Sunday 17 May 2026
- Bible Book:
- John
"So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed." (v. 5)
Background
John 17 stands as the theological climax of John’s Gospel. It is preceded by conversations with the disciples and followed by the Passion narrative (the story of the final days of Jesus). It stands at an important change in Jesus’ ministry. It is a prayer of Jesus to God the Father. Often called the 'high priestly prayer' it has similarities to the farewell address of Moses in Deuteronomy. It was a common feature in Jewish apocalyptic literature and would have been understood as such by the first readers. Unlike Moses' speech, it is not a death bed prayer but rather comes from one who is seeking to complete God’s work through offering his life.
It is important to remember this prayer is offered on the eve of Jesus' crucifixion and is a glimpse to help us understand his position. Verse 4 speaks of what Jesus has done in finishing the work God gave him. On the cross hours later, Jesus repeats that, dying with the words "It is finished" (John 19:30). In today's passage, as he prepares for the final hours Jesus knows the work is all but complete.
Within this passage there are six occasions when the word 'glory' in various forms occurs. There are more in this chapter than any other. John’s Gospel, known by some as the 'gospel of glory', is all about revealing the glory of God. The repeated use of glory makes it clear that Jesus believes he has shown this through his obedience to God. The completeness and glory go together.
In February, almost halfway between Christmas and Easter I read this passage aloud to two congregations and asked what lines stood out the most. Both highlighted verse 5. They commented on two things: glory and presence.
Here in the prayer is a link back to John 1:1 which says Christ was present at creation, and Jesus is also present with God once the work of salvation is done. Here at an important moment before his death, Jesus looks forward to sharing in the glory of that at the completion of his work. This prayer speaks of the glory of being in the presence of God.
To Ponder:
- Where do you see the glory of God present in the world at this time?
- How have you been able to bring God’s glory to others?
Prayer
Gracious God, bless us with an awareness of your presence and open our eyes to see your glory around us. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Paul Davis
Paul is a supernumerary presbyter in the North West of England.