John 17:5 Commentary and Bible Study

These words are prophetic – he is going to be at the right hand of God the Father. The glory of both the Father and the Son is seen when Christ is glorified. He now anticipates returning to heaven. This must have made a profound impression on the disciples. He taught them these things, and now they stand, we imagine, with their eyes closed, bowed in reverence, listening to the Lord, praying so intimately to the Father. He is not now facing them and teaching them, his face is inclined to heaven, he is in communion with his Father. What is he saying? He is saying, restore to me the glory, the sublime glory which I had with thee before even the foundation of the world, before I came. That must have made a deep impression. One minute they are being didactically taught, the next minute he is calling upon God to enact these things. That would have been the most terribly arrogant thing for anyone to do if it were not true. But Christ did it in their presence. They knew he was in communion with the Father and it made these things all the more real to them.