One way that Jesus had glorified his Father was by completing his assignments.  In verses 6-8, what assignments does Jesus mention?  

In verse six, Jesus mentions that he has revealed the Father to those that the Father has given him out of the world. The NIV note mentions that the Greek is literally revealed “your name.”   In verse seven Jesus mentions that he had taught them that his Father was the source of his words and actions.   Jesus makes this specific in verse eight by saying that he had given them the very words that the Father had given him, and he done it in such a way that the disciples have accepted those words.

Other scriptures that speak of this work of Jesus are John 1:18 and Hebrews 1:3.

Consider also the prophecies of Isaiah that Jesus speaks about in Luke 4:18, 19. 

Jesus had continued the preaching of repentance and forgiveness begun by John the Baptist.  An example is Zacchaeus.  Jesus moved primarily among the poor, healing the sick with special attention to many blind people, releasing many who were bound by demons. John says in the first chapter of his gospel that grace was proclaimed through Jesus.   In Luke seven 19-23, and incident is recorded where John the Baptist sent disciples of his to Jesus asking whether Jesus was the one or whether they should look for another. Jesus replied by pointing to just such accomplishments as these which paralleled similar prophecies of Isaiah.   His clear implication was that these were the true Messianic works.

How can Jesus say this before the cross?  

Jesus lived to do his Father’s will (John 4:34).  Certainly everything was in motion for the cross to happen. Jesus had resisted the temptation to become popular as an earthly king. Being true to his Father’s message had earned him the scorn of the scribes and Pharisees. The betrayer’s plot was already in motion. All that remained was the arrest, trial, and crucifixion itself.    But as we see in Gethsemane, going through the passion was a huge step.   He seems t6o be looking beyond the cross as Hebrews says of him (Heb. 12:2).

 

What truth about himself does Jesus confirm in verse 5?    (Compare John 1:1, 2; 6:62;  8:58)

This is a clear statement from Jesus that he existed with the Father before his time on earth, indeed before the earth began.   This is an agreement with other statements he had made and with the teaching of John one.

In verse 6 Jesus declares that he has revealed to his disciples the Father’s name.   What does this mean and how has Jesus accomplished this? 

 

The message paraphrase of verse six helps us understand the meaning. This version says simply,  “I spelled out your character in detail…” Jn 17:6 (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)  But it is not just a spelling out of facts, but also a demonstration of power, and teaching and modeling of reverent awe.    Jesus accomplished all this through his own personality first.  He taught that he and the Father were one.  To have seen him was to have seen the Father.   So, as the disciples observed Jesus and learned of him, they were also learning what the Father was like (John 14:7).    Secondly, Jesus taught what the Father was like through his teaching.   In this prayer, he speaks of passing on to the disciples the words that the Father had given to him.  Another aspect of his teaching that helped the disciples to understand what the Father was like was his corrections of the Pharisees’ interpretations of the law.  For example, when Jesus healed on the Sabbath in opposition to pharisaic teaching, he taught that the Father was compassionate rather than legalistic. The third way the Jesus taught about the Father was through his actions.   Jesus taught that the Father was working and he was working as well and that he was doing the works of the Father.   His claim was that people could believe on him through the works that he was doing (John 5:36).