Along with Caroline and Ian, I am memorizing Jesus' Priestly Prayer found in John 17. When I do memory work, it always produces a slap to my forehead as I realize what a rich, fruitful, satisfying enterprise it is (just what else did I expect?!)
When Jesus had spoken these words,
(John 12:23 to 16:33)
he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
"Father, the hour has come;
glorify your Son that the Son may glorify You.
12:23 Jesus answered them,
(in response to the news from Philip and Andrew that some Greeks had asked to see him)
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
since you have given him authority over all flesh,
to give eternal life to all whom you have given him."
Authority in the gospel of John:
5:19 I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise
5:27 he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man
7:17-18 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
8:28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
12:49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.
14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
[17:2]
19:10-11 So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you? Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."
Summary:
1. All true authority comes from God, is expressed in continuous dependence on God, evidenced by a humble seeking of God's glory as the priority.
(Side note: Luke 7:7-9 "...I too am a man under authority..." I always thought the centurion was only saying that Jesus had authority like him, and could could command the illness to depart just as he commanded his men. But now I see that he recognized that Jesus had authority because he was under authority.)
2. Jesus had received a charge (commission) from the Father to:
----speak the words he gave him
----exercise authority in the form of judgment
----lay his life down and take it up again
3. Jesus' dependence on the Father was also described by him as a continuous abiding and mutual indwelling- something he commanded the disciples to imitate in John 15.
4. The Holy Spirit likewise does not speak on his own authority, but "whatever he hears he will speak."
5. Pilate's authority also came from God- although he was unaware of it, and furnishes a stark contrast to Jesus obedience. Both carried out God's plan and purpose.
