NLT Study Bible - Gospel of John - Flipbook - Page 45
John 17:1
1806
will have many trials and sorrows. But take long to you. 10All who are mine belong to
heart, because I have overcome the world.” you, and you have given them to me, so they
bring me glor y. 11Now I am departing from
Jesus’ Final Prayer
the world; they are staying in this world, but
After saying all these things, Jesus I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have
looked up to heaven and said, “Father, given me your name; now protect them by
the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he the power of your name so that they will
can give glor y back to you. 2For you have be united just as we are. 12During my time
given him authorit y over everyone. He gives here, I protected them by the power of the
eternal life to each one you have given him. name you gave me. I guarded them so that
3And this is the way to have eternal life—to not one was lost, except the one headed for
know you, the only true God, and Jesus destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13“Now I am coming to you. I told them
Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4I brought
glor y to you here on earth by completing many things while I was with them in this
the work you gave me to do. 5Now, Father, world so they would be filled with my joy.
bring me into the glor y we shared before 14I have given them your word. And the
the world began.
world hates them because they do not be
6“I have revealed you to the ones you long to the world, just as I do not belong to
gave me from this world. They were always the world. 15I’m not asking you to take them
yours. You gave them to me, and they have out of the world, but to keep them safe from
kept your word. 7Now they know that every the evil one. 16They do not belong to this
thing I have is a gift from you, 8for I have world any more than I do. 17Make them holy
passed on to them the message you gave me. by your truth; teach them your word, which
They accepted it and know that I came from is truth. 18Just as you sent me into the world,
you, and they believe you sent me.
I am sending them into the world. 19And I
9“My prayer is not for the world, but for give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so
those you have given me, because they be they can be made holy by your truth.
17
Now he added that his disciples can
discover peace even when surrounded
by threats; they can be tranquil despite
those who are hostile to their faith.
17:1-26 This chapter records Jesus’
longest prayer, which is often called
his “high priestly prayer.” It provides an
intimate glimpse into his heart. In this
prayer, which closes the farewell that
began at 13:31, Jesus expressed his own
concerns to his Father (17:1-8) and then
turned to concerns for the church and
its future (17:9-26).
17:1 Jesus looked up to heaven, assuming the traditional Jewish posture for
prayer (11:41; Ps 123:1). He probably
also raised his hands (Exod 9:33; 17:11;
Ps 28:2). Prayers like this were said
aloud so that followers could hear
(11:41-42; 12:27-30; also Matt 11:25-30;
Luke 10:21-22). Father was Jesus’ usual
way to address God, which he did six
times in this prayer (see also 11:41;
12:27). This title—unusual in Judaism—reflected Jesus’ intimacy with God.
This hour included Jesus’ betrayal,
arrest, torture, death, and resurrection
(see note on 12:23). Glorify your Son:
In the Gospel of John, the cross is a
place of honor. Jesus’ oneness with the
Father means that if the Son is glorified,
the Father will also be glorified.
17:2 All authority has been placed in
Jesus’ hands (3:35); he can give eternal
life as only God can (3:15; 5:21, 25-26).
17:3 to know you: The Hebrew idea
of knowing encompassed experience
and intimacy, which for Christians
means love for God and obedience to
him. sent to earth: Jesus originated in
heaven and was returning there (17:5),
so he exercises divine authority as the
agent of God.
17:4 Jesus’ miracles displayed God’s
glory for the world to see (1:14). This
task was finished; Jesus’ life and obedience had glorified God.
17:5 Jesus prayed to return to the position he had with God before the world
began (1:1).
17:6 This verse summarizes Christ’s
mission. He revealed the true person
of God to the world, gathered up God’s
people into his flock, and instructed
them in obedience. The result of this
work is the church. have revealed you:
Literally have revealed your name; also
in 17:26.
17:8 Jesus revealed himself widely to
the world. Those who embraced his
message became children of God (1:12;
11:52), and he revealed God’s word to
them.
17:9-19 Jesus prayed for his disciples,
who must carry on after his departure.
17:10 Just as the Son brings glory to
the Father (17:1, 4-5), the disciples
bring the Son glory (17:22). The love
and obedience that brought glory to
God in Jesus’ life become features of his
disciples’ lives.
17:1
John 13:31
17:2
Matt 28:18
John 6:37, 39
17:3
Phil 3:8
1 Jn 5:20
17:5
John 1:1-2; 17:24
Phil 2:6
17:6
John 17:26
17:8
John 13:3; 16:30
17:9
1 Jn 5:19
17:10
John 16:15
17:11
John 10:30; 17:21
Gal 3:28
17:12
Ps 41:9
John 6:39
17:13
John 7:33; 15:11
17:14
John 15:18-19
17:15
1 Jn 5:18
17:17
John 15:3
Eph 5:25-26
17:18
John 20:21
17:19
Heb 2:11
17:11 you have given me your name:
Some manuscripts read you have given
me these [i.e., these disciples]. Jesus’
first concern for his disciples was that
they . . . be united with an intimacy
similar to the oneness shared by Jesus
and the Father.
17:12-13 I protected them by the
power of the name you gave me: Some
manuscripts read I protected those you
gave me, by the power of your name.
Until now, Jesus had guarded his followers. Now he was concerned for their
strength and survival in his absence,
because the world would be hostile toward them (15:18-27) and their mission
of challenging the world by heralding
the truth (16:8-11). After Jesus’ departure, the Spirit would protect them
(15:26) and bring them joy.
17:14 God’s word, which Jesus had
given his disciples, also provides a
defense against the world. The Spirit
would preserve and recall God’s word
in the church (14:26), equipping the
church for its encounter with the world.
17:16-18 Being holy refers to purity
gained by separation from the world,
and living a life so aligned with God
that it reflects his passions. Disciples are
set apart by God, equipped by the Spirit,
and readied by God’s word to enter the
world without being victimized by its
darkness.
17:19 I give myself as a holy sacrifice
(literally I sanctify myself ): Priests and
