John 17:11b-19
Jesus’ disciples do not belong to the world …
In this passage of John’s gospel, Jesus prays for his disciples before he is taken from them. His words also convey parts of his farewell message to his friends. Jesus is coming to the Father. His friends will remain in the world, but “they do not belong to the world any more than [Jesus belongs] to the world” (v. 16). They belong to Jesus because he sends them into the world. Moreover, Jesus prays to the Father for his friends so that just as the Father consecrated Jesus for his mission, the Father now consecrates the disciples for their mission.
The disciples will be consecrated by God who is holy (v. 12), and whose word is truth (v. 17). This act of consecration makes the disciples holy because they are set apart for God and God’s purpose.[1]
As a result, they belong to God.
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[1] Barclay, William. The Gospel of John, Revised Edition, Vol. 2. Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1975; p. 153.
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