Jesus Prays For Himself
JESUS PRAYS FOR HIMSELF
JOHN 17:1-8
Jesus asks that his Father would be honored by his complete obedience. He longs to give eternal life to those his Father has given to him.
After the final discourse with the disciples, Jesus now turns to speak to his Father. This is often called the “High-Priestly Prayer,” as Jesus, the great High Priest, consecrates himself to his coming death through which he will make atonement for the sin of the world (cf. 1:29). Yet there is a good deal more to the prayer than just this theme, for it deals with some of the great doctrines of the Gospel—the relationship of Father and Son (17:1-5), the relationship of the Son to the disciples and of the disciples to the world (17:6-19), and the relationship of the Son to later generations of believers and their relationship to the world 17:20-26).
The hour towards which the clock of destiny has been ticking throughout the ministry has now come. In the mind and will of Jesus his work is already finished (17:4). He has accepted the cross and taken it upon himself as the full and perfect expression of love. So now he asks his Father that it may be an occasion for the glory of both Father and Son (13:31f.). The object of the Son’s mission was to give eternal life in the knowledge of the Father and the Son. That mission had been accomplished and so had given glory to the Father. As it has been accomplished Jesus asks that he may now return to his Father and the glory which he had before the incarnation, and which had been his from the beginning before the creation of the world.
The mission of Christ was partly to make the name or character of the Father known to his disciples. They belonged to the Father and were given to the Son and they had been faithful. Now they also had knowledge of the divine origin and authority of Jesus.
Notes 17:2: This is a strong reminder of the divine sovereignty. For the giving by the Father to the Son, cf. 3:35; 6:37-39; 10:27-29. The last passage also speaks of giving eternal life to the disciples. 17:3: this is the only attempt in the Gospel at a definition of one of its leading concepts—eternal life. It is shown to be a personal relationship with God based on the historical mission of the Son, to know whom is to know God (14:7). 17:4: complete obedience to the Father’s will was a characteristic of the ministry (4:34) and was sealed in his death (19:30). 17:6: the manifestation of the name or character of God was necessary for a true knowledge of him which was not mere religious emotion.