3.
But why said He not, "That they may share My glory," instead of, "That they may be hold My glory"? Here He implieth, that all that rest is, the looking on the Son of God. This certainly it is which causes them to be glorified; as Paul saith, "With open face mirroring the glory of the Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18.) For as they who look on the sunbeams, and enjoy a very clear atmosphere, draw their enjoyment from their sight, so then also, and in much greater degree, this will cause us pleasure.1 At the same time also He showeth, that what they should behold was not the body then seen, but some awful Substance.
Ver. 25. "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee."2
What meaneth this? What connection hath it? He here showeth that no man knoweth God, save those only who have come to know the Son. And what He saith is of this kind: "I wished all to be so,3 yet they have not known Thee, although they had no complaint against Thee." For this is the meaning of, "O righteous Father." And here He seemeth to me to speak these words, as vexed that they would not know One so just and good. For since the Jews had said that they knew God, but that He knew Him not, at this He aimeth, saying, "For Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world"; thus putting together a defense against the accusations of the Jews. For how could He who had received glory, who was loved before the foundation of the world, who desired to have them as witnesses of that glory, how could He be opposed to the Father? "This then is not true which the Jews say, that they know Thee, and that I know Thee not; on the contrary, I know Thee, and they have not known Thee."
"And these have known that Thou hast sent Me."
Seest thou that He alludeth to those, who said that He was not from God, and all is finally summed up to meet this argument?
Ver. 26. "And I have declared unto them Thy Name, and will declare it."
"Yet thou sayest that perfect knowledge is from the Spirit." "But the things of the Spirit are Mine."
"That the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may remain4 in them, and I in them."
"For if they learn who Thou art, then they shall know that I am not separated from Thee, but one of the greatly beloved, and a true Son, and closely knit to Thee. And those who are rightly persuaded of this, will keep both the faith which is on Me and perfect love; and while they love as they ought, I remain in them." Seest thou how He hath arrived5 at a good end, finishing off the discourse with love, the mother of all blessings?
