds from the Father indicates that the Holy Spirit will also come in obedience to the directions of God the Father. Both the Father and the Son will send the Holy Spirit into the world in new fullness at Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-33; also notes on John 7:39; 14:16-17). He will bear witness about me reminds believers that when they bear witness about Christ, the Holy Spirit is working silently and invisibly through their words. On "he" as masculine and personal, see note on 14:26.

16:1 Jesus uses his words (now recorded in Scripture) as the means to keep believers from falling away.

16:2 Whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God implies a deep deception, ultimately inspired by Satan, who is a murderer and the father of lies (see 8:44). Not all "religions" are good, for some religions will teach their followers that they are doing good when in fact they are doing the horribly evil act of murdering true followers of the Son of God. The apostle Paul himself, prior to his conversion, thought he was serving God by persecuting Christians (see Acts 8:1-3 [where Paul is called Saul]; Gal. 1:13-14; 1 Tim. 1:13).

16:4 Believers may think opposition means that God opposes them, but Jesus emphasizes that persecution is to be expected (see also v. 1).

16:5 none of you asks me. But Peter did ask this exact question in 13:36 (cf. 14:5), so the present tense of "asks" probably has the sense, "none of you at the present time are asking me" (this was some time after 13:36; see the indication of change of location in 14:31).

16:7 it is to your advantage that I go away. This is because while Jesus was on earth he could be in only one place at a time, but the Holy Spirit would carry on Jesus' ministry over the entire world at all times. In addition, in God's sovereign plan for the unfolding of history, the Holy Spirit would not come in new covenant power and fullness until Jesus returned to heaven (see notes on 7:39; 14:16-17; 15:26). The Helper (see notes on 14:16-17; 14:26) refers back to the anticipation of the pouring out of the Spirit and the inauguration of the kingdom spoken of in OT prophetic literature (e.g., Isa. 11:1-10; 32:14-18; 42:1-4; 44:1-5; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 11:17-20; 36:24-27; 37:1-14; Joel 2:28-32).

16:8 He will convict the world gives hope that many who are in "the world" (and currently opposed to Jesus) will not be part of "the world" forever but will repent of their sins and believe in Christ.

16:10 Because I go to the Father means that Jesus will no longer be in the world to teach about true righteousness, and so the Holy Spirit will come to carry on that function, through illumination (v. 13) and through the words of believers who bear witness to the gospel.

16:11 Because the ruler of this world (i.e., Satan; see notes on 12:31; 14:30) is judged could also be translated "has been judged"; the perfect-tense verb kekritai (Gk.) has the sense of "has been judged and continues in the state resulting from that judgment."

16:13 On the Spirit of truth, see note on 14:16-17. The Spirit's ministry of guiding Jesus' followers into all the truth is a promise especially directed toward these 11 disciples, and it finds particular fulfillment in the subsequent work of these disciples in personally writing or overseeing the writing of the books of the NT (see note on 14:26). The promise, like the other things that Jesus says in these chapters, also has a broader application to all believers as the Holy Spirit leads and guides them (see Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18). The activity of the Holy Spirit in declaring the things that are to come suggests that he knows the future, something that is true of God alone; this gives evidence of the full deity of the Holy Spirit. The word declare (Gk. anangellō) occurs over 40 times in the Septuagint translation of Isaiah, where declaring things to come is said to be the exclusive domain of God (Isa. 48:14) and where God challenges anyone to declare the things that are to come (Isa. 42:9; 44:7; 46:10; cf. 41:21-29, esp. vv. 22-23; 45:19).

16:16-19 A little while . . . again a little while (v. 16). The first reference is plainly to the brief period between the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus, and the second reference is to the resurrection appearances (the "little while" after which the disciples will see Jesus again). The phrase is repeated by both Jesus and the disciples (vv. 17-19), recalling four previous instances of "a little while" in John's Gospel (cf. 7:33; 12:35; 13:33; 14:19).

16:23 In that day (that is, after Jesus' resurrection) you will ask nothing of me probably means that Jesus' disciples will not have to ask him questions about the meaning of his death and resurrection, because they will understand and because the Holy Spirit will be present to guide them "into all the truth" (v. 13).

16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. While Jesus was on earth the disciples had not prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus. But now he was saying that they should do so. Regarding the meaning of praying "in Jesus' name," see notes on 1:12-13; 14:13. Ask, and you will receive reminds believers that frequent answers to prayer will give Jesus' followers great joy as they see God actively at work in the world in answer to their prayers.

16:25 The hour is coming refers to the time after Jesus' resurrection when he would explain much more directly to them the meaning of all that he had done (see Luke 24:27; Acts 1:3).

16:28 Now I am leaving the world and going to the Father might have an initial reference to Jesus' spirit returning to heaven when his body died and remained on the earth, prior to his resurrection (see Luke 23:43, 46; John 19:30), but more likely refers to his ascension into heaven 40 days after his resurrection (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:3, 9). The parallel truths that Jesus was going to leave the world and go to the Father but also that he promised to come and dwell with all who love him (see John 14:21, 23) reflect Jesus' humanity (which is in one place at one time) and his deity (which is everywhere present)--both of which are true of Jesus as one divine-human person.

16:32 Jesus' prediction of a coming hour at which each of his followers will be scattered, each to his own home (cf. 19:27) probably alludes to Zech. 13:7 (quoted in Matt. 26:31 par.; cf. Matt. 26:56b). The shepherd will be deserted by his sheep.

16:33 On peace, see note on 14:27. In the midst of the suffering and hardship that was to come, Jesus' disciples, and all following them, can have such "peace" in fellowship with Christ. Fittingly, Jesus' Farewell Discourse (13:31-16:33) ends on a note of triumph (cf. 1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4-5).

17:1-26 In his final prayer, Jesus gives an account of his earthly mission to the Father who sent him. He prays, first for himself (vv. 1-5), then for his disciples (vv. 6-19), and finally for later believers (vv. 20-26).

17:1 Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, striking a customary posture in prayer (cf. Ps. 123:1; Mark 7:34; Luke 18:13). the hour has come. See notes on John 2:4; 7:30. The opening petition glorify your Son implies a claim to deity, since the OT affirms that God will not give his glory to another (e.g., Isa. 42:8; 48:11; on Jesus as the sent Son, see also John 3:16-18). As usual in John, God is glorified particularly through the cross of Christ.

17:2-3 Eternal life comes from knowing God and Jesus the sent Son (cf. 1:4; 5:26; 20:31). Knowing God is not confined to intellectual knowledge but entails living in fellowship with him. That they know you implies an intimate relationship that involves actually knowing God as a person. That God is the only true God is affirmed supremely in Deut. 6:4 (cf. John 5:44; 1 John 5:20). Jesus, in turn, is the "one-of-a-kind" Son sent by the Father (cf. John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18) and the only way to him (14:6).

17:2 The Father's granting of authority over all flesh to Jesus (cf. 5:27) marks the start of a new era (cf. Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 7:13-14; see also Matt. 11:27; 28:18). "All flesh" means the whole human race.

17:5 Jesus again claims that he existed before the world existed (or "before the world was"; cf. 1:1, 14; 3:13; 6:62; 8:58; 16:28; 17:24). This implies that the material universe is not eternal but was brought into being by God. Before that, nothing material existed. But God existed eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and here Jesus speaks of a sharing of glory between the Father and the Son prior to creation, implying that there was mutual giving of honor in the interpersonal relationships of the Trinity from all eternity.

17:6 Jesus' revelation of God's name entails making known the Father in his whole person, both his works and words (cf. 1:18; 8:19, 27; 10:38; 12:45; 14:9-11).

17:9 Those whom you have given me are those who have believed or who would come to believe in Christ (see vv. 2, 6, 12; also 6:37, 39; 10:29).

17:11 I am no longer in the world. See note on 16:28. keep them. Jesus asks that those who have been specially given to him will be kept to the end (i.e., preserved from denying Christ). And since it is Jesus who intercedes for his disciples, his petition will most certainly be answered. The word "holy" in Holy Father echoes the assertion of God's awesome purity as described in Lev. 11:44 (cf. Ps. 71:22; 111:9; Isa. 6:3); this is the only time in the NT that this form of address is used with reference to the first person of the Godhead. that they may be one, even as we are one. Jesus shows the kind of profound unity that should be the norm among genuine believers. As the following verses indicate (through John 17:26), this is to be a reflection of the unity that has existed eternally between the Father and the Son (v. 11), namely, the unity of a common mind and purpose, an unqualified mutual love, and a sustained comprehensive togetherness in mission, as revealed in the Father-Son relationship characterized by Jesus' own ministry. Such unity is the result of Jesus' active work of "keeping" (vv. 12, 15) and "guarding" (v. 12); it results in believers being filled with joy (v. 13; see also 3:29; 15:11; 16:24; 1 John 1:4); it is rooted in the truth of God's word (John 17:14, 17, 20); it involves "sanctification," that is, in the sense of consecration to serve (vv. 17, 19); it becomes a witness to the world so that "the world may believe" (v. 21); it is for the revelation of God's glory (v. 24); and it results in the experience of the indwelling love of God and the presence of Christ (v. 26). The kind of unity that is central to Jesus' high priestly prayer is not organizational but is an all-encompassing relational reality that binds believers together with each other and with their Lord--a unity that can be achieved only through the regenerating and sanctifying work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although individual Christians, and the church in general, tend to fall short of the fullness of unity that the Lord intends, whenever such unity is even partially realized (never at the expense of truth or holiness; v. 17) the result will always be deep joy (v. 13), a persuasive witness to the world (vv. 21, 23), and a display of God's glory (v. 22).

17:12 name. See note on 5:43. fulfilled. Even Judas's betrayal took place in fulfillment of Scripture. The antecedent passage is primarily Ps. 41:9 (applied to Jesus in John 13:18; cf. note). Other Scriptures fulfilled through Judas are Ps. 69:25 and 109:8 (both are cited in Acts 1:20).

17:14 your word. Not the OT Scriptures, but Jesus' own teachings, and more broadly, the whole of his life, which is the revelation of himself as the Word of God (1:1, 14). the world has hated them. See note on 15:19.

17:15 Even though God's people in the midst of hardship may sometimes want to be taken out of the world (see Num. 11:15; 1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:3, 8), Jesus does not ask for that. The place of believers during this lifetime is not to withdraw from the world but to remain in the world and to influence it continually for good, as difficult as that may be. keep them. The central request of the prayer is repeated again (see John 17:11). Jesus prays that his own will be guarded from the evil one, that is, Satan, who would attack them to destroy their lives and their ministries. But the Greek phrase ek tou ponērou can also mean "from evil" (see ESV footnote), since Greek nouns denoting abstract qualities often take a definite article, in which case it would be a prayer that their lives and ministries not be overcome by Satan or by any other kind of evil, and that they be kept from doing evil as well (see 1 John 5:19).

17:16 Those who believe in Christ are not of the world, meaning that they have an entirely different nature (see 3:3-8), including different heart desires, different fundamental goals, and ultimately a different God. The common saying that Christians are "in the world but not of the world" is not found exactly anywhere in Scripture, but the idea is true and is taken from 17:15-16.

17:17 Sanctify them. The sanctification of Christians is a lifelong process. It involves both a relational component (separation from participating in and being influenced by evil) and a moral component (growth in holiness or moral purity in attitudes, thoughts, and actions). This occurs in the truth, that is, as Christians believe, think, and live according to "the truth" in relation to God, themselves, and the world. This truth comprises the entire Bible, for Jesus says, your word is truth. The Greek word is surprisingly not an adjective (meaning "your word is true") but a noun (alētheia, "truth"). This implies that God's Word does not simply conform to some other external standard of "truth," but that it is truth itself; that is, it embodies truth and it therefore is the standard of truth against which everything else must be tested and compared.

17:18 I have sent them into the world probably refers to the teaching that Jesus had just been giving to his disciples, teaching that assumed that they would remain in the world and minister to the world and bear fruit for the kingdom (see 13:16, 20, 35; 14:12-13, 26; 15:2, 5, 8, 16, 20, 27; 16:2, 8, 33), although Jesus would more formally declare that he is sending them in 20:21, and would repeat that commission at his ascension into heaven (Matt. 28:19-20; on the timing see also Acts 1:4, 8).

17:20-26 Jesus does not stop at praying for himself (vv. 1-5) and his disciples (vv. 6-19) but now prays for those who will believe in me in the future. Jesus' concern is for his followers' unity (vv. 21-23) and love (v. 26). The vision of a unified people of God has previously been expressed in 10:16 and 11:52. Believers' unity results from being united in God (cf. 10:38; 14:10-11, 20, 23; 15:4-5). Once unified, they will be able to bear witness to the true identity of Jesus as the Sent One of God.

17:21 that they may all be one. Concerning the unity that Jesus prays for and that he intends for his own, see note on v. 11 (cf. v. 22). In us refers to spiritual union with God and also the personal fellowship resulting from that union.

17:22 Glory probably refers to the manifestation of the excellence of God's entire character in Jesus' life (see 1:14). Jesus has given this to all believers (see 17:20): his entire life revealed the glory of God and therefore he imparted it to his followers, and Christians now reflect God's excellency in their own lives, in imitation of Christ.

17:23 The Father's love for believers is comparable to his love for Jesus Christ.

17:24 The whole purpose of salvation is communicated in this verse. The foretaste of this is now, but the fullness of it lies beyond this present age. See represents the Greek word theōreō, "to observe with sustained attention," and includes the idea of entering into and experiencing something. You loved me before the foundation of the world implies that love and interpersonal interaction among the members of the Trinity did not begin at any point in time but has existed eternally (cf. v. 5).

17:25 The OT teaches that God is righteous and just (e.g., Ps. 116:5; 119:137; Jer. 12:1). With Jesus' betrayal and innocent suffering imminent, he affirms the righteousness of God his Father.

17:26 your name. See note on 5:43. The phrase I in them is filled with covenantal overtones (cf. 14:20; 17:23). After the giving of the law at Sinai, God came to dwell in the midst of Israel in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34). As they moved toward the Promised Land, God frequently assured his people that he was in their midst (Ex. 29:45-46; Deut. 7:21; 23:14).