That They May Be One: John 17:1-26

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed.

The farewell discourse complete, Jesus lifted his eyes and prayed. The disciples heard every word. This prayer—the longest recorded prayer of Jesus—reveals his deepest concerns on his final night.

Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

The hour. Throughout John's Gospel, Jesus had said his hour had not yet come. Now it had arrived. Glory through suffering. The cross as throne.

For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.

Authority over all humanity, given by the Father. Purpose: eternal life for those given to Jesus.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Eternal life defined—not primarily duration but relationship. Knowing God. Knowing Jesus. This is the life that never ends.

I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

The work was nearly finished. Every healing, every teaching, every mile walked—all assigned work, now complete.

And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Pre-existent glory. Jesus recalled the glory he shared with the Father before creation. He asked for its restoration.

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

The disciples—given by the Father to the Son. Jesus had revealed the Father to them. They had obeyed, imperfectly but genuinely.

Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

The chain of transmission: Father to Son, Son to disciples. The words were accepted. The mission was believed.

I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

Focused prayer for the disciples. Not for the world in general but for these specific men who would carry the mission forward.

All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

Mutual ownership between Father and Son. The disciples had brought Jesus glory—their faith, their following, their future witness.

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

Protection requested. Unity desired. The oneness of Father and Son as model for the oneness of believers.

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Eleven safe, one lost. Judas fulfilled prophecy. Jesus had protected the rest.

I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

Joy—full joy—even on this dark night. Jesus prayed that his joy would fill them.

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.

The word brought hatred. Not belonging to the world meant rejection by the world.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

Not escape but protection. Stay in the world; be protected from evil. Mission required presence.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Sanctification through truth. Set apart by the word. The word is truth itself.

As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Sent ones. As Jesus was sent, so he sends. The mission transfers to the disciples.

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus set himself apart for sacrifice—so that through his death, they would be truly set apart.

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.

The prayer expanded beyond the upper room. Jesus prayed for future believers—for us. Through their message, millions would believe.

That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Unity as apologetic. When believers are one, the world sees and believes. Division undermines the message.

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Glory shared. Complete unity achieved. The world's knowledge: Jesus was sent, and the Father loves believers as he loves the Son.

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

The final desire: togetherness. Where Jesus is, his people will be. They will see his glory—the glory of eternal love.

Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.

The world ignorant, Jesus knowing, disciples knowing through Jesus.

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

The purpose of revelation: indwelling love. The Father's love for the Son—that very love—dwelling in believers. And Jesus himself in them.

This prayer continues. The risen Christ intercedes still. Unity, protection, joy, sanctification, mission—Jesus prays for his people.