Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “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. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having finished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 17:1-5
Introduction
It is easy to think of God as far off. It is easy to think of Jesus as disconnected. It is easy to consider ourselves alone in this world without the close hand of God guiding us. After all, He is God! Surely He has bigger and more important things to concern Himself with than our small and insignificant problems.
This pattern of thinking is something we fall into when we think of God as less than He truly is. We, as limited beings, are only able to focus on one thing at a time. Even so-called “multitasking” really amounts to rapidly switching between singular tasks. This is our only reference point. This is the only frame of mind we can have when it comes to administering processes and projects. But God is bigger than we are. He is more capable than we could ever be. He is able to direct the paths of kings (Proverbs 21:1) and simultaneously number the very hairs on your head (Luke 12:7) or observe the life of a single sparrow (Luke 12:6).
In fact, Christ put on flesh (Philippians 2:7) because of His deep and abiding affection for His creation. He loves you, Christian, specifically because of what He has prepared for you in His glory. That is why, in the final moments before His betrayal and crucifixion, He turned to the Father and prayed for all those who will follow Him.
Christ is glorified; God is glorified
God’s attention to detail is not by accident. Look at the intricate beauty in creation to see. Sweeping galaxies spiraling in perfect order all the way down to the hairs on a flea and even smaller attest to the fixed concern God has over His creation. And mankind, being the pinnacle of His creation for which He declared the world “very good” (Genesis 1:31), is the most unique in that even though we are the ones who brought sin into the world and cursed it, He became man to redeem us.
In that redemption where He hung bruised and beaten on the cross, He was in the process of being glorified. That glorification culminated in the resurrection where His flesh was made new and imperishable, just as we will be when He returns (Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 15:52). But do not miss the fact that this glorification of Christ and His followers has a purpose that is given: “that the Son may glorify You.”
Our salvation and the witness we bear is for the glory of God. During the Protestant Reformation, 5 Solas were declared. That is, 5 “only” statements: sola scriptura, that scripture alone is our highest authority; solus Christus, or that only Christ justifies sinners; sola fide, which is that we are made whole by faith and not works; sola gratia, meaning grace is entirely responsible for our salvation; and soli Deo gloria, meaning “to God alone be the glory.”
When signing his completed works, Johann Sebastian Bach would frequently initial “JSB SDG.” “Johann Sebastian Bach, Soli Deo Gloria.” He knew that his work was all for the glory of God. All of Jesus’ work was for the glory of God. From the first miracle at Cana to His ascension at the Mount of Olives, it was all only for the glory of God. And if His work was for God’s glory, certainly ours is as well.
Forever and ever
It is an interesting thing that this passage repeats the phrase “eternal life.” First the Son is given authority over all flesh so that “He may give eternal life,” and then He defines “eternal life” as knowledge of the only true God and the incarnate Christ.
To “know” someone is not the same as having knowledge of them. In Genesis 4, Adam “knows” his wife which leads directly to the birth of Cain. Truly knowing someone is deeply intimate. It involves a direct link between the two. God is the source of all life (Psalm 36:9), and all those who have life receive it from Him.
Knowing God does begin with knowledge of Him, but it is not until we trust Him completely that we truly know Him. When we trust Him to do all that He has promised, we are given the life that flows eternally from Him. The woes and trials of this life will tempt you to trust in that which does not provide eternal life, but turn to Him and you will find rest and salvation. And there you will glorify Him forever.
May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.
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