Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, Part 1a

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer: He Prays for Himself

John 17: 1-5

Jesus has shared the final Passover with his disciples’ and has washed their feet. He reveals his going away to them. He has shared the glory of mansions he is going to prepare; he has shared that he will be coming again to take them to be with him. He has explained their relationship with him

⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, New King James Version)

I. His Righteous Hour (vs. 1b)

1. A Messianic reference (John 2:4)
2. A Messianic sacrifice (John 7:30 time not right)
3. A Messianic redemption ( John 12:27)

The term “my hour” is used by Jesus throughout John’s Gospel in reference to his impending work of redemption on Calvary’s cross. While many including some of His own disciples believed that He had come to set up an earthly kingdom, Jesus had other plans. While He was and is the Messiah in the truest sense of the word, His Kingdom will last for eternity. His completed work on the cross is the only sufficient means by which wretched man can be redeemed. From out of the slave market of sin, Jesus’ blood has bought us out and into his family, so that we are heirs and joint heirs with Christ.

II. His Reciprocal Glory (vs. 1c)

1. Father glorifies Son
2. Son glorifies the Father

When Jesus came as a human baby, he emptied himself of His glory, His prerogatives and His privileges in what is known as the kenosis, or emptying. He did not lose His deity, as He is fully God and fully man. The Reciprocal Glory here is Jesus being lifted up on the cross so that the Father would be glorified. Jesus’ exultation in His own Glory exemplifies his love for us, but not only that, it exemplifies his perfect divinity and sovereignty.

III. His Regal Authority (vs. 2)

1. The Scope
2. The Subject

Jesus has three offices that he occupies Prophet, Priest, and King. A prophet is called of God to stand before the people for God, today we would call Him a preacher. A priest is called of God to stand before God on behalf of the people, an intercessor if  you will. A king is sovereign and has authority that is carried with this office. Jesus has regal authority to grant eternal life to those the Father gives to Him. Jesus’ authority was continually called into question during his earthly ministry, but when He returns, there will be no questioning His authority,

⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, New King James Version

In the next post, we will continue with verses 3 – 5 in this same chapter. We’ll see Jesus’ REAL purpose revealed.