John 17 of the King James Bible stands as a profound and deeply moving chapter, often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. In this chapter, we witness Jesus in direct communion with God the Father, not for himself, but for his disciples and all future believers. This prayer, delivered just before his crucifixion, reveals the core of Jesus’ mission and his deepest desires for those who would follow him. It’s a powerful testament to his love, his divine purpose, and his vision for unity amongst his followers. Let’s delve into the verses of John 17 King James to understand the layers of meaning and significance within this sacred text.
Jesus Prays for Glorification and His Mission (John 17:1-5)
The chapter opens with Jesus looking towards heaven and initiating his prayer. Verse 1 sets the stage: “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” Here, Jesus acknowledges that “the hour” of his sacrifice and glorification has arrived. He asks the Father to glorify him so that he, in turn, might glorify the Father. This isn’t a request for personal aggrandizement, but rather a plea for the divine plan to unfold, where the Son’s glorification through suffering and resurrection will ultimately bring glory to God.
Verse 2 continues, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” This verse highlights the authority bestowed upon Jesus – power “over all flesh” – granted to him by the Father. The purpose of this power is explicitly stated: to grant eternal life to those given to him by the Father. This establishes a crucial point: eternal life is a gift from God, mediated through Jesus Christ, and intended for a specific group chosen by God.
Verse 3 defines eternal life itself: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Eternal life is not merely endless existence, but fundamentally about knowing God and Jesus Christ. This knowledge is experiential and relational, not just intellectual. It’s about a deep, personal connection with the “only true God” and recognizing Jesus as the Messiah sent by Him.
Verses 4 and 5 reflect on Jesus’ earthly ministry and his anticipation of returning to divine glory. “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” Jesus declares that he has completed the mission assigned to him by the Father, glorifying God through his actions and teachings on earth. He then prays, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” This is a profound statement of Jesus’ pre-existence and his inherent glory with the Father before creation. He asks to be restored to that original glory after completing his earthly work.
Manifesting God’s Name and the Disciples’ Faith (John 17:6-10)
Verses 6 through 10 shift the focus to Jesus’ disciples and their relationship with God and Jesus. “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” Jesus emphasizes that he has revealed God’s name – God’s character and nature – to the disciples. These men were initially God’s, and then given to Jesus, and they have “kept thy word,” demonstrating their faithfulness and obedience.
Verse 7 reinforces the disciples’ understanding: “Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.” The disciples have come to recognize that Jesus’ authority and teachings originate from God. This understanding is crucial for their faith and their future ministry.
Verse 8 elaborates on Jesus’ role as the communicator of God’s word: “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” Jesus reiterates that he delivered God’s words to the disciples, and they have accepted them. This acceptance has led them to believe in Jesus’ divine origin and mission – that he was sent by God.
Verses 9 and 10 further clarify the scope of Jesus’ prayer at this moment. “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” Jesus explicitly states that he is praying specifically for his disciples, not for the world in general at this point. He emphasizes their belonging to God: “for they are thine.” Verse 10 expands on this relationship: “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” This verse speaks to the deep unity and interrelation between the Father and the Son, and how the disciples, belonging to both, contribute to their mutual glorification.
Prayer for Unity, Protection, and Sanctification (John 17:11-19)
Beginning in verse 11, Jesus continues his prayer focusing on the disciples’ future in the world after his departure. “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” Jesus acknowledges his impending departure from the world and his return to the Father. He implores the “Holy Father” to protect the disciples, asking that they be kept “through thine own name,” signifying protection through God’s power and authority. Crucially, he prays for their unity, mirroring the unity between the Father and the Son: “that they may be one, as we are.” This unity is not just organizational, but a deep spiritual oneness.
Verse 12 reflects on Jesus’ ministry of protection during his time with them. “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” Jesus recounts how he has protected the disciples while he was with them, except for Judas, “the son of perdition,” whose betrayal was foretold in scripture.
Verse 13 reveals Jesus’ purpose in speaking these words in their presence: “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” Jesus speaks this prayer audibly so that the disciples might hear and have his joy fulfilled in them. This joy is not dependent on circumstances but rooted in their relationship with God and understanding of his plan.
Verses 14-16 address the disciples’ relationship with the world. “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Jesus has given them God’s word, and as a result, “the world hath hated them” because they, like Jesus, are not “of the world” – they do not conform to the world’s values and systems. Verse 15 clarifies Jesus’ prayer is not for their removal from the world but for their protection within it: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” He prays for their protection “from the evil,” indicating the spiritual dangers they will face in the world. Verse 16 reiterates their separation from the world: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
Verse 17 is a powerful plea for sanctification: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus asks the Father to “sanctify” the disciples – to set them apart for holy purposes – through “thy truth,” which is identified as “thy word.” God’s word is the instrument of sanctification, transforming and purifying believers.
Verses 18 and 19 connect the disciples’ mission to Jesus’ own mission. “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, Jesus sends his disciples into the world to continue his mission. Verse 19 emphasizes Jesus’ self-sacrifice for their sanctification: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Jesus dedicates himself, sets himself apart, for the disciples’ benefit, so that they too might be sanctified through the truth.
Prayer for Future Believers and Ultimate Unity (John 17:20-26)
The scope of Jesus’ prayer expands in verse 20 to include all future believers. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” Jesus explicitly states that his prayer is not limited to the immediate disciples but extends to all who will believe in him “through their word” – through the message the disciples will preach.
Verse 21 reiterates the central theme of unity, now applied to all believers: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” Jesus prays for the unity of all believers, modeled after the perfect unity between the Father and the Son. This unity is not just an internal benefit for believers, but has an evangelistic purpose: “that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” The visible unity of believers is a powerful witness to the world.
Verses 22 and 23 connect glory and unity. “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” Jesus states that he has given the disciples the glory that the Father gave him, enabling their unity to mirror the divine unity. This indwelling presence – “I in them, and thou in me” – leads to believers being “made perfect in one.” Again, the purpose is evangelistic: “that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” The world will recognize Jesus’ divine mission and God’s love through the unity and love among believers.
Verses 24-26 express Jesus’ desire for believers to be with him in glory and to know God’s love. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” Jesus expresses his will that those given to him by the Father will ultimately be with him to “behold my glory.” He again refers to the Father’s love for him “before the foundation of the world,” emphasizing the eternal nature of their relationship.
Verses 25 and 26 conclude the prayer with a contrast between the world’s ignorance of God and the disciples’ knowledge of God. “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.” Jesus acknowledges that “the world hath not known thee,” while he and the disciples have come to know God. Verse 26 summarizes Jesus’ ongoing mission to reveal God. “And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Jesus has revealed God’s name and will continue to do so, so that the Father’s love for Jesus may also be in the believers, and Jesus himself may dwell in them.
Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Jesus’ Prayer in John 17 King James
John 17 King James offers a profound glimpse into the heart of Jesus and his relationship with God and his followers. This prayer is not just a historical record, but a living testament to Jesus’ enduring intercession for unity, protection, sanctification, and ultimate glorification of believers. The themes of glorification, eternal life through knowing God, unity among believers, sanctification through truth, and the promise of being with Christ in glory resonate deeply with Christians today. Reflecting on John 17 King James provides continued encouragement and direction for those seeking to live out their faith in a world that often stands in opposition to God’s truth. It reminds us of the importance of unity, the power of God’s word to sanctify, and the ultimate hope of eternal life and glory through Jesus Christ.
