(All Bible verses quoted are from New King James version, if not mentioned otherwise.)
John
17 contains the longest recorded prayer of Jesus. The prayer follows the
Last Supper and the long farewell speech. It is said just before His betrayal,
arrest and crucifixion. The prayer may be divided into three sections. First,
Jesus prays for Himself, then He prays for His disciples, and He closes the
prayer by praying for all believers. This is commonly called Jesus’ High
Priestly Prayer.
Jesus was
preparing for His death on the cross as the Lamb of God, for the atonement for
our sins. He offered His life as the ultimate sacrifice that would completely
cleanse His people from sins and save them for eternal life.
Jesus was praying
an intercessory prayer as the only mediator between His people and God. He
did not instruct His disciples to pray as He did because only He would intercede before God and He is the only mediator.
Jesus' High Priestly prayer is rich in theological insights. It reveals the relationship between the Father and the Son, the nature of salvation, Jesus' mission on earth and His relationship with the believers. The Prayer reveals His heart and His concerns as He was about to finish the earthly mission.