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He then gives them further light upon the attitude of the world to themselves, saying,
"In the world ye shall have tribulation", but adds "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the
world" (16: 33).
The great High-Priestly prayer of John 17: is a direct outcome of this statement. It
opens with: "These words spake Jesus", and then, upon the basis of that finished work
which He had been sent to accomplish, He prays for "His own that were in the world".
He refers to them as "the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world" (6). He prays for
them, not for the world (9). Again the fact is faced: "And now I am no more in the
world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee" (11). And the Saviour prays to the
Father to keep them through His own name that they may be one. Because He had given
them the Word of God, the world had hated them, "because they are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world" (14). Here, the glorious truth of Heb. 2: 11 breaks
through--the Sanctifier and the sanctified are "all of one", a unity so marvelous that
John 17: 21-23 exhausts the resources of language to describe its glory.
A very important item is the prayer of verses 15 and 16:--
"I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest
keep them from the evil. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world."
The reference to sanctification is now made in the words: "Sanctify them through Thy
truth: Thy word is truth" (17). The Lord had given them the "Word" and the "Words"
(8 & 14), and that Word, being truth, would sanctify and keep through all the evil that
was in the world.
This survey will have prepared us to see the symbolic fact of John 13:, the washing
of the disciples' feet, as a part of a whole. Let us now note some of the features that are
common to John 13: and 17::--
(1) In both, there is the fact that the Lord came from, and went to, the One that sent Him
(13: 1, 3; 17: 8, 12, 13).
(2) In both, the betrayal by Judas Iscariot is commented upon, and "no part" with Christ
is seen to be his (13: 2, 8, 10, 11; 17: 12).
(3) In both, the imminent betrayal is associated with the glorifying of the Father and the
Son (13: 31, 32; 17: 1, 5).
(4) In both, the sanctifying of the believer from contact with the world is supermost. In
chapter 13: it is set forth in the language of symbol: in 17: in the language of
simple fact. In other words, the washing of the disciples' feet, and the prayer,
"Sanctify them through Thy truth", are complimentary. Midway between stand the
words: "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (15: 3).
In full consciousness of His High-Priestly work the Saviour, "knowing that He was
come from God, and went to God . . . . . took a towel and girded Himself . . . . . and began
to wash the disciples' feet" (13: 3-5).
In an astonished silence one after another was thus lovingly treated. Peter, however,
could not keep back the thoughts that doubtless were rushing through the minds of all.