John 17 Commentary (1)

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John 17 Commentary (1)

This is chapter 17. Jesus finished his lecture in the upper room and now prays.

The Word of God must be realized through his people.

The Word must be embodied by the Spirit of truth to be called truth.

Truth must become true in order to reach the end of evolution, love.

The Word must not remain as knowledge. 

In order to do so, we must preach the gospel and teach the content, that is, how the gospel becomes true, so that they can keep it.

Paul was filled with the desire to preach the gospel to Rome, where the gospel had already been preached and believed. He said that only when he went there would the church in Rome receive spiritual gifts and be strong. (Rom 1:11)

Therefore, instead of editing Romans from chapter 1 to chapter 11, we must teach why humans need salvation, what process human go through to be saved, and what the results of being saved are.

Just as broadcasting stations edit out scenes that do not get good ratings, Christians tend to edit out words that do not get good ratings.

That’s why the method of offering the holy sacrifice after Romans 12 is hidden, and because of that, it becomes difficult to sacrifice spiritual life.

The importance of true Bible study lies here, but sermons are turning into talk shows.

There are three types of testifying to the Word: sermon (kerkma), teaching (didache), and exhortation (mentor). 

The key is to work with the Spirit of truth.

I ask if you are truly doing the work of preaching, teaching, and mentoring with the Spirit of truth.

Chapter 17 is Jesus' overall prayer, also known as the high priest's prayer.

Among the prayers, there is 1) our prayer that the Lord taught us.

In fact, it is not the Lord's Prayer, but our prayer and the prayer that we must pray (Matthew 6:9-13).

2) There is the Lord's Prayer. The prayer in John 17 is the real Lord's Prayer.

However, these two prayers have the same content.

The only difference is that the Lord prays from the Lord's perspective and we pray from our perspective, but strictly speaking, the content is the same.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit groans within us and helps us pray according to the Lord's will and intercedes for us (Romans 8:27).

Therefore, the prayer that the Lord taught us is very important.

We will discuss later who can call our Father in heaven in the prayer that the Lord taught us.

If we look only at the content of the prayer that the Lord taught us,

1) First, ‘Hallowed be your name’ (Matthew 6:9)

‘The name of the Lord’ is very important. We are saved by his name.

We are sanctified because of his name.

We are sanctified because his name is sanctified. The name of the Lord is not something we call, ‘Lord! Lord!’

The name is a sign of existence. The name of the Lord has already permeated us and has become our attribute. That is why we call our name Christians.

It refers to the state of having Christ and bearing the name of Christ.

However, when we hear and digest the Word of God, the verses of the Word disappear from our memory, but the attribution of Christ permeate our hearts and reveal the fragrance of Christ.

This state is like building a house on a rock. 

It becomes a solid house that no one can destroy by becoming the same elements and organization as the rock.

Therefore, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ must be sanctified through us.

And our prayers must naturally include the praying self.

2) Next is the kingdom. We pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10a).

This is an expression‎ of our will to be ruled by the Lord.

My master is determined, and ultimately, a revolution that changes the government within me takes place at every moment.

Almighty God is the Creator whom ordinary people can call, but we cannot call Him Lord carelessly.

No one can call Christ as their Lord except the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).

When we call God as Father, we become a father-son relationship with God, and now our belonging changes.

Since we are given the qualification of children of God together with Christ, He is our Father.

And calling God as Lord means the ministerial duty of obeying his will.

Just as the citizens of the Republic of Korea have both rights and duties.

When we call God as Father, we give Him glory and thanks, and when we call Him as Lord, we pledge loyalty and service, so we must wake up and call him by the correct tittles his titles at every moment.

God is not someone we humans have chosen. God is self-existent.

And the kingdom of God is God's sovereignty and the territory in Christ, the new earth, and the children of God. 

So we pray that the kingdom will come.

3) Next, the will of Father is being built and being completed on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10b).

The important thing is that since we pray that prayer, we must have my active consent to participate in it.

The spiritual world does not touch us unless we agree, whether it is this or that.

Therefore, we must pray, “Your will be done in me as it is in heaven.”

In other words, it is a prayer that pledges loyalty.

In Matthew 25, after the five wise virgins welcome the groom, they become good and faithful servants who leave behind talents.

Then, they live the lives of righteous people who sit in the sheep’s seat on the right.

In order for faith to become a part of our lives, we must pray that the will of Father be done on earth (in me).

Heaven is a general assembly of beings who only give glory to God, receive God’s rule, and are loyal. 

These people are heavenes who have received the calling of heaven.

4) Next, we need to ask for food. Our daily bread today... (Matthew 6:11)

The food is the word of God. In order to do the Lord's work, workers must eat food.

The Bible says that if you don't want to work, don't eat. The priests who entered the sanctuary of the temple ate the show bread in order to work. 

Therefore, we say, "Give me food, I will work."

We pray every day. 

However, if we say that the daily bread is the need of the flesh, then there is nothing to say.

5) And then we pray, “Forgive us our sins (debts)” (Matthew 6:12).

Here, “Opheleimata” is a word close to duty. It is a prayer that says, “Please do not let me repay that person for not fulfilling his duty to me.”

God gives us bread according to how much we work, but we cannot always do that much, so we must pray for bread in order to do that work.

God is a God who gives generously and not scolds us for asking.

Therefore, if we want to show mercy to others, we must first seek God’s bread.

That is why He tells us to ask for our daily bread before forgiving someone else’s debt.

6) We must pray, “Do not lead us into temptation” (Matthew 6:13a).

Satan’s temptations constantly come to Christians.

In the last days, they attack believers like roaring lions and angels of light.

Therefore, by praying, “Do not lead us into temptation,” we ask God not to allow us to be tempted.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, it says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. But God is faithful, he will not let you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are  temptated, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Since all temptations are of the flesh, we pray for them.

7) We must pray, “Save us from evil, from the evil one.” 

Satan is not something we can fight. Therefore, we must always pray this prayer.

8) The Lord's Prayer ends with praise that gives the kingdom, power, and glory to God.

However, the descendants of the fallen Adam have their way to the tree of life blocked, so they only have the obligation to the law of good and evil, but no bread. This is the problem of humans outside of Christ.

All religions try to solve this problem, but there is no other way than Jesus Christ.

If you do not eat the bread, you are left to be tested. 

You live as a slave in the hands of Satan.

Even if you are a Christian, if you do not eat the bread of life, the evil one will come and cause you to fall.

Saul did not have the constitution to receive God's word, so God's command to destroy the Amalekites sounded like a duty.

Therefore, he did not repent to the end when God pointed out his mistake, but only made excuses.

This is the subtle difference between David and Saul.

Therefore, only when 1) to 4) of the Lord's Prayer are fulfilled, 5) to 7) are guaranteed.

Look at David. 

He usually received the word of God and always kept the Lord before him, so the word became bread for him and he overcame trials, hardships, and tribulations and was victorious.

However, if 1) to 4) of the first part of the Lord's Prayer are not fulfilled, problems of 5), 6), and 7) will arise.

He is always hurt by other people's work, cannot overcome trials, and always loses to Satan.

His heart becomes hardened, and he becomes sick with diseases of the heart such as hatred and resentment, and he gradually becomes weaker.

The Lord prays for us at the right hand of God's throne, and the content is in John 17.

Since the Lord is praying for us, we must always pray the prayer that the Lord taught us, so that Christ can become a treasure in us, and we can reach the state of salvation where we deny ourselves, take up our cross, follow the Lord, and voluntarily seek his kingdom and his righteousness.

The Lord's Prayer that the Lord taught us is so important, but isn't it a pity that this prayer is being martyred?

Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.

Translated by  Nancy Chung

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