“I have glorified You [down here] on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed. “I have manifested Your name [and revealed Your very self, Your real self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept and obeyed Your word. Now [at last] they know [with confident assurance] that all You have given Me is from You [it is really and truly Yours]. For the words which You gave Me I have given them; and they received and accepted them and truly understood [with confident assurance] that I came from You [from Your presence], and they believed [without any doubt] that You sent Me.” John 17:4-8.
In October, I purchased the Amplified study Bible. This decision was long in the making. I have used verses from the AMP on and off for years. Once the Bible arrived, I began studying the gospel of John more in depth, and the result is that my awe and understanding of Jesus is strengthened all the more. I’ve made to chapter nine so far, and the mic-dropping power of Jesus’ testimony about Himself and the author, John’s, statements are too amazing not to share. It’s the same truth I have read for years, but in language that relates on a deeper level.
John chapter 17 is called “The High Priestly Prayer”. I love how verse four says, “I have glorified You down here on earth” and verse five says, “ with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed”. The power and majesty and glory that exists in Jesus is nothing short of awe-inspiring. We know that Jesus existed before being born a baby, but does this reminder slow us down and fill us with outrageous gratitude for His choosing to hugely humble Himself for 33 years as an impoverished, homeless, and harassed man to save us? (Regarding these adjectives, consider the offering given the day He was circumcised, the fact that He traveled with no permanent residence and the treatment He received from the Pharisees.)
Some scripture references will follow that clearly declare Jesus’ unmatchable, unmistakable, undeniable kingship, love, and grace. For too long have I believed in a version of simply a pure and perfect Savior, which He definitely is (don’t mistake me there or think I mean any disrespect). But I am beginning to realize the indescribable power and kingship of Jesus. The limitless compassion for the needy and the lost and unwavering faithfulness to the Kingdom of Heaven and God the Father. The pure and priestly protection He provided to His initial followers and that same protection and advocation He provides on our behalf today.
John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].” It’s by the power of Jesus that anything that exists has it’s being in Him and through Him.
John 1:1, “ And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).” No other being could ever be fully God and man. Apart from the triune Godhead, no other spirit can be God. No other being can be perfect. One third of the angels followed Lucifer’s leading, sinned, and fell from Heaven. Demons can possess a human body, but they cannot become a new human. Only Jesus had the power to wrap His eternal spirit into human flesh and walk among us, whole and pure and prefect.
John 3:13, ”No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven].” We are all sojourners predestined for Heaven, yet few will find the narrow way home. Jesus embodied the fruits of the Spirit. He brought Heaven down to us. He commissioned us to know Him through His truth, the Word, and make Him known among the nations.
John 5:36 ” But the testimony which I have is far greater than the testimony of John; for the works that the Father has given Me to finish—the very same works [that is, the miracles and proofs of My deity] that I am [now] doing—testify about Me, [by providing evidence] that the Father has sent Me.” Jesus never kept the truth about His identify a secret, even when testifying was costly and scary. He performed His good works for the glory of the Father not for the approval of worldly men. We are encouraged to share the miraculous and transformative works of Jesus in our lives too. John’s Revelations tell us that Christ’s disciples will overcome evil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimonies.
John 6:20, ”But Jesus said to them, “It is I (I AM); do not be afraid.” Jesus’ disciples shook with fear at the capsizable waves while on the boat. They thought perhaps He was a ghost. By calling Himself “I AM” Jesus was invoking the memory they would have committed to their collective mind’s eye from Exodus 3:14, “ God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Jesus was saying I AM the God who was, who is, who will be. I am God; do not fear. I am bigger and stronger than your fears. I made the waves, and they bow at my voice.
John 8:18, ”I am One [of the Two] who testifies about Myself, and My Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” In Bible times, there had to be a witness of two people to validate a story or claim. Even if a man died in his sleep and his widow was the only one to witness it, she would not have been entitled to the rights of a widow or allowed to remarry without condemnation because there wasn’t a second witness. This statement by Jesus was revolutionary. He was saying His word and God’s supernatural works confirming Jesus’ words was testimony enough to satisfy questions about His authority and identity.
John 8:36, “So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.” Only a king or master has the power to free someone from slavery. Jesus was asserting His kingship when He said He has the power to free us from sin. His kingdom is one of light and freedom. Jesus has the power to break chains and curses that have long held us captive. Only Jesus has the power to free us from what we have no power to do ourselves.
Jesus humbled Himself to grow up and be reared by a poor family when He came from all of Heaven’s wealth. God owns everything. He has the storehouses of all wealth in Heaven. Jesus choose to face the onslaught of darkness and the temptations of the devil for our sake, when in Heaven He didn’t have to be bothered by the devil’s presence, because the devil has to flee from God, as God can’t look on evil and that thing continue to exist. Jesus bore our sins and shame on the cross as His own and felt separation from the Father for the first time while on the tree in Calvary. He walked into hell and snatched the keys from satan’s hand and shamed death and the sting of sin when He rose again ushering forth a New Covenant. By His blood we are set free.
