A Final Word to the Father (John 17)
Just before Jesus went to the olive grove where he was to be betrayed and arrested, he gave the disciples their final marching orders and offered a prayer to God, his Father. It was one of the most beautiful and emotional prayers recorded in the Bible. In this prayer, Jesus prayed for:
himself (John 17:1–6), because the time had come for his divinely appointed death on the cross and he wanted to glorify his Father;
his disciples (17:7–19), because their next few days were going to be filled with pain, disappointment, and disillusionment and because they would be facing the challenge of taking Jesus';s message into an unreceptive, even dangerous world;
all those who would be believers because of his work and the work of the disciples (17:20–26), because he wanted them to live in unity with the Father and the Son as well as one another.
As you read this prayer, you get a good idea of the level of commitment Jesus had — and still has — to glorify God in all he did and to the well-being and eternal destinies of those he called to serve God and of those he came to save.
Study Questions
According to Jesus';s prayer, what is the one way to eternal life?
For what specifically did Jesus pray when it came to those who would believe in him?
