[Propertalk] FW: Gospel Notes - John 17:6-19

Thu May 10 01:30:31 EDT 2012

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From: Brian Stoffregen [mailto:brian.stoffregen=gmail.com at mail51.us1.mcsv.net] On Behalf Of Brian Stoffregen
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 8:23 PM
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Subject: Gospel Notes - John 17:6-19

We are people for whom Jesus prays.

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7th Sunday of Easter B

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John 17:6-19

7 Easter B: John 17:6-19 -- exegetical notes

The Gospel readings for 7 Easter all come from John 17:
Year A—vv. 1-11
Year B—vv. 6-19
Year C—vv. 20-26.

While the prayer is a unified whole, it is usually given 2 or 3 subsections, based on whom Jesus is praying for: himself, disciples, or others.

O’Day’s outline (John, New Interpreter’s Bible)

1. Jesus Prays for His Glorification (17:1-8)
2. Jesus Prays for the Faith Community (17:9-23)
3. Jesus Prays for the Eschatological Union of Father, Son, and Believers (17:24-26)

Brown’s outline (John, Anchor Bible)

1. Jesus, having completed his work, prays for glory (17:1-8)
2. Jesus prays for those whom the Father has given him (17:9-19)
3. Jesus prays for those who believe through the disciples’ word (17:20-26)

Bultmann’s outline (The Gospel of John, slightly adapted)

1. The Petition for Glorification (17:1-5)
2. The Intercession for the Community (17:6-26)

a) The Founding of the Community (17:6-8)
b) The Petition for the Preservation and Sanctification of the Community (17:9-19)
c) The Petition for the Oneness of the Community (17:20-23)
d) The Petition for the Perfecting of the Believers (17:24-26)

ARE “THEY” PAST OR PRESENT BELIEVERS?

There are different interpretations for the pronouns in this prayer. In v. 9, Jesus prays for them (Gk & NIV) = NRSV’s “on their behalf”. This may refer to the original disciples or to all present believers.

Verse 20b has two pronouns: “those believing in me through their word” (v. 20). If “their” refers to the original believers, then “those” refers to all the believers since the original disciples. We would be part of this group who believe because of “their,” that is, the original disciples’ word. Brown (John, Anchor Bible Commentary) makes this distinction.

O’Day (John, New Interpreters Bible) suggests that v. 9 refers to all believers, past and present (including us). Then “those” in v. 20 refers to people who are not presently believing, and “their” refers to all believers, including us. It is through our word that an unbelieving world may come to believe in Jesus.

Since our text continues the use of the pronouns “they,” “them,” the interpreter/preacher needs to decide whether Jesus is praying just for the original disciples or for all of us believers in these verses. The second option seems more preachable to me.

Throughout John, God uses “mediators” to bridge gaps. Jesus comes as the Word and is between humanity and God. John is a mediator whose words bring his disciples to Jesus. Andrew is a mediator whose words bring his brother Peter to Jesus. Philip is a mediator whose words bring Nathanael to Jesus. The entire gospel is described as a mediator whose words are written so that the readers may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that through believing they may have life in his name.

None of us have come to faith on our own. There were others whose words—both spoken and acted—brought us to faith in Jesus. However the pronouns are interpreted, we who believe now, are the ones who have the word that is necessary to bring others to faith in Jesus.

AN OVERHEARD PRAYER

By using a prayer form, both the disciples and readers are outsiders overhearing Jesus’ words—and it follows the typical pattern of a farewell discourse. A contrast can be made between this prayer of Jesus and his prayer at Gethsemane in the Synoptics—both coming just before he is arrested. In the Synoptics Jesus asks that he might not face the hour of suffering. In John, this hour of “glory” completes the work God has given him to do (17:4). There is a different attitude as Jesus approaches his death between the synoptics and John.

ΔΙΔΩΜΙ DIDŌMI

17 times in this prayer Jesus uses the word “given” (δίδωμι didōmi) -- (3 times in our verses).

13 times God gives something to Jesus

people (vv. 2, 6, 6, 9, 12, 24)
glory (vv. 22, 24)
authority (v. 2)
the work (v. 4)
everything (v. 7)
the word (v. 8)
God’s name (v. 11)

4 times Jesus gives something to people

eternal life (v. 2)
the word (vv. 8, 14)
the glory (v. 22)

Two “gifts” are used in both lists. God gives Jesus “the word” and “the glory,” which Jesus then gives to us. Two implications: (1) God is the source of everything for Jesus and for the faith community; and (2) the relationship between the Father and the Son as illustrated by the “giving” Father, is the same relationship between the “giving” Jesus and the faith community. By extension, we are to follow this pattern and be giving people – giving others the word and whatever else might help them receive the eternal life that Jesus wants to give them.

“WHERE” AS A PLACE OF RELATIONSHIP

The “where” of Jesus’ prayer in v. 24: “Where I am they also might be with me,” refers more to the relationship with the Father than being at a particular place. Where Jesus is and where we are to be is “children” in relationship with the Father. What this implies is that we are to be in a relationship to receive what the Father/Jesus wants to give us.

THE DISCIPLES AND THE WORLD

The word “world” (κόσμος kosmos) occurs 11 times in our text (17 times in ch. 17). Three different prepositions are used in terms of our relationship with the world (κόσμος kosmos). The quoted definitions come from Lowe and Nida’s Greek-English Lexicon.

THE FIRST is ἐν (en) (17:11, 11, 13) = “in the world”. Defining ἐν (en) as “a position on the surface of an area” and defining kosmos as “the surface of the earth,” en + kosmos seems to mean: “living on the planet.” We continue to live on planet earth, but Jesus no longer lives here.

THE SECOND is ἐκ (ek)  (17:14, 14, 15, 16, 16) = “from the world”. In vv. 14 & 16 the verb “to be” is used. ἐκ (ek) with the verb “to be” can mean “to belong to” as the NRSV translates it. (The same construction is used in 1C 12:15f about “belonging to” or “being part of” the body.) ἐκ (ek) can also refer to the “source of activity or state”. Neither Jesus nor we are to “belong to the world” nor “have the world as the source of our activity or existence.”

In these cases, I think that the meaning of kosmos changes. It is no longer the “surface of the earth,” but one of the following definitions:

a. “the system of practices and standards associated with a secular society (that is, without reference to any demands or requirements of God)”

b. “people associated with a world system and estranged from God”

The “world’s standards” are not to be the source of our existence. We are separated from the “people of the world”.

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