Eternal Life, But For Whom?

We have entered the Father’s house of prayer through the sacredness of scripture. And before us in this holy upper room in Jerusalem stands Christ Jesus, arms lifted toward heaven and praying as a High Priest beyond the curtain.

Along with John and the eleven remaining Apostles we hear the Lord’s plea for eternal life – not HIS, but ours. We have seen the Lord’s power before including that to raise the dead, but does Jesus have the power of eternal life at His Command?

The Messiah Jesus, the Anointed One, stands before us praying for eternal life, but for whom?

The Gospel of John 17:

“Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life…”

We glance at John and the Apostles, fearful in this secluded room not far from where Jerusalem’s powerful seek Jesus’ life and theirs. Jesus intercedes in prayer for His fellow friends of this flesh and blood of mortal life as the Eleven look on.

The Lord has assured eternal life “to all whom You have given Him” and the Apostles know that Jesus means them (and not Judas).

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3 KJV

Who do you pray for?

When, like the Apostles facing the crowds of Jerusalem and controversy of Jesus, you FEAR for your mortal life, how comforted are you by hearing someone say, “I will pray for you.”

Yet you know how we cling to this fragile flesh; for what little power we exercise over it. What man born of woman can intercede before God to save us?

At times I suppose you pray for your loved ones as Jesus does here. But with what authority, my fellow sinner, do you pray before the altar of sacrifice?

Who prays for you?

Jesus, the Son of Man and mortal man of flesh facing death, prays for His friends. He prays to our Father God as our intercessor and High Priest.

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:6 NASB

7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

Clearly Jesus, as their Most Personal Priest, prays for His Disciples.

I ask on their behalf;

I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours…

Intercessory prayer of Jesus – John 17:9 NASB

But what about the World?

Jesus as High Priest before God the Father prays: “I am not praying for the world…” {CSB}

What does the Lord mean by this?

(For even ‘the world’ of these last days will know the ‘John 3:16‘ assurance.)

“For God did not send the Son into the world ^G2889 to judge the world, ^G2889 but that the world ^G2889 might be saved through Him.

John 3:17 KJV with Strong’s link to ‘world’ or ‘kosmos’

THEREFORE, when Jesus states that HE is NOT praying for the world (that He came to save), the Lord confirms that only some will be saved.

But who does Jesus mean?

First in His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays on behalf of the Apostles. Then the Lord adds a notable intercession.

I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours. – John 17:9b CSB

Who has the Father given to Jesus who are NOT ‘the world?’

(Could you be one of these in addition to the Apostles?)

NOT for the world…

11 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you…

Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

John 17:11b KJV

Why a High Priest?

Jesus continues, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name…”

Jesus is the ONLY High Priest to save us completely, the only sinless man who ever walked through life in this world. He IS a Perfect SON OF MAN interceding for God’s chosen ones before the LORD, His Father and ours.

Here our High Priest stands before the Altar of His soon-to-be Perfect Sacrifice already speaking of His Own mortal life in the past tense.

Jesus kept those the Father gave Him.

He kept the disciples not from death of the flesh, but for eternal life. And the Lord kept them, mere mortal men for His continued purpose.

Jesus prays to the Father:

18 As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

We do NOT need an Apostle, Levite or sinful Saint as a High Priest in succession to a Perfert High Priest! But we do need men and women who do believe and will follow Jesus to take His Gospel into all the world.

We now have a Perfect High Priest praying for us Who IS and was and will be our Savior by grace.

This is Eternal Life for those who believe

20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word.

21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

Have you prayed to our beloved High Priest that you might be in Him and also the Father?

… that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:16b, 18 NASB

To be continued...