The Session of Christ - Hebrews 1.1-3
… And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might and he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places … (Ephesians 1.19-20)
… And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might and he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places … (Ephesians 1.19-20)
The session is best described as Jesus assuming his rightful place at the right hand of God. It is the final step in a natural sequence of eventsthat includes the resurrection, ascension and exaltation of Christ. We have discovered that the resurrection, ascension and exaltation reveal the glory of the resurrected Christ. So too, the session of Jesus is evidence of the power and glory of his person. The session depicts Jesus’ present relationship with God. Though this subject is not often addressed from pulpits, nor for that matter is it a doctrine extensively developed in theological textbooks, it is nonetheless significant for several reasons.
1. The session of Christ demonstrates the finality of his work of salvation;
2. it is part of the fulfillment of Messianic prophecyof the Old Testament (Psalm 110.1);
3. it satisfies Jesus’ own utterances about who he is and where he was going(John 7.33; 8.14; 13.1; 14.2-3);
4. it restores Jesus to the exalted pre-incarnate positionhe enjoyed with the Father (John 17.5);
5. it confirms the relationship between the Son and the Father;
6. it setsthe stage for the ongoing intercessory workof Jesus as the believer’s exalted high priest (Hebrews 7.27-8.1).
As with the other post-resurrection narratives in the New Testament, the session focuses the reader’s attention on the exalted glory of Jesus(consider Paul’s conclusion of his argument that the righteous by their faith will live in Romans 8.31-39 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God 's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died —more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “for your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.; Ephesians 1.15-23; 2.5-6; cf. Colossians 3.1; Hebrews 1.3; 7.26; 8.1; 10.12).
Psalm 110 is quoted by New Testament writers as a prophetic reference to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God (Matthew 22.42-45; Acts 2.34; Hebrews 1.13; cp. Romans 8.34; Colossians 3.1; 1 Peter 3.22). This position of authority is the means by which Jesus exercises his authority over the church; in his session he functions as the reigning high priest. He is the Lamb on the throne who will open the seven seals to bring judgment on the earth prior to the great day of the Lord (Revelation 5 and 6) when the last facet of his exaltation will be completed.
THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SON
For the purpose of this abbreviated study let us consider Hebrews 1.1-3 wherein the author introduces the role and work of the resurrected Jesus. The introduction to Hebrews (1.1-14) fixes the reader’s attention on the heavenly Son. The author of Hebrews reasons that the Son is superior in every way: to angels, Moses, Joshua, the Aaronic priesthood, the law of Moses, and the old covenant. In the opening three verses he gives us seven reasons why the Son is superior to everything in creation.
1. The Son is the heir of all things(1.2). The psalmist writes: Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession (Psalm 2.8 Messianic Psalm).The author of Hebrews recognizes Jesus in these lines and regards him as singularly unique. Jesus is sovereign over the entire universe, not just the church. Adam was responsible for bringing sin into the world; Jesus, the second Adam, brought salvation (Romans 5.12-14). Only Jesus is able to accomplish this becausehe alone is the rightful heir of His Father’s kingdom. As God’s one and only Son (John 3.16) he enjoys all the rights and privileges as God’s son. John the Baptist bore witness to him: This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me”(John 1.15).
2. The author of Hebrews says that it was through the Son that God created the world(1.2; cp. John 1.3; Colossians 1.16: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him). Even a cursory reading of Scripture does not allow for a naturalistic Jesus, like those who say that Jesus was merely an exceptional child who grew up to be an unusually gifted moral philosopher,whose innovative teachings became the foundation for a radical subculture that overturned the intellectual and moral structure of western civilization. Thus, Jesus became de facto the savior of all those who follow his teachings. To the contrary,the historical witness of Scripture portrays the Son of God as the second person of Trinity who came to earth and became incarnatein the person of Jesus through the womb of the virgin Mary, lived a sinlesslife, made atonementfor sin by his vicarious death, and in his resurrection gave believers hope for eternal life. The New Testament speaks of Him as God incarnate and his disciples worshiped Him as God(John 20.28). The philosopher might say that the Son is the uncreated necessary cause of the universe. Bottom line, the choice is this: you either acknowledge the Son as the supernatural creator of the universe and its sovereign Lord and savior or you reject Him in favor of philosophical naturalism which leaves you with in a universe without an ultimate purpose, final cause, or any sort of legitimate spiritual dimension. You will find no solace in agnosticism; it is not an option in which you may take refuge. “Agnosticism is not a state in which the mind of an intelligent being can permanently rest. … It will press on perforce to one or other of the views which present themselves as alternatives – either to Theism, or to Materialism and dogmatic Atheism” (James Orr, The Christian View of God and the World, p. 51).
3. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory(1.3). The glory of the Son is the glory of the eternal second person of the Trinity (Hebrews 1.3). It is that same Shekhinah glory which was manifested in the tent of meeting by God(Exodus 33.9). With Christ’s incarnation the glory of God is revealed to man. Just as the radiance of the sun reaches the earth, so in Christ the light of God shines in the hearts of men (cp. Exodus 40.34-38; John 1.1, 14; 2 Corinthians 4.6). “It is the glory manifested on the occasion of Christ’s transfiguration, again accompanied by the resplendent cloud of the shekinah(Mark 9:2ff),an event which demonstrated that this glory belongs to the Son and was not just a reflection of a glory not his own… The brilliant light, brighter than the midday sun, seen by Paul at his encounter with the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus(Acts 9:3; 22:6; 26:13) was the same radiant glory of the divine presence” (Philip Hughes,Hebrews, p. 42). It was the radiance of His glory that John witnessed in the opening chapter of the Apocalypse (Revelation 1.12-16).
4. The Son is the exact representation of God’s being. What God is in essence, is made manifest in Christ (2 Corinthians 4.4). As a coin is the image of the die in which it was cast, so Christ is the image of the Father. To see what Christ is like is to see what God is like. Jesus does not reveal to us all that God is, but what Jesus reveals of God is precisely what God is like.
"The patristic understanding of this passage is well summarized in the following comment of Gregory of Nyssa, who says: “The heir of all things, the maker of the ages, he who shines with the Father’s glory and expresses in himself the Father’s person, has all things that the Father himself has, and is possessor of all his power; not that the right is transferred from the Father to the Son, but that it at once remains in the Father and resides in the Son. For he who is in the Father is manifestly in the Father with all his might, and he who has the Father in himself includes all the power and might of the Father.” Of the two expressions, “the radiance of his glory” and “the very stamp of his nature,” the former, which implies the consubstantiality [consisting of the same substance or nature] of the Son with the Father, is balanced by the latter, which implies the distinctness of the person of the Son from that of the Father, and both designate the function of the Incarnate Son who, as the Light and the Truth (Jn. 8:12, 9:5; 14:6), is the Revealer of God to mankind" (Hughes, p. 44).
When there is a proper balance between the humanity and Deity of Jesus it is easier to understand why it is that Jesus must return to the Father and take his place at his Father’s right hand.
5. The Son upholds all things by the word of His power(1.3).The author is here speaking of the ongoing dynamic working of Christ, not something that was done once for all in ages past. God created the world for his purpose; God sustains the universe and the things in it for his purpose and he will ultimately bring to fruition everything that he has begun and has sustained. All this is done in the person of the Son. The believer’s confidence in the providential works of God is predicated on his understanding of the person and work of Christ. This doctrine of the creative and sustaining power of Christ is the bedrock upon which the Christian prays, give us our daily bread(cp. Colossians 1.15-20). “The word of the son is not less or other than the word of the Father for he who himself is the Word is the perfect and harmonious expression of the mind and will of God” (Hughes, p. 46).
6. The Son made purification of sins(1.3). This is the axis of history; it is the means by which Jesus accomplishes the Father’s will and it is the final act of humiliation and obedience before he returns to his proper place at the right hand of God. The theme of redemption is the primary theme of Scriptureand the author of Hebrews highlights that purpose by demonstrating that only the superiority of the Son is a sufficient atonement for our sins. God’s holiness demands that he acts justly by keeping faith with his intrinsic righteousness. He has done this by punishing his innocent Soninstead of his guilty children (cp. Isaiah 53.4-10; 2 Corinthians 5.21).
7. Hesat down at the right hand of the majesty on high(1.3).The phrase “right hand…” is not meant as a literal location but is symbolic for authority; it is the capstone of Christ's exultation (Psalm 110; cp. Philippians 2.9). The work of redemption is now completed as is indicated by the image of Christ sitting. This is not to suggest that Jesus is inactive, only that the work of purification is completed. There is the further contrast that is developed later in this epistle between Christ and the Aaronic priesthood. The Messiah is seated. The Aaronic priest (Hebrews 10.11) remains standing because his sacrificial service never came to an end. Once seated upon the throne Jesus is exalted to the highest place, possessing the name that is above every other name; at the very mention of this name, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2.9-11).
PRAYER & THE SESSION OF CHRIST (Ephesians 2.1-10)
Having looked at something of the nature of the post-resurrected Jesus’ session, it is even more remarkable to contemplate one of the most extraordinary revelations in Scripture, namely, that the Christian enjoys a positional relationship with Jesus in heaven: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us with him and seated us with himin the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus(Ephesians 2.4-7). The practical implications of this for the believer are mind-bending.
Paul’s commentary on the full scope of regeneration in Ephesians 2 is one of the most remarkable and practical revelations in Scripture. The graphic description of spiritual bondage to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient allows for no mistaken idea of an inherent goodness in mankind. By nature everyone is the object of God’s wrath; it is only the great love of God, who, rich in mercy, is able to give new life to those whom he has chosen in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1.4). Thomas Schreiner accurately comments on the mind-bending implications of this text:
"Victory over Satan and his demonic agents does not come from some sort of mystical experience, according to Ephesians. Triumph comes through the infusion of the resurrection-life of Christ, which is granted on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-10). Believers are made alive with Christ, raised with Christ and seated with him. Not only was Christ raised from the dead, but he was also seated at God’s right hand. By definition this means that he now rules over all demonic powers(Ephesians 1:21). It follows, therefore, that “all things have been subjected under his feet” (Ephesians 1:22). This statement, based on and rooted in Psalm 110:1, identifies Jesus as the Lord of David, the second Adam, who now exercises his rule over all creation” (Thomas Schreiner, Paul: Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ, p. 233) .
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SESSION, REDEMPTION & PRAYER
The session of Christ is the rock-solid foundation of the Christian’s authority and confidence in prayer. Though the doctrine of the session receives little attention, understanding it is of inestimable practical value for the believer. The Christian’s access to the throne of grace is secured by nothing less than Christ’s completed work of salvation. The believer’s assurance that his prayers are effectual is rooted in the efficacy of Christ’s atonement.A knowledge that Jesus continues to intercede on behalf of those whom the Father has called to be conformed to the likeness of the Son ought to be an encouragement to pray with confidence: And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also along with him, graciously give us all things?Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us(Romans 8.30-34). The apostle John also links the believer’s faith in Christ to his confidence in prayer: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him(1 John 5.13-15). So, too, the author of Hebrews ties the salvific work of Christ to the believer’s belief that his prayers will be heard. Moreover, he demonstrates that the work of salvation is ongoing, in that what God has begun in the believer’s life he will continue to perfect(cp. Philippians 1.6). This is accomplished in part through Christ’s continued intercession to the Father on their behalf: He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man (Hebrews 7.27b-8.2).
A strong statement regarding the believer’s positional relationship with God in Christ is contained in the Ephesian letter. As with the preceding examples of Jesus’ session, Paul associates the efficacy of Jesus’ atonement with his session; more than that, he boldly describes the believer’s faith in the Lord Jesus as the means by which every Christian has access to the mighty power of God. This is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1.19-21). Paul opened his letter with an affirmation of praise to God for the efficacy of his grace in bringing about the salvation of believers: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (Ephesians 1.5-6). Paul continued with a prayer that the Ephesians might enjoy a Spirit of wisdom and revelation through whom they might know God better, thereby appropriating, through grace, that which is needed to live a life pleasing to God (Ephesians 2.10; cf. 2 Corinthians 7.1; 2 Peter 1.3-11). The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that brings everything into subjection to Christ.
DEAD IN SIN (Ephesians 2.1-3)
The Ephesians were spiritually dead in their transgressions and sins. Before their conversion they did not honor God; they did not honor God in their thinking, speech or actions. This is not to say that they were as wretched as they might possibly have been, only that despite whatever natural good the unregenerate man might do, they remain alienated from the perfection of God’s glory. No matter how virtuous they considered their lives they could not please God and at the same time deny the efficacy of his only Son’s atonement.
In any event, such a good deed does not spring from the root of gratitude for the salvation merited by Jesus Christ. It is not a work of faith, therefore. It is not done with a conscious purpose to please and glorify God and to obey his law. Now, it is with respect to such spiritual good that men are by nature dead.It is a fact that even men with a reputation for virtue have been known to answer every gospel appeal with utter disdain. Their proud heart refuses to accept the urgent invitation to confess their sins and to accept Christ as their Savior and Lord. … He lacks the ability to bestir himself so as to give heed to that which God demands of him (Ezek. 37; John 3:3, 5). Only when God turns him is he able to turn from his wicked way (Jer. 31:18, 19). Besides all this, he is under the sentence of death, under the curse because of his sin in Adam (original sin) to which he has added his own trespasses and sins. William Hendriksen, Ephesians, p. 112.
Everyone, not just the Ephesians, lived at one time under the despotic authority of the ruler of the kingdom of the air; everyone suffered from a natural predilection towards selfish living, gratifying the inclinations of their sinful nature. All such people are objects of God’s wrath.
ALIVE IN CHRIST (Ephesians 2.4-7)
The prospect of adequately satisfying the righteous demands of an infinitely holy God through righteous behavior is an impossibility. Paul claims that salvation does not originate with man, but with God.It is the consequence of his great love for us. Salvation is a product of God’s grace, not an individual’s meritorious work. Though once spiritually dead in their sin, the Ephesians are now alive with Christ. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the typological pattern of the new birth for the Christian. Paul carries this image forward by identifying the believer with the post-resurrected Christ who is exalted and seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Ephesians 2.6). Thus, the destiny of Christ is the destiny of every Christian. So then, “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2.19; cp. Romans 8.37-39).
"Paul’s introductory comments to the Ephesians (1:19-22) […and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places …]includes praises for God’s incomparably great power by which he raised and exalted Christ to a position far above every level of the powers. Now this exalted Christology is applied directly to the readers of the letter. Because they have been identified with Christ in his resurrection and exaltation, they, too, have a position of superiority and authority over the evil powers.They no longer live under the authority and coercion of the rule of the kingdom of the air (2:2). The implications are clear: since they have been transferred from the old dominion to the new reign of Christ, they do not have to succumb to the evil one’s designs. The power of God which raised Jesus from the dead is now available to them as they live in this world (cf. 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15), take their stand against the devil’s schemes, and struggle against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (6:11-12)" (Peter O Brien, Ephesians, p. 171).
A NEW CREATION (Ephesians 2.8-10)
While the Christian’s new life in Christ is radically different from what he previously experienced, it is only preparatory for eternity (Hebrews 11.13-16). Everyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life. Even though his body dies, that which constitutes conscious life continues. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”(John 11.25-26; cp. John 1.12-13; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18). Jesus’ resurrection is at the heart of the gospel (Romans 10.9-13; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11); the penetrating question is: Do you believe this? The Christian is inseparably linked to Christ (Romans 8.38-39; cp. 1 Peter 1.4-9). His access to God is uninhibited; his life is wrapped up in post-resurrected Jesus. The resurrection, ascension, exaltation, and session of Christ give the believer unrestricted access to God and the freedom to live his life with a loving abandonment toward his heavenly Father.
A CODA - THE GLORY OF GOD IN PRAYER (John 17)
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Apart from the “disciples’ prayer,” John 17 is the only extended prayer of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. Some commentators have attempted to associate the content of this prayer with Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. 26.36-46; Mark 14.32ff; Luke 22.40ff). While that is certainly not an impossibility; it is equally possible, and to my mind more probable that Jesus is still in the upper room with his disciples when he prays. Thus, the import of the prayer would have been audible to the disciples; particularly John, who devotes nearly 25% of his Gospel (chapters 13-17) to the upper room events, discourse and prayer. Moreover, it is hardly likely that Jesus, whose life was punctuated with prayer, only prayed once on the most significant evening of his earthly ministry. What is crystal clear regarding Jesus’ ‘high priestly prayer’ (so called because of its distinctively mediatorial content) is its emphasis on the glory of the Son as a basis for intercession. As he does with the details of the upper room discourse, so, too, John records the details of Jesus’ intercessory prayer.
"This prayer is not free-standing; it is intimately connected by themes and link-words with the discourse that precedes it(chs. 14-16), as even the first words of 17:1 (‘After Jesus said this …’) intimate. … What is unique about this prayer rests neither on form nor on literary associations but on him who offers it, and when. He is the incarnate Son of God, and he is returning to his Father by the route of a desperately shameful and painful death. He prays that the course on which he is embarked will bring glory to his Father, and that his followers, in consequence of his own death and exaltation, will be preserved from evil and forthe priceless privilege of seeing Jesus’ glory, all the while imitating in their own relationship the reciprocity of love displayed by the Father and the Son."
"In some respects, the prayer is a summary of the entire fourth Gospel to this point. Its principal themesinclude[1] Jesus’ obedienceto his Father, [2] the glorificationof his Father through his death/exaltation, [3] the revelationof God in Christ Jesus, [4] thechoosing of the disciplesout of the world, [5] their mission to the world, their unity modeled on the unity of the Father and the Son, [6] and their final destinyin the presence of the Father and the Son" (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John,p. 550-51).
PRAYING ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL
If one accepts the “disciples’ prayer” as instruction about prayer, with the subject about the kingdom of God as a major focus (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven), then in John 17 Jesus presents a model of intercession for the kingdom of God. Though in John’s Gospel Jesus makes only passing references to the kingdom (John 3.3; 18.36), the new birth as a requisite requirement for entrance into the kingdom is essential nevertheless. Now that the hour has comefor Jesus to return to the Father, thereby securing salvation and eternal life to everyone who believes in him (John 1.12-13; 5.24), Jesus prays that the Father will glorify the Son just as the Son glorified the Father by completing the work given him: I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began(vv. 17.4-5).Jesus focuses his prayer on those things that bring glory to his Father and the prayer itself is comprised of three sections: 1) Jesus prays for his glory and that he may glorify the Father; 2) he prays for his disciples and the glory he receives through them(v. 10); 3) and he prays for all those who will believe their message and so come to possess a saving faith with the result that they may see his gloryand experience his love (24). The priestly intercession of Jesus provides the attentive reader with a window into the heart of Jesus.
GLORIFY YOUR SON (John 17.1-5)
Jesus’ ‘priestly prayer’ is not an isolated event: John connects it to Jesus’ upper room discourse with the words, After Jesus had spoken these words.The reader overhears the Son addressing the Father with some of his final concerns, the foremost of which is his own glory and the glory of the Father: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. The ‘hour’ to which John so frequently referred throughout Jesus’ ministry (2.4; 7.6, 8, 30; 8.20) had finally arrived (12.23; 17.1). From the outset of his Gospel, John created an expectation in the reader that something more was about to happen. Now the moment has arrived and as Jesus prays there is a sense of anticipation, not fatalism, in what is about to happen. The time has come for the righteousness of God to be vindicated through the atoning death of the Son, followed by the vindication of the Messianic Son through his resurrection and his return to the glory he enjoyed with the Father before the world existed.
As always, when properly understood, God’s sovereignty is an impetus for prayer not a hindrance. It is the means whereby the believer cooperatively participates with the Father to accomplish his sovereign will. While the synoptic Gospels record Jesus’ passionin the garden of Gethsemane, John records his passionto complete the Father’s redemptive work. The death of the Son will vindicate his Messianic workand bring glory to the Father.Jesus’ willingness to suffer for the sake of God’s elect demonstrates the awesome worth of God’s glory: the righteous for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3.18; 2 Corinthians 5.21). Jesus does not plead to be spared from this hour; to the contrary, it is for this very hour that he has come (John 12.23-28; Matthew 26.39; Luke 22.42). It is through the obedience of his death that he glorifies the Father (cp. Isaiah 53.10 Yet it was the will of the Lordto crush him; he has put him to grief). Thus, Jesus’ petition to be glorified is based on the predetermined will of the Father (Isaiah 53.11-12).
"This is an unspeakably wonderful truth. The foundation of our justification—our acquittal, our forgiveness—is not a flimsy sentimentality in God, nor is it a shallow claim of human worth. It is the massive rock of God’s unswerving commitment to uphold the worth of his own glory, to promote the praise of his holy name and to vindicate his righteousness. The God centeredness of God is the foundation of his grace to the ungodly" (John Piper, The Pleasures of God).
Jesus glorifies the Father by giving eternal life to all those whom the Father has given to the Son. This is the reason for Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection. So any patronizing nonsense about Jesus merely being our “model,” a “good man,” or even a prophet is not in keeping with what Jesus has to say about himself and is contrary to the central message of Scripture (John 8.24 I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins). The clearest evidence of Jesus glorifying the Father is his death on the cross, and the cross is his glory as well.This is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent(John 17.3). True knowledge about God comes through knowing Jesus(John 5.44; 14.9-11; 1 John 5.20; 1 Thessalonians 1.9). Thus, truth about God cannot be separated from knowledge about Jesus(John 1.18), and knowledge about God comes from fellowship with his Son. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Matthew 11.27).
PRAYER FOR HIS DISCIPLES (John 17.6-19)
Based on his first petition, namely, his glorification resulting from the finished work of redemption, Jesus now prays for his disciples. They belong to God because the Father gave them to Jesus; moreover, they have received and obeyed the word given to them (John 14.23-24; 15.7), they now know and accept that Jesus came from God (John 16.27-31). As Jesus’ ministry progresses toward the final hour of his death, there is a growing animosity toward him (e.g., John 6.60–66). While others are turning away from him the disciples continue to affirm their trust in him: Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God (John 6.68–69; cp. 11.16; 13.37). However limited their knowledge or flawed their courage, with the exception of Judas Iscariot (17.12), they separated themselves from the world and were committed to Jesus as Lord.
The distinction between the disciples and the world is clear: they do not belong to the world because the Father has given them to the Son and the Son has kept them for the Father. “The fundamental reason for Jesus’ self-imposed restriction as to whom he prays for at this point is not utilitarian or missiological but theological: they are yours.However wide is the love of God (3:16), however salvific the stance of Jesus toward the world (12:47), there is a peculiar relationship of love, intimacy, disclosure, obedience, faith, dependence, joy, peace, eschatological blessing and fruitfulness that binds the disciples together and with the Godhead. These themes have dominated the farewell discourse. The world can be prayed for only to the end that some who now belong to it might abandon it and join with others who have been chosen out of the world.… To pray for the world, the created moral order in active rebellion against God, would be blasphemous; there is no hope for the world. There is hope only for some who now constitute the world but who will cease to be the world and will join those of whom Jesus says for they are yours” (Carson, p. 560). If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you(John 15.19; cp. 1 John 3.1-3).
The prayer of protection for the disciples(with the notable exception of the son of destruction [Judas Iscariot]) is not that they would be preserved from all harm, Jesus has already forewarned them that they can expect trouble (I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. [John 16.33]), but that they would be protected from the evil one. The conflict that the disciples face is both worldly and other worldly. So Jesus prays that they will be protected from the influences of the devil (cp. Matthew 6.13; 1 John 2.13-14). It is the death, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, session and reign of Jesus that marks the overthrow of Satan (John 12.31; 14.30; 16.11). The protection that comes by the power of God’s name(cp. Psalm 54.1; Proverbs 18.10) is not for physical safety, but character safety. That is, that they may remain true to their calling and confession that Jesus is Lord(John 20.28-31; cp. Romans 10.9; 2 Peter 1.10-11). By this confession they will maintain a unity that is like the one enjoyed by the Father and the Son. Jesus’ prayer of consecration is preparatory for sending the disciples into the world to propagate the gospel. This is the purpose of the good news that those who hear it might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing they might have life in his name (John 20.31).
PRAYER FOR ALL BELIEVERS (John 17.20-26)
What Jesus had prayed for his disciples, he now prays for those who will come to believe through their witness: that in believing they will experience a unity that comes by faith. The oneness that they will experience is analogous to the oneness Jesus shares with the Father. “The Father is actually in the Son, so much so that we can be told that it is the Father who is performing the Son’s works (14:10); yet the Son is in the Father, not only in dependence upon and obedience to him, but his agent in creation (1:2-3) and his wholly concurring Son in the redemption and preservation of those the Father has given him (e.g., 6:37-40; 17:6, 19). The Father and the Son are distinguishable (the pre-incarnate Word is ‘with’ God, 1:1; the Son prays to his Father; the Father commissions and sends, while the Son obeys), yet they are one.Similarly, the believers, still distinct, are to be one in purpose, in love, in action undertaken with and for one another, in joint submission to the revelation received” (Carson, p. 568). Jesus has revealed the glory of the Father to the disciples and through them all who believe in their message glimpse something of the glory of God (John 1.14; 2 Peter 1.16-21; 1 John 1.1-4).
The longest prayer of Jesus recorded in Scripture focuses on the glory of the Son who glorifies the Father and the Father who glorifies the Son. However, the declarations at the end of the prayer are so extraordinary that, except they are authored by God, they defy belief: The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them(John 17.22-26).
What Jesus says is that there is a perichoretic relationship between the Son with the Father and this, through the work of the Holy Spirit, unites the believer with the Triune God. When the Bible declares that God is loveit is saying that there always existed a unity and love between the persons of the Trinity. John alludes to this in the opening of his Gospel with a clear reference to the creation narrative and the deity of the Christ: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … so, too, in his first epistle he alludes to the divine nature of Christ: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life … The importance of this could not be more clear for the believer who is the object of God’s affection. Love finds its genesis in the loving fellowship of the Trinity.The relationship between the Divine persons of the Trinity have always existed and understanding what John is talking about when he says that God is loveis rooted in the believer’s grasp of the beauty and divine love that is expressed as a perichoresis [a word to describe the vital relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) of love within the Trinity. It is “… a dynamic coinherence of the three divine persons, whose life is eternally one of shared regard, delight, fellowship, feasting, and joy”(David Bentley Hart, The Beauty of the Infinite p. 155).
Now, let the truth of what Jesus has prayed sink into your heart: that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.This is at the heart of the mystery of the good news; we are united with Christ in God, bound together that the world may believe the Jesus is the Christ and by believing might have life in his name.How is God most glorified in the believer’s life? When you are most satisfied with Christ and glorify him through the proclamation of the gospel(2 Corinthians 5.16-21). So, then, Jesus’ prayer of intercession becomes a model for the believer’s prayers of intercession. If you are united to God in Christ, then the affections of Christ’s heart will become the affections of your heart.
1. The session of Christ demonstrates the finality of his work of salvation;
2. it is part of the fulfillment of Messianic prophecyof the Old Testament (Psalm 110.1);
3. it satisfies Jesus’ own utterances about who he is and where he was going(John 7.33; 8.14; 13.1; 14.2-3);
4. it restores Jesus to the exalted pre-incarnate positionhe enjoyed with the Father (John 17.5);
5. it confirms the relationship between the Son and the Father;
6. it setsthe stage for the ongoing intercessory workof Jesus as the believer’s exalted high priest (Hebrews 7.27-8.1).
As with the other post-resurrection narratives in the New Testament, the session focuses the reader’s attention on the exalted glory of Jesus(consider Paul’s conclusion of his argument that the righteous by their faith will live in Romans 8.31-39 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God 's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died —more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “for your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.; Ephesians 1.15-23; 2.5-6; cf. Colossians 3.1; Hebrews 1.3; 7.26; 8.1; 10.12).
Psalm 110 is quoted by New Testament writers as a prophetic reference to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God (Matthew 22.42-45; Acts 2.34; Hebrews 1.13; cp. Romans 8.34; Colossians 3.1; 1 Peter 3.22). This position of authority is the means by which Jesus exercises his authority over the church; in his session he functions as the reigning high priest. He is the Lamb on the throne who will open the seven seals to bring judgment on the earth prior to the great day of the Lord (Revelation 5 and 6) when the last facet of his exaltation will be completed.
THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SON
For the purpose of this abbreviated study let us consider Hebrews 1.1-3 wherein the author introduces the role and work of the resurrected Jesus. The introduction to Hebrews (1.1-14) fixes the reader’s attention on the heavenly Son. The author of Hebrews reasons that the Son is superior in every way: to angels, Moses, Joshua, the Aaronic priesthood, the law of Moses, and the old covenant. In the opening three verses he gives us seven reasons why the Son is superior to everything in creation.
1. The Son is the heir of all things(1.2). The psalmist writes: Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession (Psalm 2.8 Messianic Psalm).The author of Hebrews recognizes Jesus in these lines and regards him as singularly unique. Jesus is sovereign over the entire universe, not just the church. Adam was responsible for bringing sin into the world; Jesus, the second Adam, brought salvation (Romans 5.12-14). Only Jesus is able to accomplish this becausehe alone is the rightful heir of His Father’s kingdom. As God’s one and only Son (John 3.16) he enjoys all the rights and privileges as God’s son. John the Baptist bore witness to him: This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me”(John 1.15).
2. The author of Hebrews says that it was through the Son that God created the world(1.2; cp. John 1.3; Colossians 1.16: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him). Even a cursory reading of Scripture does not allow for a naturalistic Jesus, like those who say that Jesus was merely an exceptional child who grew up to be an unusually gifted moral philosopher,whose innovative teachings became the foundation for a radical subculture that overturned the intellectual and moral structure of western civilization. Thus, Jesus became de facto the savior of all those who follow his teachings. To the contrary,the historical witness of Scripture portrays the Son of God as the second person of Trinity who came to earth and became incarnatein the person of Jesus through the womb of the virgin Mary, lived a sinlesslife, made atonementfor sin by his vicarious death, and in his resurrection gave believers hope for eternal life. The New Testament speaks of Him as God incarnate and his disciples worshiped Him as God(John 20.28). The philosopher might say that the Son is the uncreated necessary cause of the universe. Bottom line, the choice is this: you either acknowledge the Son as the supernatural creator of the universe and its sovereign Lord and savior or you reject Him in favor of philosophical naturalism which leaves you with in a universe without an ultimate purpose, final cause, or any sort of legitimate spiritual dimension. You will find no solace in agnosticism; it is not an option in which you may take refuge. “Agnosticism is not a state in which the mind of an intelligent being can permanently rest. … It will press on perforce to one or other of the views which present themselves as alternatives – either to Theism, or to Materialism and dogmatic Atheism” (James Orr, The Christian View of God and the World, p. 51).
3. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory(1.3). The glory of the Son is the glory of the eternal second person of the Trinity (Hebrews 1.3). It is that same Shekhinah glory which was manifested in the tent of meeting by God(Exodus 33.9). With Christ’s incarnation the glory of God is revealed to man. Just as the radiance of the sun reaches the earth, so in Christ the light of God shines in the hearts of men (cp. Exodus 40.34-38; John 1.1, 14; 2 Corinthians 4.6). “It is the glory manifested on the occasion of Christ’s transfiguration, again accompanied by the resplendent cloud of the shekinah(Mark 9:2ff),an event which demonstrated that this glory belongs to the Son and was not just a reflection of a glory not his own… The brilliant light, brighter than the midday sun, seen by Paul at his encounter with the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus(Acts 9:3; 22:6; 26:13) was the same radiant glory of the divine presence” (Philip Hughes,Hebrews, p. 42). It was the radiance of His glory that John witnessed in the opening chapter of the Apocalypse (Revelation 1.12-16).
4. The Son is the exact representation of God’s being. What God is in essence, is made manifest in Christ (2 Corinthians 4.4). As a coin is the image of the die in which it was cast, so Christ is the image of the Father. To see what Christ is like is to see what God is like. Jesus does not reveal to us all that God is, but what Jesus reveals of God is precisely what God is like.
"The patristic understanding of this passage is well summarized in the following comment of Gregory of Nyssa, who says: “The heir of all things, the maker of the ages, he who shines with the Father’s glory and expresses in himself the Father’s person, has all things that the Father himself has, and is possessor of all his power; not that the right is transferred from the Father to the Son, but that it at once remains in the Father and resides in the Son. For he who is in the Father is manifestly in the Father with all his might, and he who has the Father in himself includes all the power and might of the Father.” Of the two expressions, “the radiance of his glory” and “the very stamp of his nature,” the former, which implies the consubstantiality [consisting of the same substance or nature] of the Son with the Father, is balanced by the latter, which implies the distinctness of the person of the Son from that of the Father, and both designate the function of the Incarnate Son who, as the Light and the Truth (Jn. 8:12, 9:5; 14:6), is the Revealer of God to mankind" (Hughes, p. 44).
When there is a proper balance between the humanity and Deity of Jesus it is easier to understand why it is that Jesus must return to the Father and take his place at his Father’s right hand.
5. The Son upholds all things by the word of His power(1.3).The author is here speaking of the ongoing dynamic working of Christ, not something that was done once for all in ages past. God created the world for his purpose; God sustains the universe and the things in it for his purpose and he will ultimately bring to fruition everything that he has begun and has sustained. All this is done in the person of the Son. The believer’s confidence in the providential works of God is predicated on his understanding of the person and work of Christ. This doctrine of the creative and sustaining power of Christ is the bedrock upon which the Christian prays, give us our daily bread(cp. Colossians 1.15-20). “The word of the son is not less or other than the word of the Father for he who himself is the Word is the perfect and harmonious expression of the mind and will of God” (Hughes, p. 46).
6. The Son made purification of sins(1.3). This is the axis of history; it is the means by which Jesus accomplishes the Father’s will and it is the final act of humiliation and obedience before he returns to his proper place at the right hand of God. The theme of redemption is the primary theme of Scriptureand the author of Hebrews highlights that purpose by demonstrating that only the superiority of the Son is a sufficient atonement for our sins. God’s holiness demands that he acts justly by keeping faith with his intrinsic righteousness. He has done this by punishing his innocent Soninstead of his guilty children (cp. Isaiah 53.4-10; 2 Corinthians 5.21).
7. Hesat down at the right hand of the majesty on high(1.3).The phrase “right hand…” is not meant as a literal location but is symbolic for authority; it is the capstone of Christ's exultation (Psalm 110; cp. Philippians 2.9). The work of redemption is now completed as is indicated by the image of Christ sitting. This is not to suggest that Jesus is inactive, only that the work of purification is completed. There is the further contrast that is developed later in this epistle between Christ and the Aaronic priesthood. The Messiah is seated. The Aaronic priest (Hebrews 10.11) remains standing because his sacrificial service never came to an end. Once seated upon the throne Jesus is exalted to the highest place, possessing the name that is above every other name; at the very mention of this name, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2.9-11).
PRAYER & THE SESSION OF CHRIST (Ephesians 2.1-10)
Having looked at something of the nature of the post-resurrected Jesus’ session, it is even more remarkable to contemplate one of the most extraordinary revelations in Scripture, namely, that the Christian enjoys a positional relationship with Jesus in heaven: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us with him and seated us with himin the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus(Ephesians 2.4-7). The practical implications of this for the believer are mind-bending.
Paul’s commentary on the full scope of regeneration in Ephesians 2 is one of the most remarkable and practical revelations in Scripture. The graphic description of spiritual bondage to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient allows for no mistaken idea of an inherent goodness in mankind. By nature everyone is the object of God’s wrath; it is only the great love of God, who, rich in mercy, is able to give new life to those whom he has chosen in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1.4). Thomas Schreiner accurately comments on the mind-bending implications of this text:
"Victory over Satan and his demonic agents does not come from some sort of mystical experience, according to Ephesians. Triumph comes through the infusion of the resurrection-life of Christ, which is granted on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-10). Believers are made alive with Christ, raised with Christ and seated with him. Not only was Christ raised from the dead, but he was also seated at God’s right hand. By definition this means that he now rules over all demonic powers(Ephesians 1:21). It follows, therefore, that “all things have been subjected under his feet” (Ephesians 1:22). This statement, based on and rooted in Psalm 110:1, identifies Jesus as the Lord of David, the second Adam, who now exercises his rule over all creation” (Thomas Schreiner, Paul: Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ, p. 233) .
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SESSION, REDEMPTION & PRAYER
The session of Christ is the rock-solid foundation of the Christian’s authority and confidence in prayer. Though the doctrine of the session receives little attention, understanding it is of inestimable practical value for the believer. The Christian’s access to the throne of grace is secured by nothing less than Christ’s completed work of salvation. The believer’s assurance that his prayers are effectual is rooted in the efficacy of Christ’s atonement.A knowledge that Jesus continues to intercede on behalf of those whom the Father has called to be conformed to the likeness of the Son ought to be an encouragement to pray with confidence: And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also along with him, graciously give us all things?Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us(Romans 8.30-34). The apostle John also links the believer’s faith in Christ to his confidence in prayer: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him(1 John 5.13-15). So, too, the author of Hebrews ties the salvific work of Christ to the believer’s belief that his prayers will be heard. Moreover, he demonstrates that the work of salvation is ongoing, in that what God has begun in the believer’s life he will continue to perfect(cp. Philippians 1.6). This is accomplished in part through Christ’s continued intercession to the Father on their behalf: He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man (Hebrews 7.27b-8.2).
A strong statement regarding the believer’s positional relationship with God in Christ is contained in the Ephesian letter. As with the preceding examples of Jesus’ session, Paul associates the efficacy of Jesus’ atonement with his session; more than that, he boldly describes the believer’s faith in the Lord Jesus as the means by which every Christian has access to the mighty power of God. This is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1.19-21). Paul opened his letter with an affirmation of praise to God for the efficacy of his grace in bringing about the salvation of believers: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (Ephesians 1.5-6). Paul continued with a prayer that the Ephesians might enjoy a Spirit of wisdom and revelation through whom they might know God better, thereby appropriating, through grace, that which is needed to live a life pleasing to God (Ephesians 2.10; cf. 2 Corinthians 7.1; 2 Peter 1.3-11). The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that brings everything into subjection to Christ.
DEAD IN SIN (Ephesians 2.1-3)
The Ephesians were spiritually dead in their transgressions and sins. Before their conversion they did not honor God; they did not honor God in their thinking, speech or actions. This is not to say that they were as wretched as they might possibly have been, only that despite whatever natural good the unregenerate man might do, they remain alienated from the perfection of God’s glory. No matter how virtuous they considered their lives they could not please God and at the same time deny the efficacy of his only Son’s atonement.
In any event, such a good deed does not spring from the root of gratitude for the salvation merited by Jesus Christ. It is not a work of faith, therefore. It is not done with a conscious purpose to please and glorify God and to obey his law. Now, it is with respect to such spiritual good that men are by nature dead.It is a fact that even men with a reputation for virtue have been known to answer every gospel appeal with utter disdain. Their proud heart refuses to accept the urgent invitation to confess their sins and to accept Christ as their Savior and Lord. … He lacks the ability to bestir himself so as to give heed to that which God demands of him (Ezek. 37; John 3:3, 5). Only when God turns him is he able to turn from his wicked way (Jer. 31:18, 19). Besides all this, he is under the sentence of death, under the curse because of his sin in Adam (original sin) to which he has added his own trespasses and sins. William Hendriksen, Ephesians, p. 112.
Everyone, not just the Ephesians, lived at one time under the despotic authority of the ruler of the kingdom of the air; everyone suffered from a natural predilection towards selfish living, gratifying the inclinations of their sinful nature. All such people are objects of God’s wrath.
ALIVE IN CHRIST (Ephesians 2.4-7)
The prospect of adequately satisfying the righteous demands of an infinitely holy God through righteous behavior is an impossibility. Paul claims that salvation does not originate with man, but with God.It is the consequence of his great love for us. Salvation is a product of God’s grace, not an individual’s meritorious work. Though once spiritually dead in their sin, the Ephesians are now alive with Christ. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the typological pattern of the new birth for the Christian. Paul carries this image forward by identifying the believer with the post-resurrected Christ who is exalted and seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Ephesians 2.6). Thus, the destiny of Christ is the destiny of every Christian. So then, “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2.19; cp. Romans 8.37-39).
"Paul’s introductory comments to the Ephesians (1:19-22) […and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places …]includes praises for God’s incomparably great power by which he raised and exalted Christ to a position far above every level of the powers. Now this exalted Christology is applied directly to the readers of the letter. Because they have been identified with Christ in his resurrection and exaltation, they, too, have a position of superiority and authority over the evil powers.They no longer live under the authority and coercion of the rule of the kingdom of the air (2:2). The implications are clear: since they have been transferred from the old dominion to the new reign of Christ, they do not have to succumb to the evil one’s designs. The power of God which raised Jesus from the dead is now available to them as they live in this world (cf. 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15), take their stand against the devil’s schemes, and struggle against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (6:11-12)" (Peter O Brien, Ephesians, p. 171).
A NEW CREATION (Ephesians 2.8-10)
While the Christian’s new life in Christ is radically different from what he previously experienced, it is only preparatory for eternity (Hebrews 11.13-16). Everyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life. Even though his body dies, that which constitutes conscious life continues. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”(John 11.25-26; cp. John 1.12-13; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18). Jesus’ resurrection is at the heart of the gospel (Romans 10.9-13; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11); the penetrating question is: Do you believe this? The Christian is inseparably linked to Christ (Romans 8.38-39; cp. 1 Peter 1.4-9). His access to God is uninhibited; his life is wrapped up in post-resurrected Jesus. The resurrection, ascension, exaltation, and session of Christ give the believer unrestricted access to God and the freedom to live his life with a loving abandonment toward his heavenly Father.
A CODA - THE GLORY OF GOD IN PRAYER (John 17)
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Apart from the “disciples’ prayer,” John 17 is the only extended prayer of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. Some commentators have attempted to associate the content of this prayer with Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. 26.36-46; Mark 14.32ff; Luke 22.40ff). While that is certainly not an impossibility; it is equally possible, and to my mind more probable that Jesus is still in the upper room with his disciples when he prays. Thus, the import of the prayer would have been audible to the disciples; particularly John, who devotes nearly 25% of his Gospel (chapters 13-17) to the upper room events, discourse and prayer. Moreover, it is hardly likely that Jesus, whose life was punctuated with prayer, only prayed once on the most significant evening of his earthly ministry. What is crystal clear regarding Jesus’ ‘high priestly prayer’ (so called because of its distinctively mediatorial content) is its emphasis on the glory of the Son as a basis for intercession. As he does with the details of the upper room discourse, so, too, John records the details of Jesus’ intercessory prayer.
"This prayer is not free-standing; it is intimately connected by themes and link-words with the discourse that precedes it(chs. 14-16), as even the first words of 17:1 (‘After Jesus said this …’) intimate. … What is unique about this prayer rests neither on form nor on literary associations but on him who offers it, and when. He is the incarnate Son of God, and he is returning to his Father by the route of a desperately shameful and painful death. He prays that the course on which he is embarked will bring glory to his Father, and that his followers, in consequence of his own death and exaltation, will be preserved from evil and forthe priceless privilege of seeing Jesus’ glory, all the while imitating in their own relationship the reciprocity of love displayed by the Father and the Son."
"In some respects, the prayer is a summary of the entire fourth Gospel to this point. Its principal themesinclude[1] Jesus’ obedienceto his Father, [2] the glorificationof his Father through his death/exaltation, [3] the revelationof God in Christ Jesus, [4] thechoosing of the disciplesout of the world, [5] their mission to the world, their unity modeled on the unity of the Father and the Son, [6] and their final destinyin the presence of the Father and the Son" (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John,p. 550-51).
PRAYING ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL
If one accepts the “disciples’ prayer” as instruction about prayer, with the subject about the kingdom of God as a major focus (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven), then in John 17 Jesus presents a model of intercession for the kingdom of God. Though in John’s Gospel Jesus makes only passing references to the kingdom (John 3.3; 18.36), the new birth as a requisite requirement for entrance into the kingdom is essential nevertheless. Now that the hour has comefor Jesus to return to the Father, thereby securing salvation and eternal life to everyone who believes in him (John 1.12-13; 5.24), Jesus prays that the Father will glorify the Son just as the Son glorified the Father by completing the work given him: I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began(vv. 17.4-5).Jesus focuses his prayer on those things that bring glory to his Father and the prayer itself is comprised of three sections: 1) Jesus prays for his glory and that he may glorify the Father; 2) he prays for his disciples and the glory he receives through them(v. 10); 3) and he prays for all those who will believe their message and so come to possess a saving faith with the result that they may see his gloryand experience his love (24). The priestly intercession of Jesus provides the attentive reader with a window into the heart of Jesus.
GLORIFY YOUR SON (John 17.1-5)
Jesus’ ‘priestly prayer’ is not an isolated event: John connects it to Jesus’ upper room discourse with the words, After Jesus had spoken these words.The reader overhears the Son addressing the Father with some of his final concerns, the foremost of which is his own glory and the glory of the Father: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. The ‘hour’ to which John so frequently referred throughout Jesus’ ministry (2.4; 7.6, 8, 30; 8.20) had finally arrived (12.23; 17.1). From the outset of his Gospel, John created an expectation in the reader that something more was about to happen. Now the moment has arrived and as Jesus prays there is a sense of anticipation, not fatalism, in what is about to happen. The time has come for the righteousness of God to be vindicated through the atoning death of the Son, followed by the vindication of the Messianic Son through his resurrection and his return to the glory he enjoyed with the Father before the world existed.
As always, when properly understood, God’s sovereignty is an impetus for prayer not a hindrance. It is the means whereby the believer cooperatively participates with the Father to accomplish his sovereign will. While the synoptic Gospels record Jesus’ passionin the garden of Gethsemane, John records his passionto complete the Father’s redemptive work. The death of the Son will vindicate his Messianic workand bring glory to the Father.Jesus’ willingness to suffer for the sake of God’s elect demonstrates the awesome worth of God’s glory: the righteous for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3.18; 2 Corinthians 5.21). Jesus does not plead to be spared from this hour; to the contrary, it is for this very hour that he has come (John 12.23-28; Matthew 26.39; Luke 22.42). It is through the obedience of his death that he glorifies the Father (cp. Isaiah 53.10 Yet it was the will of the Lordto crush him; he has put him to grief). Thus, Jesus’ petition to be glorified is based on the predetermined will of the Father (Isaiah 53.11-12).
"This is an unspeakably wonderful truth. The foundation of our justification—our acquittal, our forgiveness—is not a flimsy sentimentality in God, nor is it a shallow claim of human worth. It is the massive rock of God’s unswerving commitment to uphold the worth of his own glory, to promote the praise of his holy name and to vindicate his righteousness. The God centeredness of God is the foundation of his grace to the ungodly" (John Piper, The Pleasures of God).
Jesus glorifies the Father by giving eternal life to all those whom the Father has given to the Son. This is the reason for Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection. So any patronizing nonsense about Jesus merely being our “model,” a “good man,” or even a prophet is not in keeping with what Jesus has to say about himself and is contrary to the central message of Scripture (John 8.24 I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins). The clearest evidence of Jesus glorifying the Father is his death on the cross, and the cross is his glory as well.This is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent(John 17.3). True knowledge about God comes through knowing Jesus(John 5.44; 14.9-11; 1 John 5.20; 1 Thessalonians 1.9). Thus, truth about God cannot be separated from knowledge about Jesus(John 1.18), and knowledge about God comes from fellowship with his Son. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Matthew 11.27).
PRAYER FOR HIS DISCIPLES (John 17.6-19)
Based on his first petition, namely, his glorification resulting from the finished work of redemption, Jesus now prays for his disciples. They belong to God because the Father gave them to Jesus; moreover, they have received and obeyed the word given to them (John 14.23-24; 15.7), they now know and accept that Jesus came from God (John 16.27-31). As Jesus’ ministry progresses toward the final hour of his death, there is a growing animosity toward him (e.g., John 6.60–66). While others are turning away from him the disciples continue to affirm their trust in him: Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God (John 6.68–69; cp. 11.16; 13.37). However limited their knowledge or flawed their courage, with the exception of Judas Iscariot (17.12), they separated themselves from the world and were committed to Jesus as Lord.
The distinction between the disciples and the world is clear: they do not belong to the world because the Father has given them to the Son and the Son has kept them for the Father. “The fundamental reason for Jesus’ self-imposed restriction as to whom he prays for at this point is not utilitarian or missiological but theological: they are yours.However wide is the love of God (3:16), however salvific the stance of Jesus toward the world (12:47), there is a peculiar relationship of love, intimacy, disclosure, obedience, faith, dependence, joy, peace, eschatological blessing and fruitfulness that binds the disciples together and with the Godhead. These themes have dominated the farewell discourse. The world can be prayed for only to the end that some who now belong to it might abandon it and join with others who have been chosen out of the world.… To pray for the world, the created moral order in active rebellion against God, would be blasphemous; there is no hope for the world. There is hope only for some who now constitute the world but who will cease to be the world and will join those of whom Jesus says for they are yours” (Carson, p. 560). If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you(John 15.19; cp. 1 John 3.1-3).
The prayer of protection for the disciples(with the notable exception of the son of destruction [Judas Iscariot]) is not that they would be preserved from all harm, Jesus has already forewarned them that they can expect trouble (I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. [John 16.33]), but that they would be protected from the evil one. The conflict that the disciples face is both worldly and other worldly. So Jesus prays that they will be protected from the influences of the devil (cp. Matthew 6.13; 1 John 2.13-14). It is the death, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, session and reign of Jesus that marks the overthrow of Satan (John 12.31; 14.30; 16.11). The protection that comes by the power of God’s name(cp. Psalm 54.1; Proverbs 18.10) is not for physical safety, but character safety. That is, that they may remain true to their calling and confession that Jesus is Lord(John 20.28-31; cp. Romans 10.9; 2 Peter 1.10-11). By this confession they will maintain a unity that is like the one enjoyed by the Father and the Son. Jesus’ prayer of consecration is preparatory for sending the disciples into the world to propagate the gospel. This is the purpose of the good news that those who hear it might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing they might have life in his name (John 20.31).
PRAYER FOR ALL BELIEVERS (John 17.20-26)
What Jesus had prayed for his disciples, he now prays for those who will come to believe through their witness: that in believing they will experience a unity that comes by faith. The oneness that they will experience is analogous to the oneness Jesus shares with the Father. “The Father is actually in the Son, so much so that we can be told that it is the Father who is performing the Son’s works (14:10); yet the Son is in the Father, not only in dependence upon and obedience to him, but his agent in creation (1:2-3) and his wholly concurring Son in the redemption and preservation of those the Father has given him (e.g., 6:37-40; 17:6, 19). The Father and the Son are distinguishable (the pre-incarnate Word is ‘with’ God, 1:1; the Son prays to his Father; the Father commissions and sends, while the Son obeys), yet they are one.Similarly, the believers, still distinct, are to be one in purpose, in love, in action undertaken with and for one another, in joint submission to the revelation received” (Carson, p. 568). Jesus has revealed the glory of the Father to the disciples and through them all who believe in their message glimpse something of the glory of God (John 1.14; 2 Peter 1.16-21; 1 John 1.1-4).
The longest prayer of Jesus recorded in Scripture focuses on the glory of the Son who glorifies the Father and the Father who glorifies the Son. However, the declarations at the end of the prayer are so extraordinary that, except they are authored by God, they defy belief: The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them(John 17.22-26).
What Jesus says is that there is a perichoretic relationship between the Son with the Father and this, through the work of the Holy Spirit, unites the believer with the Triune God. When the Bible declares that God is loveit is saying that there always existed a unity and love between the persons of the Trinity. John alludes to this in the opening of his Gospel with a clear reference to the creation narrative and the deity of the Christ: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … so, too, in his first epistle he alludes to the divine nature of Christ: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life … The importance of this could not be more clear for the believer who is the object of God’s affection. Love finds its genesis in the loving fellowship of the Trinity.The relationship between the Divine persons of the Trinity have always existed and understanding what John is talking about when he says that God is loveis rooted in the believer’s grasp of the beauty and divine love that is expressed as a perichoresis [a word to describe the vital relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) of love within the Trinity. It is “… a dynamic coinherence of the three divine persons, whose life is eternally one of shared regard, delight, fellowship, feasting, and joy”(David Bentley Hart, The Beauty of the Infinite p. 155).
Now, let the truth of what Jesus has prayed sink into your heart: that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.This is at the heart of the mystery of the good news; we are united with Christ in God, bound together that the world may believe the Jesus is the Christ and by believing might have life in his name.How is God most glorified in the believer’s life? When you are most satisfied with Christ and glorify him through the proclamation of the gospel(2 Corinthians 5.16-21). So, then, Jesus’ prayer of intercession becomes a model for the believer’s prayers of intercession. If you are united to God in Christ, then the affections of Christ’s heart will become the affections of your heart.