Let us consider for a moment the Lord's intercessory prayer after the Last Supper:
"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son," i. e., descend into the Son, or ultimate plane,—"that thy Son may also glorify thee"; i. e,, ascend into perfect oneness with the Father,—"as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, [the internal of God] and Jesus Christ, [the external of God] whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."
Here was Jesus, almost at the last moment of his earthly life, praying to the Father as if the Father were distinct from himself. And the Son was still distinct from the Father, in spite of their approaching union or perfect oneness. It is possible to understand the deep mystery involved in this relationship as here exhibited.
