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Jesus’ Final Passover Is At HandThe Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
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Chapter 112
Jesus’ Final Passover Is At Hand
AS TUESDAY, Nisan 11, draws to a close, Jesus finishes teaching the apostles on the Mount of Olives. What a busy, strenuous day it has been! Now, perhaps while returning to Bethany for the night, he tells his apostles: “You know that two days from now the passover occurs, and the Son of man is to be delivered up to be impaled.”
Jesus apparently spends the following day, Wednesday, Nisan 12, in quiet retirement with his apostles. On the day before, he had rebuked the religious leaders publicly, and he realizes that they are seeking to kill him. So on Wednesday he does not openly show himself, since he does not want anything to interfere with his celebrating the Passover with his apostles the following evening.
In the meantime, the chief priests and the older men of the people have gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, Caiaphas. Smarting from Jesus’ attack the previous day, they are making plans to seize him by crafty device and have him put to death. Yet they keep saying: “Not at the festival, in order that no uproar may arise among the people.” They are in fear of the people, whose favor Jesus enjoys.
While the religious leaders are wickedly conspiring to kill Jesus, they receive a visitor. To their surprise, it is one of Jesus’ own apostles, Judas Iscariot, the one into whom Satan has implanted the base idea of betraying his Master! How pleased they are when Judas inquires: “What will you give me to betray him to you?” They gladly agree to pay him 30 silver pieces, the price of a slave according to the Mosaic Law covenant. From then on, Judas seeks a good opportunity to betray Jesus to them without a crowd around.
Nisan 13 begins at sundown Wednesday. Jesus arrived from Jericho on Friday, so this is the sixth and final night that he spends in Bethany. The next day, Thursday, final preparations will need to be made for the Passover, which commences at sundown. That is when the Passover lamb must be slaughtered and then roasted whole. Where will they celebrate the feast, and who will make the preparations?
Jesus has not provided such details, perhaps to prevent Judas from informing the chief priests so that they might apprehend Jesus during the Passover celebration. But now, probably early Thursday afternoon, Jesus dispatches Peter and John from Bethany, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.”
“Where do you want us to get it ready?” they ask.
“When you enter into the city,” Jesus explains, “a man carrying an earthenware vessel of water will meet you. Follow him into the house into which he enters. And you must say to the landlord of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you: “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the passover with my disciples?”’ And that man will show you a large upper room furnished. Get it ready there.”
No doubt the landlord is a disciple of Jesus who perhaps anticipates Jesus’ request to use his house for this special occasion. At any rate, when Peter and John arrive in Jerusalem, they find everything just as Jesus foretold. So the two of them see to it that the lamb is ready and that all the other arrangements are made to care for the needs of the 13 Passover celebrants, Jesus and his 12 apostles. Matthew 26:1-5, 14-19; Mark 14:1, 2, 10-16; Luke 22:1-13; Exodus 21:32.
▪ What does Jesus apparently do Wednesday, and why?
▪ What meeting is held at the home of the high priest, and for what purpose does Judas visit the religious leaders?
▪ Whom does Jesus send into Jerusalem on Thursday, and for what purpose?
▪ What do these sent ones find that once again reveals Jesus’ miraculous powers?
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Humility at the Last PassoverThe Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
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Chapter 113
Humility at the Last Passover
PETER and John, under instructions from Jesus, have already arrived in Jerusalem to make preparations for the Passover. Jesus, apparently along with the ten other apostles, arrives later in the afternoon. The sun is sinking on the horizon as Jesus and his party descend the Mount of Olives. This is Jesus’ last daytime view of the city from this mountain until after his resurrection.
Soon Jesus and his party arrive in the city and make their way to the home where they will celebrate the Passover. They climb the stairs to the large upper room, where they find all preparations made for their private celebration of the Passover. Jesus has looked forward to this occasion, as he says: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.”
Traditionally, four cups of wine are drunk by Passover participants. After accepting what is evidently the third cup, Jesus gives thanks and says: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves; for I tell you, From now on I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the kingdom of God arrives.”
Sometime during the course of the meal, Jesus gets up, lays aside his outer garments, takes a towel, and fills a basin with water. Ordinarily, a host would see to it that a guest’s feet were washed. But since on this occasion no host is present, Jesus cares for this personal service. Any one of the apostles could have seized the opportunity to do it; yet, apparently because some rivalry still exists among them, no one does. Now they are embarrassed as Jesus begins to wash their feet.
When Jesus comes to him, Peter protests: “You will certainly never wash my feet.”
“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me,” says Jesus.
“Lord,” Peter responds, “not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”
“He that has bathed,” Jesus answers, “does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is wholly clean. And you men are clean, but not all.” He says this because he knows that Judas Iscariot is planning to betray him.
When Jesus has washed the feet of all 12, including the feet of his betrayer, Judas, he puts his outer garments on and reclines at the table again. Then he asks: “Do you know what I have done to you? You address me, ‘Teacher,’ and, ‘Lord,’ and you speak rightly, for I am such. Therefore, if I, although Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another. For I set the pattern for you, that, just as I did to you, you should do also. Most truly I say to you, A slave is not greater than his master, nor is one that is sent forth greater than the one that sent him. If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.”
What a beautiful lesson in humble service! The apostles should not be seeking the first place, thinking that they are so important that others should always serve them. They need to follow the pattern set by Jesus. This is not one of ritual foot washing. No, but it is one of willingness to serve without partiality, no matter how menial or unpleasant the task may be. Matthew 26:20, 21; Mark 14:17, 18; Luke 22:14-18; 7:44; John 13:1-17.
▪ What is unique about Jesus’ view of Jerusalem as he enters the city to celebrate the Passover?
▪ During the Passover, evidently what cup does Jesus pass to the 12 apostles after saying a blessing?
▪ What personal service was customarily provided guests when Jesus was on earth, and why was it not provided during the Passover celebrated by Jesus and the apostles?
▪ What was Jesus’ purpose in performing the menial service of washing his apostles’ feet?
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The Memorial SupperThe Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
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Chapter 114
The Memorial Supper
AFTER Jesus washes his apostles’ feet, he quotes the scripture at Psalm 41:9, saying: “He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” Then, becoming troubled in spirit, he explains: “One of you will betray me.”
The apostles begin to grieve and say to Jesus one by one: “It is not I, is it?” Even Judas Iscariot joins in asking. John, who is lying next to Jesus at the table, leans back on Jesus’ breast and asks: “Lord, who is it?”
“It is one of the twelve, who is dipping with me into the common bowl,” Jesus answers. “True, the Son of man is going away, just as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been finer for that man if he had not been born.” After that, Satan again enters Judas, taking advantage of the opening in his heart, which has become wicked. Later that night, Jesus fittingly calls Judas “the son of destruction.”
Jesus now tells Judas: “What you are doing get done more quickly.” None of the other apostles understand what Jesus means. Some imagine that since Judas is holding the money box, Jesus is telling him: “Buy what things we need for the festival,” or that he should go and give something to the poor.
After Judas leaves, Jesus introduces an entirely new celebration, or commemoration, with his faithful apostles. He takes a loaf, says a prayer of thanks, breaks it, and gives it to them, saying: “Take, eat.” He explains: “This means my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”
When each has eaten of the bread, Jesus takes a cup of wine, evidently the fourth cup used in the Passover service. He also says a prayer of thanks over it, passes it to them, asks them to drink from it, and states: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”
So this is, in fact, a memorial of Jesus’ death. Each year on Nisan 14 it is to be repeated, as Jesus says, in remembrance of him. It will call to the memory of the celebrants what Jesus and his heavenly Father have done to provide escape for humankind from the condemnation of death. For the Jews who become Christ’s followers, the celebration will replace the Passover.
The new covenant, which is made operative by Jesus’ shed blood, replaces the old Law covenant. It is mediated by Jesus Christ between two parties—on the one hand, Jehovah God, and on the other, 144,000 spirit-begotten Christians. Besides providing for the forgiveness of sins, the covenant allows for the formation of a heavenly nation of king-priests. Matthew 26:21-29; Mark 14:18-25; Luke 22:19-23; John 13:18-30; 17:12; 1 Corinthians 5:7.
▪ What Bible prophecy does Jesus quote regarding a companion, and what application does he make of it?
▪ Why do the apostles become deeply grieved, and what does each of them ask?
▪ What does Jesus tell Judas to do, but how do the other apostles interpret these instructions?
▪ What celebration does Jesus introduce after Judas leaves, and what purpose does it serve?
▪ Who are the parties to the new covenant, and what does the covenant accomplish?
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An Argument EruptsThe Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
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Chapter 115
An Argument Erupts
EARLIER in the evening, Jesus taught a beautiful lesson in humble service by washing his apostles’ feet. Afterward, he introduced the Memorial of his approaching death. Now, especially in view of what has just taken place, a surprising incident occurs. His apostles become involved in a heated argument over which one of them seems to be the greatest! Apparently, this is part of an ongoing dispute.
Recall that after Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, the apostles argued over who among them was the greatest. Moreover, James and John requested prominent positions in the Kingdom, resulting in further contention among the apostles. Now, on his last night with them, how saddened Jesus must be to see them bickering again! What does he do?
Rather than scold the apostles for their behavior, once again Jesus patiently reasons with them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors. You, though, are not to be that way. . . . For which one is greater, the one reclining at the table or the one ministering? Is it not the one reclining at the table?” Then, reminding them of his example, he says: “But I am in your midst as the one ministering.”
Despite their imperfections, the apostles have stuck with Jesus during his trials. So he says: “I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom.” This personal covenant between Jesus and his loyal followers joins them to him to share his royal dominion. Only a limited number of 144,000 are finally taken into this covenant for a Kingdom.
Although the apostles are presented with this marvelous prospect of sharing with Christ in Kingdom rule, they are at present spiritually weak. “All of you will be stumbled in connection with me on this night,” says Jesus. However, telling Peter that He has prayed in his behalf, Jesus urges: “When once you have returned, strengthen your brothers.”
“Little children,” Jesus explains, “I am with you a little longer. You will look for me; and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ I say also to you at present. I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”
“Lord, where are you going?” Peter asks.
“Where I am going you cannot follow me now,” Jesus responds, “but you will follow afterwards.”
“Lord, why is it I cannot follow you at present?” Peter wants to know. “I will surrender my soul in your behalf.”
“Will you surrender your soul in my behalf?” Jesus asks. “Truly I say to you, You today, yes, this night, before a cock crows twice, even you will disown me three times.”
“Even if I should have to die with you,” Peter protests, “I will by no means disown you.” And while the other apostles join in saying the same thing, Peter boasts: “Although all the others are stumbled in connection with you, never will I be stumbled!”
Referring to the time when he sent the apostles out on a preaching tour of Galilee without purse and food pouch, Jesus asks: “You did not want for anything, did you?”
“No!” they reply.
“But now let the one that has a purse take it up, likewise also a food pouch,” he says, “and let the one having no sword sell his outer garment and buy one. For I tell you that this which is written must be accomplished in me, namely, ‘And he was reckoned with lawless ones.’ For that which concerns me is having an accomplishment.”
Jesus is pointing to the time when he will be impaled with evildoers, or lawless ones. He is also indicating that his followers will thereafter face severe persecution. “Lord, look! here are two swords,” they say.
“It is enough,” he answers. As we will see, having the swords with them will soon permit Jesus to teach another vital lesson. Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:24-38; John 13:31-38; Revelation 14:1-3.
▪ Why is the apostles’ argument so surprising?
▪ How does Jesus handle the argument?
▪ What is accomplished by the covenant Jesus makes with his disciples?
▪ What new commandment does Jesus give, and how important is it?
▪ What overconfidence does Peter display, and what does Jesus say?
▪ Why are Jesus’ instructions about carrying a purse and a food pouch different from those he gave earlier?
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Preparing the Apostles for His DepartureThe Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
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Chapter 116
Preparing the Apostles for His Departure
THE memorial meal is over, but Jesus and his apostles are still in the upstairs room. Although Jesus will soon be gone, he has many things yet to say. “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” he comforts them. “Exercise faith in God.” But he adds: “Exercise faith also in me.”
“In the house of my Father there are many abodes,” Jesus continues. “I am going my way to prepare a place for you . . . that where I am you also may be. And where I am going you know the way.” The apostles do not comprehend that Jesus is talking about going away to heaven, so Thomas asks: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How do we know the way?”
“I am the way and the truth and the life,” Jesus answers. Yes, only by accepting him and imitating his life course can anyone enter the heavenly house of the Father because, as Jesus says: “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
“Lord, show us the Father,” Philip requests, “and it is enough for us.” Philip apparently wants Jesus to provide a visible manifestation of God, such as was granted in ancient times in visions to Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah. But, really, the apostles have something much better than visions of that type, as Jesus observes: “Have I been with you men so long a time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has seen me has seen the Father also.”
Jesus so perfectly reflects the personality of his Father that living with and observing him is, in effect, like actually seeing the Father. Yet, the Father is superior to the Son, as Jesus acknowledges: “The things I say to you men I do not speak of my own originality.” Jesus properly gives all credit for his teachings to his heavenly Father.
How encouraging it must be for the apostles to hear Jesus now tell them: “He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these”! Jesus does not mean that his followers will exercise greater miraculous powers than he did. No, but he means that they will carry on the ministry for a much longer time, over a much greater area, and to far more people.
Jesus will not abandon his disciples after his departure. “Whatever it is that you ask in my name,” he promises, “I will do this.” Further, he says: “I will request the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the spirit of the truth.” Later, after he ascends to heaven, Jesus pours out on his disciples the holy spirit, this other helper.
Jesus’ departure is near, as he says: “A little longer and the world will behold me no more.” Jesus will be a spirit creature that no human can see. But again Jesus promises his faithful apostles: “You will behold me, because I live and you will live.” Yes, not only will Jesus appear to them in human form after his resurrection but in due time he will resurrect them to life with him in heaven as spirit creatures.
Jesus now states the simple rule: “He that has my commandments and observes them, that one is he who loves me. In turn he that loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will plainly show myself to him.”
At this the apostle Judas, the one who is also called Thaddaeus, interrupts: “Lord, what has happened that you intend to show yourself plainly to us and not to the world?”
“If anyone loves me,” Jesus replies, “he will observe my word, and my Father will love him . . . He that does not love me does not observe my words.” Unlike his obedient followers, the world ignores Christ’s teachings. So he does not reveal himself to them.
During his earthly ministry, Jesus has taught his apostles many things. How will they remember them all, especially since, even up to this moment, they fail to grasp so much? Happily, Jesus promises: “The helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you.”
Again comforting them, Jesus says: “I leave you peace, I give you my peace. . . . Do not let your hearts be troubled.” True, Jesus is departing, but he explains: “If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.”
Jesus’ remaining time with them is short. “I shall not speak much with you anymore,” he says, “for the ruler of the world is coming. And he has no hold on me.” Satan the Devil, the one who was able to enter Judas and get a hold on him, is the ruler of the world. But there is no sinful weakness in Jesus that Satan can play on to turn him away from serving God.
Enjoying an Intimate Relationship
Following the memorial meal, Jesus has been encouraging his apostles with an informal heart-to-heart talk. It may be past midnight. So Jesus urges: “Get up, let us go from here.” However, before they leave, Jesus, moved by his love for them, continues speaking, providing a motivating illustration.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator,” he begins. The Great Cultivator, Jehovah God, planted this symbolic vine when he anointed Jesus with holy spirit at his baptism in the fall of 29 C.E. But Jesus goes on to show that the vine symbolizes more than just him, observing: “Every branch in me not bearing fruit he takes away, and every one bearing fruit he cleans, that it may bear more fruit. . . . Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, in the same way neither can you, unless you remain in union with me. I am the vine, you are the branches.”
At Pentecost, 51 days later, the apostles and others become branches of the vine when holy spirit is poured out on them. Eventually, 144,000 persons become branches of the figurative grapevine. Along with the vine stem, Jesus Christ, these make up a symbolic vine that produces the fruits of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus explains the key to producing fruit: “He that remains in union with me, and I in union with him, this one bears much fruit; because apart from me you can do nothing at all.” If, however, a person fails to produce fruit, Jesus says, “he is cast out as a branch and is dried up; and men gather those branches up and pitch them into the fire and they are burned.” On the other hand, Jesus promises: “If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you.”
Further, Jesus says to his apostles: “My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.” The fruit God desires from the branches is their manifestation of Christlike qualities, particularly love. Moreover, since Christ was a proclaimer of God’s Kingdom, the desired fruit also includes their activity of making disciples as he did.
“Remain in my love,” Jesus now urges. Yet, how can his apostles do so? “If you observe my commandments,” he says, “you will remain in my love.” Continuing, Jesus explains: “This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.”
In a few hours, Jesus will demonstrate this surpassing love by giving his life in behalf of his apostles, as well as all others who will exercise faith in him. His example should move his followers to have the same self-sacrificing love for one another. This love will identify them, as Jesus stated earlier: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”
Identifying his friends, Jesus says: “You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because all the things I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
What a precious relationship to have—to be intimate friends of Jesus! But to continue to enjoy this relationship, his followers must “keep bearing fruit.” If they do, Jesus says, “no matter what you ask the Father in my name he [will] give it to you.” Surely, that is a grand reward for bearing Kingdom fruit! After again urging the apostles to “love one another,” Jesus explains that the world will hate them. Yet, he comforts them: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.” Jesus next reveals why the world hates his followers, saying: “Because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.”
Explaining further the reason for the world’s hatred, Jesus continues: “They will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know him [Jehovah God] that sent me.” Jesus’ miraculous works, in effect, convict those who hate him, as he notes: “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have both seen and hated me as well as my Father.” Thus, as Jesus says, the scripture is fulfilled: “They hated me without cause.”
As he did earlier, Jesus again comforts them by promising to send the helper, the holy spirit, which is God’s powerful active force. “That one will bear witness about me; and you, in turn, are to bear witness.”
Further Departing Admonition
Jesus and the apostles are poised to leave the upper room. “I have spoken these things to you that you may not be stumbled,” he continues. Then he gives the solemn warning: “Men will expel you from the synagogue. In fact, the hour is coming when everyone that kills you will imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God.”
The apostles are evidently deeply disturbed by this warning. Although Jesus had earlier said that the world would hate them, he had not revealed so directly that they would be killed. “I did not tell you [this] at first,” Jesus explains, “because I was with you.” Yet, how fine it is to forearm them with this information before he departs!
“But now,” Jesus continues, “I am going to him that sent me, and yet not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’” Earlier in the evening, they had inquired about where he was going, but now they are so shaken by what he has told them that they fail to ask further about this. As Jesus says: “Because I have spoken these things to you grief has filled your hearts.” The apostles are grieved not only because they have learned that they will suffer terrible persecution and be killed but because their Master is leaving them.
So Jesus explains: “It is for your benefit I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means come to you; but if I do go my way, I will send him to you.” As a human, Jesus can only be in one place at a time, but when he is in heaven, he can send the helper, God’s holy spirit, to his followers wherever they may be on earth. So Jesus’ leaving will be beneficial.
The holy spirit, Jesus says, “will give the world convincing evidence concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment.” The world’s sin, its failure to exercise faith in God’s Son, will be exposed. In addition, convincing evidence of the righteousness of Jesus will be demonstrated by his ascension to the Father. And the failure of Satan and his wicked world to break Jesus’ integrity is convincing evidence that the ruler of the world has been adversely judged.
“I have many things yet to say to you,” Jesus continues, “but you are not able to bear them at present.” Therefore Jesus promises that when he pours out the holy spirit, which is God’s active force, it will guide them into an understanding of these things in accordance with their ability to grasp them.
The apostles fail particularly to understand that Jesus will die and then appear to them after he is resurrected. So they ask one another: “What does this mean that he says to us, ‘In a little while you will not behold me, and, again, in a little while you will see me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”
Jesus realizes that they want to question him, so he explains: “Most truly I say to you, You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be grieved, but your grief will be turned into joy.” Later that day, in the afternoon, when Jesus is killed, the worldly religious leaders rejoice, but the disciples grieve. Their grief is changed to joy, however, when Jesus is resurrected! And their joy continues when he empowers them at Pentecost to be his witnesses by pouring out upon them God’s holy spirit!
Comparing the apostles’ situation to that of a woman during her birth pangs, Jesus says: “A woman, when she is giving birth, has grief, because her hour has arrived.” But Jesus observes that she no longer remembers her tribulation once her child is born, and he encourages his apostles, saying: “You also, therefore, are now, indeed, having grief; but I shall see you again [when I am resurrected] and your hearts will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
Up to this time, the apostles have never made requests in Jesus’ name. But he now says: “If you ask the Father for anything he will give it to you in my name. . . . For the Father himself has affection for you, because you have had affection for me and have believed that I came out as the Father’s representative. I came out from the Father and have come into the world. Further, I am leaving the world and am going my way to the Father.”
Jesus’ words are a great encouragement to the apostles. “By this we believe that you came out from God,” they say. “Do you believe at present?” Jesus asks. “Look! The hour is coming, indeed, it has come, when you will be scattered each one to his own house and you will leave me alone.” Unbelievable as it may seem, this occurs before the night is finished!
“I have said these things to you that by means of me you may have peace.” Jesus concludes: “In the world you are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.” Jesus conquered the world by faithfully accomplishing God’s will despite everything that Satan and his world tried to do to break Jesus’ integrity.
Concluding Prayer in the Upper Room
Moved by deep love for his apostles, Jesus has been preparing them for his imminent departure. Now, after admonishing and comforting them at length, he raises his eyes to heaven and petitions his Father: “Glorify your son, that your son may glorify you, according as you have given him authority over all flesh, that, as regards the whole number whom you have given him, he may give them everlasting life.”
What a stirring theme Jesus introduces—everlasting life! Having been given “authority over all flesh,” Jesus can impart the benefits of his ransom sacrifice to all dying humankind. Yet, he grants “everlasting life” only to those whom the Father approves. Building on this theme of everlasting life, Jesus continues his prayer:
“This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” Yes, salvation is dependent upon our taking in knowledge of both God and his Son. But more is needed than just head knowledge.
A person must come to know them intimately, developing an understanding friendship with them. One must feel as they do about matters and see things through their eyes. And above all, a person must strive to imitate their matchless qualities in dealing with others.
Jesus next prays: “I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do.” Having thus fulfilled his assignment up to this point and being confident of his future success, he petitions: “Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.” Yes, he now asks to be restored to his previous heavenly glory by means of a resurrection.
Summarizing his principal work on earth, Jesus says: “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word.” Jesus used God’s name, Jehovah, in his ministry and demonstrated a correct pronunciation of it, but he did more than that to make God’s name manifest to his apostles. He also expanded their knowledge and appreciation of Jehovah, of his personality, and of his purposes.
Crediting Jehovah as his Superior, the One under whom he serves, Jesus humbly acknowledges: “The sayings that you gave me I have given to them, and they have received them and have certainly come to know that I came out as your representative, and they have believed that you sent me.”
Making a distinction between his followers and the rest of mankind, Jesus next prays: “I make request, not concerning the world, but concerning those you have given me . . . When I was with them I used to watch over them . . . , and I have kept them, and not one of them is destroyed except the son of destruction,” namely, Judas Iscariot. At this very moment, Judas is on his despicable mission to betray Jesus. Thus, Judas is unknowingly fulfilling the Scriptures.
“The world has hated them,” Jesus continues to pray. “I request you, not to take them out of the world, but to watch over them because of the wicked one. They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” Jesus’ followers are in the world, this organized human society ruled by Satan, but they are and must always remain separate from it and its wickedness.
“Sanctify them by means of the truth,” Jesus continues, “your word is truth.” Here Jesus calls the inspired Hebrew Scriptures, from which he continually quoted, “the truth.” But what he taught his disciples and what they later wrote under inspiration as the Christian Greek Scriptures is likewise “the truth.” This truth can sanctify a person, change his life completely, and make him a person separate from the world.
Jesus now prays “not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in [him] through their word.” So Jesus prays for those who will be his anointed followers and other future disciples who yet will be gathered into “one flock.” What does he request for all of these?
“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, . . . that they may be one just as we are one.” Jesus and his Father are not literally one person, but they are in agreement on all things. Jesus prays that his followers enjoy this same oneness so that “the world may have the knowledge that you sent me forth and that you loved them just as you loved me.”
In behalf of those who would be his anointed followers, Jesus now makes a request of his heavenly Father. For what? “That, where I am, they also may be with me, in order to behold my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the founding of the world,” that is, before Adam and Eve conceived offspring. Long before that, God loved his only-begotten Son, who became Jesus Christ.
Concluding his prayer, Jesus again emphasizes: “I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them.” For the apostles, learning the name of God has involved personally coming to know the love of God. John 14:1–17:26; 13:27, 35, 36; 10:16; Luke 22:3, 4; Exodus 24:10; 1 Kings 19:9-13; Isaiah 6:1-5; Galatians 6:16; Psalm 35:19; 69:4; Proverbs 8:22, 30.
▪ Where is Jesus going, and what answer does Thomas receive regarding the way there?
▪ By his request, what does Philip apparently want Jesus to provide?
▪ Why has one who has seen Jesus also seen the Father?
▪ How will Jesus’ followers do greater works than he did?
▪ In what sense does Satan have no hold on Jesus?
▪ When did Jehovah plant the symbolic vine, and when and how do others become part of the vine?
▪ Eventually, how many branches does the symbolic vine have?
▪ What fruit does God desire from the branches?
▪ How can we be friends of Jesus?
▪ Why does the world hate Jesus’ followers?
▪ What warning by Jesus disturbs his apostles?
▪ Why do the apostles fail to question Jesus about where he is going?
▪ What do the apostles particularly fail to understand?
▪ How does Jesus illustrate that the situation of the apostles will change from grief to joy?
▪ What does Jesus say the apostles will soon do?
▪ How does Jesus conquer the world?
▪ In what sense is Jesus given “authority over all flesh”?
▪ What does it mean to take in knowledge of God and his Son?
▪ In what ways does Jesus make God’s name manifest?
▪ What is “the truth,” and how does it “sanctify” a Christian?
▪ How are God, his Son, and all true worshipers one?
▪ When was “the founding of the world”?
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