The disciples are in for some tough times and one way of being delivered from those times is to take them from the world by death (Isa 57:1). Jesus would not pray that his disciples be removed in that way for two reasons. The first is that one of the purposes of His coming was that men might conquer that which is in us which wants to give up and quit living when faced with overwhelming circumstances. That has always been God’s will. Note that when Moses, Elijah, and Jonah made such requests to God, they were denied (Num 11:15, 1 Kings 19:4, Jonah 4:3,8). Matthew Henry said it this way: “It is his will that we should take up our cross, and not outrun it.” Jesus gives us the power to overcome those feelings of despair (John 10:10, Luke 4:18-19, 2 Cor 4:8).

Isaiah 57:1  The righteous perish, and no-one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no-one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

Numbers 11:15  If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favour in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

1 Kings 19:4  while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

Jonah 4:3  Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah 4:8  When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Luke 4:18-19  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

2 Corinthians 4:8  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

The second reason Jesus would not pray for His disciples to be removed from the world is that He had work for them to do. Even though the world hated them and was not worthy of them, it desperately needed them and their message (Acts 22:22, Heb 11:38). Henry again states, “Many good people are spared to live, because they can ill be spared to die.”

Acts 22:22  The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”

Hebrews 11:38  the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

The place for the disciples to be was in the world. As Morris notes, “It would be bad for them and disastrous for the world to have them taken out of the world.” We have already noted why it would be disastrous for the world to have the disciples removed from the world, but why, do you think, would it be bad for them?

The place for God’s people is in the world, although many have tried to live apart from the world in holy seclusion (Jer 9:2). Jesus did not pray for His people to seclude themselves from the world. It brings Christ more glory and us more honor if we overcome the world rather than retreat from it.

Jeremiah 9:2  Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travellers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.

Instead of praying for deliverance from the world, Jesus prays that they should be kept from the evil one (1 John 5:18). The disciples are to be “in” Christ (John 16:33, 1 John 5:20) and if they are to be “in” Him, they must be “out of” the evil one. That which they have yet to do in the world is much too important for them to be removed from the world, but it is equally too important for them to not be kept from evil, for “evil is fatal to the discharge of their task.” (Morris) Why?

1 John 5:18  We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.

John 16:33  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

1 John 5:20  We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Remember that whatever Jesus prays for is a promise and a prophecy, so the disciples and us will be kept from evil and the evil one, but only if we keep ourselves in close proximity to Jesus.