Jesus prays to the Father for all the believers

Introduction

Last week, we looked at the second part of Jesus’ prayer, addressed to the Heavenly Father on behalf of His disciples. It revealed to them the deep and perfect relationship between the Father and the Son. Jesus had to pray for their protection, their unity, and their sanctification in the truth, and to bless them in His Name.

Now we come to the third and final part of this prayer, directed toward all those who will believe in Jesus Christ, His universal Church, those called by the Father, convicted by the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, and saved by His grace.

“I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word“ v.20

Jesus makes a distinction between those who already belong to Him, His disciples, and those who will belong to Him in the future: the souls who will come to faith through the message of the Gospel proclaimed by His disciples. This message of Truth would become the foundation of all Christianity until the end of the age.

This message of the Good News, the message of salvation for humanity, is the message of the complete work of Jesus Christ: His coming (birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension) and His soon return. It is a message of hope and eternal life for all who are weary, without hope in this corrupt world, a world that offers only temporary and perishable satisfactions, and many disappointments.

Believing in Jesus Christ is fundamental to the message of eternal salvation. For as the Word of God declares: “Whoever believes will be saved” (Mark 16:16), and again, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), and “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

The disciples had already heard what their mission would be, even before Jesus’ ascension. This was a way of preparing them for what was to come after His crucifixion and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, so that the Word of truth might be fulfilled through them.

Through this prayer, the disciples came to understand that a message was about to be set in motion, a message that would reach all those whom the Father had chosen to draw to Jesus, those who would come to believe through their testimony. Yet, this message had not been fully revealed. This involves a concrete action on their part, so that they might be led into the work God had prepared beforehand for them. The mission to go to the very ends of the earth was soon to be revealed.

“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 sent Me“ v.21

The message of the universal Church is clearly declared by Jesus. It was a great revelation for the disciples, most of whom still believed that their Messiah had come only for the Jews. They came to understand that God, in His mercy, would be the God of all nations, the God who saves all people, not only the Jews, His chosen and set-apart people among mankind.

How were they all to be united in one faith in God and one hope in Christ? Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, the Comforter, the Spirit promised and prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel, and most clearly by the prophet Joel. The Apostle Peter, on the day of Pentecost, quoted this very prophecy so that the people gathered from every nation in Jerusalem, might understand the message, be convicted, and receive salvation in their turn.

“So you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the LORD your God and there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame. “it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will have dreams, Your young men will see visions. “And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. “The sun will be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” Joel 2:27–31

“that they may all be one” The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father, and all believers are united in the Father and the Son.

This unity is not a visible church unity, nor an affiliation to any human group or organization with members listed by name. It is a spiritual and living unity, established by the will of God, in us, for us, and manifested through us.

What is manifested by the Spirit is the collective desire to do the will of God and, as the Apostle Paul says: to grow toward the full measure of the stature of Christ.

The end of this verse clearly shows that what God intended to accomplish through the work of Jesus Christ was this: that the world may believe that He was sent from the Father as the only Mediator between Him and mankind, and the only Keeper of the Gate of Heaven. We previously saw how this transfer of divine authority was decreed, established, and fulfilled by the Father, the One from whom all things come, and through whom His holy sovereignty is accomplished.

« The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me »  v.22-23

The gift of glory is a profound biblical theme, it includes three parts that cannot be separated, the revelation of God’s majesty, the transformation of believers, and the ultimate hope of eternal life in the presence of God. This gift is both a present reality and a future promise, showing the power of God’s grace and the final destiny of all who belong to Christ.

The glory of God is fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. As John 1:14 declares: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In this passage, the incarnation of Jesus is presented as the supreme revelation of divine glory, manifested in His love, His holiness, His justice, and His truth, thus revealing the very essence and nature of God Himself.

This is the glory Jesus was speaking about: the glory He shares with the Father and has given to His disciples, not as a simple honor, but as a power that transforms them, helping them reflect the presence of God in their lives. This is the glory that was passed to them through the work of the Holy Spirit, the living power that unites all believers in one Spirit, in one Truth, and one Body, worshipping the one true God.

Finally, the purpose of this glory is the expansion of the Kingdom of God, made manifest on earth through those who belong to Him, His living Church, bearing witness to the truth of Christ wherever the Lord calls them to be, and whatever the cost may be.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.“ v.24

he fact that Jesus says, “I desire,” is deeply meaningful because it shows a confident and strong will, an expression of His divine authority over His Church, the very Church He is about to redeem through His precious blood on the Cross. This assures all who belong to Him, His sheep, of whom He is the Good Shepherd, that they will spend eternity with Him in everlasting glory.

There are three aspects to the election of souls saved by God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

James Packer, in his book God’s Words: Studies of Key Bible Themes (1981), gives us a simple and beautiful biblical understanding of God’s sovereign election:

“In the Old Testament, election represented God’s choice, first of Abraham and his family, and then of His covenant people, Israel. In both the Old and New Testaments, God also chose particular individuals from among His people: Moses, Aaron, the Levites, the kings, the Messiah, the apostles. In both plans, divine election was a privilege that carried responsibility, but it did not guarantee the final salvation of those chosen. Many perished under God’s judgment. Judas, for example, was chosen as a disciple; yet in his case, the blessings connected with election were nullified by unbelief and disobedience. Finally, the New Testament presents election in a broader sense: God chooses certain individuals to be led to salvation. It is this eternal decree of election that Paul develops in several passages of his Epistles, to the Ephesians, to Timothy, to the Thessalonians, and to the Romans. The idea of election also implies non-election. God makes distinctions, He chooses some, but not all. Among all nations, Israel was chosen. Here we perceive the mystery of God’s election, for God never appears to choose all whom we might think He should. This reminds us that His election is absolutely sovereign, free, and gracious, and it calls us to deeply appreciate the grace that has personally reached us.”

God is Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent. He knows all our hearts. 

“Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me“ v.25

Once again, the deep intimacy between the Son and the Father is brought to light, this time with even greater clarity, revealing one of the Father’s essential attributes: His divine perfection, His mercy, and His compassion.

The world could not truly know the Father, for its knowledge was limited to an indirect revelation, transmitted through His commandments and oracles, received religiously and intellectually through the Law and the prophets. Now, His Law and His moral commands are written on the hearts of every believer, revealed by the Holy Spirit, a heart that once was of stone, now changed into a heart of flesh.

Yet the moral values of the perfect God could never be fully understood, because of the rebellious heart of man. God’s will, however, was that He might be glorified and honored in Spirit and in Truth.

But at the appointed time, God revealed Himself fully to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. By the power that comes from heaven, the power of the Holy Spirit, who gives life, regenerates the heart, and leads into all truth, His love endures forever toward those whom the Father saves through faith in Jesus Christ, His only Son, through whom we have received salvation.

“and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.“ v.26

Once again, Jesus places great emphasis on the knowledge of God. The disciples had witnessed the manifestation of His divine authority over all things, over the elements and the natural laws of the earth. In total, the Gospels record 36 miracles: 17 healings of the human body, 7 deliverances from evil spirits, 3 resurrections of the dead, 3 miracles over nature (calming the storm, cursing the fig tree, and walking on water), 5 miracles of provision to meet physical needs, and 1 miracle concerning the temple tax, all demonstrating His sovereignty and power in heaven and on earth, over moral, material, and spiritual realities alike.

In the second part of the verse, Jesus says, “and will make it known,” which involves a progressive and continual revelation of the Father. This revelation would be fully realized after His ascension, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, so that the disciples might know the fullness of God and remain in communion with Him.

Thus, through the Holy Spirit, the true love of God continues to be manifested, glorifying the Father through His people. Believers bear witness to His love, His holiness, and His justice in the world; and through this light of Christ shining in them, the Father draws to Himself those whom He saves by His grace.

Conclusion

Jesus’ full intercessory prayer marked a historic, divine moment of intimacy between Jesus the Son and God the Father. Every soul was reached, His coming glorification, His disciples, and all who would believe in Him. This prayer was the last spoken moment together with His disciples, just before His sacrificial suffering, through which He triumphed over death on the Cross by His resurrection.

This full prayer of Jesus, established by the Father and the Son through the work of the Holy Spirit, teaches us to pray in a clear order, for every situation and in every circumstance. First, we pray to glorify the Father, giving Him honor and praise in all things. Then comes prayer for ourselves, for guidance and purpose, followed by prayer for our brothers and sisters in the faith, for their protection and spiritual growth. Finally, we pray for the souls yet to be saved, that the Spirit may guide us to bring the Gospel of salvation and glory, even to the ends of the earth.

Jesus Christ is our Lord, our Savior, and our Mediator. Through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the source of all joy and hope, we can truly recognize Christ: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

As children of God and ambassadors of Christ, sharing the redemptive work of Jesus is essential. For unbelievers, it proclaims the Good News of salvation freely offered to all whom the Father knows and who believe in Him. For the Church, it is the very heart of our mission: to go and preach the Gospel, bringing the light of Christ into a world lost in darkness, without hope, without love, and sadly destined for eternal separation from God.