These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: These words spake Jesus - That is, what is related in the preceding Chapter s. We may consider our Lord as still moving on towards Gethsemane, not having yet passed the brook Cedron, John 18:1.
Our Lord, who was now going to act as high priest for the whole human race, imitates in his conduct that of the Jewish high priest on the great day of expiation; who, in order to offer up the grand atonement for the sins of the people: -
1. Washed himself, and put on clean linen garments. This Christ appears to have imitated, John 13:4. He laid aside his garments, girded himself with a towel, etc. There is no room to doubt that he and his disciples had been at the bath before: see John 13:10.
2. The high priest addressed a solemn prayer to God:
1. For himself this Christ imitates, John 17:1-5.
2. For the sons of Aaron: our Lord imitates this in praying for his disciples, John 17:9-19.
3. For all the people: our Lord appears to imitate this also in praying for his Church, all who should believe on him through the preaching of the apostles and their successors, John 17:20-24. After which he returns again to his disciples, John 17:25, John 17:26. See Calmet's Dict. under Expiation; and see La Grande Bible de M. Martin, in loc.
I. Our Lord's Prayer for Himself, John 17:1-5
Father - Here our Lord addresses the whole Divine nature, as he is now performing his last acts in his state of humiliation.
Glorify thy Son - Cause him to be acknowledged as the promised Messiah by the Jewish people, and as the universal Savior by the Gentile world; and let such proofs of his Godhead be given as shall serve to convince and instruct mankind.
That thy son also may glorify thee - That by dying be may magnify thy law and make it honorable, respected among men - show the strictness of thy justice, and the immaculate purity of thy nature.