約翰福音十七章被稱為耶穌為祂門徒所作的「大祭司的禱告」。從這一大段禱文中，我們對耶穌對祂自己事工的評估有特別的看見。這個禱告也幫助我們曉得，耶穌期待天父為即將誕生的教會做哪些事。

        首先讓我們看看耶穌的自我評估。祂在地上做了什麼﹖耶穌的頭號事工是在地上榮耀天父：「我在地上已經榮耀您…𥱥…」（4節）。如何榮耀呢﹖「您所託付我的事，我已成全了」。換句話說，耶穌藉著順服的行動榮耀了天父。

        然後，耶穌將天父顯明給「父所賜給祂的人」（6節）。也就是說，耶穌將上帝顯明（「顯明」的意思就是「啟示」）給祂的門徒，因為「您所賜給我的道，我已經賜給他們」（8節）。耶穌對門徒的啟示與天父的道是一致的。這就是耶穌所做以及祂所是。祂就是上帝的道，而祂也傳講上帝之道。

        耶穌對天父也有期望。祂求天父保守（11、15節）門徒。祂求天父「用真理使他們成聖」（17節），並使他們「完完全全的合而為一」（23節）。耶穌要門徒住在上帝裡面（21節）。

        然後耶穌作了一個應許，祂說祂將「繼續將天父指示他們（門徒）」（26節）。祂將繼續的顯明上帝，使新興的教會充溢認識上帝的知識。基督教將不會靜止，乃是充滿了活力：不斷在信心上成長，並且在「救主耶穌基督的恩典和知識上長進」。不過，這個成長是植基於上帝之道堅固的磐石上。永活的道永遠是聖經的中心。聖經啟示的是道，而道啟示天父上帝。

        親愛的天父，您的兒子曾為那些因使徒的話而信祂的人禱告，那就是今天的我們。求您在我們的生命中應允耶穌的禱告。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        Chapter 17 is known as Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer” for His disciples. It gives special insight into Jesus’ assessment of His own ministry. It also helps us see what He expected of His Father in terms of the ongoing life of the church-to-be.

        First, let’s look at Jesus’ self-assessment. What did He do? It shouldn’t surprise us that the number one thing Jesus did was to make the Father glorious on earth. “I have brought You glory…” (v.4). How? By “completing the work You gave Me to do.” In other words, by obedient action.

        Then, Jesus revealed the Father “to those whom You gave Me” (v.6). To put it another way, Jesus uncovered God to the disciples (that’s what “revelation” mean: “to uncover”). In doing so, He “gave then the words You gave Me” (v.8). The uncovering was consistent with the Word of the Father. It was God’s Word. This is what Jesus did and what Jesus was. He was God’s Word even as He spoke God’s words.

        But Jesus also had expectations of His Father. He asks Him to protect then (vv.11b, 15). He asks Him to “sanctify them by the truth…” (v.17) and to bring them “to complete unity” (..23). He wants them to dwell in God (v.21).

        Then Jesus makes a promise. He says He will “continue to make You [the Father] known “to the disciples (v.26). He will continue to uncover God so that the emerging Church will be drenched in an overflowing knowledge of God. Christianity will not be static, but dynamic: even growing “from faith to faith” and in the “grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” This growth however, will be rooted in the solid soil of the Word of God. The living Word will always be the focus of the written word. The word will reveal the Word, and the Word will reveal the Father.

        Dear Heavenly Father, Your Son prayed for those who would believe in Him through the Word of the Apostles. That’s us Lord. We open ourselves to You to truly answer Jesus’ prayer in our lives.