John 17 - A Glorious Prayer Of Joy Through Immense Pain

(Note the Semi-Chiastic Structure of John 17)

John 17 – A Glorious Prayer of Joy through Immense Pain

Full Structure of John 17:1-26

A) Verses 1-3: The time has come: The Father will Glorify His Son; Eternal life is only through Jesus.

B) Verses 4-8: Jesus' account: He has glorified the Father and revealed His words to the Faithful

C) Verses 9-12: Jesus prays for the Protection of His own who are still in the world

D) Verse 13: Jesus' Words bring the Full Measure of Joy

C') Verses 14-19: Jesus prays for the Sanctification of His own who are not of this world

B') Verses 20-23: Jesus prays for complete Unity amongst His own as a sign that God has sent Him. He has given glory to His own.

A') Verses 24-26: Jesus has made the Father known and wants His own to be with Him and see Him Glorified

Note that this text can be structured in many other smaller chiasms, parallels, etc.

- Read Text & Pray -

Walkthrough

A) Verses 1-3: The time has come: The Father will Glorify His Son; Eternal life is only through Jesus.

(Verse-by-verse)

1 Jesus understood God's Timing

Request: Glorify your Son (Honor; via the Cross -- note that this is shameful to the world)

Compare with Galatians 3:13 - 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Jesus' first request was about Himself, but it wasn't selfish -- it was a plea for the Glory of the Father.

He lifted up His eyes to Heaven -- the publican looked down in Luke 18.

- Confidence: Jesus had no separation between Him and the Father. As a result, we can approach the Father through Him with confidence and boldness, as well (cf. Hebrews 4:14-16).

2 cf. Matthew 28:18 - Authority given to Jesus.

Issue of election: cf. John 10:16 - there are lost sheep yet to come into the fold, and we as His Disciples are responsible for evangelism!

No man comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6)

3 Exclusivistic & Evangelistic claim

- “The only true God”

B) Verses 4-8: Jesus' account: He has glorified the Father and revealed His words to the Faithful

4 Do God's Will --> bring Him Glory

Jesus has completed the work which the Father gave Him to do.

5 cf. John 1 - Jesus' eternality -- He was present even from the beginning of Creation (“In the beginning was the Word…”)

Request: Glorify me (in your presence)

Jesus' eternal honor -- He was glorified with the Father before the world began

6 Jesus revealed the Father

7 Result of the Faithful --> Faith

8 Jesus only spoke what He heard from the Father

cf. John 8:28 - 28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

cf. John 12:47-50 - 47 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

C) Verses 9-12: Jesus prays for the Protection of His own who are still in the world

9 Interesting -- He prays for His own, not the 'tares of the field'

10 Equality statement -- Jesus is Divine

11 Jesus knew that He had a limited time. He understood the Father's Will.

Request: Protection in His Name

12 One doomed to destruction: Judas?

So that Scripture would be fulfilled

D) Verse 13: Jesus' Words bring the Full Measure of Joy

13 Result: Full measure of my joy within them

Note that this difficult prayer has its center in Joy.

Note that this prayer is also permeated with God's glory.

C') Verses 14-19: Jesus prays for the Sanctification of His own who are not of this world

14 The world has hated the faithful

cf. James 4:4 - Friendship with the world = enmity with God

15 Request: Protection from the evil one

16 We are not of the world

cf. 1 Peter 2:9 - Peculiar people...