The author presents a splendid outline of John 17 showing the requests and the bequests of our Great High Priest.
John 13-17 is arguably one of the most sublime sections in the entire New Testament. It is that portion of Scripture that contains the Upper Room discourse of the Lord Jesus—a discourse found in no other Gospel account. It is the tender farewell of a loving Saviour as He prepares to return to His Father in heaven. Directed toward His eleven disciples, it reveals a growing intimacy to those He now calls “friends” (15:15) as He unfolds many of the great truths of the Christian faith later developed in the epistles. The scene marks the conclusion of His earthly ministry culminating the following day when He would lay down His life as a sacrifice for sin, validated by His resurrection three days later. Truly, having loved His own that were in the world, He would love them to the fullest extent—unto the end (13:1).
The Upper Room Discourse
The farewell ministry of the Saviour commences in John 13. There He exemplifies the pattern that should characterize all believers when He humbly kneels and washes His disciple’s feet. Then, in chapter 14, He highlights what He would also do for us—prepare a place (v. 3), answer prayer (v. 14), and send a Paraclete—the Holy Spirit (v. 16)—to comfort and guide us during His absence. In chapter 15, He underscores what we should do for Him, namely to be a witness in the world and to bear fruit—much fruit—so that the Father is glorified (v. 8). Chapter 16 enlarges on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, in particular His work toward the world (vv. 7-11) and toward His own (vv. 12-15). His teaching has become a deepening and widening channel of truth. But nowhere are the depths of these truths more keenly sensed than with the words contained in chapter 17, commonly known as our Lord’s high priestly prayer.
The intercession of our Great High Priest
Undoubtedly, John 17 is the apogee of the Lord’s personal ministry to His own on the night before His crucifixion. On this unique occasion, they had the inestimable privilege of hearing Him passionately pray to the Father on their behalf. Embodied in that prayer are some of the richest themes in the New Testament—themes such as election, sanctification, and glorification. Typically, this chapter depicts the final step in the order of approach to God as portrayed in the service of the OT tabernacle.
Having had His death pictured through His anointing in John 12, and having washed His disciple’s feet in John 13, the Lord then instructs them on a number of profound truths in John 14-16. Respectively, these actions represent the bronze altar, the laver, and the holy place in the order of their placement in the tabernacle. Now, in John 17, He takes His disciples figuratively into the holiest of all: the very presence of God where as our great High Priest intercedes for the heirs of salvation.
The requests of our Great High Priest
In His prayer, the Lord made seven petitions of the Father: two for Himself (vv. 1-5), two for the disciples (vv. 6-19), and three for those who would afterwards believe on His name (vv. 20-26). His initial request was for the Father to glorify Him so that He would consequently glorify the Father (v. 1). Indeed that is what transpired at Calvary when He went submissively with the Father to the place of sacrifice, just as Isaac did with his father in Genesis 22. His work on the cross brought glory to the Father and an immediate answer to His first request. The second request, that the Father would restore Him to His pre-incarnate glory (v. 5), was also answered quickly, first by His resurrection, and then just over forty days later when He ascended from Mount Olivet (Acts 1). These two requests—for His glorification at the cross and for His restoration to His pre-existent glory—were both answered in short order!
The next two requests dealt with the disciples’ preservation (v. 11) and sanctification (v. 17). Repeatedly, the Lord referred to all believers as having been given to Him (vv. 6, 9, 11, 12, 24). Each believer is a gift from the Father to the Son. In verse 11, He prayed: “Keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me.” What greater assurance could any of us have than to know that the security of our salvation does not depend upon our own ability to “keep the faith,” but rather on our being kept as the object of both the Lord’s prayer and the Father’s power (1 Pet. 1:5)?
Further, knowing the deceptive and destructive wiles of the devil, the Lord added to our assurance by praying for our spiritual protection from the evil one (v. 15). In the same way that He prayed for Peter, we know that He prays that our faith fail not (Lk. 22:32).
He also prayed for their sanctification. His petition is: “Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy Word is Truth” (v. 17). This speaks of both the substance and source of their walk with Him—separation from the world and direction from the Word. It comes about as we diligently study the Scriptures and apply them practically in our daily lives.
Positionally, these two requests will always be answered since every believer is sanctified by God and preserved in Jesus Christ (Jude 1). Practically, we sense the reality of these truths as we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word.
The final set of petitions is recorded in verses 20-26. These focus upon our unification (v. 21), evangelization (v. 22), and consummation (v. 24). His prayer is that we would be one, just as the Father and the Son are One. Congregations and individual Christians everywhere need to be reminded of this significant request of our Saviour! Doctrinal integrity is a must, but so is the putting away of petty disagreements and personality differences if unity is to occur. The apostolic Church was known both for their steadfastness in the truth and their love for each other. There was a cohesion then that desperately needs to be exhibited today. When that occurs, we can be sure the difficult task of world evangelization will be helped in some measure.
The Lord beautifully concludes this masterpiece of prayer by stating His ultimate desire that they would be with Him where He is, so that they would behold His glory (v. 24)—a prayer that is answered every time a believer in Christ leaves this scene and is called Home to heaven.
The bequests of our Great High Priest
Not only does this chapter contain the requests of our great High Priest, but it also cites a number of His bequests—those things that He has left us as part of our spiritual inheritance.
Eternal life based on the proper understanding of the true God and His Son is the first item identified as a gift of the Saviour to us (v. 3). Another is the manifestation of the Father’s name (vv. 6, 26). This is the clear conception of the true God which He transmitted to us through His ministry on earth (2 Cor. 4:6). Just before this He had stated to Philip, “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9). Furthermore, He has given us the words of the Father (vv. 8, 14), conveying eternal truths from the throne room of heaven, which contradict the doctrines of men. And lastly from this passage, He has bequeathed to us His joy (v. 13) and His glory (v. 22); the joy of fellowship with the Father and the glory of Christ that radiates through us when we abide in Him.
The high priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus is a spiritual treasure trove of incalculable worth. To mediate on these glorious requests of our loving Saviour and what He has provided for us through His intercessory work will not only lift our hearts in grateful adoration, but strengthen our resolve to live whole-heartedly for the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.
To meditate on these glorious requests of our loving Saviour will strengthen our resolve to live wholeheartedly for Him.