“IN HIS HUMILITY”

2 “since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” 

John 17:2

Does Jesus praying to the Father mean He is inferior to the Father?

John chapter 17 is a heartfelt prayer known as Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer.” After delivering His Farewell Discourse, Jesus now prays for Himself, the disciples, and future believers. This moment is also the start of Jesus’ “time.”

When you look at verse 2, it may seem as though Jesus is praying as someone inferior to the Father, referring to the Father as the giver of authority and eternal life. But we can't form our theology based on a single verse; we need to read in context.

Jesus is coming from a place of humanity, not of His deity. Remember, Jesus is both fully God and fully man. As a man, He humbles Himself to the Father, considering that He is on earth while the Father is in heaven.

But in many places in the Bible, especially in the Gospel of John, we can see Jesus equating Himself with the Father (John 5:17-18; 8:58; and 10:30). In Chapter 14, Jesus asking the Father doesn’t mean an inferior asking a superior, but a king asking another king—that’s the concept. 

This verse shows that Jesus’ prayer request aligns with God’s redemptive plan. The Father has ordained the Son’s rule over the earth (Psalm 2), to render judgment (John 5:27), to take up His life (10:18), and to give eternal life to those whom God the Father gave Him. 

“You have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” 

Hebrews 2:7b-8 

Jesus saying all authority was given to Him does not necessarily mean He is inferior to the Father; rather, it simply highlights His humble submission to the Father. This should not make us think less of Him. In fact, it should encourage us to be like Him in His humility. 

5 "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

Philippians 2:5-7

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash