uld ask not of Christ alone, but of the Father in Christ's name;
"And," said the Lord, "in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name,
he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and
ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."[1224] They were to be
advanced to such honor and exalted recognition that they should approach
the Father in prayer direct, but in the name of the Son; for they were
beloved of the Father because they had loved Jesus, the Son, and had
accepted Him as One sent by the Father.

The Lord again solemnly averred: "I came forth from the Father, and am
come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father."
The disciples were gratified at this plain avouchment, and exclaimed:
"Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure
that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask
thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God." Their
satisfaction threatened danger through over-confidence; and the Lord
cautioned them, saying, that in an hour then close they should all be
scattered, every man to his own, leaving Jesus alone, except for the
Father's presence. In the same connection He told them that before the
night had passed every one of them would be offended because of Him,
even as it had been written: "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep
of the flock shall be scattered abroad."[1225] Peter, the most vehement
of all in his protestations, had been told, as we have seen, that by
cock-crow that night he would have thrice denied his Lord; but all of
them had declared they would be faithful whatever the trial.[1226] In
further affirmation of the material actuality of His resurrection, Jesus
promised the apostles that after He had risen from the grave He would go
before them into Galilee.[1227]

In conclusion of this last and most solemn of the discourses delivered
by Christ in the flesh, the Lord said: "These things I have spoken unto
you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."[1228]

THE CONCLUDING PRAYER.

The impressive discourse to the apostles was followed by a prayer such
as could be addressed to none but the Eternal Father, and such as none
but the Son of that Father could offer.[1229] It has been called, and
not inappropriately, the Lord's High-Priestly Pr