“After the closing supper, his public preaching work being ended,
and nothing remaining to be done but to die, he gave himself wholly unto prayer.
He was not again to instruct the multitude, nor to heal the sick,
and in the interval which remained, before he should lay down his life,
he girded himself for special intercession.
He poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death.”
(Charles Spurgeon)
John 17:1-5
17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
When you ask a blessing from God, ask it that you may glorify God by it.
Do you pine to have your health back again? Be sure that you want to spend it for him.
Do you desire temporal advancement? Desire it that you may promote his glory.
Do you even long for growth in grace? Ask it only that you may glorify him.”
(Charles Spurgeon)
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
“Christians often think of Jesus as God’s gift to us;
we rarely think of ourselves as God’s gift to Jesus.”
(D. A. Carson)
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
Jesus glorified the Father through His faith, obedience,
and work through the years of His earthly ministry.
Every sermon preached, every blind or sick person healed,
every bit of instruction and training for the disciples,
every confrontation with the corrupt religious leaders,
every question answered, every loving touch – they all glorified God the Father.
(David Gruzik)
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
“Yes, the Father glorified his Son, even when it pleased him to bruise him and to put him to grief.
With one hand he smote, and with the other hand he glorified.
There was a power to crush, but there was also a power to sustain working at the self-same time.
The Father glorified his Son.”
(Charles Spurgeon)