The Church of Divine Guidance Sunday morning Adult Bible Study is embarking on an exhaustive study of the book of John. Of the four gospels, John’s gospel presents Jesus as God most forcefully. John explicitly declared Jesus to be God who brought all things into existence. John’s gospel confirmed that Jesus was YHVH of the Jews . He is light and life . These are the notes of that study along with the recorded audio of the session.
The approach of death has a way of bringing our priorities into focus. People who know death is imminent also know what is really important in life and who they really care about. In Jesus' final prayer with his disciples, he prays for himself, for them and for you! Every believer is on Jesus' mind as he faces the greatest trial of his life—the cross.
The whole of chapter 17 records Jesus’ prayer. We know this because the authors of the Gospels recorded this. But we have the words of only a few of his prayers. This is the longest of Jesus’ prayers that we have.
Jesus Prays for Himself
John 17:1-5 (NLT)1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
Jesus makes only one request for himself—that the Father would glorify him, so that he might glorify the Father.
The time had finally come for Him to complete His assignment. The reason He had come which was to bring salvation to mankind. Christ did not seek some honor here for his own sake. His glorification through death, resurrection, and exaltation, would be to glorify the Father.
He obeyed God always. He did everything that God asked him to do. His life, death and resurrection all brought glory to God.
Remember when He healed the man by the pool on the Sabbath and the leaders got all upset what He said to them?
John 5:19-20 (NLT)19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.
Or after the situation with the woman accused of adultery?
John 8:28 (NLT)28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.
When He spoke to the crowds after His final entry into Jerusalem?
John 12:49-50 (NLT)49 I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.50 And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
This glorification of the Father includes in it the elevation of the Son to glory and power, where he is head over all things including the authority to give eternal life, on the basis of Christ's finished work. The beneficiaries are described as those whom the Father has given to the Son, the disciples. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
How is Jesus' definition of eternal life different from merely living forever?
Eternal life is set forth in terms of knowing God
1 John 5:20 (NLT)20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.
It is the claim of verse 3 and the Gospel that the knowledge of God which brings eternal life comes only through the knowledge of the Son. Since the Father and the Son are one, the knowledge of one is also knowledge of the other. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Jesus, God’s Son, has always existed remember John 1:1-2.
John 1:1-2 (NLT)1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He existed in the beginning with God.
In His prayer Jesus asked God to give to him again the glory that they had shared in heaven. He had finishing what He was sent to do which was to reveal the Father, to expose sin, choose and train those who would follow after Him and most of all the sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the world. Now that He was finishing the work Jesus asked the Father to return the glory that He had in heaven as it had been from the very beginning.
We know that He did.
Acts 7:54-56 (NLT)54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
Plus the descriptions that John gives us in Revelations
Jesus prays for the disciples
John 17:6-12 (NLT)6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you,8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
According to these verses, what specific ministries did Jesus have toward his disciples?
A large part of the work of the Son on the earth had been to make the Father known to the disciples
John 1:14 (NLT)14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John 14:7-9 (NLT)7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
Jesus had shown to them what God is really like. And they believed in Jesus. So they belonged to God.
Jesus viewed the disciples as those whom God had given to Him out of the world
John 6:35-37 (NLT)35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
This was after He had fed the multitude and the next day the crowds had followed Him to the other side of the lake and He said that they followed Him because of the miracles but that there would be some that believe because the Father has caused them to come to Jesus. In other words, the Father has given these people to Jesus.
Since the Father had given them to Him God will protect them. This is confirmed in the final phrase of 17:6: “they have kept Your word.”
In John’s gospel, when Jesus refers to His “words” , He is talking about His commands, but when He refers to His “word” He is talking about His gospel which is the Good News about salvation through Him. Thus, Jesus is indicating that the disciples have responded to the gospel.
There was much that the eleven disciples didn’t yet understand, but they did believe that Jesus had come from God and that His words were God’s words. They accepted Jesus’ teachings even though they didn’t understand them fully, and what they understood they believed. Like the disciples, do you and I “receive” and “believe” God’s Word?
Jesus prays that His disciples will be kept in God’s name. In ancient times a “name” represented one’s character or reputation. This has some carry-over into modern culture. Perhaps your father or mother used to admonish you to do nothing that would bring dishonor to the family name. Your parent’s concern was that your activities not detract from the family reputation. Likewise, God has entrusted His reputation to Christ, who revealed it to the disciples. Now Jesus prays that the disciples may be kept true to that revelation. The purpose of this prayer is that the disciples might share a unity of spirit modeled after the unity shared by the Father and the Son in the Trinity
John 17:13-19 (NLT)13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do.17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
Jesus wants His disciples to experience full joy once He leaves. Just knowing that Jesus had kept them and will continue to keep them ought to facilitate joy.
The reception of the word of Christ identified these men with him and set them apart from the world, which rejected and hated him and therefore had the same attitude toward them.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Remember in our study of chapter 15
John 15:18-25 (NLT)18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One who sent me.22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’
People rejected Jesus. They refused to believe in him. Many of them especially the leaders hated him. So they also hated everyone who followed him. They were able to convince others to hate him also because He didn’t do what they expected the Messiah to do when He appeared. People still reject Jesus. He never hurt anybody. In fact, he never did anything wrong. But still many people hate him. Therefore, they will hate us, just because we follow Jesus.
Remember what He told them at the Passover Feast after He had washed their feet? They persecuted and killed Him and they would do the same to them.
John 13:16 (NLT)16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.
Christ suffered rejection because men did not really know the One who sent him. The disciples were being inducted into the circle of the misunderstood, sharing this distinction with their Lord. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
When a person rejects Jesus, they are rejecting also God, his *Father.
Yet, it is interesting to note that Jesus doesn’t pray that disciples be exempted from evil. That prayer will not be answered until we receive glorified bodies and are in heaven. It’s significant that Moses, Elijah, and Jonah all prayed to be taken out of the world but He didn’t answer their prayers immediately. Don’t believe me?
Numbers 11:13-15 (NLT)13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy!15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”
1 Kings 19:1-4 (NLT)1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Jonah 4:1-3 (NLT)1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.
2 So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.3 Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
The goal is not isolation, but insulation.
Jesus prays for all believers
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| Jesus prays for Himself, His disciples, and for you and me |
The prayer reaches out to include those who will believe because of the testimony of the disciples.
John 10:16 (NLT)16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
Faith is the necessary condition for enjoying the life of God and therefore of coming into that unity which is found first of all in the Godhead and then in the body of Christ, the Church.
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, his disciples told many people about him. They spoke in public about salvation.
Acts 2:1-6 (NLT)1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
They used Jesus’ name to do miracles. The good news about Jesus spread quickly.
Acts 3:2-8 (NLT)2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!”5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money.6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened.8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
Later, the authors of the Gospels recorded Jesus’ words and acts. The church has continued to grow during the last 2000 years. Christians have continued to teach each other about Jesus. People have translated the Bible into many different languages. We know about Jesus because of all this.
The first thing he asks for us is this: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
Bible Study Audio
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