John 17: Christ’s High Priestly Prayer

by | Posted March 31st at 8:54pm

John 17, known as Christ’s High Priestly Prayer, reveals Jesus’ unique intercessory role as mediator between God and believers. This prayer emphasizes Reformed themes of particular redemption, effectual sanctification, and eternal security through Christ’s priestly work. Here’s a Reformed analysis of key verses:

Verses John 17:1-5: The Foundation of Christ’s Priestly Mission

• Glorification through Atonement: Jesus seeks mutual glorification with the Father through the cross, establishing His authority to grant eternal life to the elect (John 17:1-2). This reflects His mediatorial role as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

• Defining Eternal Life: Eternal life consists in knowing the Triune God (John 17:3), emphasizing relational knowledge rather than mere intellectual assent – a key Reformed distinction between saving faith and nominal belief.

Verses John 17:6-12: Intercession for the Elect

• Particular Redemption: Jesus explicitly prays “for those whom you gave me” (John 17:9), underscoring the Reformed doctrine of definite atonement. His priestly work specifically secures salvation for the elect, not merely making salvation possible for all.

• Divine Preservation: The Father’s keeping power (John 17:11-12) ensures the perseverance of saints. Calvin notes this “keeping” involves both protection from apostasy and progressive sanctification.

Verses John 17:13-19: Sanctification through Truth

• Means of Grace: Sanctification occurs through “thy truth; thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Reformed theology stresses Scripture as the sole infallible means of holiness, opposing mystical or tradition-based sanctification.

• Missional Consecration: Believers are sanctified not for isolation but for Gospel witness (John 17:18-19). Christ’s self-consecration as the highest sacrifice (John 17:19) mirrors the Day of Atonement rituals, fulfilling the Old Covenant’s shadows.

Verses John 17:20-23: Unity of the Church

• Spiritual Unity: The prayer for unity “as we are one” (John 17:22) refers to Trinitarian harmony, not institutional uniformity. Reformed ecclesiology locates this unity in our shared confession of Christ and Gospel truth.

• Evangelical Purpose: Unity serves as apologetic evidence that “the world may believe” (John 17:21), showing the missional focus of Christ’s priestly intercession.

Verses John 17:24-26: Eternal Security

• Glorification Guaranteed: The demand “that they may be with me” (John 17:24) reflects Christ’s authority as High Priest to claim His redeemed. Turretin notes this demonstrates the efficacy of His intercession based on merit, not mere request.

• Progressive Revelation: “I made known to them your name” (John 17:26) highlights the Reformed emphasis on God’s self-disclosure through Christ, completed in Scripture.

Theological Implications

1. Continual Intercession: As our High Priest, Christ “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25), applying His finished work to believers daily.

2. Covenantal Framework: The prayer fulfills the Old Testament priesthood, with Christ as the final sacrifice and eternal intercessor (Hebrews 9:24-28).

3. Assurance of Salvation: Believers find comfort knowing Christ’s prayers – unlike human intercession – “has great power as it is working” (James 5:16) with guaranteed efficacy.

This prayer encapsulates the Reformed emphasis on Monergistic salvation: the Father elects, the Son redeems and intercedes, and the Spirit sanctifies – all working inseparably to secure every believer’s eternal inheritance.

Article posted by Glen R. Jackman, founder of GraceProclaimed.org

Glen has optimized his eldership role to teach the full scope of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ without boundaries.
You can read his testimony.