(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...
1 Peter 2:9 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
17 Request: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth
Jesus is the Word (John 1)
Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)
18 We are sent into the world, just as Jesus was
19 We follow Jesus' path
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.
20 Jesus prays for the next generations of Believers
21 Request: Unity & Fellowship with God
Sign to the world that Jesus has been sent: our Unity & Fellowship with God
22 Jesus gives us glory --> we can be unified
23 Request: Complete unity
Sign to the world: that the Father has sent the Son and has loved them
cf. John 3:16 - God so loved the world...
A') Verses 24-26: Jesus has made the Father known and wants His own to be with Him and see Him Glorified
24 Request: For the faithful to be with Him where He is (in Heaven) and to see His glory
God has loved the Son even before the foundation of the world
25 World // a place of darkness
26 Jesus has revealed the Father
Result: God's love in us
Result: Jesus dwelling in us
Review: Common Themes in the Passage
Glory
Unity
Joy
In, not of…
World // Darkness
Confidence
Application Points
- We can approach the Father with confidence & boldness, cf. Heb. 4:14-16
- Jesus is exalted, cf. Phil. 2:5ff.
- We need to do the Father's Will and bring Him glory!
- We should find Joy in Jesus and His words.
