The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 347

ITT. THE TRUE NATURE OF ETERNAL LtFlt. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Obrist, whom thou hast sent." 1. The We of grnu begins with knowledge. (1) Ignoranoe is the great hindrance to life, (2) Chri~t, by his Spirit and Word, removes this hindrance, enlightening o\\r understanding. 2. The true object& of holy knowledge t1ll"6 God and Ghrist, (1) Tho only true God, in opposition to the error of polythei!'m. (2) It is the whole essence of the Godhead- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This is the only true God. (3) Christ is to bo known as the manifestation of the Godbe.ad. (a) Without him, we do not know God as reconcilod, and therefore cannot come to him with boldness. (b) The dependence of eterns.l life in the knowledge of the Son implies his coequal Goohead with the Father and the Spirit. How could the knowledge of a mere creature be equally necessnry to salvation with that of God himself? (c) The mission of the Son was (a) from God and heaven; (t!) it was into this world; (-,.) it was in our business and for our benefit. (i) Tberofore we ought to honour the Son as we honour the Father. IV. THE SoN'e OLORIFI0ATION OF THE FATHER ON EARTH. "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." 1. The Son glorified the Father by (1) his doctrines, (2) his miracles, (3) his obedience, (4:) his sufferings till death. 2. TM work of his life was MW ended. (1) This implies that his work was finishod before his death. He refers to his obedience in life in our stead, which was 1\6 necessary as his obedience unto death for our salvation, (2) Because it is a finished work, it is sinful and foolish for man to add to it. V. THE PRAYXB FOB THE SoN's GLORIFICATION IN HEAVEN. "And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." These words imply: 1. That the B()'TI, had an essB11tial glory with the Father "befr:tre the found.atwn of the tJJOrld. 2. That he emptied himselffor a time of that which he receiwed again. (Phil ii. 7.) 8. That the glory of his I>ivinity was ful- filled in his ascended manhood. 4. Mark the glorious advancement of O'IJ,r nature in. the Person of Christ. 5. The tnll fulfilment of this prayer is set f 01·th in the e:i;altation deN:ribed in the PMUppian .Epistle. (Phil ii 9-12.) Vers. 6-lL-Our Lord'11 prayer for his disciples. As he had prayed for himself, he next prays for his disciples. I. C.HRIST's JU..NIFEBTATION OF THE F.a.THEB TO ms DISCIPLES. "I have mani- fested thy Name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world." 1. He ()'11,ly cuuld ma~ ,ru,ch a discm,erg of the I>ivine mind and will (1) by his appearance in the flesh ; (2) by his Word ; (3) by his Spirit. 2. Those who received the revelation were God's. "'l'hine they were:" (1) by creation; (2) by election; (3) by gift of the Father t.o the Son, (a) as his charge, (b) as his subjects, (c) as his apostles, (d) as his reward. II. Tm!: A.POSTLES' FilTHFCL RE0EPTION OF THE FATHER'S WoRD. "And they hav~ kept thy Word." Now the.v have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. L Christ's Word is the Father's Word. 2. The disciples kept it (1) in their memory as sacred treasure; (2) in their hearts by believing; (8) in their lives by a st.eadfast obedience. 3. The complete loyalty of the disciples to the revelation of (J/1rist. (1) "They have received them"-upon the authority of my testimony. (2) "They have known surely that I ea.me ont from thee "-by their spiritual insight, rising from the reception of his Word to the recognition of the Divine origin of his Person. (3) ".And they have believed that thou didst send me "-by the absolute surrender of their being to his guidance. III. OuB LoBD's PRAYER FOB BIB DIBOIPLEI. " I pray for them : I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me; for they are thine." 1. Christ is owr graci.oo.s mteroeBll()r. (1) This fact should give us boldness in prayer; (2) support us under a sense of our imperfections; (3) assure us of the success of our petitions. 2. (Jhri,t at, .pruent pray, only for his disciples, who were to txmtinue his work. 'J'he world is only for the moment outside the sphere of his supplications. It will by-anJ- by be reached by those for whom he first prays. (1) His prayer for the world will be for itll conversion; his prayer for the disciples is for tLeir sanctification and preservation. (2) He will in a few hours pray for the world. " Father, forgive them : they know not what they do." (3) '!'here is an implicit prayer for the world implied in the rrayer  OD. xvn, 1-26,] 'fllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. JOHN,