John 17: 1-8, Jesus Prays in the Garden

Jesus is with his disciples, probably at the foot of the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, or walking that way.  In these final hours, he stops and prays.  The other gospels report that Jesus prayed; John here records some details of the prayer.

John 17: 1-5, Glorify your Son
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 
4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Longtime plans are coming to fruition. In them, the glorified Son, and the eternal life created by the upcoming sacrifice, will demonstrate the glory and majesty of God.

John 17: 6-8, These human followers...
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 
7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 
8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 

A small set of followers are here with Jesus in the garden.  They believe Jesus and -- at least partially -- recognize that he is the Messiah.  But they are frail.

In verses 6 and 26, Jesus says to God, "I have made you known..."  According to the NIV footnotes, the phrase is really "I have made your name known." But in Biblical times God's name was identified with God.

John 17, Jesus's Prayer (Overview)

Jesus is with his disciples, probably at the foot of the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, or walking that way.  In these final hours, he stops and prays.  The other gospels report that Jesus prayed; John here records some details of the prayer.

John 17: 1-5, Glorify your Son
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Longtime plans are coming to fruition. In them, the glorified Son, and the eternal life created by the upcoming sacrifice, will demonstrate the glory and majesty of God.

John 17: 6-8, These human followers...
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

A small set of followers are here with Jesus in the garden.  They believe Jesus and -- at least partially -- recognize that he is the Messiah.  But they are frail.

In verses 6 and 26, Jesus says to God, "I have made you known..."  According to the NIV footnotes, the phrase is really "I have made your name known." But in Biblical times God's name was identified with God.

John 17: 9-13, That they may be one
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.   All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. 

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name‑‑the name you gave me‑‑so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

Jesus prays for this small frail band of men which he has protected up to this time.  One aspect of his prayer is for unity, that they "be one". We should continue to pray this prayer.

John 17: 14-19, World and Word
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

NIV footnotes: "Sanctify" is a translation of the Greek hagiazo which means "set apart for sacred use or make holy". The disciples are to have the same mission as Jesus, representing a different world, owning a different citizenship, part of an eternal kingdom.

John 17: 20-24, Prayer for those that will follow
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Jesus prays that all his followers will act in unity and that they will see his "glory", his attributes, available before Creation.

John 17: 25-26, Transferable love
"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

The prayer includes the request that these disciples pass on this love coming to them through Jesus.

John 16: 24-33, Overcomers

The disciples didn't understand Jesus's timetable.  The timetable is still unclear, but the temporary defeat, followed by victory, is described by John later in his gospel.

Two statements, seemingly contradictory, appear together here.  "You will grieve..." and "ask me anything." The disciples are alerted to a pending time of grief, while assured that this is all part of a plan.

John 16: 24-28

24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

There is a transition of some type that will occur rapidly.  Soon the figurative speech will end.  In this new age, the disciples will ask God directly for aid and it will be freely given.

John 16: 29-32, You came from God
29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

The disciples' statement of affirmation is met with a reality check.

I wonder which disciple was speaking here.  Apparently his opinion is reflected by most of them?

John 16: 33, I have overcome the World

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”Jesus has just said that he is the True Vine, the source of all spiritual truth and power.  But staying close to Jesus, relying on him -- that will not be easy.

The final statement is a clear summary of this passage and possibly a theme for John.  The Logos has overcome the World.  Do not expect the World to bring safety or fulfillment, but expect this of the Logos.

What exactly is the new relationship here between the disciples and Jesus-God?

For further thought and meditation: What exactly is to be our relationship with the world? It is a beautiful world, with many good things in it.

John 16: 16-23, Childbirth

The disciples will no longer receive direct teaching from Jesus.  But the Counselor, the "Spirit of Truth" will teach them further.  And for that to happen, Jesus must leave....

John 16:16‑23, Childbirth
Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 

The disciples didn't understand Jesus's timetable.  The timetable is still unclear, but the temporary defeat, followed by victory, is described by John later in his gospel.

Two statements, seemingly contradictory, appear together here.  "You will grieve..." and "ask me anything." The disciples are alerted to a pending time of grief, while assured that this is all part of a plan.

John 16: 7-15, The Counselor

Jesus has explained that he is going away.

John 16: 5‑11, The work of the Counselor
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 
8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 
9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 
10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 
11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

The Counselor bring a certain light and transparency.  Under that light, people see their inherent selfishness.  Under that light, Jesus is revealed as righteous and as savior of the world, defeating evil.

John 16: 12‑15, The work of the Counselor
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 
14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The disciples will no longer receive direct teaching from Jesus. And there is a lot of teaching still left to do!  But the Counselor, the "Spirit of Truth" will teach them further.  And for that to happen, Jesus must leave....

John 16: 1-7, Persecution and an Advocate

Jesus has said that he will send the Holy Spirit so that the disciples can speak about him and the Kingdom he offers.

John 16:1-4, Persecution
“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 
2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 
3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 

4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 

The concern about the world's hatred is repeated.  Jewish believers in the Messiah will be expelled from synagogues, maybe even killed.

John 16: 5‑6, The work of the Counselor

5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 
6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 

The disciples are silent, stunned and confused.

John 16: 7, An Advocate
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 

But all of this is for the good. Jesus will leave each of them with The Advocate, the Holy Spirit who will work with them on his behalf.