Have you ever wondered what Jesus prayed for just hours before His crucifixion? In those final moments, His heart wasn’t focused on His own suffering, but on something far more precious – His followers.
Picture this: you’re about to face the greatest challenge of your life, yet instead of asking for help for yourself, you spend time praying for the people you love most.
That’s exactly what Jesus did. The Prayer for Believers in John 17 reveals Christ’s deepest desires for His disciples, both then and now.
This isn’t just an ancient prayer, it’s Jesus interceding for every person who would ever believe in Him, including you and me.
In this intimate conversation between Father and Son, we discover what truly matters to Jesus: our unity, our protection, our joy, and our eternal relationship with God.
These words still echo today, showing us how much we mean to Him.
Understanding Jesus’ High Priestly Intercession
On the night before His crucifixion, in those precious final moments with His disciples, Jesus Christ lifted His eyes to heaven and offered what many consider the most profound prayer in all of Scripture.
This intercession, recorded in John 17, reveals the heart of our Saviour for every believer, past, present, and future.
The Unique Character of John’s Gospel
The book of John stands in a class by itself. Although it portrays in general outline the life and mission of Jesus Christ, it is quite different in structure and style from the other three Gospels; Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
In John 1, Jesus is introduced as the Word or Logos different from the introduction in other Gospels.
Jesus as the Son of God is repeatedly mentioned showing the humanity of Jesus and also as the Lamb of God that provides Salvation.
John Chapter 13 through 17 deal with Jesus’ final moments with the disciples before proceeding to his trial, death, burial, and resurrection from John 18 through chapter 21.
It will do us good to pay close attention to the prayers of Jesus in John 17 because it contains heartfelt prayers of Christ’s intention for the church and the believer.
Understanding the Context: “The Hour Has Come”
As we examine this remarkable prayer of intercession, we begin with John 17:1, where Jesus declares, “the hour has come.”
This statement signifies that the hour of his death and crucifixion is close—for this reason the Son of Man came on earth to save sinners from their sin.
This wasn’t merely a reference to time; it was a divine appointment that had been predetermined before the foundation of the world.
Jesus’ Prayer for Eternal Life (John 17:2-3)
In verses 2 and 3, Christ speaks of bringing eternal Life to humanity.
It’s the finished work of Christ on the cross that has given us Life eternal—the moment we accept the sacrifice of Christ, we receive eternal life.
The Scripture confirms this precious promise:
- 1 John 2:25: “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
- 1 John 5:11: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son.”
- 1 John 5:13: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Completing the Father’s Work (John 17:4)
In John 17:4, Jesus declares that He had completed His work here on earth, thus bringing glory to God.
This powerful statement applies to every believer who focuses on finishing the work God has placed in their hands, for this brings glory to God.
When we walk in obedience to our divine calling, we participate in the same glorification that Jesus offered to the Father.
Revealing the Father’s True Character (John 17:6)
One of the primary purposes of Christ’s coming was to show humanity the accurate character and nature of the Father, because men had misrepresented God.
That was why Jesus said, “I have revealed your very self, your real self to the people whom you have given me.”
Through His life, words, and actions, Jesus corrected every misconception about the Father’s heart toward humanity.
Our Divine Identification with Christ (John 17:7-10)
John 17:7-10 speaks powerfully about our identification with Christ.
Consider this beautiful analogy: when a man marries a woman, all that the man has belongs to the woman, and all that the woman has, belongs to the man.
In the same way, we belong to Christ—our lives are in Him, He lives in us. As He is, so are we in this world.
This is the present reality of the believer today; this prayer has been fulfilled.
The Crucial Prayer for Unity
First Unity: Unity of Faith (John 17:11)
This is a crucial prayer made by Jesus for unity among believers. The first unity is unity of the faith, which is the message that we preach.
This unity is essential because it saves us from being tossed about with every wind of doctrine.
Paul expands on this concept in Ephesians 4:3-5, 13-14:
- Verse 3: “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.”
- Verse 4: “There is one body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”
- Verse 5: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”
- Verse 13: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:”
- Verse 14: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
Second Unity: Unity of Mind and Purpose
The second unity Jesus prayed for is believers being of one mind and purpose.
This is crucial because where there is envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16).
The Psalmist beautifully captures the blessing of unity in Psalms 133:1-3:
“How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there, the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
There is tremendous blessing in unity among God’s people!
The Case of Judas Iscariot (John 17:12)
In verse 12, Jesus references Judas Iscariot, who was lost because he never truly believed in Jesus the Messiah, even though he walked among the disciples.
This serves as a powerful reminder that God doesn’t decide who gets saved and who doesn’t—it is all a matter of choice. Judas Iscariot chose unbelief in Jesus, the Word of God.
Separation from the World System (John 17:14-19)
In these verses, we see that Jesus had given the disciples the Word of God through His teaching.
He also warned them that the world system—its priorities, behaviours, values, and mindset—will always conflict with Christian beliefs.
Hence the hatred we sometimes experience as believers. Importantly, God doesn’t hate the world, but the world’s system hates the teachings of Jesus because it challenges their opinions and worldviews.
The Word of God has the transformative power to make us clean and separate us from the filth in the world.
Jesus is the Word of God; we are in Him, consecrated and separated unto good works and to spread the message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
We are in the world but not of the world. We have all been given one ministry: the ministry of reconciliation.
Prayer for Future Believers (John 17:20-26)
The concluding portion of this remarkable prayer shows that Jesus didn’t just pray for the immediate disciples, but for all who would believe the message of the Gospel throughout history—including us today!
The Threefold Emphasis on Unity
We see Jesus praying again for unity in this section. Unity is mentioned three times in this chapter—in verses 11, 21, and 23—telling us how vitally important this is to the heart of God.
Sharing Christ’s Glory (John 17:22)
In verse 22, Jesus makes an outstanding statement: He has given us the same glory and honour that He possesses!
This is the oneness that His resurrection provided for us. Some believers worry that they don’t want to steal or take God’s glory, but they forget that we have been granted the same glory and honour as Jesus.
Glory to God!
Experiencing the Father’s Love (John 17:23)
In verse 23, Jesus declares another remarkable truth: “You have loved them as you have loved me.”
The same love God has for Jesus is the identical love God has for us! This truth is almost too wonderful to comprehend—God doesn’t love Jesus more than He loves you.
It is the same divine, unchanging love! Glory!!!
God doesn’t hate the world for this isn’t part of his nature or character.
Revealing God’s Character (John 17:26)
Jesus concludes this prayer by reaffirming that He has made God’s character known to His followers, which was a primary purpose of His earthly mission.
Why is John 17 Called the High Priestly Prayer?
John 17 is often referred to as the “High Priestly Prayer” for several compelling reasons:
1. Intercessory Role
In this chapter, Jesus is praying on behalf of His disciples and all future believers, which mirrors the intercessory role of the High Priest in the Old Testament sacrificial system.
2. Divine Timing
This prayer occurs just before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, paralleling how the High Priest would make atonement for the people before entering the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement.
Hebrews 9:7 explains: “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.”
Hebrews 9:25 adds: “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year without blood of other;”
3. Sacred Content
The prayer focuses on Jesus’ relationship with the Father, His mission, and his deep concern for His followers, reflecting the mediatorial role of the High Priest between God and the people.
4. Sanctification Theme
Jesus speaks of sanctifying Himself for His followers’ sake, which echoes the concept of the High Priest being set apart for sacred service.
5. Unity Emphasis
Jesus prays earnestly for the unity of believers, similar to how the High Priest represented the unity of the nation before God.
6. Glorification Focus
The prayer includes themes of glory and Jesus’ completed work, paralleling the High Priest’s role in bringing glory to God through faithful service.
7. Theological Significance
This prayer emphasizes Jesus’ ultimate role as our eternal High Priest, as beautifully elaborated in the book of Hebrews, where Jesus is described as the High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us.
Conclusion: Living in the Reality of This Prayer
The prayer of John 17 isn’t merely a historical record—it’s a living reality for every believer today.
When Jesus prayed for unity, eternal life, protection from the evil one, and sanctification through truth, He was praying for you and me.
These petitions have been answered through His death, burial, and resurrection.
As we meditate on this remarkable intercession, let us remember that we are the answer to Jesus’ prayer.
We are called to live in the unity He prayed for, to walk in the eternal life He secured for us, and to be sanctified by the truth of His Word.
For further study on Jesus’ office as High Priest, examine these key passages: Hebrews 5:1, Hebrews 5:5, Hebrews 6:20, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 8:3, and Hebrews 10:21.
For additional spiritual growth, consider reading about how to pray for an unsaved family member or colleague.
My passion lies in reaching out to young adults in communities and schools, witnessing the transformative power of faith in their lives.
This blog extends my ministry, sharing insights, encouraging believers, and exploring Christ's teachings in daily life.
Welcome, Brother James.
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