“Jesus unites the disciples with himself in the world he began and expects them to continue. Jesus as the Father has sent him with authority, so he gives them authority; as he has comes with a message of God’s love and forgiveness, so they must proclaim the same; as he has come into danger and peril of death, so they will encounter the same problems; and as the Father has sent him to the victory of the Resurrection, so they can expect the same.” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Volume 2, John 17:18)