25 “Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

John 17:25-26 (NASB)

These verses conclude Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer”. How does He end it?

Praise the Father

Jesus praises the Father. He declares Him the Father of righteousness, the One who does all things in a righteous (right) manner. “Jesus understood that His present and soon-to-be-endured pain did not diminish the righteousness of God the Father in even the smallest way.” (enduringword.com) His pre-ordained death seems like it is not right. Why should a sinless Son of God die in the place of sinful, rebellious mankind? But it is indeed the right / righteous thing to do.

Who knows?

Who knows God? The world doesn’t. “In I Cor. 1:21, Paul said that the world by wisdom knew not God. He also said that the natural man understands not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned.” (Chuck Smith commentary on blueletterbible.org) Psalm 14:2-4 says God looked for just one righteous person on the earth and could find none. Man chooses to make god in his own image, to fashion idols he can worship. There is no desire in man to follow God and submit to Him.

But, of course, Jesus knows the Father and, His disciples know the Father sent Him (He’s said this many times already). 

Know the Name

A name is an important part of a person’s identity. Most westerners don’t make much of it, but Asian culture and certainly the Jewish culture does. Jesus honors the Name of the Father. His desire was that the disciples would know the Name so He took special care to make it known…and continues to do so. 

Jesus filling

Finally, Jesus wants the love with which the Father loves Him to be in the disciples. Think about that. Meditate on that.

Along with that love, Jesus asks (again) that He would be in the disciples. In John 14:16 Jesus promises to send the Spirit to be with the disciples forever. Do you see the trinity fingerprints in this?

RЯeflection

• Thank you Jesus that you are in complete unity with the Father, including His plan and His will. So you were willing to follow that will perfectly, at your own expense. Thank you!
• Verse 26 – Jesus wants that the same love the Father has for Jesus to be in His disciples! Do you get that? 1) Do you understand the wonderful meaning of this prayer? 2) Do you have that love in you?