² “… even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.”

The request now for glory, that begins Jesus’ Upper Room prayer, does not arise out of a vacuum or a whim. He couches this request in the existing relationship He has with the Father. Just as the Father has already given Him authority “over all flesh,” so also, in like manner, the Son is asking for glory. In other words, if the Father has already given Him authority, then asking for glory is commensurate with the authority He already has. In a few simple words, much depth is revealed.

First, “authority over all flesh.” We know from Jesus’ previous teaching that, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:35). And we have seen His authority over the “winds and sea” (Matt 8:27), the demons (Mark 5:7) and diseases of every kind (Matt 10:1). This authority is the Father’s endowment to His Son. A spiritual analogy will help us understand this. God “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). God has equipped Christians to live the life He desires for us, by giving us what we need to succeed at that. In the same way the Father has granted to the Son all authority over flesh, so that He would succeed in doing all the Father had designed for the Son to do. In order for Jesus to do the glorious work He needed authority over all flesh.

The word for “authority” in the Greek is ‘exousia.’ The KJV renders this as “power” but the idea is not an explosive or physical power in overcoming an enemy. Rather the term conveys delegated authority, which of course is backed by the ability to enforce compliance—the authority of the badge, rather than the club. The Father gave the Son the authority to do what Adam and Eve relinquished in the Fall, to rule over creation. Unfortunately, in their rejection of God’s authority over them, they discovered that self-rule was not satisfactory. Jesus, as God’s solution to man’s self-rule, was given the role as God-man to rule over all flesh—not just the animals, but also human flesh.

The Lord Himself put it this way, “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day” (John 12:47–48). Jesus is God’s authoritative Word for all people today (John 1:14).

Lord Jesus Christ, I bow to Your authority, for You are Lord of my life and You are Lord of all flesh. You are my Sovereign and my Master.