March 26, 2021
John 17:12-13, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ”
The term here “son of destruction” is used elsewhere to refer to Satan himself (2 Thess. 2:3), but here we see the term referring to Judas, who would betray Jesus. We have been told already in John’s gospel that Satan entered into the heart of Judas when he turned his will to betray Jesus, so to see this term used for both characters is not a surprise. Psalm 41:9 speaks directly of one of the followers of Jesus betraying him, and even one “who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” This is Scripture being fulfilled; it is God’s plan that one of the disciples would betray Jesus and lead him to the cross. It is reminiscent of Genesis 50:20 where Joseph declares to his brothers, “what you intended for evil, God has used for good.” Joseph, through his entry in Egypt by evil means, used his position in Egypt to save thousands of lives from a great famine. Though Judas intends evil by betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, God has used that for good in saving the whole world.
Jesus says that he has spoken these things “in the world,” that they “might have joy.” Even though Jesus continues to use fairly esoteric language here in his prayer, we understand that he means he had to come into this world in order to give people the opportunity to become who they were meant to be in their worldly, created selves. It is not ‘the world’ that is bad, but rather sin which has corrupted the world. And when Jesus shows who he is to those who love him, they have real, tangible, felt joy that is a part of this world - it’s not an escape from this world. We are to resist the kind of beliefs that were common in Gnosticism or in Buddhism today - that this world is an illusion or somehow bad in itself, the goal then being to escape it. We instead seek to be redeemed, to be made whole in this world with these bodies, because this world was made to be all “very good.” It means that the positive emotions you experience are good - they are not superficial or illusory. We must then give real thanks for what is really good in the world, and as we see brokenness in the world, we praise Christ for being the only true solution for what is corrupt in God’s good creation.
Prayer: Lord, the world is a beautiful place. Help me to find joy in the world that you have made. And help me, Lord, to be grateful for what I have that is so good. Help me when I find joy in things for me to acknowledge that these joys come from you, and help me to appreciate that we were made for that kind of joy. When I see things that are broken, Lord, let me come to you first for comfort and direction. Amen.
40 Days of Joy: The Gift of Magi. A wonderful classic story about self-sacrifice and generosity.
