Thoughts on the Gospel of John (165) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 17:3–5

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (165)
The first request of this remarkable prayer, which Jesus as the Son of God addresses to the Father, is, “Glorify Your Son...”. It all comes under the banner of God the Father being honoured. And He is honoured in that Jesus Christ gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.

What is eternal life? It is the life from God that believers receive through new birth and that enables them to know God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and to enjoy fellowship with them. Old Testament believers had life from God, but not in this profound character, because at that time Christ, the eternal life, had not yet been revealed. Today believers possess it in the Son of God; He Himself is their life (1 John 1:2; 5:11). What a heavenly blessing!

Many have thought about God and come to wrong conclusions. Since Jesus Christ came, no one needs to adhere to a wrong image of God. He came forth from God and made God perfectly known and also accomplished the work of atonement on the cross.

On this basis, the Lord Jesus now asks the Father to glorify Him. For us, such a request would be presumptuous: to ask for glory with God Himself. No one other than the only begotten Son could ask for that. He was about to go back as a man to where He always was before His incarnation. And there He is now – glorified with His eternal glory.

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 17:1-24 · Psalms 119:129-144