John 17:9-16 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me; for they are yours.… The truths in this part of the prayer are — I. THAT THE SUPREME GOOD OF MAN IS SPIRITUAL AND NOT TEMPORAL. Christ prays that they may be "kept from the evil," "sanctified," and "be one" with themselves, Him, and the Father. He does not pray that they may be healthy in body, prosperous in circumstances, or long-lived. He does not undervalue these things, but temporal prosperity to Him was insignificant compared with spiritual. There are good reasons for this. Temporal prosperity is — 1. Insufficient to satisfy the cravings of the human soul. "A man's life [happiness] consisteth not in the abundance of things," &c. "What shall it profit a man," &c. 2. Often leads to spiritual adversity and ruin. How often it happens that the higher a man rises in worldly things, the lower he sinks in moral destitution. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." II. THAT THERE IS A COMPLETE UNITY OF INTEREST BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. "All Mine are Thine," &c. This is — 1. True absolutely. God is the universal Proprietor. We are only trustees, not owners. 2. True subjectively. "Thine are Mine." III. THAT SINCE THE DEPARTURE OF CHRIST THE PRESERVATION OF A GOOD MAN IN HIS GOODNESS DEPENDS ON THE AGENCY OF THE GREAT FATHER (VER. 11). THE MEANING IS, "I have taken care of them until now; now I commend them to Thee." Note — 1. The way of keeping them. "Through Thine own Name," i.e., His moral character. This is enough to convert them to, and to keep them in goodness. 2. The reason for keeping them, "that they may be one as we are," i.e., in supreme purpose, inspiring spirit, moral character. What attraction is in the material world, love is in the moral. IV. THAT AMONGST THOSE WHO ARE GIVEN BY GOD TO THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST THERE ARE BAD MEN AS WELL AS GOOD (ver. 12). There has ever been a Judas in Christian communities: tares as well as wheat; goats as well as sheep. Bad men as well as good are— 1. The property of God. He can give them. 2. Under the direction of God. Judas did not go into Christ's school by accident, but that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. 3. Employed in the service of God. Judas did a useful work. 4. Must meet with a terrible end. The "son of perdition" went to his own place. It is better for a man to fall from the level sands than from a lofty cliff; to fall into ruin from a corrupt world than from the height of Christian privilege. V. THAT THE GRAND DESIRE OF CHRIST IS THAT ALL HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN HIS JOY (ver. 13). 1. Although in one sense "a Man of Sorrows," no man had so much joy as Christ. The joy of — (1) An innocent conscience. (2) Disinterested love. (3) Close communion with the Father. 2. Now His desire is that His disciples should participate in this joy, and — 3. At last "enter into the joy of the Lord." VI. THAT THE FAITHFUL CARRYING OUT OF CHRIST'S DESIRE WILL EXCITE THE WORLD'S HATRED (ver. 14). The world is ever in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ. The man, therefore, who will act out the one and live the other will ever come in antagonism with the world's passions and prejudices. The conduct of the godly acts on the sensibilities of the corrupt as the sun on diseased eyes, and music on diseased auricular nerves. VII. THAT IT IS POSSIBLE SO TO LIVE IN THE WORLD AS NOT TO BELONG TO IT (ver. 16). (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. |
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