John 17 - The King James Study Bible

17:1. His hour had finally come (cf. 2:4; 7:8–30; 8:20). This refers not only to His death, but also to His resurrection and exaltation. Glorify refers to the Cross and the Resurrection. Verse 2 means that the giving of eternal life directly depended on the glorification of the Son.

17:1–26. This is the real “Lord’s Prayer” and is often called the High Priestly Prayer of Christ, because He prays first for Himself and then for His own—the Twelve, in verse 6, and all who will believe, in verse 20.

17:3. Eternal life is more than an endless existence. It is a personal relationship with God.

17:4. I have finished (teleiosas) means “I have made perfect or completed.” This verb is in the active voice, indicating Christ had finished His active ministry (cf. 4:34). He now assumes a passive role. In 19:30 (“It is finished”) the passive voice suggests that He has by then finished His passive ministry as well.

17:5. Jesus gives clear testimony to His preexistence (cf. 1:1).

17:12. The son of perdition was Judas (cf. 2 Thess. 2:3).

17:17. Sanctify means to “set apart” or “separate for God’s purposes.”

17:18. Sent me . . . sent them means the mission of the church, corresponding to that of Christ. Their tasks are alike—in fact, in purpose, and in results, as this prayer shows.

17:21. They . . . may be one conveys spiritual unity, not organizational unity (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 2:19; 4:3–16; Heb. 10:25).