THE LORD’S PRAYER: AN EXPOSITION OF JOHN 17

Spread the love

In the moments before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus Christ offered one of the most profound and intimate prayers recorded in Scripture. John 17, often referred to as the “High Priestly Prayer,” provides a glimpse into the heart of Christ as He interceded for Himself, His disciples, and all believers. Each verse in this chapter contains profound truths that reflect His mission, His relationship with the Father, and His love for His Church. Let’s delve deeper into the meaning and significance of this prayer.

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.”

The word “glorify” carries deep significance. It means to make known, to honor, to impart divine glory. the Lord Jesus begins His prayer by asking the Father to glorify Him, not for self-exaltation, but so that the Father may also be glorified through the work of the Son.

We, too, cannot glorify ourselves or achieve anything of lasting spiritual significance by our own efforts. Any glory we possess is a reflection of God’s work in and through us. Our strength, our abilities, and even our endurance through trials come solely from the Lord. If we desire to do the will of God, our prayer must echo Christ’s: that He would fulfill His work in us, glorifying His name through our lives.

“For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.”

Christ is the Tree of Life restored to humanity. The image of the Tree of Life is one of the most powerful symbols in the Bible. In the Garden of Eden, access to the Tree of Life represented fellowship with God and eternal life. Sin separated humanity from that Tree, but through Christ, the Tree of Life is restored. He is the source of eternal life, offered to all who would believe.

How extraordinary it is that God would give us this gift, allowing us to partake in His divine nature! This is something even angels cannot experience, and yet, through Christ, we have access to this precious gift. Christ, who was once the eternal Spirit, became human to shed His blood for us. Our physical bodies could not be glorified unless our sinful nature was paid for by His sacrifice.

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

The Greek word for “know” used in this verse is “ginōskō,” meaning to come to know intimately, to recognize, and to understand deeply. It carries with it the idea of union, much like the intimacy shared between a husband and wife. This knowledge is not mere intellectual understanding; it is a deep, personal relationship with God.

Knowing God through Christ is the essence of eternal life. As Jesus said in John 15:7, “If you abide in my word, I am one with you.” And in John 6:56, He states, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.” Christ is the living Word, and through a relationship with Him, we are united with the Father and receive eternal life.

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled the mission God gave Him. He became the perfect man, embodying the image of what Adam was meant to be. In doing so, He glorified the Father and provided a pathway for redemption. We are called to follow in His footsteps, striving to complete the work God has given us. However, we can only do so through the strength and guidance of Christ.

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

Before His incarnation, Christ existed in the glory of the Father as the eternal Word. All things were created through Him, and He is the sustainer of all life. Hebrews 1:2 affirms this, stating that Christ made the worlds—both physical and spiritual. Now, having fulfilled His mission on earth, Christ prays to be restored to that glory, a glory that encompasses rulership over all creation.

“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.”

The “name” in this context represents the character and attributes of God. Jesus manifested the Father’s name to His disciples, revealing His love, grace, holiness, and truth. Through Christ, we have been called out of the world—”ekklesia,” meaning the Church or the called-out ones. Our identity is no longer rooted in this world, but in Christ. Nothing in this world can prevent us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives because we are hidden in Christ.

“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”

Christ’s intercession is specifically for those who belong to Him, the Church. He is not concerned with the world’s repentance in this prayer but with the sanctification and protection of His people. Our prayers should also align with God’s will, focusing on the growth, protection, and unity of His Church.

“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”

Our Lord prays for the preservation of His disciples, that they might be conformed to His character and be united as one. This oneness is not merely unity for the sake of harmony but a deeper unity rooted in the character of Christ. As we grow in Christlikeness, we reflect His attributes and fulfill the will of God for our lives.

John 17 offers a powerful insight into the heart of Christ before His crucifixion. His prayer reflects His deep love for His people, His desire for their sanctification, and His ultimate purpose to glorify the Father through His redemptive work. As believers, we are called to align ourselves with Christ’s prayer, seeking to glorify God, grow in our knowledge of Him, and fulfill the work He has given us.

Our relationship with Christ is the key to eternal life, and as we abide in Him, we are transformed into His likeness, glorifying the Father and fulfilling His divine plan.