Jesus Prays for His Disciples: A Coptic Orthodox Commentary on John 17
✨ Executive Summary
John 17, often called the High Priestly Prayer, is a profound and deeply moving passage where Jesus prays for His disciples and all future believers. This chapter reveals the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, emphasizes the importance of unity among believers, and highlights the sanctifying power of truth. We delve into this chapter from a Coptic Orthodox perspective, exploring the Patristic insights and practical applications for our lives today. Our exploration shows how “Jesus Prays for His Disciples” remains a cornerstone of faith, shaping our understanding of salvation, mission, and eternal life. It reveals the divine purpose for us to be one, just as Christ and the Father are one, sanctified in truth and protected from the evil one. This is a powerful call to live a life reflecting the glory given to us by the Father through the Son.
The Gospel of John provides a unique glimpse into the heart of Christ. Here, in John 17, we witness Jesus laying bare His innermost desires for His followers—both those present with Him and those who would believe through their word. This chapter isn’t simply a prayer; it’s a theological masterpiece, revealing the nature of God, the mission of the Church, and the promise of eternal life. Let’s explore why “Jesus Prays for His Disciples” and how we can apply the lessons learned to our daily lives.
📖 John 17:1-5 – Glorifying the Father and the Son
Greek: Ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐπῆρεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπεν· Πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασόν σου τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς δοξάσῃ σέ, καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ δώσῃ αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τὸ ἔργον τελειώσας ὃ δέδωκάς μοι ἵνα ποιήσω· καὶ νῦν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, παρὰ σεαυτῷ τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι παρὰ σοί.
KJV: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
NKJV: Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
Jesus begins His prayer by acknowledging that “the hour has come.” This isn’t just a temporal marker, but a reference to the culmination of His earthly ministry, the impending crucifixion, and the ultimate victory over sin and death. He asks the Father to glorify Him, not for selfish gain, but so that He, in turn, might glorify the Father. This reciprocal glorification highlights the perfect unity and co-equality within the Holy Trinity.
St. Athanasius writes, “ὁ γὰρ Πατὴρ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ δοξάζεται, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐν τῷ Πατρί” (Contra Arianos, Oratio III, 36) – “For the Father is glorified in the Son, and the Son in the Father.” This emphasizes the inseparable nature of their glory. The Father’s glory shines through the Son’s incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, and the Son reveals the Father’s character and love.
Spiritual Application: We, too, are called to glorify God in our lives. This means living in a way that reflects His character and brings honor to His name. How can we use our talents and resources to glorify God today? Consider finding affordable web hosting to spread your message and create impactful online content.
📖 John 17:6-19 – Praying for the Disciples’ Protection and Sanctification
Greek: Ἐφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὓς ἔδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου· σοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς ἔδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασιν. Νῦν ἔγνωκαν ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοῦ εἰσιν· ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἔδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. Ἐγὼ περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρωτῶ· οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἐρωτῶ, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν ἔδωκάς μοι, ὅτι σοί εἰσιν· καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά, καὶ δεδόξασμαι ἐν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν, καὶ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. Πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ᾧ δέδωκάς μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς. Ὅτε ἤμην μετ’ αὐτῶν, ἐγὼ ἐτήρουν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ᾧ δέδωκάς μοι, καὶ ἐφύλαξα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας, ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ. Νῦν δὲ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι, καὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἵνα ἔχωσιν τὴν χαρὰν τὴν ἐμὴν πεπληρωμένην ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτούς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. Οὐκ ἐρωτῶ ἵνα ἄρῃς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, ἀλλ’ ἵνα τηρήσῃς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ εἰσίν, καθὼς ἐγὼ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ εἰμί. Ἁγίασον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου· ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς ἀλήθειά ἐστιν. Καθὼς ἐμὲ ἀπέστειλας εἰς τὸν κόσμον, κἀγὼ ἀπέστειλα αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐγὼ ἁγιάζω ἐμαυτόν, ἵνα ὦσιν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἡγιασμένοι ἐν ἀληθείᾳ.
KJV: I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
NKJV: I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For the words which You have given Me I have given to them; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 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. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Here, Jesus emphasizes the unique relationship between Himself and His disciples, stating that they were given to Him by the Father. He highlights their obedience to the Word and their recognition of His divine origin. He prays not for the world at large, but specifically for those who believe in Him, recognizing their vulnerability to the world’s hatred. The crucial prayer is for their preservation and unity. “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” This is the core of Jesus’s desire – a unity that mirrors the divine unity of the Trinity.
St. Cyril of Alexandria in his Commentary on John writes, “ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς” (Commentarii in Ioannis Evangelium, Book XI, Chapter 11) – “that they may be one as We are.” This unity isn’t simply a matter of agreement, but a deep spiritual connection rooted in love and shared faith. It echoes the Coptic Orthodox emphasis on *koinonia*, the fellowship of believers united in Christ.
Spiritual Application: We must actively seek unity with our fellow believers, striving to overcome divisions and misunderstandings. This requires humility, forgiveness, and a willingness to prioritize the common good of the Church. Resist the temptation of isolation and embrace the richness of fellowship. Consider the importance of online unity and how you can contribute to a more collaborative internet presence.
📖 John 17:20-26 – Praying for All Believers and the Perfection of Unity
Greek: Οὐ περὶ τούτων δὲ ἐρωτῶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν πιστευσόντων διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν εἰς ἐμέ, ἵνα πάντες ἓν ὦσιν, καθὼς σύ, πάτερ, ἐν ἐμοὶ κἀγὼ ἐν σοί, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἡμῖν ἓν ὦσιν, ἵνα ὁ κόσμος πιστεύσῃ ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. Καὶ τὴν δόξαν ἣν δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς ἕν ἐσμεν, ἐγὼ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ σὺ ἐν ἐμοί, ἵνα ὦσιν τετελειωμένοι εἰς ἕν, καὶ ἵνα γνῷ ὁ κόσμος ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας καὶ ἠγάπησας αὐτοὺς καθὼς ἐμὲ ἠγάπησας. Πάτερ, οὓς δέδωκάς μοι, θέλω ἵνα ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ κἀκεῖνοι ὦσιν μετ’ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα θεωρῶσιν τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἐμὴν ἣν ἔδωκάς μοι, ὅτι ἠγάπησάς με πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. Πάτερ δίκαιε, καὶ ὁ κόσμος σὲ οὐκ ἔγνω, ἐγὼ δέ σε ἔγνων, καὶ οὗτοι ἔγνωσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας· καὶ ἐγνώρισα αὐτοῖς τὸ ὄνομά σου καὶ γνωρίσω, ἵνα ἡ ἀγάπη ἣν ἠγάπησάς με ἐν αὐτοῖς ᾖ, κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτοῖς.
KJV: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
NKJV: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.
This section expands the scope of Jesus’s prayer to include all future believers. The ultimate goal is *unity* – a unity so profound that it mirrors the unity between the Father and the Son. This unity is not merely an internal matter for the Church; it’s a powerful witness to the world, demonstrating the truth of Jesus’s mission and the Father’s love. He also desires that all believers be with Him to behold His glory – a testament to the promise of eternal life. The love the Father has for the Son becomes the very love present *in* the believers.
The Coptic Orthodox Church places a high value on the concept of *theosis*, or divinization – the process of becoming more and more like God through grace. This verse hints at this transformative process, where believers are not only united with Christ but also share in His glory. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware highlights this in his writings, stating that the goal of the Christian life is “κατὰ χάριν θεοί” (The Orthodox Way) – “gods by grace.”
Spiritual Application: Strive for unity within your local church and the wider Christian community. Pray for those who disagree with you, and seek to understand their perspectives. Remember that our unity is a powerful testament to the love of God. Also, cultivate a deeper awareness of God’s presence in your life, seeking to be transformed by His grace. Contemplate how your actions can reflect the love the Father has for the Son, allowing it to radiate through you.
💡 Key Reflections on John 17
John 17 provides profound insights into the heart of Christ and the nature of Christian discipleship. Here are some key reflections:
- The Trinity in Action: The prayer highlights the inseparable unity and mutual glorification within the Holy Trinity.
- The Importance of Unity: Jesus’s fervent prayer for unity underscores the critical role it plays in the Church’s witness to the world.
- Sanctification Through Truth: The truth of God’s Word is the source of our sanctification and protection from the evil one.
- Eternal Life is Knowing God: Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent is the essence of eternal life.
- Discipleship as Mission: Just as the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends His disciples into the world to continue His work.
- Sharing in Divine Glory: Believers are invited to share in the glory that the Father has given to the Son.
❓ FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About John 17
Let’s address some common questions about this powerful chapter:
- Q: Why is John 17 called the “High Priestly Prayer”?
A: This title reflects Jesus’s role as the ultimate High Priest, interceding on behalf of His people before God the Father, much like the high priests of the Old Testament offered sacrifices and prayers for the Israelites. - Q: What does it mean to be “not of the world”?
A: It means that our values, priorities, and allegiances should be rooted in God’s kingdom rather than the transient things of this world. We are called to live according to God’s standards, even when they conflict with the world’s norms. - Q: How can we practically strive for unity in the Church today?
A: By practicing humility, forgiveness, and selfless love. By seeking to understand different perspectives and prioritizing the common good. By focusing on what unites us in Christ rather than what divides us. - Q: What is the significance of Jesus praying for future believers?
A: It demonstrates the enduring nature of His love and care. It shows that we are included in His divine plan and that His prayer is as relevant for us today as it was for the original disciples.
🕊️ Conclusion
John 17, “Jesus Prays for His Disciples,” stands as a testament to the profound love and intercession of Christ for His followers. This chapter offers a roadmap for Christian living, emphasizing the critical importance of unity, sanctification, and the pursuit of eternal life through a deep and personal knowledge of God. As Coptic Orthodox Christians, we are called to embrace this prayer, allowing it to shape our lives and guide our actions. May we strive to live in such a way that the world may believe, witnessing the transformative power of Christ’s love within us. Let us also take advantage of resources to further this message, such as affordable web hosting to spread the Gospel and connect with believers worldwide. This chapter is a call to emulate the unity of the Trinity in our own lives and communities, becoming beacons of light and love in a world desperately seeking truth and reconciliation.