John 17:1-5

Christ’s self-presentation before the Father, John 17:1-5.

As already noted, Jesus now speaks as if his Passion were but a point in time, and that he is already ascended into the Paternal presence. Commentators, in consequence of not appreciating this, have lost much of the beauty and power of this great prayer. It is the commencement and specimen of his ever-living intercession; nay, it is that intercession itself. Ever here recorded, it is ever being offered. Read by the Church on earth, it ever avails in the sanctuary of heaven.

Father The first appealing word of the eternal intercession, simply Father, (see note on John 17:11,) a name of God unknown to the world before the Son revealed it. God is Father of all by creation; he is Father of the justified by regeneration; he is sole Father of this sole Son as he is Father of nothing else in the universe besides. Yet this sole Son stands before God in order that he may be the First-born among many brethren.

The hour is come As we have elsewhere noted, (John 2:4,) the life of Jesus was marked by the divine order into hours, periods, or crises. But verily now had come the hour of hours, the consummating period of a complete work and an attained glory.

Glorify thy Son Invest his glorified resurrection body, now identified with his eternal Spirit compositely, with an eternal glory.

That thy Son… glorify thee In the great mediatorial work, gathering a glorious Church into the everlasting habitations, he will unfold to the universe the divine glory. Reciprocally and eternally in majesty, power, but most of all in love, will Father and Son thus glorify each other.