Every time I read chapter 17 I feel like I’m getting a look into the heart and soul of Jesus. The entire chapter is a record of Jesus’ prayer immediately before He was arrested in the garden.
Earlier in John’s gospel the division of opinion regarding Jesus was evident and the hostility some felt toward Him reached a level of pure evil set on murder. In the last chapter Jesus warned the disciples of the hostility they would soon face. But now He prays in a very personal way.
Knowing that the hour when He will die is fast approaching, Jesus talks with the Father in an intimate manner. He talks about returning to the Father (verse 13) and expresses His desire that the Father “glorify” Him so He might also glorify the Father (verse 1).
An important truth is mentioned in verse 5 when Jesus mentions the glory which He “had” with the Father “before the world was.” In so doing Jesus reminds us that He is eternal. He did begin at Bethlehem, but in fact existed before the world was even created. Since the Son is divine, He had no beginning. What we celebrate at Christmas is the incarnation – Jesus taking upon Himself human nature. The New Testament speaks elsewhere about the eternal nature of Christ and His incarnation when He was born to Mary (Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-17).
Even when Jesus is laying open His heart before the Father as He awaits the mob led by Judas, He also has His followers on His mind and heart. In verse 9 Jesus prays for His disciples and in verse 20 He prays you and me – for all who would believe on Him in the centuries to come.
It is moving to know that our Savior prayed for us as He faced His impending arrest and crucifixion. Yet this should not surprise us because He always made clear that His mission while in this world was to save us from our sins. We were always on His heart.
Each of us would benefit from examining the place we give Jesus in our heart. Are there times when we allow other things or other people to replace Him?
The Psalmist prayed: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24). That is a great prayer for each of us to pray.
Pastor Steve Hogg
Leave a Reply