Jesus as God
Jesus Shared the Father's Glory Before Creation
The prayer distinguishes Jesus from the Father while placing their relationship and shared glory before creation.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Pre-existence
Divine Glory
Divine Identity
Unique Relationship with the Father
Divine Attributes
Claims Eternal Existence
Shares Divine Glory
Claims Unique Sonship
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
Jesus asks the Father to glorify him in the Father's presence with the glory he had with the Father before the world existed.
Historical and Cultural Context
YHWH declares his unique glory in Isaiah, and creation marks the beginning of the world's existence rather than God's.
Old Testament Background
Isaiah 42:8; Isaiah 48:11; Genesis 1:1 are major backgrounds.
Exposition
Jesus does not ask to acquire a glory he never possessed. He asks to be restored to glory he already had with the Father before creation.
Why This Points to His Divinity
This is direct first-person testimony to pre-creation existence and shared divine glory, making it one of John's strongest deity passages.