Prayer to the Father
A further reason for their joy after the resurrection is that they will then begin to experience the new prayer relationship with the Father which he has spoken about that evening. First he had said to them, “I will do whatever you ask in my name” (14:13-14) and then, “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you” (15:7,16).
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In each case, the condition which goes with the promise is essentially the same – it’s about being in Jesus, so much so that the prayers we pray are the prayers which he would pray. Now he repeats the promise, emphasising that it’s his resurrection which will make that relationship possible (23-24). Thus our joy will be full, not because we receive what we ask for, but because we have been brought into such a close relationship of love with the Father that we are able to pray directly to him.
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Christians do not pray to Jesus who then conveys those requests to the Father on their behalf (26), for the Father himself loves them and is able to accept them through their relationship with Jesus (27). The usual pattern of Christian prayer is prayer to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (Eph.2:18; Eph.6:18).