3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God …
Second on His list of things known was that “the Father” had assigned ownership to Him over all things. We already know from John 1:3 that all things were made through Him. In Colossians, we learn that, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). Though that passage in Colossians was written much later than when the Upper Room discourse took place, the Lord Jesus already knew His ownership and entitlement. He was heir to the Father’s wealth, and it already was His.
He set it all aside when He took on the outer appearance of a human servant (see Phil 2:7). This may very well be. He temporarily turned away from His “wealth,” as the apostle Paul conveys: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). His “wealth” with His Father in glory did not prevent Him from doing the Father’s will and coming into this world of spiritual poverty. He left ownership of everything safe with His Father, when He became part of that which was owned, that is, which was created by Him.
We must note the significant point that what He owned was what the Father had given to Him. Christ, though being co-equal with God, was in the Trinitarian relationship with the Father. Theologians call this the eternal procession of the Son from the Father. In His role as the 2nd person of the Trinity He was on the receiving end of the Father’s loving generosity. From eternity past, in the inner sanctum of the Godhead, the unity and perfection of God was expressed in the relationship of love, with the Father giving and the Son receiving. That is perfect, infinite and unified love!
There are two other things that Jesus knew as He began the Upper Room discourse. He was fully cognizant that He was sent from the Godhead and that He was returning to God. Having already established that Jesus “was God” (John 1:1) and that the Pharisees understood Jesus to teach His equality with God (John 8:58-59), we have no fear of using the terms “God” and “Father” interchangeably. Because Jesus was certain of His relationship with God, He could face the coming hours of His suffering. We too need to be certain.
Lord, I believe Your “divine power has granted to [me] everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him… ” (2 Pet 1:3)
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