I write about Stuff

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” —John 17:20

John 17 — The Prayer That Holds the Whole Church

John 17 is often called the “High Priestly Prayer,” but it is also something far more intimate: it is Jesus opening His heart before the Father while His closest friends listen. After three years of walking together, this is one of the final moments of quiet before the storm of betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. And in this sacred pause, Jesus prays — not only for Himself, not only for His disciples, but astonishingly, for us.

This prayer unfolds like a three‑movement symphony, each part revealing something essential about the heart of God.

1. Jesus Prays for Himself (John 17:1–5)

Jesus begins by lifting His eyes to heaven — a posture of trust, not desperation. He knows what is coming: the agony of the cross, the weight of sin, the silence of the Father’s judgment. Yet His first request is not for escape but for glory.

“Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.”

This is not self‑promotion. It is surrender. Jesus is asking for the strength to complete the mission — to walk the path of suffering all the way to the end so that the Father’s love can be revealed in its fullness.

He defines eternal life in a way that surprises us. Not as a place. Not as a reward. But as a relationship:

“To know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent.”

Eternal life begins now, in the knowing — in the daily, growing, transforming relationship with the Father and the Son. And Jesus makes it clear that the purpose of His saving work is the same purpose for our lives: to glorify God.

Paul echoes this truth centuries later: “Whatever you do… do it all for the glory of God.”

Every moment — from the mundane to the magnificent — becomes an opportunity to reflect His goodness. This is where joy is found. This is where our lives make sense.

2. Jesus Prays for His Disciples (John 17:6–19)

Next, Jesus turns His attention to the men who have walked with Him. They have left everything to follow Him. They have witnessed miracles, heard kingdom secrets, and seen glimpses of glory. But now they stand on the edge of a world that will not welcome them.

Jesus knows what they will face: persecution, misunderstanding, loneliness, fear, and eventually martyrdom. So He prays not for their escape, but for their endurance.

“Protect them by the power of your name.”

He asks the Father to guard their hearts, their unity, their faith, and their mission. He knows they will be sent into the world just as He was — not to blend in, but to shine.

And then He prays for something we often overlook: their joy.

“I told them many things… so they would be filled with my joy.”

Joy is not a soft emotion. It is spiritual strength. Joy keeps us steady when circumstances shake. Joy keeps us hopeful when darkness presses in. Joy keeps us faithful when obedience feels costly.

If joy has faded, Jesus invites us to ask for its restoration — because joy is not something we manufacture; it is something God gives.

3. Jesus Prays for All Believers (John 17:20–26)

Finally, Jesus looks beyond the disciples gathered around Him. He looks across centuries, across cultures, across continents. He sees every believer who will ever come to faith through their message — including you, including me.

And His deepest longing for us is simple and profound:

unity.

Not sameness. Not agreement on every issue. But unity of heart, purpose, and love.

Unity strengthens our witness. Unity protects our mission. Unity reveals God’s love to the world.

Jesus prays that our relationships would reflect the relationship between the Father and the Son — a unity marked by love, humility, and mutual honour. When the world sees Christians loving one another well, it becomes a living testimony that Jesus truly is who He says He is.

Unity is not optional. It is missional. It is evangelistic. It is powerful.

The Prayer That Still Holds Us

John 17 is not just a record of what Jesus prayed. It is a window into His heart. It is a reminder that we are loved, known, protected, and sent.

Jesus prayed for Himself — so we could have eternal life. He prayed for His disciples — so the gospel could reach us. He prayed for us — so the world could see His love through our unity.

And the beauty is this: He is still praying. The risen Christ continues to intercede for His people, holding us before the Father with the same tenderness He showed in this final prayer.