“Sanctify them in the truth” - Jesus’ ultimate desire for his disciples in John 17
From the first chapter of the Bible we are introduced to the Holy God who, as Creator, is set apart from His creation and who calls all things into existence by the powerful authority of His word. Not surprisingly, John the Apostle begins his gospel account by drawing our attention back to the beginning, where “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” [John 1:1, ESV]. The glory and the holiness of Jesus the Word are central themes in the gospel of John, and as Jesus lays His heart bare before the Father in John 17 we discover that His own desire is also to glorify His disciples in the holiness of God.
Our glorification, however, is not an end in itself. Jesus Himself prayed, “glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you… ” [John 17:1, ESV; emphasis mine]. Any glory that we may attain is clearly not because of our goodness, but it reflects the goodness and grace of God working in us and upon us. Jesus said that He “glorified” the Father on earth by accomplishing the work that God gave Him to do [John 17:4]. Jesus had borne the burden of men – that is, of living as a man in such a way as to glorify the God in whose image He was made [see Genesis 1:27; Hebrews 2:9, 14-18; 4:15; etc]. Now He prayed that He might glorify God by returning to the glory that was His before the world existed [John 17:5].
As Jesus prays for His disciples, He says that He has “manifested” God’s name to them (shown them the fullness of His character) and has “given them the words” that God gave Him [John 17:6-8, ESV]. If we as disciples are to glorify the Father, it will be by doing as Jesus did, accomplishing the work that God has given us to do, keeping His word! [cp John 15:7-8; Titus 2:11-14; etc]
In true High Priestly fashion, as Jesus is facing the agonizing hours before His own gruesome sacrifice on the merciless cross, He is thinking of and praying for others – His disciples! He prays that His disciples might be unified as they serve, be kept from being lost as they face persecution, and that they might find His joy “fulfilled in themselves” [John 17:9-13]. Jesus knows what it is to suffer at the hands of ungodly men who hated Him for speaking the truth – and He prays that His disciples might be kept from “the evil one” as the world bears down on them with that same hatred [John 17:14-15].
What kept Jesus distinct from the world was His unwavering dedication to fulfilling the will of the Father in all things, in spite of the circumstances of His suffering [cp John 8:29; Philippians 2:5-11]. In the same way as Jesus, though living in this world, we as His disciples are not of this world. Jesus prays that this separateness might continue: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” [John 17:16-17, ESV]. True holiness is being separate from sin and from the world; it is a reflection of the glorious nature of God in whose image we have been made [cp 2 Peter 1:3-4]. Sanctification (the process of being made holy) is a result of obeying the word of God, who desires that we should be holy as He is holy [cp 1 Peter 1:14-16; see also Leviticus 20:8]. Jesus consecrated Himself from the world for the sake of those who would follow Him as the Way to the Father! [John 17:18-24; cp John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 4:1-2]
Because Jesus knows the Father and has revealed Him fully, His disciples also know Him and can abide in His love [John 17:25-26]. As we consecrate ourselves in daily obedience to His will, He transforms us more and more “to be conformed to the image of His Son” [cp Romans 12:1-2; 8:29]. Our faithful obedience to God’s will must not be seen as some mere adherence to religious rites or appreciation of some superior “moral code.” In His longest recorded prayer, Jesus pours out His heart to the Father for His disciples (for us!) expressing His deepest desire that His sacrifice for our salvation would lead to our sanctification by the word of God’s covenant that His death would ratify. May we glorify God in our trusting obedience to His will, ourselves becoming partakers of the glory that was Jesus’ before the world began. Amen!