When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just ask to be glorified; he presents a reciprocal relationship: "glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." This isn't just about receiving honor, but about an ongoing, mutual exchange where the Father's glory is revealed through the Son's completed work and subsequent exaltation.
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just finished a long discourse with his disciples, preparing them for his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now, before facing his arrest and crucifixion, he offers a profound prayer to the Father. This prayer marks a transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to his heavenly intercession, starting with a petition for his own glorification.
Jesus is about to face His greatest trial, yet His prayer begins not with fear, but with a bold, upward gaze. What does this posture reveal about His inner state?
The Gospels sometimes describe Jesus' physical actions during prayer, and John highlights Jesus lifting His eyes to heaven. This wasn't just a casual gesture; it was a deliberate posture signaling His focus and His confidence.
Jesus declares, 'the hour has come.' This isn't just a point in time; it's the critical moment for a divine exchange. What is this exchange, and why is it so urgent?
The phrase 'the hour' in John's Gospel signifies a pivotal moment, especially the culmination of Jesus' earthly mission through His suffering and death. In this prayer, Jesus frames this impending crisis as an opportunity for a mutual glorification between Himself and the Father.
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Understand the original words
patēr · Greek Noun
The title used by Jesus to address God, emphasizing the intimate, familial, and relational nature of the Godhead and the believer's access to God through Christ.
hōra · Greek Noun
In the Johannine literature, this refers to the predetermined, climactic moment of Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, which reveals the Father's glory.
doxazō · Greek Verb
The manifestation of God's divine nature, splendor, and presence; to glorify is to make this excellence known or visible.
This prayer occurs at the absolute precipice of Jesus' suffering and death, marking the transition from his earthly ministry to his ultimate atoning sacrifice. It frames his imminent passion not as a defeat, but as the divinely appointed 'hour' for his glorification and the completion of his Father's mission.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' final week begins
Following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus spends his last days teaching and debating in the temple, knowing his arrest and crucifixion are imminent.
c. AD 30
The Last Supper
Jesus shares his final meal with his disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper and delivering profound farewell discourses.
c. AD 30
Jesus prays in Gethsemane
Jesus withdraws to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, wrestling with the agony of the coming suffering.
c. AD 30
Jesus' arrest and trial
Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and subjected to trials before the Jewish authorities and Pontius Pilate.
c. AD 30
Jesus' crucifixion and burial
Jesus is crucified on Golgotha and buried in a tomb, fulfilling prophecies and completing his atoning work.
c. AD 30
Jesus' resurrection
On the third day, Jesus is raised from the dead, demonstrating his victory over sin and death.
This verse can be seen as Jesus' prayer acknowledging the fulfillment of the protoevangelium, the first promise of redemption, as the 'hour' of his redemptive work arrives.
Psalm 2:7-9Jesus' prayer for glorification echoes the Father's promise in Psalm 2, where the Son is given nations as his inheritance, a direct result of his obedience and subsequent exaltation.
Isaiah 53:10-12The prayer for glorification is intrinsically linked to the Suffering Servant prophecy; Jesus asks to be glorified through the very suffering and death that fulfills Isaiah's description of atonement and reward.
Philippians 2:6-11This passage describes the humbling of Christ and his subsequent exaltation and glorification by God, mirroring Jesus' prayer in John 17:1 for the Father to glorify Him as He accomplishes His redemptive work.
Hebrews 5:7-10Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, asking to be saved from death but ultimately submitting to the Father's will, directly relates to His prayer here, acknowledging the 'hour' and seeking the Father's glorification that leads to obedience and the completion of His priestly work.
vincentJohn 17:1: "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 (ταῦτα)Literally, these things. So Rev.SaidJohn nowhere says that Jesus prayed, as the other Evangelists do.Thy Son - thy Son (σοῦ τὸν υἱὸν - ὁ υἱός)Properly, thy Son - the Son. The second phrase marks a change from the thought of personal relationship to that of the relation in which Jesus manifests the Father's gl…
cambridgeJohn 17:1: "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:"
1 . These words ] More exactly, these things , as in John 16:1 ; John 16:4 ; John 16:6 ; John 16:25 ; John 16:33 . lifted up his eyes ] in calm confidence and in the assurance of victory ( John 16:33 ). The attitude is in marked contrast to His falling on His face in the garden ( Matthew 26:39 ). ‘To heaven’ does not prove that He was i…
Jesus doesn't just ask to be glorified; he presents a reciprocal relationship: "glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." This isn't just about receiving honor, but about an ongoing, mutual exchange where the Father's glory is revealed through the Son's completed work and subsequent exaltation.
Jesus has just finished a long discourse with his disciples, preparing them for his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now, before facing his arrest and crucifixion, he offers a profound prayer to the Father. This prayer marks a transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to his heavenly intercession, starting with a petition for his own glorification.
Jesus has just finished a long discourse with his disciples, preparing them for his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now, before facing his arrest and crucifixion, he offers a profound prayer to the Father. This prayer marks a transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to his heavenly intercession, starting with a petition for his own glorification.
"When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you," — Jesus doesn't just ask to be glorified; he presents a reciprocal relationship: "glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." This isn't just about receiving honor, but about an ongoing, mutual exc…
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Last reviewed October 2026