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how might jesus' prayer for unity in john 17, addressed to god, differ from paul's direct appeal to the corinthians?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

John 17:20-23

“Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.”

This passage is part of Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" to God, recorded in John's Gospel. It takes place during his final hours with his disciples, shortly before his crucifixion, and expresses his deepest desires for his followers and their future.

What does it mean for individuals and communities to pursue unity rooted in a divine relationship, rather than solely through human effort?

Then — the setting

Jesus' prayer, recorded in the Gospel of John (likely written in the late 1st century CE), reflects concerns relevant to early Christian communities. At this time, Christians were a minority group, often facing external pressure and internal disagreements. The prayer emphasizes a profound, almost mystical, unity rooted in God's nature, which would also serve as a powerful witness to a skeptical world. This was not just about organizational cohesion, but a shared life and purpose flowing from their relationship with God and each other, mirroring the relationship between the Father and the Son.

Across the Testaments

This passage from John's Gospel (New Testament) presents Jesus' prayer for a theological and relational unity grounded in the divine. While the Old Testament doesn't contain a direct prayer from a divine figure for human unity in the same way, themes of covenantal unity and communal solidarity are central, particularly in the call for Israel to be 'one people' before God (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4, 'Hear, O Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one'). The New Testament develops this, with Jesus expanding the scope of this unity to encompass all believers, transcending ethnic and social boundaries, as a reflection of the Trinitarian unity.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

1 Corinthians 1:10
Paul directly appeals to the Corinthians to be united in mind and purpose, addressing specific divisions.
Ephesians 4:1-3
Paul urges believers to maintain the unity of the Spirit through humility, gentleness, and patience.
Psalm 133:1
A wisdom psalm celebrating the goodness and pleasantness of living together in unity.

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