I can liardly tliink tliat our Lord is referring to the discourse wliich preceded this prayer. It seems more natural to apply " these things I speak " to His prayer.
The expression, " my joy," occurs before, in chapter xv. 11. It must mean that peculiar, inward sense of comfort that Christ imparts to believers, and which no one knows excepting him who receives it.
14. — [/ have given them Thy Word, etc.l In this verse our Lord appears to describe more fully the position of the disciples as an introduction to a more full repeated prayer for their preser- vation. It is as though He said, " I do not pray that my disci- ples may be kept without good reason. I have given them the Word of the Gospel, and they have received it, and have been at once persecuted and ill-treated for receiving it. In short, the world has hated them ever since they became my disci- ples, because, like myself, they are not of the world, neither holding the world's principles, nor walking in the world's ways."
Let us not fail to remark that true believers must expect the hatred and enmity of the wicked in every age. They must not be surprised at it. Christ and His disciples had to endure it, and all real Christians must endure it too. The reason of this enmity is the continual testimony which believers bear against the world's opinions and practices. The world feels itself con- demned, and hates those whose faith and lives condemn it. If believers were more bold, decided, and consistent, they would soon find these things out more than they do now. The good opinion of the world is about the last thing a true Christian should expect or desire. If all men, speak well of his opinions and ways in religion, he may well doubt whether there is not something very wrong and defective about them. We are not to court the world's enmity. A narrow, morose, uncourteous, and exclusive spirit, is downright wrong. But we are never to be the least surprised by the world's enmity if we meet with it ; and the more holy we are, the more we shall meet with it. Christ was perfect in holiness ; but the world hated Him.
15. — [Ipray not that Thou, etc., etc.] In this verse our Lord re- peats, and develops more fully. His prayer that His disciples may be kept. His meaning appears to be this : — ** Wicked and persecuting as the world is, 1 pray not that Thou wouldst take my disciples immediately out of it. Such removal would be bad for themselves and bad for the world. What I do pray is, that remaining in the world, Thou wouldst keep them from the evil of the world. Though in it, let them not be spoiled or corrupted by it."
The deep wisdom of this prayer is very instructive. There are few Christians who would not like to go to heaven without trouble, conflict, and persecution. Yet it would not be for their own sanctificatiou, and it would deprive the world of the