Prelude to Easter

John 17

Extraordinarily little is recorded of the content of Jesus’ constant prayers to the Father, so the High Priestly Prayer recorded in John 17:1-26 is unique as it gives us the longest narrative prayer of Jesus and also a glimpse of the Son’s communion and intercession with the Father.

The chapter represents a crucial turning point in John’s Gospel, signalling the shift from Jesus’ ministry on earth to His ongoing intercessory work for believers; as noted in Hebrews 7:25. Throughout chapters 13 to 16 Jesus intensifies His teaching to His disciples and as their concerns about His departure mount, He reassures them by explaining that His death will bring them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Chapters 18 and 19 detail the events surrounding Jesus’ trials, suffering and crucifixion, while the last two chapters recount His resurrection and appearances among His followers.

Let’s take a look at the three sections of Jesus’ prayer:

• Verses 1-5 contain Jesus’ prayer for Himself.  In these opening passages Jesus expresses His complete submission and faithfulness to the Father’s will, illustrating the perfect relationship between the Son and the Father.  He petitions the Father to glorify Him (Jesus), so that through His sacrifice and subsequent exaltation the Father Himself may be glorified.  Furthermore, He testifies that He has revealed the Father’s identity to those entrusted to Him, disclosing the true nature and character of God through His life and ministry.
• Verses 6-19 is Jesus’ prayer for the Apostles.  In these verses Jesus recognises that the disciples were selected by the Father and distinguished from others to receive His word and truth.  He emphasises their responsibility to carry forward His work by spreading His message throughout the world.
• Verses 20-26 is Jesus’ prayer for all believers.  Jesus prays for the unity of His followers; a unity which reflects the perfect oneness of the Father and the Son.  It concludes with Jesus expressing His desire for believers to ultimately share in the glory and presence of both Himself and the Father.

We could look at this chapter as the calm before the storm.  Following His prayer, Jesus and His disciples proceed to the garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrays Him.

““Father, the hour has come.  Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” Jesus seems to pray here as if He already stood within the veil—not pleading in agony as He did in the garden of Gethsemane but speaking with that authority with which He is clothed now that His work on earth is done.  The great design of Christ, throughout His life on earth, was to glorify the Father.  He came to save His people, but that was not His first or His chief aim.  It was His objective, through the salvation of myriads of the sons of men, to glorify the Father.”

Spurgeon Study Bible Notes

On November 24, 1572, John Knox, as he lay dying, said to his wife, Margaret, “Go, read to me where I cast my first anchor.” Margaret knew immediately what to do.  She reached for a Bible, opened to John 17, and read to her husband the first three verses.  Margaret knew this text was where Knox first met Christ as his Saviour.  The passage served as both the first and the last anchor for Knox.

ESV Church History Study Notes