John 17:1-5 These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify your Son… I. THE POSITION ASSIGNED TO CHRIST. It is of mediatorial supremacy. The word rendered "power" is "authority" — the right of dominion. 1. The source of this authority was God (John 5:22-26). 2. Its nature is power to legislate and rule. 3. Its extent is universal — not the race of mankind only. His dominion as the Christ extends to all life that has been damaged by the Fall and cursed by sin. 4. This supremacy is not a matter of mere doctrinal importance, it is of momentous interest and highest encouragement. He who rules over us is one of ourselves, with human feelings and human sympathies, and yet altogether free from human imperfections. II. THE PREROGATIVE WHICH CHRIST IS SO EXERCISE 1. Its object is to give eternal life to man. (1) It presupposes that men are doomed to die or are dead. (2) But there is life, and Christ Jesus is invested with mediatorial power to give it (1 John 5:12). 2. Its extent. "To as many," &c. The interests and affections of the Father and the Son must be identical; still there is the truth that the Father's gift to the Son measures the Son's gift of life to men. But vast is the gift which the Father has .given to the Son (Psalm 2:8; Hebrews 2:10; Revelation 7:9). 3. Christ exercises this prerogative personally and directly. Human governments influence their subjects indirectly; but life comes straight from Christ to every one of His disciples through the quickening grace of His Holy Spirit. He has entrusted to no Church, system, set of men, this power. Hence every one of His disciples may say as truly as St. Paul, "He loved me and gave Himself for me"; and exclaim with St. Thomas, in adoration and worship, "My Lord and my God." (T. Alexander, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: |
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