What does Jesus mean by "the hour has come" in John 17:1? Text (Berean Standard Bible, John 17:1) “After Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.” Immediate Literary Setting: The High Priestly Prayer John 17 records Jesus’ final extended prayer before the arrest in Gethsemane. Chapters 13–16 have prepared the disciples for His departure; chapter 18 will open with the betrayal. Thus the phrase “the hour has come” stands at the hinge between instruction and passion, signifying transition from private ministry to public sacrifice. “Hour” in Johannine Theology Throughout John’s Gospel, “the hour” (Greek: ὥρα) functions as a theological motif marking decisive moments in the messianic mission: • Cana—“My hour has not yet come” (2:4) • Samaritan well—“The hour is coming, and now is” (4:23) • Feast of Booths—enemies could not seize Him “because His hour had not yet come” (7:30; 8:20) • Triumphal Entry—“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:23) The pattern shows progressive revelation: first deferral, then imminence, finally arrival. In 17:1 the motif reaches culmination; the redemptive timetable established “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) reaches its divinely fixed moment. Prophetic Fulfillment and Divine Timetable Daniel’s “seventy weeks” prophecy (Daniel 9:24–26) anticipates Messiah’s being “cut off,” precisely aligning with the predicted timeframe when reckoned from Artaxerxes’ decree (444 B.C.). Jesus’ declaration affirms that the prophetic schedule, not human conspiracy, governs events (cf. Acts 2:23). The Cross as Climax of Redemption “The hour” encompasses Jesus’ arrest, trials, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—the entire passion complex. While human eyes see humiliation, Jesus frames it as glorification: the Father’s justice and love converge as the Son becomes sin offering (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:10–11). Resurrection three days later verifies the success of that hour and secures believers’ justification (Romans 4:25). Glory Through Obedience and Suffering Glory (δόξα) appears five times in 17:1–5. Scripture portrays glory not merely as radiance but as revealed character. Christ glorifies the Father by perfect obedience even unto death (Philippians 2:8); the Father glorifies the Son by exalting Him (2:9–11) and granting authority “over all flesh” (John 17:2). Old Testament Typology Illuminated • Passover Lamb—Jesus dies at the very hour priests slaughter lambs (Exodus 12; John 19:14). • Yom Kippur—Like the high priest entering the Holy of Holies with blood (Leviticus 16), Jesus offers His own blood in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9:11–12). • Abraham/Isaac—“God will provide for Himself the lamb” (Genesis 22:8), foreshadowing the Father’s provision at Calvary. Sovereignty, Predestination, and Human Responsibility Although Judas, Rome, and Sanhedrin act freely, Jesus asserts absolute sovereignty: “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord” (John 10:18). The arrival of “the hour” demonstrates divine orchestration without negating culpability, answering philosophical concerns about freedom. Priestly Intercession Commences “The hour” also inaugurates Jesus’ high-priestly ministry. The prayer of John 17 previews post-resurrection intercession: guarding believers (v.11), sanctifying them by truth (v.17), and ensuring ultimate union with God’s glory (v.24; cf. Hebrews 7:25). Eschatological Foretaste While the decisive hour occurred in A.D. 33, its effects cascade toward the final “hour” of resurrection and judgment (John 5:28–29). Thus 17:1 links first advent accomplishment with future consummation; believers live in the tension of the “already” secured and the “not yet” awaited. Pastoral and Practical Implications 1. Assurance: Salvation rests on a completed, calendar-fixed act of God, not fluctuating human merit (John 19:30). 2. Mission: As the Father sent the Son, so the Son sends disciples (20:21); timing belongs to God, obedience to us. 3. Suffering: Present trials participate in Christ’s pattern—suffering now, glory later (1 Peter 4:13). 4. Worship: The cross-centered hour supplies the substance of Christian praise (Revelation 5:9–10). Summary In John 17:1 “the hour has come” signals the divinely appointed moment when Jesus would accomplish the atoning work, reveal God’s glory through obedient suffering, inaugurate His everlasting priesthood, fulfill prophetic Scripture, and open the path of eternal life for all who believe. |
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