Sanctify Them in the Truth

Sanctify Them in the Truth

In his prayer, Jesus has described how he manifested the name of God to his disciples and has prayed for their protection in the world which he is leaving as ‘I am coming to you’ (17:13). Before he leaves, however, he speaks this prayer still in the world ‘so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves’. Twice in the Farewell Discourses, Jesus said that he wanted the disciples’ joy to be ‘full’ or ‘complete’ through his words and their prayers (15:11; 16:24). Their joy alone, in their sadness at his death, will not do this; Jesus must pray for his joy to be fulfilled in them…