John 17 is Weird and Complicated

Photo credit: Getty images

Have you ever read John 17? It's weird and complicated.

Can you really say that about scripture? Can you call it weird and complicated? Maybe that's like, sacrilegious or something. But, let's be honest: who of us isn't a little confused at times when reading the Bible?

Remember, as modern, mostly western people, we are not usually accustom to reading ancient middle eastern literature and immediately able to understand it, much less apply it directly to our lives. It is even more especially complicated when what you're reading is 2000 years old AND, what you're reading is patterned after something that's even older than that!

What am I talking about?

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is what's known as his priestly prayer. He is echoing what his culture and Hebrew faith practiced through the function of the priest in the temple that had been established well before Jesus physically shows up on the scene. You can read much more about that in great theological detail in this transcript. We also attempted to scratch the surface on that subject matter in this sermon.

Some of the wording is hard to follow even in "plain" English. There are phrases that sound repetitive, but also slightly different in their content. Lot's of different pronouns and prepositions get used in strange ways. Check them out: 

• He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.
• I have revealed you to the one you gave me from this world.
• They were yours...you gave them to me.
• All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me.
• Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
• I pray they will all be one--as you and I are one--as you are in me...and I am in you.
• And may they be in us.
• I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
• I am in them and you are in me.
• Your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.

You get the idea? It's a bit cumbersome. When I read it out loud in "plain" English, every time, I find myself stumbling on my words and have to slow down and re-read it. It just doesn't seem to flow naturally. But, on top of that, I can't help but think, "What the what? What are you saying Jesus? Why are you praying like this? Is this how I am supposed to pray? I in them, you in me, Him in us, or something?!!?" It's kind of hard to understand the point.

If you're just as confused as me, let's come at it from a different angle.

What if the goal isn't so much to get caught up in the words and end up lost in translation? Maybe what Jesus is trying to convey is something more mystical than words or phrases or language, which can, at times, be limiting. This is one of those rare moments where we get to peek inside the hidden prayer room of Jesus. 

Often times in the synoptic Gospel accounts, it says that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray; but, that's all we get. We don't always get to hear what Jesus is actually praying. Finally, here in John 17, we get an inside track to the prayer of Jesus; but now we come away perhaps more confused than ever by the words and phrases. 

So, what if instead of trying to break down words, phrases, and language, we try to imagine pictures and concepts? Jesus is trying to convey the unique interconnected, interwoven Trinitarian relationship: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all faithfully and beautifully working together to express God's love for the world. It is a love that flows out of the communal, mutual, and dynamic love present within the Trinity.

The image that most comes to my mind for me is like a very experienced couple dancing. It's not a perfect metaphor because there is often only 2 dancers present. However, the image I see in my mind's eye is a moving one where the figures are spinning, twirling, bending beautifully together. Each figure revealing something unique about their individual movement, but yet still matching with their dancing partner. They move so synchronously that it is hard to see who's leading who. It's more art than science. It's some pragmatic perfect formula.

What would it look like to be invited into that dance? For some who would say, "I have two left feet, I don't dance," I understand your hesitation. But, in this image and scenario that Jesus is describing in his prayer, would be one where we are so caught up in the movement of what God is doing that we can't help but join in. And, where we are weak, inefficient, broken, unable...[you fill in the blank]; it is God's Spirit that is leading us the entire time. We will never need to be the ones leading. We actually read more about that in John 16. 

This month as we focus on prayer and praying more like Jesus, I encourage us to spend less time on just the right words and phrases to use to try and impress God. He's already impressed with Jesus and with Christ in you, the hope of glory. Be at peace with that and join in the mystical union with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

May WE be one as they are one.

This content and other ministry is made possible because of the generosity of donors who give directly to LifeChurch Canton. If you'd like to continue to see more content and make an impact, partner with us through a generous gift or a recurring gift by going to our site. Thank you so much.

Also, make sure to subscribe in order to be notified whenever a new blog post is published. You can do so by clicking "SUBSCRIBE" in the upper right hand corner of this page.