“Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you.'” (John 17:1)
Seven petitions:
(1) That Jesus may be glorified as the Son who has glorified the Father (John 17:1; Philippians 2:9-11)
(2) for restoration to the eternal glory (John 17:5)
(3) for the safety of believers from
(a) the world (John 17:11)
(b) the evil one (John 17:15)
(4) for the sanctification of believers (John 17:17)
(5) for the spiritual unity of believers (John 17:21)
(6) that the world may believe (John 17:21)
(7) that believers may be with Him in heaven to behold and share His glory (John 17:24)
“Even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” (John 17:2)
Christ’s gifts to those whom the Father gave Him: Eternal life (John 17:2); the Father’s name (John 17:6,26; 20:17), the Father’s words (John 17:8,14); His own joy (John 17:13); His own glory (John 17:22).
Seven times Jesus speaks of believers as given to Him by the Father (John 17:2, 6, 9, 11-12, 24). Jesus Christ is God’s love-gift to the world (John 3:16), and believers are the Father’s love-gift to Jesus Christ. It is Christ who commits the believer to the Father for safekeeping, so that the believer’s security rests upon the Father’s faithfulness to His Son Jesus Christ.
(Scofield)
