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The four Gospels of the Bible describe the death of Jesus Christ in great detail. A large proportion of each Gospel is consumed with the manner in which the Lord Jesus would die on the cross and the immediate events surrounding this significant event. John 13 to 17 forms a section of the Gospel of John which describes the last supper, the farewell address, and the final prayer of Jesus. Its purpose is to unpack, before the event actually happens, the significance of Jesus’ departure – His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, exaltation and the consequent coming of the Holy Spirit.
As the prospect of His imminent death looms ominously close, it is important to realize what consumes the attention of Jesus Christ at this difficult time – the doctrine of the trinity. Jesus’ final lesson for His disciples before His death and His prayer of John chapter 17 is the identity and work of the triune Godhead.
Jesus, who prayed to his heavenly Father and taught His disciples to do the same, taught them that He was personally divine as well (John 20:28-31). Jesus also taught that His ministry on earth and His death on the cross were works which the heavenly Father gave Him to do (John 17:4). Jesus promised to send another Paraclete to His disciples (He himself having been the first one). Paraclete (Greek) signifies the ministry of counsellor, advocate, helper, comforter, friend, supporter (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15). This other Paraclete was the Holy Spirit who would come at Pentecost, at the birth of the Church, to fulfil this promised ministry.
This Trinity Doctrine underlines for us the fact that because the one true God of the world has supremely revealed himself in the person of his Son Jesus Christ, knowledge of God cannot be divorced from knowledge of Jesus Christ. In fact, the knowledge of Jesus Christ whom God has sent into this world is the ultimate access to the knowledge of God. This knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ is nonetheless not “mere head knowledge”, not merely intellectual or mere information though it necessarily requires understanding and knowledge. The Gospel of John ranks belief as being no less central than knowledge in the obtaining of eternal life (3:16 and 20:31). Knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ as John understands it entails fellowship with the triune God, a close personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, and saving faith and trust in the risen Lord. This is eternal life, that we know God the heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent (John 17:3).
