John Chapter 17

This is the last of four chapters in this Gospel of John Bible study where Jesus teaches his disciples after the Last Supper. Jesus teaches his disciples through a prayer to the Father. Jesus prays for himself, for his disciples and for all believers - He even prays for you and me and He also defines eternal life for us.

List the things that Jesus states in the prayer that he has accomplished while on earth.

• Verse 4 - I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
• Verse 6 - I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.
• Verse 8 - For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.
• Verse 12 - While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me.
• Verse 14 - I have given them your word…
• Verse 18 - As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
• Verse 22 - I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.
• Verse 26 - I have made you known to them, …

List the things that Jesus specifically asked God the Father to do in his prayer in the order they appear in this chapter of the Gospel of John.

• “Glorify your Son” – Verse 1.
• “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence” – Verse 5.
• “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name” – Verse 11.
• “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them

from the evil one” – Verse 15.

• “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” – Verse 17.
• “May they also be in us” – Verse 21.
• “May they be brought to complete unity” – Verse 23.
• “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory” – Verse 24.

What is eternal life?

Life with God; To know the only true God and His son Jesus Christ (see verse 3).

What do we learn about God, the Father’s, power and abilities from the following John 17?

• From Verse 11 – He can protect by the power of His name,
• From Verse 15 - He can take people out of the world and protect people from the evil one.
• From Verse 17 – He can sanctify people by the truth.
• From Verse 23 - He can love people.
• From Verse 24 - He can give people to Jesus, give glory, and love people.

Cite the verses John 17 that tell us the following about the world and those in it from Jesus’ prayer.

• Jesus has authority over them - Vs. 2.
• The Father has not been revealed to them by Jesus nor given to him by God Vs. 6, 9, 25.
• The world can bring harm to believers but God can protect them - Vs. 11,12.
• The world hates believers and they are not of the world nor is Jesus Christ - Vs.13 ,14, 15, 16.
• The disciples are sent into the world but yet are set apart from it - Vs. 18,19.
• The whole world can believe that God sent Jesus Christ -- Vs. 20, 21, 23.
• God loved Jesus before the world was created -- Vs. 24.

Jesus mentions glory/glorify 9 times in this prayer. What does glory mean?

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary:

Glory is defined as beauty, power, or honor; a quality of God's character that emphasizes His greatness and authority.

The word glory is used in three senses in the Bible:

• God's moral beauty and perfection of character. This divine quality is beyond man's understanding (Ps 113:4). All people "fall short" of it (Rom 3:23).
• God's moral beauty and perfection as a visible presence. While God's glory is not a substance, at times God does reveal His perfection to man in a visible way. Such a display of the presence of God is often seen as fire or dazzling light, but sometimes as an act of power. Some examples from the Old Testament are the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex 13:21), the Lord's deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea (Ex 14), and especially His glory in the tabernacle (Lev 9:23-24) and Temple (1 Kings 8:11).
• Since the close of the Old Testament, the glory of God has been shown mainly in Christ (Luke 9:29-32; John 2:11) and in the members of His church. Christ now shares His divine glory with His followers (John 17:5-6,22), so that in their lives Christians are being transformed into the glorious image of God (2 Cor 3:18). Believers will be fully glorified at the end of time in God's heavenly presence (Rom 5:2; Col 3:4). There the glory of God will be seen everywhere (Rev 21:23).
• Praise. At times God's glory may mean the honor and audible praise which His creatures give to Him (Ps 115:1; Rev 5:12-13).

Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Why did Jesus offer this prayer to God the Father?

So that the disciples might have the full measure of Jesus' joy within them (see verse 13).

Questions to ponder:

In verse 3 Jesus tell the Father that he has glorified him by completing the work that God gave him to do. What work has God given to you that will glorify God when you complete it?