I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. 26 I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
As Jesus concludes His “High Priestly Prayer,” His words widen in scope. No longer is He only praying for His disciples present at the Last Supper, but for “those who will believe in me through their word” (v. 20). In this, Jesus prays for the entire Church across time—those who would come to faith through apostolic witness. His vision embraces all future believers, including us.
The core of His petition is unity: “that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you” (v. 21). This is not mere human agreement, but a divine communion that mirrors the inner life of the Trinity—a unity of love, truth, and glory. The early Church understood this as both a mystical reality (participation in divine life through grace) and an ecclesial reality (unity in faith, sacraments, and apostolic teaching). This communion is not optional—it is the very sign by which the world will come to believe (cf. v. 21b): “that the world may believe that you sent me.”
Jesus speaks of having already given His followers “the glory you gave me” (v. 22)—a reference that the Fathers of the Church from the 2nd to the 5th centuries interpreted as the indwelling of the Spirit and the sanctifying grace that enables believers to share in divine life (2 Pet 1:4). This vision of unity and divine indwelling was not only central to the words of Christ but was deeply affirmed by early Christian teachers across the centuries, forming a shared inheritance for all who believe in Christ. The repetition of His desire “that they may be one” (v. 22) underscores that this unity is both a gift and a mission.
His prayer culminates in love: “that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them” (v. 26). This echoes Old Testament themes where God desires to dwell among His people (cf. Exod 25:8; Ezek 37:27), now fulfilled in Christ who makes His home in the hearts of believers (cf. Eph 3:17). It is also eschatological—Jesus prays that His followers may see His glory and be with Him (v. 24), a foretaste of the beatific vision—the eternal joy of seeing God face to face—promised in Revelation 22:4.
In these final verses of John 17, Jesus reveals that the unity of the Church is no mere human agreement, but a communion grounded in the very unity of the Trinity. The love of God is not distant or abstract—it is meant to dwell within believers through the gift of the Spirit. Faith is passed on through the apostolic word, but it is sustained through living communion with Christ. Eternal life is not only a future promise; it begins even now as we participate in the divine glory and love Christ shares with the Father. As St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376 - 444 A.D.) taught, Jesus' prayer is not wishful thinking but divine action—His words carry the power to bring about the unity and love for which He pleads. These are not burdensome commands, but gifts of grace offered to all who remain in Him.
Lord Jesus, draw us into Your prayer for unity and love. May we dwell in the communion You share with the Father and the Spirit. Let Your glory and love live in us, so the world may believe and come to know You. Amen.
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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