Easter Season · Year A
Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 17, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)
The farewell discourse ends not in instruction but in prayer, spoken aloud with lifted eyes (v. 1), and since the sixteenth century this chapter has been called the high priestly prayer. “The hour” that the Gospel has been deferring since Cana (2:4) has now arrived, and the first thing asked is glory, a word this passage uses in nearly every verse. Verse 3 supplies the Gospel’s only definition of eternal life, and it is relational rather than temporal: to know, in the Hebrew sense of acknowledging and being bound to. The double name at its end, “Jesus Christ,” is odd on Jesus’ own lips, and many readers hear the evangelist’s voice surfacing in his character’s. Verse 5 asks for the return of a glory held before the world existed, so the prayer looks backward past creation as well as forward past the cross. The Roman rite cuts at v. 11a, keeping the petition for unity for Year B.
From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.
Take it further: John 17:1-11a
Commentary
Commentary on John 17:1-11Commentary on Jn 17:1-11 Working Preacher (Luther Seminary)
Lutheran commentary on Jesus' High Priestly Prayer and eternal life as relationship, not duration.
John 17:1-11 CommentaryJn 17:1-11 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
Reformed commentary on the opening of Jesus' prayer for glory and for those the Father has given him.
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle A Agape Bible Study
Catholic walkthrough of this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus' prayer of intercession before his arrest.
The Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A Catholic Productions (Dr. Brant Pitre)
Mass Readings Explained episode on the High Priestly Prayer and the name Christian.
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle A Loyola Press, Sunday Connection
Sunday-wide Catholic reflection connecting the Gospel prayer to the whole week's readings, for family and classroom use.
Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Easter 7 (A) The Episcopal Church, Sermons That Work
Anglican sermon for this Sunday, read alongside Jesus' prayer for his disciples' unity and protection.
Background & Word Study
Glory and Giving: That All May Be One Left Behind and Loving It (D. Mark Davis)
Greek-focused close reading of John 17:1-11, tracking the key verbs 'glorify' and 'give' through the prayer.
Gospel of John Summary (Part 2, chapters 13-21)Gospel of Jn Summary (Part 2, chapters 13-21) BibleProject
Overview video covering the second half of John, including the Farewell Discourse and this prayer.
The Church Fathers
Prep at sermons.com
Ready to write?
- Full sermons on John 17:1-11a
- Illustrations cleared for use in worship
- Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Trusted by pastors since 1995.
Free every Tuesday
Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox
The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.