In the Name of Jesus

Lesson #267

We ended the last lesson at the end of the first sentence of John 16:23 (ESV): “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Since writing the last lesson I have done some more thinking about the statement: “In that day you will ask nothing of me.” When Jesus was with the disciples they could ask him for what they wanted, but when he leaves them they will no longer be able to do that.

Saying “truly, truly” is like us underlining or using bold print or italicizing to emphasize something. Thus, what Jesus is going to say next is important and relates to asking nothing of him. He tells them they are to ask the Father to supply their need, but they are to ask him in his name. When we end our prayers we make to our Father, we usually end them by saying, “In Jesus name.” This is where that comes from.

When Jesus ascends to his Father and is replaced on earth by the Holy Spirit, Jesus then begins his role as Mediator. As long as Christ was here on earth, he did not yet exercise the office of Advocate, that through him the prayers of believers might be acceptable to God. After Jesus left and the Holy Spirit came they were to pray to the Father, as we are today, to meet their needs, but in the name of Jesus.

Jesus continues: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24 ESV). “Until now you have asked nothing in my name” is repeated, again stressing its importance. The disciples were trained during Old Testament times and were required to access God through the priest. They could not go directly to God. When Jesus died on the cross, access to God changed as the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, revealing the holy of holies. Jesus rose from the dead as the great high priest and ascended into the heavenly sanctuary to intercede for his people. Each believer is now a temple of the Holy Spirit and are priest under Jesus the great high priest. As a priest, each believer has direct access to the Father in the name of our high priest, Jesus. This is a major adjustment for the disciples to make. We know it is an important one to make because of the emphasis. Even in light of this emphasis, the catholic church today still believes direct access in not possible, with confessions being made to earthly priest.

The focus shifts from earthly priest and animal sacrifices to Jesus becoming the high priest and he the sacrifice. This is a major shift and Jesus tells his disciples to begin to ask the Father directly, but in his name and if they do that the Father will provide and their joy will be made full. When someone asks you why you end your prayers with “In Jesus name,” you now know why and its source; Jesus commands we do this when we pray to our Father.

Prayer

Father, it is in Jesus name that I come to you in prayer. What joy it is to know that I have direct access to you as my Father because of the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus. Father, I completely overlooked the change of prayer from the Old Testament to the New; from indirect access to direct access and as a result I had to completely rewrite this lesson. What joy it gave me when this picture became clear to me. This is another good example why Bible study is important. It has taken me 65 years to understand what Jesus meant as covered in these verses. Should the disciples not have trouble understanding also. Father, thank you for this understanding.