Passion Week – Jesus Prays

From Luke’s Gospel (Luke 22:39 – 46), we know that after the Passover meal, Jesus led His disciples to the Mt. of Olives, where He spent time with His Father.  However, John gives us more insight into the prayer that Jesus prayed that night. 

Jesus began by acknowledging that He knew what was about to happen.  He also knew that the purpose of those coming events was two-fold.  First, it was to give glory to God, the Father (John 17:1), and secondly, that the Son might give eternal life (John 17:2). This was the culmination of the mission that Jesus had been sent to complete, and Jesus looked forward to returning to His Father.

Jesus then turned His attention to His disciples, the ones God had chosen for divine appointment and the ones He had taught over the last three years. He knew that they had finally come to believe that Jesus had been sent by God (John 17:8), and He began to pray for them as they remained in the world without Him.  He prayed for their protection and that they might be one as the Father and the Son are one (John 17:11). He knew the coming days and years would not be easy, so He prayed for protection from the evil one (John 17:15), and that God would sanctify them by the truth (John 17:17) as He sent them out into the world, just as He had been sent to the world.

The prayer didn’t end there.  Jesus concluded that last recorded prayer by praying for “those who will believe in me through their message” (John 17:20 NIV84) –that’s us!  At His final hour, He looked forward some 2000 years and prayed for you and me.  He prayed that we might have unity so that the world might know that God sent Him to save mankind. His love for each of us was utmost in His mind, and His greatest desire was that we might have that same love for Him and the Father.  He concludes with this: “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John 17:26 NIV84).  Our job is to continue to make Him known to the rest of the world!

Read: Luke 22:39 – 46 & John 17

Food for Thought:

• Why do you think “that they may be one” is one of the main points of Jesus’ prayer?
• Does knowing that Jesus prayed for you just before His crucifixion encourage you?  If so, how should you respond?