On 1-11-15, John 17:6-21 or 17:1-26 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples

Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples

John 17:6-21 or 17:1-26

International Sunday School Lesson

January 11, 2015

                                                                                 

 

 

Commentary

By

Jed Greenough

 

 

This week I know that some of us will be looking at fewer verses while others will be considering all of chapter 17.  I will be frank in saying that in some ways I’d rather do the former.  I have always had the same thing come in to my mind at some point when I read John 17 no matter what version I use—there are too many words.  To me it reads like a first draft that didn’t get proof read in a sense so that it is hard for me to understand. 

I do not say this to be disrespectful but rather to be helpful to you by saying “out loud” what you might also be thinking!  I can attest that this can get in the way of what Jesus was saying in this prayer so I’m hoping if we can admit that we can see past it and accept overall what Jesus prayed.

Time and its significance with regard to Jesus’ life are stressed in the book of John.  If that doesn’t ring a bell for you, you will have to go back and read the book or use a concordance that matches your version of the Bible.  It isn’t as easy to do electronically as it once was if you use the NIV since the folks that own it have removed the previous version that you may own.

If your Bible says in verse 1, “the time has come” you will have only a partial idea by looking for “time” in the book of John electronically.  Exchange the word for “hour” and you will start to see the picture of how important it was then when Jesus prayed to God and spoke the words, “the time has come.”

What we then read is Jesus’ longest prayer in the Bible and the quantity of the words start to be understandable, there would be precious few left to record and precious few moments in which to do that.

In this prayer Jesus prays for the successful completion of what He was sent to do.  He shows that He had accomplished His bringing of the good news and He prayed for those who had accepted it and for those of us who would in the future.  The significance of that clear fact should be tantamount as we consider His prayer.

This I can gather in my head but so much more I cannot fathom and I think that is okay to admit  as I consider what Jesus’ had passing through His mind. 

For Discussion:

1. Discuss the significance in your mind of the words, “the time has come”.
2. Discuss how Jesus glorifies God by being glorified.
3. Discuss verse 3.
4. Discuss verse 8 and how we are doing with regard to that today in our roles.  This may make more sense next week.
5. Compare verse 4 and 10.
6. Discuss verse 11and 12.
7. If you read verse 14-17 what affect should this have on how we preach and teach?
8. Discuss the unity that Jesus mentions in verses 20-23.
9. Discuss verse 24.

 

Upcoming Lessons

1-18-15     Jesus’ Intercession for Us     Hebrews 4:14-5:10

1-25-15     Powerful Prayer or We Prayer for One Another     James 5:13-18 or James 5    

 

 

 

 

 

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved