Lesson 47: John 17:6-15 - The High Priestly Prayer – Jesus’ Intercession for the Apostles
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
Jesus’s prayer continues as He prays for the eleven remaining disciples who are with Him. Even though at this moment they do not yet understand what He has in mind for them to become, they are God’s and will be kept secure in God’s plan for eternity. Some of their understanding will come later when the Holy Spirit lives in them and teaches them by bringing back to their memory what Jesus had taught them while on earth.
God’s plans never changed for any of these men who had been Jesus’ disciples, and their actions were never a surprise to Him. He knew ahead of time what Judas would do. He knew what Peter would do (he denied knowing Jesus).
God says to you too: I have a plan for you, for peace rather than evil, for a future, for hope (Jeremiah 29:11). This doesn’t mean He promises us a good life here on earth – remember from chapter 16, this world is at war with God. So how can we expect to live a life of peace and honor in the enemy’s camp? We must not expect this, instead we must expect the opposite – while being encouraged by knowing our heavenly home with God will be the life of peace and joy beyond comparison for all eternity. Here we live in a battle – not to defeat the enemy (Jesus has already done this), but to encourage others to join the side of Jesus and victory, and to learn to walk with Him by faith in and for things we can’t imagine now.
*Dig deeper: Read Romans 8:26-39, Philippians 2:12-13 and 3:21 – how is God forming His image in you?
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
Jesus’s prayer continues as He prays for the eleven remaining disciples who are with Him. Even though at this moment they do not yet understand what He has in mind for them to become, they are God’s and will be kept secure in God’s plan for eternity. Some of their understanding will come later when the Holy Spirit lives in them and teaches them by bringing back to their memory what Jesus had taught them while on earth.
God’s plans never changed for any of these men who had been Jesus’ disciples, and their actions were never a surprise to Him. He knew ahead of time what Judas would do. He knew what Peter would do (he denied knowing Jesus).
God says to you too: I have a plan for you, for peace rather than evil, for a future, for hope (Jeremiah 29:11). This doesn’t mean He promises us a good life here on earth – remember from chapter 16, this world is at war with God. So how can we expect to live a life of peace and honor in the enemy’s camp? We must not expect this, instead we must expect the opposite – while being encouraged by knowing our heavenly home with God will be the life of peace and joy beyond comparison for all eternity. Here we live in a battle – not to defeat the enemy (Jesus has already done this), but to encourage others to join the side of Jesus and victory, and to learn to walk with Him by faith in and for things we can’t imagine now.
*Dig deeper: Read Romans 8:26-39, Philippians 2:12-13 and 3:21 – how is God forming His image in you?