The Sabbath-School by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 28, 1882

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Lesson for October 7.—John XVII.

THE prayer which comprises the whole of this chapter, was probably uttered by Christ just before he reached the garden of Gethsemane. See chap. 18:1. The warnings and instruction contained in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, were given while on their way to the garden. The "Speaker’s Commentary" supposes that they stopped at the temple on their way to the garden, and that the discourse was delivered in the temple court. Certain expressions in the text give color to this view. Christ prayed first for himself, next for his disciples, and then for all who should afterward believe on him through their word. Barnes says in his "Notes:" "It adds much to the interest of this prayer that it was offered in the stillness of the night, in the open air, and in the peculiarly tender circumstances in which Jesus and his apostles were. It is the longest prayer recorded in the New Testament. It was offered on the most tender and solemn occasion that has ever occurred in our world, and it is perhaps the most sublime composition to be found anywhere. Jesus was about to die. Having expressed his love to his disciples, and made known to them his last desires, he now commends them to the protection and blessing of the God of grace. This prayer is moreover a specimen of his intercession, and evinces the interest which he felt in behalf of all who should become his followers in all ages of the world."

"THAT he [the Son] should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." Christ is the only source of eternal life revealed in the Bible. Without him no one can hope to obtain it. He suffered in order that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Eternal life is nowhere promised to the wicked. This cannot be evaded by saying, as Dr. Clarke does, that "men who are not saved by the grace of Christ, do not live, they only exist," and that therefore only the righteous have eternal life, although all men exist to all eternity; for the simple terms life and death are used, and contrasted. Thus, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23. The rich man in the mansion, or the poor boy in the street with only rags to shield him from the storm; the man in the prime of life, rejoicing in the fullest measure of health and strength, or the helpless invalid whose body is racked with pain; the child of God, whose only thought is to glorify his Maker, and who lives continually in his presence, and the wretched sinner who has sold himself to Satan, and whose purposes and desires are "only evil continually,"—these all live, only under different conditions. If they die, they are all reduced to the same condition. The righteous are promised eternal life; but from this simple statement we cannot learn whether they will be happy or not; we are dependent upon other scriptures for a knowledge of the condition of the righteous during eternity. The wicked are threatened with death. This means that they will lose life, and not that they will continue to live, but under changed circumstances.

"AND this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." That is, a knowledge of God and of Christ is that which will bring eternal life; and eternal life will so surely follow from a knowledge of God, that he who possesses this knowledge, may be said to have eternal life. The complete realization of the gift, however, is a future event. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:54. See also verse 40.

"That they might know thee." On this expression, Barnes says: "The word know here, as in other places, expresses more than a mere speculative acquaintance with the character and perfections of God. It includes all the impressions on the mind and life which a just view of God and of the Saviour is fitted to produce. It includes, of course, love, reverence, obedience, honor, gratitude, supreme affection. To know God as he is is to know and regard him as a lawgiver, a sovereign, a parent, a friend. It is to yield the whole soul to him, and strive to obey his law." Compare, also, with this text, 1 John 2:3, and Matt. 19:17.

"I PRAY for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." Jesus does not mean by this expression to exclude all worldlings from an interest in his intercession; for John says: "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world." In this instance Christ is praying especially for his disciples. It was of the utmost importance that they should be preserved, and that their strength should not fail, for they were to be the bearers of light to the world. Afterward (verse 20), he includes all who should believe on him, even down to the end of time. And this practically includes all, for "whosoever will" may come.

"I PRAY not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Christ foresaw persecutions and afflictions for his followers. But he did not pray that they might speedily be removed from these perils, and from the temptations of this evil world, but that they might be kept blameless in the midst of wickedness. We learn that we are "appointed" to suffer affliction. 1 Thess. 3:3. "Tribulation worketh patience." Rom. 5:3. These very trials, that seem so hard to be borne, are the means by which God purifies his people and fits them for their eternal reward. See 2 Cor. 4:17, 18. If we had everything that we desire, and had no trials or persecution, we should become so much in love with this present world that we would not make an effort to gain the world to come. We would become like the world, and thus lose favor with God. The afflictions that we may have to undergo should tend to draw our minds from this earth to the heavenly inheritance. And when we think of that, we will naturally be led to consider what we must do in order to gain it, and by this means we will be kept unspotted from the world.

"SANCTIFY them through thy truth; thy word is truth." The following comments of Dr. Barnes’ are valuable: "Sanctification in the heart of the Christian is progressive. It consists in his becoming more like God, and less attached to the world; in his getting the ascendency over evil thoughts, and passions, and impure desires; and in his becoming more and more weaned from earthly objects, and attached to these things which are unseen and eternal. The word also means to consecrate, to set apart to a holy office or purpose." All this can be done only by obedience to the word of God.

"THAT they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." It was not the design of Christ that there should be divisions in his church. No stretch of interpretation can find any warrant in the Bible for the numerous sects now in existence. It is by being sanctified through the truth that God’s people are to be one. There will be no differences in regard to doctrines or anything else, among those who have the union for which Christ prayed. That it is possible for all to see alike, the following text proves: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1:10. The apostles continually exhort to this unity. It is true that there are true Christians in all denominations, who do not yet "see eye to eye;" but God, by his Spirit, will eventually bring all who love him, "in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God." Dr. Clarke’s comment on John 17:21 is to the point: "This prayer was literally answered to the first believers, who were all of one heart and of one soul." Acts 4:12. And why is it that believers are not in the same spirit now? Because they neither attend to the example, nor to the truth of Christ."

"THAT the world may believe that thou hast sent me." The numerous divisions, and the disagreement in regard to faith and practice, among those who profess to be followers of the same Lord, and who be guided by the same inspired word, are the strongest arguments that infidels have against Christianity. If all who profess Christ were "of one heart and of one soul," what might they not accomplish in the way of converting souls to God! Christians are not to be distinguished by the name they bear, nor by wealth or popularity, nor by any badge, but by their perfect harmony in word and in deed, and by their love for one another. E. J. W.

ONE of the greatest helps in the Sabbath-school work is a love for the work. What we really love to do, we generally try to do well. Love is the grand impetus in the Christian race. If the love of God is truly in our hearts, we shall seek to do our duty, and advance his truth by every means within reach.