Jesus Prays for His Glory (John 17:1-5)
Quick Summary
In John 17:1–5, Jesus begins his High Priestly Prayer by lifting his eyes to heaven and asking the Father to glorify him so that he might glorify the Father. This glory shines most clearly through the cross and resurrection, where obedience and divine love are revealed in their fullness. Jesus also defines eternal life not as endless duration but as knowing the Father and the Son in relationship. In this prayer, we glimpse both his humanity and his eternal pre-existence with the Father.
Introduction
There are moments in Scripture when the veil seems to thin, and we are permitted to overhear something utterly holy. John 17 is one of those moments. Theologians have often called it the High Priestly Prayer, the “Holy of Holies” of the Gospels. It is Jesus’ longest recorded prayer, spoken on the eve of his crucifixion.
John has already given us the farewell discourse—chapters 13 through 16—where Jesus speaks to his disciples about love, the Spirit, and the world’s hatred. But here, his words are no longer directed toward them. He turns his face and his heart toward the Father. We are overhearing the Son speaking to the Father in a way that stretches back before the foundation of the world.
The opening verses (17:1–5) focus on Jesus praying for his own glorification. But what he asks for is not selfish ambition—it is glory for the Father revealed through the cross, resurrection, and ascension. At the center of his prayer, he gives one of the most profound statements about eternal life in all of Scripture: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
Let’s walk carefully, phrase by phrase, through these five verses.
Verse-by-Verse Breakdown of John 17:1–5
John 17:1 – “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.”
This is not the first time Jesus has spoken of “the hour.” At Cana, he said, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). Several times throughout the Gospel, hostile crowds tried to seize him, but “his hour had not yet come” (7:30; 8:20). Now, the hour has arrived. This is the climactic moment: the cross, resurrection, and ascension together.
Notice how Jesus prays. He does not begin with “help me” or “save me” but with “glorify your Son.” The Son’s glory is bound up in obedience and suffering, and yet it is real glory. In John’s paradoxical theology, the cross is both humiliation and exaltation. Raymond Brown (John, vol. 2, p. 741) calls this “the theology of glory in shame.” The crucifixion is not God’s defeat—it is the supreme revelation of divine love.
The purpose is clear: “so that the Son may glorify you.” Jesus seeks nothing for himself apart from the Father. His request is relational: glorify me so that in me your glory might be revealed. This mutual glorification reflects the unity of Father and Son.John 17:2 – “Since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”
Here Jesus acknowledges the authority entrusted to him. The scope is vast—“all people.” Yet within that universality lies particularity: eternal life is given to those the Father has entrusted to the Son.
Authority here is not raw power. It is not domination or coercion. It is authority to give life. D.A. Carson (John, p. 556) emphasizes that Christ’s authority is redemptive, not oppressive. He reigns by giving, not by taking. This counters our worldly notions of authority, which so often depend on control or fear.
John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
This verse is a theological diamond. It defines eternal life not in terms of endless duration but in terms of relationship. Eternal life is knowing God. The Greek verb ginōskō speaks of relational, experiential knowledge—like the way Scripture says Adam “knew” Eve. It is not intellectual assent but living communion.
Notice the pairing: the Father as “the only true God” and Jesus Christ as the one sent. Eternal life is participation in this relationship. Craig Keener notes (John, p. 1041) that here eternal life is not about escaping the world but about entering into the life of God.
This verse also has missionary implications. To “know” God and Christ is not private mysticism. It compels us outward, because this knowledge transforms and sends us.
John 17:4 – “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.”
Jesus speaks with confidence, as if the work is already complete. His whole ministry—his teaching, signs, acts of compassion, and his coming death—are one continuous act of obedience. The verb “finished” recalls John 19:30, where on the cross Jesus cries, “It is finished.”
The world may have judged him a failure, but in the Father’s eyes, the work is accomplished. This verse teaches us that true glory is obedience. It is not measured in numbers, power, or acclaim, but in faithfulness to God’s will.
John 17:5 – “So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”
This is a breathtaking claim. Jesus asks to be restored to the glory he had before creation. This verse echoes the prologue: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1:1). It affirms Christ’s pre-existence and divine nature.
Here we glimpse the eternal Sonship of Jesus. The incarnation meant that glory was veiled in flesh, hidden in humility. Now Jesus prays for the full restoration of that glory, pointing forward to the ascension, where he will be exalted to the Father’s right hand.
Brown (John, vol. 2, p. 747) calls this verse “a window into eternity.” It reminds us that the cross is not the end but the gateway to the eternal glory Jesus shares with the Father.
Theological Significance and Meaning for Today
1. The Cross as Glory
John 17 forces us to rethink glory. In the world’s terms, glory comes from success, fame, and recognition. But here, glory is revealed in the cross. What looks like failure to human eyes is victory in God’s economy. For the believer, this means our moments of weakness, obedience, and sacrifice can become places of God’s glory.
2. Eternal Life as Knowing God
Verse 3 is a corrective to shallow views of salvation. Eternal life is not “fire insurance” or a ticket to heaven. It begins now, in relationship with God. To know God through Christ is to live eternal life today, even as we await its fullness in the resurrection.
3. The Finished Work of Christ
Jesus speaks with certainty that his mission is complete. This gives us assurance: our salvation rests not on what we accomplish but on what Christ has finished. His obedience secures our life with God.
4. The Eternal Sonship of Jesus
Verse 5 reminds us that Jesus is not merely a moral teacher or prophet. He is the eternal Son who shared glory with the Father before the world began. Our faith rests not on a temporary figure but on the eternal Word made flesh.
5. Implications for Christian Living
This prayer calls us to live with different priorities. If glory comes through obedience, then our lives should be measured not by worldly metrics but by faithfulness to God. If eternal life is knowing God, then our greatest pursuit should be deepening that relationship.
FAQ
1. Why does Jesus call this moment his “hour”?
In John’s Gospel, the “hour” always points to the cross. What looks like shame is, in fact, the supreme revelation of God’s glory.
2. How is eternal life defined here?
Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ in relationship. It is not endless time but a new quality of life rooted in communion with God.
3. What does it mean that Jesus “finished the work”?
It means that everything the Father gave him—revealing truth, gathering disciples, preparing for the cross—was completed. The cross was the climactic act, but the mission was already certain.
4. How does verse 5 reveal Jesus’ divinity?
By asking to be restored to the glory he had before the world existed, Jesus claims pre-existence with the Father. This affirms that he is the eternal Word, not a created being.
5. What comfort can believers take from this passage?
That our salvation rests on Christ’s finished work, that eternal life is already ours in relationship with God, and that glory is found in faithful obedience rather than worldly success.
Works Consulted
Raymond Brown, John (AYB), vol. 2, John 13–21.
D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (PNTC).
Gail O’Day, John (NIB).
Craig Keener, The Gospel of John.
Andreas Köstenberger, John (BECNT).
