John 17:4

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

I {G1473} have glorified {G1392} thee {G4571} on {G1909} the earth {G1093}: I have finished {G5048} the work {G2041} which {G3739} thou gavest {G1325} me {G3427} to {G2443} do {G4160}.

“I glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.

I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do.

John 17:4 is a profound declaration by Jesus Christ during what is often called His "High Priestly Prayer." In this intimate moment with the Father, just before His betrayal and crucifixion, Jesus affirms the successful completion of His earthly mission.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' lengthy prayer recorded in John chapter 17, offered shortly after the Last Supper and before He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane. It's a prayer of intercession for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers. Jesus is reflecting on His entire earthly ministry, acknowledging that He has perfectly fulfilled the divine commission given to Him by the Father. This prayer serves as a powerful testament to His unwavering obedience and dedication to God's will, even in the face of imminent suffering and death.

Key Themes

  • Glorification of God: Jesus states, "I have glorified thee on the earth." This wasn't through self-promotion, but by perfectly revealing the Father's character, love, and power through His words, miracles, and ultimately, His sacrificial death. His entire life was an act of worship and obedience that brought honor and renown to God.
  • Completion of Mission: The declaration, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do," highlights Jesus' sense of absolute fulfillment. The "work" encompassed His entire redemptive mission: teaching the truth, demonstrating God's kingdom, healing the sick, and preparing the way for humanity's reconciliation with God through His atonement on the cross. It signifies a work not just ended, but brought to its intended, perfect conclusion.
  • Divine Commission: The phrase "which thou gavest me to do" emphasizes that Jesus' work was not self-initiated but a divine assignment from the Father. This underscores His unique role as the Son sent by God to accomplish a specific, salvific purpose.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Greek word for "glorified" is doxazō (δοξάζω), meaning to magnify, honor, or cause to have glory. Jesus' life and death brought ultimate glory to the Father by revealing His nature and plan of salvation.
  • The word translated "finished" is teleioō (τελειόω), which means to bring to an end, complete, or perfect. It implies not just the cessation of an activity, but its successful and perfect culmination. This resonates with Jesus' final cry on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30), signifying the full accomplishment of redemption.

Practical Application

Jesus' declaration in John 17:4 serves as a powerful model for believers today. It challenges us to consider:

  • Our Purpose: Are we living in a way that glorifies God on earth? Our lives, words, and actions should reflect His character and bring Him honor.
  • Completing Our Call: While we don't have the same redemptive mission as Jesus, God gives each of us a unique "work" or calling within His kingdom. This verse encourages us to pursue and complete that work with faithfulness and diligence, striving to say, "I have finished the work which You gave me to do," at the end of our lives. This involves obedience to God's will, as Jesus demonstrated throughout His ministry (John 4:34, Philippians 2:8).

Reflection

This verse provides immense comfort and assurance. Jesus' perfect completion of His work means that our salvation is secure and founded on His finished accomplishment, not on our own efforts. It also inspires us to live lives of purpose, seeking to honor God and fulfill the unique tasks He has entrusted to us, knowing that He equips us to complete them.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 4:34

    Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

  • Acts 20:24

    But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

  • 2 Timothy 4:7

    I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:

  • John 14:31

    But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

  • John 19:30

    When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

  • John 15:10

    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

  • John 13:31

    ¶ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

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