Jesus’ Prayers for Glorification & His Assurance of Mission Completion

John 17:1–5 (NKJV)

Christ Prays for Himself

17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Message

The Crucifixion and the Resurrection are about to happen. And these events will restore the relationship between the Father and mankind. And mankind will be able to directly approach and ask the Father in Jesus’ name (John 16:23-27).

We note that His final and complete victory over the world was foreshadowed when He overcame the temptations of the devil in Matthew 4:1-11.

Before the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, Jesus described the impending accomplishment as if it were already completed, using the past perfect tense: “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

After this, Jesus prayed the Father.

I. Jesus’ Prayer for Glorification & Eternal Life (1-3)

See v1-2.

¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

John 17 begins with Jesus’ prayer to the Father. Here, the Glorification Jesus mentions in v1 is related to the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. This reminds us of Romans 8:18 NKJV.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Even if we experience shame or pain in the Lord, we can look forward to the forthcoming, incomparable glory from God, calling the entire process or experience ‘glorification’ or ‘sanctification’.

Based on v2, these events are required to give eternal life to those whom the Father has given to Jesus. Jesus teaches the definition of eternal life in v3. See v3.

³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Here, the knowledge is not just necessary information. Rather, it is an experiential relationship. So, Eternal life is experiencing God and having a relationship with God. The redemptive work of Jesus restored our relationship with God, making eternal life possible.

II. Jesus’ Assurance After Asking the Father: Mission Complete (4)

See v4.

⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

Jesus said, “It is finished!” just before he bowed his head and gave up His spirit on the cross (John 19:30). However, Jesus says in v4 that He has finished the work, speaking of the future event in the past perfect tense – similar to when He said, ”I have overcome the world.” in John 16:33.

A similar example is when David knew and told Goliath that he would win the fight (1 Samuel 17:45-47) and then actually won the fight (1 Samuel 17:48-51).

Jesus taught in Mark 11:24 NKJV.

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Jesus not only taught but also practiced. After He asked the Father in v1-3, Jesus believed that He received them. He knew He would resurrect gloriously after the crucifixion. So, in v4, Jesus said He had finished the work the Father had given Him to do.

III. Jesus’ Prayer for Exaltation (5)

See v5.

⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

After the Resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for 40 days. Then, He ascended to heaven and sat at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). Sitting at the right hand of God signifies that the Father glorifies Jesus together with the Father Himself.

Jesus was in the beginning with God, was God and existed before the creation (John 1:1-3).