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Showing posts from January, 2023

Completing the Work

Jesus praying to the Father said, "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do." (John 17:4, NRSV) This line comes from what we often refer to as the High Priestly Prayer (John 17). It is the prayer that Jesus prays after the Last Supper and before his arrest. It is interesting that Jesus talks about "finishing the work" that the Father had given him to do. We might find ourselves caught off guard by this, especially if we are used to thinking of the work of Christ in terms of the Cross and the Resurrection. In what sense has the work been completed? During the first five centuries of the Christian Church, our spiritual ancestors often fought bitterly over an understanding of the nature of Christ (who do men say that I am?) and his relationship to the Father and the Holy Spirit. The early church would develop creeds and expressions of faith to define that belief. Perhaps the creed that is best known is our baptismal creed — better known as ...