John 17:5

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

John 17:5 (KJV)

Context

This verse belongs to Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer in John 17, spoken just before His arrest and crucifixion. In this intimate conversation with His Father, Jesus prays not only for Himself but also for His disciples and all future believers. The immediate context is His completed earthly work, as He has just declared in John 17:4 that He has glorified God on earth by finishing the work He was given to do.

Meaning

Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him “with thine own self” — that is, in the Father’s presence — with the glory He shared with the Father before the world existed. This is not a request for a new glory but for the restoration of the eternal glory that was His from eternity. The phrase “before the world was” affirms Christ’s preexistence and His full divine nature. The glory He seeks includes all the honor, power, and joy of His exalted state, which He would enter after His suffering and resurrection.

Biblical connections

This prayer echoes the unity and love within the Godhead. Jesus’ request is grounded in the Father’s eternal love for Him, a love that existed before creation. In John 17:24, Jesus desires that believers may behold His glory, the glory given to Him because the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world. This connection shows that the purpose of redemption is to bring believers into the fellowship of that glory.

Application

Jesus’ prayer reveals His voluntary humility: though He eternally possessed divine glory, He set it aside to take on human flesh and accomplish salvation. His request also models prayer that aligns with God’s will, using the Father’s promises as the ground of hope. Believers can take assurance that Christ’s divine nature and His finished work secure their hope of sharing in His glory.

Reflection

Consider the profound love and commitment Jesus displayed by willingly leaving the glory of heaven to come to earth and accomplish God’s plan of redemption. His prayer invites us to trust in His eternal relationship with the Father and to look forward to the day when we will behold His glory.