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Chapter 17
Illustration of Jesus’ Intercession in Heavenly Sanctuary
—
This chapter contains the intercessory prayer offered by Christ to
His Father just before His trial and crucifixion. This prayer is a
lesson regarding the intercession that the Saviour would carry on
within the veil, when His great sacrifice in behalf of men, the of-
fering of Himself, should have been completed. Our Mediator gave
His disciples this illustration of His ministration in the heavenly
sanctuary in behalf of all who will come to Him in meekness and
humility, emptied of all selfishness, and believing in His power to
save (
Manuscript 29, 1906
).
1-6. The Prayer Before Gethsemane
—[
John 17:1-6
quoted.]
... This was Christ’s last prayer with His disciples. It was offered
just before He went into the Garden of Gethsemane, where He was
to be betrayed and taken. When He reached Gethsemane, He fell
prostrate upon the ground, in an agony of distress. What caused His
agony? The weight of the sins of the whole world was resting upon
His soul. As we study this prayer, let us remember that it was just
before this experience and just before His betrayal and trial, that
these words were uttered (
Manuscript 52, 1904
).
2, 3. Relation of Father and Son
—The seventeenth chapter
of John speaks plainly regarding the personality of God and of
Christ, and of their relation to each other. “Father, the hour is come,”
Christ said: “glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.”
[
John 17:23, 3, 5-11
quoted.] Here is personality, and individuality
(
Manuscript 124, 1903
).
3 (see
EGW comment on John 1:4
;
Romans 11:33
). To Know
Christ Is to Practice His Words
—[
John 17:3
quoted.] These words
mean much. It is only by knowing Christ that we can know God.
[1146]
The Sent of God calls upon all to listen to these words. They are
the words of God, and all should give heed to them; for by them
they will be judged. To know Christ savingly is to be vitalized by
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