John 17:1 Meaning and Explanation
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →On the edge of the cross, Jesus lifts His eyes and prays, asking that His suffering would become the place where the Father's glory shines.
The Context of John 17:1
The opening of Jesus' longest recorded prayer, prayed aloud with the disciples listening, on the last night before the crucifixion (John 17). Across this Gospel Jesus has said again and again that His hour had not yet come; now He says it has.
What Does John 17:1 Mean?
Jesus stops speaking to His friends and begins to speak to His Father. He lifts His eyes to heaven, the posture of someone who knows exactly where He is going. Then He names the moment plainly: the hour is come. All through this Gospel that hour was held back, but now it stands before Him, the cross and everything it holds. And His first word reaches for glory: glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. He asks that the darkest hour become the place where God's love is made visible.
What looks like defeat is, in His own prayer, the hour of glory. The cross is where the Father and the Son glorify each other, where love is shown to its very end. Jesus walks toward His death already praying, already trusting, already lifting His eyes. He turns the worst thing the world can do into the clearest window into the heart of God. The One who prayed this prayer carried us in it, and the glory He asked for opened the way home.
John 17:1 in the Original Language
doxazo (δοξάζω), 'glorify' -- to honor, to make weighty and visible, to let true worth shine out.
How to Apply John 17:1 Today
When our own hardest hour arrives, this prayer shows us a way to face it: with eyes lifted, trusting that God can make even the worst moment shine with His love. Jesus prayed that God would be glorified through His hour, and He carries us as we learn to pray the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 17:1
What does John 17:1 mean?
On the edge of the cross, Jesus lifts His eyes and prays, asking that His suffering would become the place where the Father's glory shines.
What is the context of John 17:1?
The opening of Jesus' longest recorded prayer, prayed aloud with the disciples listening, on the last night before the crucifixion (John 17). Across this Gospel Jesus has said again and again that His hour had not yet come; now He says it has.
How can I apply John 17:1 today?
When our own hardest hour arrives, this prayer shows us a way to face it: with eyes lifted, trusting that God can make even the worst moment shine with His love. Jesus prayed that God would be glorified through His hour, and He carries us as we learn to pray the same way.