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NASB (UPDATED TEXT: Joh_17:1-5
1Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."
Joh_17:1 "Jesus spoke these things" This must refer to the upper room discourses of chapters 13-16.
▣ "lifting up His eyes to heaven" This was the common Jewish posture for prayer: hands, head, and open eyes lifted toward heaven as if in conversation with God (cf. Joh_11:41; Mar_7:34; Luk_18:13; Psa_123:1). Jesus prayed often. This can clearly be documented from the Gospel of Luk_3:21; Luk_5:16; Luk_6:12; Luk_9:18; Luk_9:28; Luk_11:1; Luk_22:41-45; Luk_23:34.
▣ "Father" Jesus commonly addressed Deity by this term (cf. Joh_11:41; Joh_12:27-28; Mat_11:25-27; Luk_22:42; Luk_23:34). Jesus spoke Aramaic. Jesus' Aramaic term was Abba, which is what a child used for his father at home, "Daddy" (cf. Mar_14:36). This must have shocked and offended Jesus' non-disciples!
▣ "the hour has come" This shows that Jesus knew the purpose and timing of His ministry (cf. Joh_2:4; Joh_7:6; Joh_7:8; Joh_7:30; Joh_8:20; Joh_12:23; Joh_13:1). He was not overtaken by unknown circumstances.
▣ "glorify Your Son" This is an aorist active imperative. Jesus always refers to His death in similar terms in John (cf. Joh_17:4; Joh_7:39; Joh_12:23; Joh_13:31-32). This term also relates to Jesus' pre-existent deity (cf. Joh_1:14 and Joh_17:5; Joh_17:24). Jesus' actions glorified the Father. There was a reciprocity! See note at Joh_1:14 and Contextual Insights, C.
For "Son" see Special Topic at 1Jn_3:8.
There is manuscript variant related to "Son."
1. Son with the article occurs in MSS P60, à , B, C*, W
2. Son with the genitive pronoun occurs in MSS A, D, C2
The UBS4 gives form #1 a "B" rating (almost certain).
Joh_17:2 "authority over all flesh" This is an awesome statement by a peasant carpenter (cf. Joh_5:27; Mat_11:27; Mat_28:18; Luk_10:22). The term "authority" (exousia) is the same one used in Joh_1:12; Joh_5:27; Joh_19:10-11. It can be translated "legal right," "authority," or "power."
The phrase "all flesh" is singular (a Hebrew idiom referring to mankind, cf. Gen_6:12; Psa_65:2; Psa_145:21; Isa_40:5; Isa_66:23; Joe_2:28).
▣ "to all whom You have given Him" The term "all whom" is neuter and singular (cf. John 7,24), which focuses on disciples, the body of Christ, not individuals! The verb is perfect active indicative which speaks of an enduring gift! This phrase affirms foreknowledge and election (cf. Joh_17:6; Joh_17:9; Joh_17:12; Joh_6:37; Joh_6:39; Rom_8:29-30; Eph_1:3-14). In the OT election was for service, while in the NT it is for spiritual, secure, and eternal salvation. Believers are also called to service. Election is not the only divine act, but must be covenantally linked to human responsibility. It is not focused on death, but on life! Believers are chosen for "holiness" (cf. Eph_1:4), not a for a privileged standing. This phrase should not be understood as the Father giving some humans to Jesus and not others.
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▣ "He may give eternal life" Eternal life is a gift from God through Christ (cf. Joh_5:21; Joh_5:26; Joh_6:40; Joh_6:47; Joh_10:28; 1Jn_2:25; 1Jn_5:11). It means "God's life," "new age life," or "resurrection life." It is not primarily quantity, but quality (cf. Joh_10:10).
Joh_17:3 "This is eternal life" This is a definition of "eternal life" inserted by John. This verse shows the two major truths of Christianity: (1) monotheism (cf. Deu_6:4-6) and (2) Jesus as the Davidic Messiah (cf. 2 Samuel 7). This "eternal life" is not something reserved for the future but available now in Jesus Christ.
▣ "that they may know You" This is a present active subjunctive. This does not refer only to cognitive knowledge about God, although there is truth to be affirmed, but is used in the Semitic sense of personal relationship. However, the truth is that Jesus is the Messiah, the full and complete revelation of the one true God (cf. Joh_1:12; Joh_1:14; Col_1:15; Heb_1:3), and that individuals must believe, receive, repent, obey, and persevere in Him.
▣ "the only true God" The OT was unique in its assertion of the existence of one and only one God (cf. Exo_8:10; Exo_9:14; Deu_4:35; Deu_4:39; Deu_6:4; Deu_33:26; 1Sa_2:2; 2Sa_7:22; 1Ki_8:23; Isa_37:20; Isa_44:6; Isa_44:8; Isa_45:6-7; Isa_45:14; Isa_45:18; Isa_45:21-22; Isa_46:9; Joh_5:44; 1Co_8:4; 1Co_8:6; 1Ti_1:17; 1Ti_2:5; Jud_1:25). In fairness it must be said that the OT presentation of God's uniqueness and oneness is set against the backdrop of the Ancient Near Eastern's worldview of many spiritual beings. There is only one God, but other spiritual beings (cf. Exo_15:11; Deu_3:24; Psa_86:8; Psa_89:6).
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▣ "and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" This may be an editorial comment by John. This emphasis on Jesus as "sent" from the Father is a recurrent vertical dualism in John (cf. Joh_3:17; Joh_3:34; Joh_5:36; Joh_5:38; Joh_6:29; Joh_6:38; Joh_6:57; Joh_7:29; Joh_8:42; Joh_10:36; Joh_11:42; Joh_17:3; Joh_17:8; Joh_17:18; Joh_17:21; Joh_17:23; Joh_17:25; Joh_20:21). The rabbis used the term apostellô to refer to one sent as an official representative. See Special Topic: Send (Apostellô) at Joh_5:24.
Joh_17:4 "I have glorified You on the earth" (See note at Joh_13:32). The term "glory" can be used in the sense of (1) "give glory to" or (2) "to reveal the glory of." Joh_17:6 implies #2. One of Jesus' main tasks was to reveal the Father (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_1:18).
▣ "having accomplished the work" The Greek root, telos, implies "to complete fully" (cf. Joh_4:34; Joh_5:36; Joh_19:30). The work was threefold.
1. revelation of the Father (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_1:18)
2. redemption of fallen mankind (cf. Mar_10:45; 2Co_5:21)
3. an example of true humanity (cf. Joh_13:31; 1Pe_2:21)
4. also, Jesus' work of intercession continues (cf. 1Jn_2:1; Heb_7:25; Heb_9:24).
Joh_17:5 "glorify. . .glory" This verse emphasizes the pre-existence of Christ (cf. Joh_1:1; Joh_1:15; Joh_6:62; Joh_8:58; Joh_16:28; Joh_17:11; Joh_17:13; Joh_17:24; 2Co_8:9; Php_2:6-11; Col_1:17; Heb_1:3; Heb_10:5-8). Jesus had revealed "glory" to the disciples by His signs and miracles (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_2:11; Joh_11:4; Joh_11:40; Joh_12:28). Now the ultimate "glory" would be His death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven's glory (cf. Joh_17:24; Php_2:5-6). The verb is an aorist active imperative used as a request to the Father. See full note on "glory" at Joh_1:14.