Chapter 17
How can Jesus and his Father both be God?
Changed life: Dr Sally Venn’s story
Read John chapter 17
The High Priestly Prayer
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
ETERNAL LIFE
What a privilege – to hear Jesus speaking to his Father. But eternal life – what’s that about? No one on this earth lives forever! But Jesus speaks a lot about it, so what does he mean? He’s talking about what happens to the real you after your body dies. Knowing the ‘only true God’ in a personal way through Jesus means that we’ll be able to live with him forever (v3). For those that reject him, the alternative is terrible. Jesus cares; he cares about your eternal destiny – that’s why he came. He wants the amazing love between God the Father and God the Son to be extended to include you!
Think it through…
- Accepting God’s word to be true and following it could result in opposition. Do you think eternal life is worth it?
- Jesus speaks about a true love and unity that can only be found through him. So often in life we see the complete opposite being played out in people’s lives. Why do you think this is?
Browse below for a selection of helpful verses from John’s gospel answering important questions
Questions about Jesus
BLANK - invisible
Who is Jesus?
JOHN 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
JOHN 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
JOHN 14:9-11
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
JOHN 20:30,31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Why did Jesus come?
JOHN 10:10
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
JOHN 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
JOHN 6:35
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
JOHN 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
JOHN 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Why was Jesus hated?
JOHN 5:40
Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
JOHN 5:44
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
JOHN 8:47
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.
JOHN 13:9,20
And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
JOHN 15:24,25
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
Why did Jesus have to die?
JOHN 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
JOHN 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
How it affects you
BLANK - invisible
How can I be forgiven?
JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
JOHN 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
JOHN 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
JOHN 6:37
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
JOHN 10:9
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
JOHN 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
JOHN 20:28,29
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
What if I don’t believe?
JOHN 3:18-20
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
JOHN 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
JOHN 5:40
Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
JOHN 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.
Is Jesus the only way?
JOHN 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
JOHN 5:23
Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him.
JOHN 10:1
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
I’m a good person – I don’t need Jesus
JOHN 8:34
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”
JOHN 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.
Does life become easy if I follow Jesus?
JOHN 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
If I trust Jesus, what happens to me when I die?
JOHN 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.
JOHN 10:28
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
JOHN 14:1-3
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
I’m afraid of what others might say if I become a Christian
JOHN 12:42,43
Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
JOHN 5:44
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, published by HarperCollins Publishers, ©2001 by Crossway). Used by permission. All rights reserved.