Bible Study With The Bishops: Time To Pray

Reading Plan Text for June 5: John 17:1-5

Jesus has finished his lecture. Now it is time to pray.

Burridge writes today's section of the commentary as an introduction to Chapter 17, giving us the basic structure and themes of the prayer that takes up this entire chapter:

[A]t its heart there are three simple petitions all addressed by Jesus to God his Father:

'Father, glorify your Son' (17:1)
'Father, protect them in your name' (17:11)
'Father, may they be with me' (17:24)

These three simple prayers are developed into three sections of this
chapter when Jesus prays for himself (17:1-5), for his disciples (17:6-19) and
for the whole church (17:20-26). (p. 196)

Note that Jesus has not gone off to pray alone as he does in the Synoptic Gospels. He stays with the disciples to pray with and for them. Here John portrays Jesus as one who, even in the midst of his greatest trial, puts others needs before his own. Not for John a Jesus asking that the cup be taken from him. Not for John a Jesus who doubts. Here is Jesus living the example he has been teaching all along. His time has come, and his first concern is for his friends.

What do we learn about prayer from this passage?

What do we learn about leadership?

What do we learn about ourselves?

Peace,
Jeffri