I was recently reading through the last discourses and prayers of Jesus found in John 13–17. The first thought that came to my mind was that in this critical section Jesus is intimately preparing his disciples for his departure from this world. He tells them multiple times that he is going away; he plainly tells them that he is going to be killed. Over and over, the general context communicates something like this: “I am going to be taken away, tortured and killed. I will be leaving, so these are the final instructions.”[1]

It is helpful to meditate on Jesus walking to the cross, knowing that his earthly life and ministry are coming to an end, and that he will no longer be able to guide his disciples in person once he has ascended to glory to be united with the Father. What are his main concerns?

Jesus’ main concern for his disciples and, by implication, for us, seems to be about having proper relationships and understanding that these relationships are the purpose of our lives in Christ. The words that repeatedly come up in these discourses are “joy,” “glory,” and “love.” So, this causes me to reflect upon what Jesus says about “divine relationships.”

First, he speaks repeatedly about his relationship with the Father: “. . . Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father…” (13:1) and “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God. . .” (13:3). Then, in chapter 14, Jesus talks about his Father’s house. This prompts Thomas to say, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answers, “. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me” (14:6). Still, the disciples press further: “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us” (v.8). And with this comes the first extreme statement about relationships: “He who has seen me has seen the Father. . . . I am in the Father, and the Father is in me . . . the Father abiding in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (14:9-11).

This is a classic passage about the nature of the Trinity and Christology, but as we will see, it is about much more than Jesus claiming divinity. He is preparing the disciples to understand the beauty and purity of this identity and the intimacy that will also be theirs. They themselves will be abiding in Jesus as Jesus abides in the Father.

Immediately after talking about his unity with the Father, Jesus then talks about a third person, “the Spirit of truth” (14:17). The world cannot receive this “helper,” but Jesus’ disciples will “know him because he [the Spirit] abides with you and will be in you” (14:17). The same language of being “in” and “abiding” are used of Jesus with the Father and here of Jesus’ disciples with the Holy Spirit. To make matters even more complete, Jesus immediately says that after he leaves “you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you” (v. 20). This is a remarkable series of phrases that draw us to see and understand the absolute intimacy that Jesus has in the Trinity, which also will define our lives “in Christ.”

The third element examines how that intimacy comes about. The intimacy is one of love. “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will disclose myself to him” (v. 21). Furthermore, in this relational discourse, we see that love is revealed or expressed in obedience. This is made clear not only in chapter 14—“he who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me” (v. 21)—but also in chapter 15, abiding in Christ:

Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Obedience is the mark of love. The commandment is simply to love—love God and love your neighbor. This summarizes God’s commands. To obey is love.

The final idea, which draws all of this together, is found in chapter 17, also known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer. As Jesus prepares to receive his betrayer, he prays for God’s glory to be revealed and that it will be revealed through the unity and love of the disciples. Yes, God’s glory remains even when Jesus leaves, because we are in relationship as we love each other and as we stay united. The following portion reflects the climax of this remarkable prayer:

Holy Father, keep them in your name, the name which you have given me, . . . that they may be one even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You sent me. . . . The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one… so that the love with which you love me may be in them, and I in them.

These relationships of love are so close and intimate that they are described as being “one,” as “abiding.” All this comes about because Jesus was obedient, even to the point of suffering on the cross—out of love and “so that the world might believe.” Thus, the glory of Jesus is seen when we are united in love. Jesus was sent by the Father and then returned to the Father, leaving us as those now sent by Jesus as One, in love. Our unity reveals God’s glory.

[1] Beginning with John 12:27-36; 13:1-4,21-26, 33-38; 14:1-6, 16-19, 28-31; 16:1-11, 16-22; 17:1, 12-13,

Dr. Scott W. Sunquist, president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is author of the “Attentiveness” blog. He welcomes comments, responses, and good ideas.