“Father, you are the One who is good. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these people know you sent me,” John 17: 25.
Jesus addresses God as the Righteous Father. The purpose of this address to God on behalf of the believers is to witness the eternal reunion with the Father. Jesus moves from making a request to His Father to expressing His own divine authority. He wants the believers to see what the Father has given Him: ‘For my desire is for them to see My glory, which You gave Me because You loved me before the world was made. The core of My glory is the moral goodness, character, and perfections of God’ (John 17: 24-26).
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God replied by saying, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you. You will see My goodness, character, and perfections—not just My raw power’ (Exodus 33: 18-19).
God’s divine character
This is the total sum of God’s holy attributes, including: truth, justice, and faithfulness.
God’s own character
God’s character is the weight of His glory [kavod], literally meaning weight or heaviness. This represents God’s ultimate worth and heavy importance.
God’s perfections
This is God’s full display shining through creation, and through Jesus Christ.
This is how the glory of the Lord is revealed in everyday life. Jesus said, ‘Father I want them to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the world was made.’ That is the eternal ‘fellowship’ of the true presence of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus reminds the Father that His disciples must see, recognize and believe that the Father sent Him into the world to save those who will believe. God promised to ‘make Your name known before all of the followers.’ Jesus asked God to show them His abiding love.’
The final note of this prayer is of profound theological importance—pledging God’s truest love: ‘The way you dwell in Me, I will dwell in my disciples as this relationship deepens.’
