A Narrative on John Chapter 17; The High Priestly Prayer According to the Amplified Bible (AMP)

"High Priestly Prayer"

Introduction

John Chapter 17, often referred to as the "High Priestly Prayer," is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the New Testament. This prayer is a significant moment in the Gospel of John, occurring just before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. It reveals Jesus’ deep communion with the Father and His intercession for Himself, His disciples, and all believers, including the believers of today. The themes of glory, unity, protection, sanctification, and love permeate this prayer, offering rich insights for us believers today. This narrative explores the entirety of John Chapter 17, including the full scripture text, its meaning, and implications for today’s believers.

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John Chapter 17: The High Priestly Prayer

Jesus Prays for Himself (John 17:1-5)

John 17:1-5 (AMP): "When Jesus had spoken these things, He raised His eyes to heaven [in prayer] and said, 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You. Just as You have given Him power and authority over all mankind, now glorify Him so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the Christ whom] You have sent. I have glorified You [down here] on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed.'"

Context and Meaning: Jesus begins His prayer by acknowledging that the hour of His crucifixion has arrived. He asks the Father to glorify Him, not for His own sake, but so that He might glorify the Father. The mutual glorification is tied to the fulfillment of His mission—granting eternal life to those given to Him by the Father. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. This part of the prayer reveals the deep relationship between the Father and the Son and the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ mission on earth. Think on that for a moment - Jesus’ glorification is tied to the granting of us believers eternal life, through His work. SELAH!

Meaning for Today’s Believers: For believers today, this section emphasizes the importance of knowing God personally as the essence of eternal life. It also highlights Jesus’ focus on glorifying the Father, which serves as an example for us to seek God’s glory in our own lives. This prayer assures us of the eternal life that comes through a deep, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples (John 17:6-19)

John 17:6-19 (AMP): "'I have manifested Your name to the people whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept and obeyed Your word. Now [at last] they know [with confident assurance] that all You have given Me is from You [it is really and truly Yours]. For the words which You gave Me I have given them; and they received and accepted them and truly understood [with confident assurance] that I came from You [from Your presence], and they believed that You sent Me. I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and all things that are Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; yet they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name [the name which You have given Me], so that they may be one just as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and protected them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You; and I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may experience My joy made full and complete and perfect within them [filling their hearts with My delight]. I have given them Your word [the message You gave Me]; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them [believers] into the world. For their sake [for their sanctification], I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.'"

Context and Meaning: In this part of the prayer, Jesus shifts His focus to His disciples. He acknowledges that the disciples were given to Him by the Father, and He has revealed the Father’s name and words to them. Jesus prays for their protection, asking the Father to keep them in His name so that they may be united as one, just as He and the Father are one. He also prays for their sanctification, asking the Father to set them apart by His truth, which is found in His word.

Meaning for Today’s Believers: This section of the prayer is significant for believers today as it reassures us of Jesus’ ongoing concern and intercession for us. The prayer for protection and unity emphasizes the importance of maintaining harmony within the body of Christ. The request for sanctification reminds us of our calling to live lives that are holy and set apart for God’s purposes. This part of the prayer also underscores the importance of being grounded in God’s word as the source of truth. This part of the prayer while made for the disciples also does extend to the believers of today

Jesus Prays for All Believers (John 17:20-26)

John 17:20-26 (AMP): "'I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and that You have loved them, just as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has never acknowledged You [and the revelation of Your mercy], yet I have always known You; and these [believers] know [without any doubt] that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them [overwhelming their heart], and I [may be] in them.'"

Context and Meaning: In this final section of His prayer, Jesus extends His intercession to include all future believers—those who will come to faith through the message of the disciples. His primary request is for unity among all believers, modeled after the unity between Himself and the Father. Jesus prays that this unity would be a powerful testimony to the world, demonstrating the truth of the gospel and the love of God. He also expresses His desire for believers to be with Him and to behold His glory.?

Meaning for Today’s Believers: This part of the prayer is especially meaningful for believers today, as it includes all who have come to faith in Jesus throughout history. The prayer for unity is a reminder that believers are called to be one in Christ, overcoming divisions and working together to fulfill God’s purposes. Jesus’ desire for us to be with Him and see His glory points to the hope of eternal life and the future we have in His presence. This prayer also emphasizes the importance of living out the love of God, which is the foundation of our unity and our witness to the world.

Summary

John Chapter 17, known as the High Priestly Prayer, is a powerfully truthful expression of Jesus’ heart and mission as He prepares for the cross. In this prayer, Jesus intercedes for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers, focusing on themes of glory, unity, protection, sanctification, and love. For today’s believers, this chapter offers deep assurances of Jesus’ ongoing intercession and a call to live in unity, truth, and love. It reminds us that eternal life is found in knowing God, that we are sanctified and set apart by His word, and that our unity and love are powerful testimonies to the world of God’s truth and grace. As we meditate on this prayer, we are encouraged to seek God’s glory, live in unity, and walk in the love that Jesus has shown us.

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