JOHN 17

Jesus is praying for himself, his disciples and us who would come to Christ later.

v. 1-5/ He first asks the Father to glorify him so that he could glorify the Father, because he, (Jesus), had been given power over all flesh and could give eternal life to all those the Father has given to him.

“The eternal life”, he says, “is this, …that they know him (the Father), the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent”

He reminds the Father that He, (Jesus), glorified the Father on earth and says he has completed the task that the Father sent him to do, so asks that the Father glorifies him and takes him back by his side as he was before the world began..

*Greek words in this section which may help your understanding, assuming they are correct; ‘Glorify’ is the word Daxazo which means; to think/suppose/judge/to extol/magnify. ‘World’ is the word Kosmos which means; order/disposition/ormnament/decoration, and ‘began’ is the word Eimi which means; to be/to exist. (I like the idea that the world is an ornament and a decoration to God!)

v.6/ says “I have made your name known to the men whom you gave me……… and they have kept your word” *The word ‘known’ here is the Greek word Phaneroo, which means; to bring to light/to set in a clear light/to manifest, display, and ‘kept’ is the word Tereo which means to keep watch upon.

Jesus goes on to say that he has passed the Fathers word onto them and they have received them and believed that Jesus came out from God (the word ‘sent’ in verse 8 is the Greek word apostello which means; to send forth a messenger, agent, message or command), and this is why he is praying for their safety and protection. Not that they are taken out of the world, but that they will be watched over and protected in the world. He goes on to say, "and not only these, but those who believe through them.. so they may be one, just as we are one…"

He is praying for us, even though he knows he is about to suffer unimaginable pain because of us. His love surely surpasses all understanding!

It is a beautiful prayer and worth a look.

Read for yourself. See what you think.

*Mounce reverse-interlinear New Testament