John 17

David Lipscomb Commentary On John 17 JESUS PRAYS FOR HIMSELF AND HIS Joh_17:1-26 1 These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said,—When Jesus had concluded the discourse contained in chapters 14 to 16, at the close of the passover supper at which he had instituted the Lord’ s Supper, he offered the prayer recorded in this chapter. He was then expecting the return of Judas with his band to arrest and deliver him into the hands of the chief priests and scribes. Father, the hour is come;—[The hour for which all the other hours had existed, the hour for the consummation of the great work of redemption. All of the coming day is comprehended in this “ hour.” ] glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee:—This petition was made in view of the trials through which he was to pass. He asked the Father to give him strength to be able to bear it all. In this way God would glorify him, that in his faithfulness he might glorify God before the world. [The hour of suffering and death has come, but Jesus looks through this to what is beyond. He has not come to this hour for the mere purpose of suffering, but that the suffering may bring glory to himself and his Father. The resurrection, the ascension, the coronation— these are what he prays for because through these the glorification of him and the Father, together with eternal life to the race, comes.] 2 even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh,—God had given into his hands the rule and destiny of all flesh. He came to redeem all by his death. “ But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9.) [All human beings is meant. The authority came by the appointment of the Father because of his purpose to redeem man by sacrifice. As he knew that the purpose held, and that he would carry it out, he speaks as though it were already accomplished, though the authority was not fully asserted till after the resurrection. (Matthew 28:18-20.)] that to all whom thou hast given him,—[The significance of this phrase, and the number it embraces, can only be settled by ascertaining the full number of believers in Christ, using “ believers” in the correct sense as meaning those who have definitely committed themselves to him. A select number is not here meant by this.] he should give eternal life.—[The design of the creation of the world is the glorification of God and Christ in the blessedness of men— such, likewise, is the design of the redemption. The Father is to be glorified by the diffusion of salvation in Christ, the dissemination of eternal life.] God had given him all who would believe in him and be led by him. So he gives eternal life to all who obey him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.—To know God as the ruler and maker of the universe and his Son Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and Savior of the world is to obtain eternal life. To know them in the sense of obeying him. 4 I glorified thee on the earth,—In doing the work of his Father he had glorified him. [Jesus stands upon an elevation from which he looks back over his whole earth life as well as that of the few hours remaining. He sees in it only the glori¬fication of the Father. He does not see in his life at this supreme moment either any evil committed or any good omitted. The duty of every hour had been fulfilled.] having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do.—God had sent Jesus into the world to manifest God’s love, and this work he had finished. [He has laid down the principles of his church. He is about to shed the blood which shall cement together, and upon these principles the living stones of that institution.] 5 And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.— Jesus was in heaven with God before the world was. To show the way for man’ s return to God he gave up that glory, came to earth, took upon himself the nature of man, became subject to mortality and death to save man. The end of this work on earth now approaches and he prays that he might be delivered from these earthly trials and be restored to his original position of honor in heaven. [Jesus here goes back of his¬tory, back of creation itself, and speaks of the glory which he then had with the Father. This can be understood only in the light of the opening verses of the first chapter of John, where not only pre-existence, but deific and eternal preexistence is predicated of him.] 6 I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world:—Among those who were given to him by the Father were the twelve apostles or chosen witnesses. [It is by revealing himself as Son that Jesus has revealed God to them as the Father.] thine they were, and thou gavest them to me;—[Probably this refers to a spiritual relationship to and knowledge of God on the part of these men, brought about by the preaching of John the Baptist, which marked them out as belonging to God. (John 1:35-39.) They were true “ Israel” in whom was “ no guile.” ] and they have kept thy word.—Jesus had given to them the word of God, and they had kept it. Judas is excepted as failing to keep the word of God. (Verse 12.) [Notwithstanding all the temptations to unfaithfulness which have assailed them during these years (Luke 22:28) and before which others have fallen, they have kept in their heart the teaching of Jesus.] 7 Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee:—These, through the teachings of Jesus, had come to know that what Jesus taught was from God the Father. Jesus taught only as God gave him to teach. 8 for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.—Jesus gave the words of God to the disciples and through these they came to know that Jesus came from God and that God sent him. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world,— [At this time, Jesus does not mean to say that the world is excluded from his sympathy, for the reason he was dying was to save the world.] but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:— Jesus first prays for those who had believed on him and so were given to him of God. [Jesus intimates that they occupy a relationship to God, also, which he will doubtless recognize as giving them special claims to his blessings. They have not ceased to be thine by becoming mine.] 10 and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine:—The oneness of Jesus and the Father is again empha¬sized and the truth Jesus had taught these disciples had kept them. and I am glorified in them.—He was glorified in their holy lives and in the work they would do in his name. 11 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee.—Jesus would leave the world and go to God, but he would leave these chosen witnesses in the world. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me,—He had kept them while he was with them in the world; but as he leaves them he prays God to keep them in his own name, that they may be one as God and Jesus are one. To keep them in the name of God was to keep them as his servants doing his work and looking to God for help and strength. [The disciples would not have his visible presence to encourage, strengthen, and bless and he intercedes for them. We cannot overestimate the sympathy that breathes in every word of this prayer. His heart’ s desire was that the apostles be kept in the spiritual sphere into which they had entered by accepting him as their Teacher and believing the truths he had presented.] that they may be one, even as we are.— [The only security for the unity of the disciples of Christ is in unswerving fidelity to his word. Abiding thus in his word, in his name which is the symbol of his truth, they will be as closely united in sympathy and work as the Father and the Son. All departures from unity have been departures from the word.] 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.—When he was in the world he acted in the name of the Father. By the power and for the service of God he kept his disciples, and only the son of perdition was lost, as the scriptures foretold. [Judas had the same care bestowed on him that was bestowed on the others, and was lost because he would not be saved. What scripture is referred to here is somewhat doubtful. Some say Psalms 109 Psalms 8; others Psalms 41:9. 13 But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.—Before leaving the world to go to God he spoke these things to his disciples yet in the world, that they might possess the joy in this world that filled Jesus, “ who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2.) The sufferings and shame of the cross could not dispossess him of his joy. [Jesus was leaving these words in the world as a legacy to the apostles that they might have the same certainty of the protection and love of the Father that he had.] 14 I have given them thy word;—[Looking back over, and summing up, the teaching of the past years, which was the word of God.] and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.—The words of God received into the heart, cherished and obeyed, would separate them from the world as he was separated from the world, and would cause the world to hate them as it hated Christ; but it would secure to them the joy that he possessed, of which nothing could deprive them. [The world as opposed to God, or caring nothing for him, are trampling his divine will under foot, or making his word of no effect by their traditions. Necessarily, those whose thoughts were centered upon God would be the antipodes of these and would excite their antipathy.] 15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them from the world,—[For the reason that then one of the great objects of his would be defeated. They have a mission to be fulfilled; they are to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. The world is to be blessed through them, but not by their departure.] but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.—To keep them from being led into the sins of the world and so from its sorrows. 16 They are not of the world,—His disciples, guided by his words, were not of this world, but by this were made partakers of his nature and sharers of his spiritual kingdom. [Not of the world because they have different hopes and aims from the world. They are living in a sphere of holiness into which Christ through his teaching has brought them with himself.] even as I am not of the world.—[Like their Master, they are to be separate from sinners, and undefiled, but to remain in the world that they may carry forward the saving work established by Jesus.] 17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.—To sanctify to a sacred and holy use or purpose. The prayer was to separate them and set them apart (from the world) to God through the truth. Lest men should misapprehend what he regards as truth, he adds, “ Thy word is truth.” No one can be separated from the world, or sanctified to God by the truth, save as he makes that truth the rule of his life and is led away from all other paths into the path marked out by this. 18 As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.—The disciples taught and sent by Jesus stood related to him as he stood related to the Father who sent him. [Jesus has raised them up into his own sphere of divine thought and feeling, and from this sent them forth as messengers to the world, even as he himself had been sent from a higher sphere to the low-lying grounds of the world. They are to take up and carry on his mission. They have, therefore, the highest claims upon our reverence.] 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself,—For the sake of them he sanctified himself to death and shed his blood to seal the truth. [This covers the entire consecration of Jesus to his mission, including all he was to do and suffer on the next day. He sacrificed everything, even his own life, to the fulfillment of his mission.] that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.—That these disciples might be led by that truth, devoted to it, and sanctified by it. The only way of sanctification is through the truth of God. The only union possible is in the truth as God has delivered it. He who turns from the truth of God— sets aside any of that truth— for the sake of union with others— not only sets at naught the authority of God, but he places himself upon ground upon which union is impossible. Union is not only undesirable, but impossible, save as men are sanctified by the word of God. A union in any other way save as we are sanctified by and in the truth would be a union out of and against God. If this were possible, it would only be the presage of swift and widespread destruction from God. 20 Neither for these only do I pray,—The apostles were the chosen witnesses to testify the things done and taught by Christ. They were guided by the Holy Spirit in this work. Their testimonies or words were the foundation of faith in Christ. but for them also that believe on me through their word;—When he had prayed for the witnesses, he extends the prayer in behalf of those who would believe on him through their words. All faith in Jesus in the years since his death came through the words of the apostles. 21 that they may all be one;—The oneness of the children of God as God and Jesus are one was a question near the heart of the Son of God. even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me.—One reason of this earnest desire for this oneness was that through this oneness the world might be brought to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and be saved. The belief and salvation of the world depends upon the children of God being one. They can be one only by adhering faithfully to the word of God. Through all the ages to come man can believe in God through Christ in the words of the apostles. [The Father and Son have no separate will, kingdom or interest. Such a union is here demanded of the disciples of Christ. It is impossible to convert and save the world to Christ as long as they who claim to be his followers are divided into various denominations, each having a different doctrine, property and interest, separate churches, colleges, papers, and missions.

Denominationalism is utterly opposed to this prayer, and every apologist for it is disloyal to the spirit of the prayer and working against the salvation of the world. Nor is it fulfilled in any church where there are factions, where all are not “ perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” If Christ abides in the heart, the one life will draw all who have Christ formed within them into one family. This union is needful and the world will never believe in the Christ until it is accomplished. Sectarian divisions is the most fruitful source of skepticism that can be found. The union of Christendom would soon convert the world; but this union must be on the word of God.] 22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them;—The power and wisdom God had given the Son when he sent him into the world, he thus gives to his apostles that through this power they might show that God was with them as he had been with Jesus. that they may be one, even as we are one;—God’ s Spirit in Christ makes them one. This same Spirit ruling in the disciples will make them one with God and one with each other. All persons guided by the one Spirit will be one with each other. 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.—Jesus loved those he died to redeem. He loved them while they were yet sin¬ners and rebels against God. That love was intensified and strengthened by their response to his love and sacrifice. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.—When they became the children of God, this love was intensified and he desired that they should be with him, see his glory in the world of glory bestowed upon him by his Father, and share that glory with him. The Father loved him before the world was, and gave him the glory that he now desired them to behold and share. 25 O righteous Father, the world knew thee not,—The world had been created by God; but it lost sight of him and turned from him. “ And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.” (1:5.) but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;—While the world did not know him, Jesus who had been with him did know him, and the disciples through his works and teaching had come to know that God had sent him and was with him. 26 and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known;—By the name of God is meant more than by the simple term by which he is known; but person, character, and mission of God in his dealings with man. “ And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth; keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’ s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7.) [I have made known unto them thy nature, attributes, counsels, will, and commandments, and I will continue the manifestation of the same unto the end. The saving knowledge of God was not attainable by natural abilities, but cometh to us by the special revelation of Christ.] that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.—Jesus had declared the work, mission, character, and office of the Creator and Ruler of the world; he would still do it in person till his final ascension; then he would do it through the Spirit that the Father would send in his name, that the apostle acting as he acted, living as he lived, might be the object of God’ s love as he (Jesus) was loved by his Father. [It is not enough for the people of God that they are beloved of him, and that his love is towards them; but they must endeavor to have it in them.]

Verse 1 This whole chapter records the prayer that Jesus offered on the betrayal night in contemplation of the cross. There is the prayer for himself (John 17:1-5), for the apostles (John 17:6-19), and for those of all generations who would believe on him through the apostles’ word (John 17:20-26). Hester said: John 17 is the real Lord’s prayer. In this deeply moving experience he prays: first for himself, for his disciples, and for the whole world - all believers in all ages.[1]Dummelow called it “Christ’s high priestly prayer, because in it he solemnly consecrates himself to be priest and victim in the approaching sacrifice."[2] Barnes commented that “It is the longest prayer recorded in the New Testament."[3] Westcott called it “The Prayer of Consecration."[4] Robertson called it “Christ’s Intercessory Prayer."[5] Some have called it “The Prayer for Unity.” As Morgan said: I would ever be careful lest I should appear to differentiate between the value of one part of the Holy Scripture and another, but no one will deny that when we come to this chapter we are at the center of all the sanctities.[6]The hypothesis that John merely imagined this prayer and put the words in Jesus’ mouth retrospectively fails to take into account the prayer itself which is utterly beyond the power of any man to have conceived it. Here, “Jesus seemed to sweep away the last physical barrier that separated him from the world above … He was as one in intimate conversation with God."[7]Our exegesis on this chapter does not pretend to be exhaustive, the chapter being, in fact, inexhaustible. As Gaebelein said: No complete exposition can be given. Three of the Puritan preachers expounded this chapter: Manton’s sermons on it make a volume of 400 pages; Newton’s exposition nearly 600 pages; and Burgess’ sermons comprise 700 large pages![8]We shall content ourselves with picking up a truth here and there! [1] H. L. Hester, The Heart of the New Testament (Liberty, Missouri: Quality Press, 1963), p. 199. [2] J. R. Dummelow. Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 803. [3] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1954), p. 352. [4] B .F. Westcott, The Gospel according to St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971), p. 336. [5] A. T. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1922), p. 151. [6] G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel according to John (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company), p. 266. [7] Daniel A. Poling, The Romance of Jesus (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1939), p. 180. [8] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of John (Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1965), p. 311. These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee. (John 17:1) These things … refers to the discourse just finished. Glorify thy Son … The word John used to express Jesus’ desire in this prayer does not actually mean “pray” in the usual sense. Jesus’ petitions should therefore be understood as the expressed desire of a soul in complete harmony with God. Lifting up his eyes to heaven … This has led some to suppose the prayer was offered outdoors after they had left the upper room, but this is not certain. The hour is come … What hour? It was the hour for which Jesus had come into the world, the hour of fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies, the hour when the true passover would be sacrificed, the hour when the Son of God would bruise the head of Satan and accomplish God’s purpose of achieving salvation for mankind. If this prayer is searched for implications bearing upon the prayers offered by Christians, the thing that stands out is the priority of God’s glory. Before any earthly desire, the desire for the glory of God comes first. In this, it corresponds with Matthew 6:9.

Verse 2 Even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life.Authority over all flesh … Jesus’ use of the third person accounts for some strange expressions in the prayer (John 17:3), the reason for this being found in the Lord’s mental and spiritual condition during the prayer. Here the God-man was caught up into a union with the Father so complete and intimate that, for the moment, his whole human nature was thought of by Christ as if it were apart from himself. Also, the third person was a vehicle of further instructing the apostles. Over all flesh … To Jesus alone, God committed the judgment of humanity. That to all whom thou hast given him … All men belong to God, but not all are given to Christ. This clause shows that God gave Christ a special kind of authority over those given to him, the authority to give them eternal life. Thus, the gift of eternal life is conditional and available to them alone who are Christ’s. Shank said: All mankind rightfully belongs to God, as sovereign Creator; but those who seek to know and do his will are his in a special sense, and in them will be fulfilled God’s real purpose in creation.[9]ENDNOTE: [9] Robert Shank, Jesus, His Story (Springfield, Massachusetts: Westcott Publishers, 1962), p. 206.

Verse 3 And this is life eternal, that they know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.Here is stated the fundamental condition of receiving eternal life. Men must know God and Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Jesus Christ … Jesus’ third person reference to himself in this compound title is the basis of all kinds of wild speculations to the effect that these are John’s words, not those of our Lord; but without doubt these are the true words of Jesus (see under John 17:2). From what other source could the almost universal use of “Jesus Christ” have derived? Christ would declare himself “Christ” that very night (Mark 14:62), a title purposely avoided until then. What better way was there of instructing the apostles than in this prayer uttered in the third person (partially), and in which the expression “Jesus Christ” was used for the first time on earth? Westcott paid respect to this alleged difficulty by making this verse a parenthesis, saying, “St. John has given parenthetically … the substance of what the Lord said."[10]Saunders thought this prayer includes “Both the direct words of the Saviour … (and) the writer’s own reflections."[11] We feel, however, that all such interpretations should be rejected, not merely because of the good sense in receiving them as Jesus’ actual words, but also because many great scholars regard the grounds for taking them thus as totally adequate. To quote only one of them, Hovey said: He was referring to himself in the third person, as being, along with the Father, the object of that knowledge which is eternal life. In this solemn hour, it is by no means inconceivable that he should have applied to himself, once for all, the great compound name, which the apostles were to use so often … We adhere, therefore, to the view that this is the language of Christ himself.[12]That they know thee, the only true God … The saving knowledge of God includes also the knowledge of Jesus Christ as God’s revelation to men and is a far different thing from merely believing that there is a creator. This knowing God and Christ is not a casual thing, but something extensive and profound. Hallock said: I sometimes wince at the careless way the question is asked, “Do you know Jesus?” … Let us use a great word greatly and settle with ourselves that this word “know” is marvelously deep, and no man has ever touched bottom.[13]WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW GODI. “He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). Thus, without obedience, one may have a few ideas about God; but he does not know God. II. “He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8). Without love one cannot know either the Father or the Son. It would be as reasonable to suppose that a mole can see the stars as to think that one who does not love knows God. III. To know God is to be “in Christ.” “God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:12). No one can know God except by knowing him “in Christ.” This means to be united with Christ, to bear his name, to confess him as Lord, and to accept all the obligations entailed by being baptized “into Christ.” IV. Knowing God means receiving God’s Spirit. Until that Spirit is known and received as an earnest of the soul’s inheritance, there can be no saving knowledge of God and Christ (Romans 8:9). “Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us because he hath given us his Spirit” (1 John 4:13). To know God … is therefore a concise reference to believing and obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. [10] B. F. Westcott, op. cit., p. 240. [11] Ernest W. Saunders, John Celebrates the Gospel (New York: Abingdon, 1965), p. 136. [12] Alvah Hovey, Commentary on John (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1885), p. 337. [13] G. B. F. Hallock, Minister’s Manual (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1938), p. 117.

Verse 4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.I glorified thee … refers to Jesus’ life of perfect trust and obedience, including his sufferings and death, here prophetically regarded as already accomplished. Glorify thou me … refers to the receiving of Jesus back into the bosom of the Father where he had resided eternally. This necessarily included Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Before the world was … In such a statement as this, Jesus affirmed his eternal existence, his oneness with the Father, and his equality with God (see John 1:1-11). In the beautiful words of Lipscomb: Jesus here goes back of history, back of creation itself, and speaks of the glory which he then had with the Father. This can be understood only in the light of the opening verses of the first chapter. [14]The implications of this passage are profound. Christ was here praying for the Father to glorify him with the glory that he had possessed from before all time; but it was as a HUMAN BEING that Christ would ascend to the Father and be endowed with everlasting glory; thus, man himself, in the person of Christ, is now seated on the Throne! It is OUR NATURE that has been glorified in Christ. ENDNOTE: [14] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the Gospel of John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1960), p. 263.

Verse 6 I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word.I manifested thy name … Jesus did this by referring all honor and glory to God throughout his entire ministry. He was ever careful to explain that the words he spoke, the miracles he wrought, and the teachings he gave were the Father’s. And they kept thy word … Keeping the word of God, in the sense of believing it and obeying it, was the means by which Jesus’ disciples had become his and were continued in that blessed relationship; and it is impossible that any other means exists which could enable men to be Christ’s disciples (see under John 17:14).

Verse 7 Now they know that all things whatsoever thou has given me are from thee.This is a summation of the preceding thought and shows that Christ came to reveal God, his work, his love, his power, and his teaching. It is this identification of Christ with God himself that is all-important.

Verse 8 For the words which thou gavest me I have given them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.The words that thou gavest me … The revelation brought to men by Christ was a revelation of “words,” not of thoughts or ideas. This consideration is of the most extensive importance in understanding the inspiration of the Scriptures. Everything in the Bible points to the verbal nature of holy revelation. Jesus made an argument for immortality to rest on a single two-letter word, the verb “AM” in Exodus 3:14, and the mere tense of a verb at that! (Matthew 23:32). Paul likewise trusted the number of the noun “seed” (Galatians 3:16), as the definitive argument for the calling of all the saved in Christ.

Jesus brought God’s words to men. Therefore, let men heed the words, for they shall judge all creation at the last day (John 12:48-50). I have given unto them … This made the apostles custodians of the sacred revelation from God, thus endowing the New Testament with plenary authority for determining God’s will for mankind. This is true because only in the New Testament does one have the actual teachings of the apostles of Christ. Men need to learn how “not to go beyond the things which are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). And they believed that thou didst send me … The use of the past tense here is prophetic and refers to the ultimate fidelity of the apostles to their divine commission, passing over the little season that very night when the Shepherd would be smitten and the sheep scattered.

Verse 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine.I pray not for the world … This shift back to the present tense denotes that at that time Christ was not praying for the world but for his disciples. That Christ could not pray for his enemies in the same terms as for his own is natural; and, as Hovey said, “The blessings which he would ask for his enemies must be different in some respects from those which he would ask for his friends."[15] Lipscomb concurred, saying, “Jesus does not mean to say that the world is excluded from his sympathy; he was dying to save the world."[16] Later, Jesus prayed that the “world might believe” (John 17:20-21). For they are thine … The apostles were not merely Christ’s any longer but were God’s chosen representatives to deliver the saving gospel to humanity. It was that new status with which they were shortly to be endowed that required this special prayer to be uttered in their hearing. It has all the effect of the great commission. In this part of his prayer, Jesus prayed not for the world but for those men upon whom the salvation of the world depended. [15] Alvah Hovey, op. cit., p. 340. [16] David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 264.

Verse 10 And all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them.God in Christ, Christ in Christians, Christians in Christ, and Christ in God this (mutual unity and identification) is another summary of how men are saved.

Verse 11 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are.No more in the world … refers to the physical absence of Jesus after the resurrection and ascension. Spiritually, the Lord continues to be with his disciples (Matthew 18:20). And these are in the world … refers to the mortal state of the apostles who would continue to be the object of Satan’s bitterest hatred and opposition. Jesus’ physical departure would make them even more the object of Satan’s attack and their status even more precarious. These considerations prompted the fervent prayer on their behalf. Holy Father … is one of three terms of address directed to God in this prayer, the others being “Father” (John 17:1; John 17:4, and John 17:11), and “O Righteous Father” (John 17:25). Keep them in thy name … There is no way to avoid respect of the importance attached to the sacred name of “Jesus Christ,” and it is likely that here is a reference to that compound title introduced in John 17:3. Let men face it, salvation is accomplished in an all-powerful name, a fact which the apostles strongly emphasized. “Neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Immediately after that statement, Peter pronounced that sacred name, and, significantly, it was the compound title found in this prayer, “Jesus Christ.” That they may be one … was a plea for unity, primarily of the apostles, but, by extension, applicable to all Christians. See under John 17:22 where this admonition is repeated.

Verse 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.Thy name which thou hast given me … Again, the compound title of Joh 17:3 is suggested. I guarded them … Jesus Christ successfully accomplished the work God gave him to do, choosing, instructing, guarding, correcting, and encouraging the Twelve; and he was then praying for them with all of his heart, adding prophetically that not one of them would be lost except Judas. But the son of perdition … This reference to Judas sheds light on the identity of “the man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), indicating that he will be another pretender ascribing to himself apostolic authority and power. Any self-styled “apostle” today must be judged in the light of these Scriptures. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled … refers to Psalms 41:9. See under John 13:2 and John 13:18.

Verse 13 But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.But now I come to thee … This clause (repeated from John 17:11) contrasts sharply with Jesus’ being “in the world” only a few more hours. Consciousness of the dramatic change about to occur added drama and tension to this remarkable prayer. That they may have my joy, etc. … Two factors involved in the projected joy of the apostles were: (1) Christ’s necessary departure to be with the Father, and (2) this prayer upon their behalf. My joy … Barnes referred this to “The joy of the apostles respecting the Saviour which would result from his resurrection."[17]ENDNOTE: [17] Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 356.

Verse 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.Thy word … The frequent use of the singular noun where the divine word is concerned is significant. Though consisting of many words (John 17:8), the word of God is nevertheless one. It is one in that it is a single composite corpus of teaching. It is one in authority, trustworthiness, and saving efficacy, it is the one word delivered by God to Christ, by Christ to the apostles, and by the apostles to all mankind by means of their book, the New Testament. It is one word in the sense that no human teaching may be mixed with it or added to it. It is one word in the sense that “every word” of it is a necessary part of the whole, making it imperative that nothing be added to or taken from the teaching of God (Revelation 22:18-19). The world hated them … Jesus’ heart is moved by the bitter trials he foresees falling upon the beloved apostles. Their task will not be easy. “The world hated them” is prophetic. Jesus had already warned them; but it was still a matter of acute concern to Jesus who poured out his heart for them in this prayer. Because they are not of the world … Jesus added the words “even as” he was not of the world; but, of course, there was a difference. Jesus was not of the world in the sense of his having been before the world was. The disciples were not of the world in the sense of their having accepted Christ’s teachings which required the rejection of the world’s value-judgments, the repudiation of its standards, and the denial of lordship to the world’s prince, Satan. This was more than enough to justify Jesus’ statement that the apostles were not of this world.

Verse 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.From … is from the Greek term meaning “out of,” and the obvious reason Jesus did not wish the disciples to be taken out of the world was that such a thing would have made impossible the conversion of the world. That the disciples should be kept “out of” the devil was the important thing. The whole concept underlying asceticism which arose in post-apostolic times was based on a failure to appreciate the meaning of these words. It was Christ’s desire that the apostles should remain in the world, in contact with its populations, exposed to its culture, and in direct confrontation with its evil. Only this could enable them to convert the world. In this verse also appears the Saviour’s concern for the whole of humanity, the only hope of which was dependent on the apostles’ proclamation of the truth.

Verse 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.See under John 17:14, above.

Verse 17 Sanctify them in thy truth; thy word is truth.As Reynolds noted: A long controversy has prevailed in the church as to whether the Spirit’s gracious operations are or are not limited by the operation of truth on the mind. Numerous assurances of the New Testament seem thus to limit the grace of God, or to measure it by the ordinary effect produced on the understanding by divine truth.[18]Reynolds disagreed that such a “limitation” exists, but he was correct in his mention of “numerous assurances” of the New Testament which prove that it does exist. The proximity of this teaching of Jesus to his promise of the Holy Spirit who would guide them into all truth, together with the specific mention here of the truth as the instrument, or means, of their sanctification positively shows that whatever the Spirit accomplishes the means of it is sacred truth itself. Regarding alien sinners, it is certain that the only power capable of producing faith in them is the word of God. As J. D. Thomas said: We insist that the only power used to produce faith in the alien sinner is the word of God. Although denominationalists are slow to see this (perhaps due to inherited Calvinism), the teaching of the New Testament is very clear about the place of the gospel in producing faith. “The gospel is the power unto salvation” (Romans 1:16), and “faith comes by hearing the word” (Romans 10:17).[19]Regarding the work of the Spirit in the hearts of Christians, however, the above limitation does not seem to be so complete. Again from Thomas: The Spirit is not the word and is not limited to the use of the written word in all that he does (for instance, help our weakness, or intercede). “The Spirit also helps our weaknesses; for we know not how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).[20]Despite the exceptions cited by Thomas, Jesus here clearly indicated that the divine truth would sanctify the apostles themselves, and this is grounds enough for denying that the Holy Spirit sanctifies Christians in some manner different from that. Perhaps a part of the difficulty lies in the failure to recognize the word itself as a living and abiding entity in the soul of the believer. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16) is exactly the equivalent of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling; and many of the things said to be done by the Spirit are also said to be done by the word of God. It is not the purpose here to thresh all of the old arguments pro and con on this question; but we shall venture one dogmatic conclusion, namely, that the Holy Spirit never performs any kind of work in the human soul that is contrary to, or out of harmony with, the Scriptures. The notion, and it is merely that, of the Spirit’s entering the soul and making it independent of the word of God, is not found in the Scriptures. There are no instances, not even in the case of the apostles, of persons going on unto a more perfect state of sanctification without the constant necessity of their remaining under the tutelage of the revealed will of God; and that seems to be the very point of this verse. Thy word is truth … is but another way of saying the Bible is truth. It is uniquely the word of God. [18] H. R. Reynolds. The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), II, p. 349. [19] J. D. Thomas, The Spirit and Spirituality (Abilene, Texas: Biblical Research Press, 1966), p. 10. [20] Ibid., p. 15.

Verse 18 As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.Just as Christ delivered God’s word, the apostles were instructed to deliver, not their word, but Christ’s. This respect to the pattern of teaching illuminates the promise of Jesus that whatever the apostles bound on earth would be bound in heaven, etc. (Matthew 18:18). Not even the apostles had authority to set up an organization and teach whatever they might have conceived to be expedient or appropriate. They were to use the same fidelity in teaching what Christ commanded that Christ had used in declaring what God had said. Even so sent I them … This is prophetic tense, viewing the future sending of the apostles as already accomplished.

Verse 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.Sanctify … here does not refer to being made more holy, because such a meaning could not have pertained to Jesus. Thus, another meaning of “sanctify,” which is “to consecrate,” is intended (English Revised Version margin). Jesus was in the act of consecrating himself as the one great sacrifice for sin. “The truth,” the evident means of Jesus’ consecration, was the word of God, which was the source of motivation and power for Jesus as he moved toward the cross. By opening up, through his death, the way of salvation for all, Jesus made it possible for the apostles also to be sanctified in truth, that is, by the same word of God.

Verse 20 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word.Here the prayer reached out toward the saved of all generations. Significantly, all who would believe on Jesus would do so “through their word,” that is, through the word of the apostles, there being no other way that faith can be produced. Such being the case for conversion, why should it be thought strange that the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers, after they are converted, should follow exactly the same pattern? Through their word … is not a merely incidental thought. Peter wrote: “Remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2). These words are equivalent to saying that there is no other way of bringing men to God except through the word of the apostles.

Verse 21 That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou didst send me.That they may all be one … is a prayer for Christian unity, the great reason for Christ’s desire for such unity being immediately stated, “that the world may believe that thou didst send me.” In answering the question of how the believers’ unity could effect the conversion of the world, Milligan said, “This would be to all thoughtful persons a moral demonstration that the Christian religion is not of men, but of God."[21]It is in disunity that God’s church is most helpless in the present times. Nothing is more productive of infidelity and unrighteousness than the conflicting doctrines of professed followers of Christ. By multiplying divisions, Satan has hindered numberless millions from obeying the gospel. No greater need could be imagined than that of the unity of the church of the living God; but alas, only a certain kind of unity will avail anything; and that is the kind of unity Jesus identified in this prayer, a unity like that between the Father and the Son. Satan has ever been busy advocating his own kind of unity, such as: (1) the unity of authoritarianism, in which all blindly obey the ecclesiastics elevated above them; (2) the kind of unity proposed by the snake to the frog, in which one entity is swallowed up in another; (3) the unity in which each group of believers accepts his status under some system of allocation, and in which, like in the cemetery, everyone lies as complacently as possible and does not infringe on his neighbors; (4) the unity in which many groups are submerged in a super-organization, thus containing every degree of contradiction and aberration under one pretentious banner, such unity being very similar to that exhibited by a barrel of scorpions. Therefore, Believers should always yearn for peace, but never for peace at the expense of truth; for “unity” which has been gained by means of such a sacrifice is not worthy of the name.[22]Thou Father art in me, and I in thee … and they in us … This threefold unity is the only kind of unity that can avail. For notes on the profound implications of being “in Christ,” see under John 14:20. To be “in Christ” is also to be “in God.” [21] Robert Milligan, Analysis of the New Testament (Cincinnati, Ohio: Bosworth, Chase, and Hall, 1874), p. 268. [22] William Hendriksen, op. cit., II, p. 365.

Verse 22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are.Not the apostles only, but all Christians, partake of the glory of God from Christ. They are partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10), “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), and have received the reconciliation (Romans 5:11).

Verse 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.I in them, and thou in me … See under preceding verse (John 17:22) and under John 14:20. The perfect unity flows out of perfect submission to the total will of God in Christ, resulting in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, etc.” (Ephesians 4:4 f). God’s love of Christ means God’s love of Christ’s body, which is his church.

Verse 24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.Where I am … Prophetically, Jesus was already at home with the Father when this prayer was uttered. See under John 14:1-3 where the same thought prevails. “Before the foundation of the world …” See under John 17:5 and John 1:1-11. The eternal existence of Christ, his deity, incarnation, and visit to humanity as “the Dayspring from on high” (Luke 1:78) - these are all in view here. The ministry of Christ was but an interlude in the eternal life of that great " I AM” who was before Abraham was born and before all creation.

Verse 25 O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me.This is reminiscent of Joh 1:10 and the whole prologue. Jesus’ identification of the apostles before the throne of God as persons who “knew that thou didst send me” is proof of the importance of such knowledge. Really to know the origin of Christ in God is to find salvation possible. This is not, actually, such a knowledge as can be objectively proved and demonstrated; but it is the kind of knowledge that follows obedient faith in Christ, as when Peter said, “We believe and know” (John 6:69).

Verse 26 And I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.Made known unto them thy name … The threefold employment of this clause, here and in John 17:11-12, raises the question of what, exactly, is that name. “Jesus Christ” is the great compound name of the Lord, used here for the first time on earth; and it is impossible to separate repeated references to “the name which thou hast given me” from that very compound title of the world’s only Saviour. (See under John 17:3 and John 17:11.) This alone can adequately explain the apostolic preference for “Jesus Christ,” as used so many times in the New Testament. It is simply unbelievable that the apostles themselves contrived this name, made it their favorite designation of the Lord, and that one of them (John) erroneously ascribed it to Jesus near the end of the first century. No. Christ spoke in John 17:3, as John quoted him. Love … in them, and I in them … There persists to the very end of this sacred prayer the concept of all spiritual blessings being “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Thus John joins the apostle Paul in the superlative importance attributed to being “in Christ.” Paul used the expression “in Christ,” or its equivalent (in him, in whom, etc.) no less than 169 times in his epistles.[23] To be “in Christ” is everything with regard to salvation. Thus it is clear that the revelation of the plan of salvation formed a part of Christ’s purpose in this prayer. Anderson said: This great prayer of Christ is similar to a final report of work accomplished, the most important of which was to reveal the Father’s love and his plan of salvation for all men. That Christ’s work was successful is indicated in John 17:8.[24]It was the accurate memory of the apostle John, aided by the Holy Spirit, that produced the record of this amazing prayer, and not his philosophical imagination that did it. It is a passage which “surpasses all literature in its setting forth the identity of being, power, and love, in the twofold personality of the God-Man."[25]As Reynolds said: The supposition that some unknown writer of the second century excogitated such a prayer out of the synoptic narratives, the Pauline epistles, and the Alexandrian philosophy, refutes itself.[26]The conviction of every devoted Christian who studies this prayer resolves into this: that none but Jesus Christ our Lord could have prayed it, and even he, only in the torture of those pressure-events leading up to the cross. That a person who lived long afterward, and did not even know the Lord, could have composed such a prayer and then have ascribed it to Jesus is only a ridiculous imagination. Having followed our Lord’s thoughts through this sublime prayer, we may exclaim with Peter who, upon another occasion, said, “Lord … we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God.” [23] John Mackay, God’s Order (New York: Macmillan Company, 1953), p. 67. [24] Stanley F. Anderson, Our Dependable Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1960), p. 157. [25] H. R. Reynolds, op. cit., II, p. 340. [26] Ibid., p. 353.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For John 171. After these words to where did Jesus look? 2. To whom did he address his prayer? 3. What did he say had come? 4. Tell what he asked the Father to do. 5. Why had power been given Christ? 6. What brings life eternal ? 7. What had Jesus done on the parth ? 8. Stafe what glory he now prayed for. 9. What had he manifested to men? 10. Tell who are the men referred to. 11. What had they kept? 12. State what these men were led to know. 13. What words had Jesus given them? 14. This produced what belief? 15. What was Jesus now doing for them? 16. For whom did he not pray? 17. To whom did the disciples belong? 18. In what did Jesus fake glory? 19. What separation did he now refer to? 20. Tell what keeping he asked of God. 21. This was to what purpose? 22. How had they been kept up to now? 23. Which one had not been kept? 24. This fulfilled what ? 25. Why called “ son of perdition” ? 26. To whom does Jesus now come? 27. Why come at this time and place? 28. What had Jesus given the apostles ? 29. Tell what the world had done. 30. State the reason. 31. For what did Jesus not pray? 32. From what would he have them kept? 33. To what did they not now belong? 34. In this respect whom are they like? 35. What special favor did he ask for them? 36. Through what was this to be accomplished? 37. Who had been sent and where? 38. What had Jesus done for their sakes? 39. This was to accomplish what? 40. Who are “ these” in 20th verse ? 41. Who are “ them” in same verse? 42. By what would they be made believers? 43. State the subject of this prayer. 44. What example is referred to? 45. Tell the result to be obtained. 46. In whom may unity be had ? 47. What had been given to aid them to unity? 48. What three should be perfect in one ? 49. This would make the world know what? 50. What was Christ’ s will concerning his followers? 51. For what reason did he wish this? 52. How long had God loved Christ? 53. Who had and who had not known the Father? 54. Why had Christ declared God’ s name?

John 17:1

1 The passage in Matthew 6:9-13 is popularly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” That is not accurate, but in refuting it we may hear another statement that is likewise not accurate. After criticizing the aforesaid phrase, a speaker may ask, “where do we find the Lord’s Prayer,” and with an air of finality another person will say, “John 17 is the Lord’s Prayer.” One would get the impression from the above conversation that Jesus uttered Just one prayer while on earth. It is true that this chapter is the longest prayer of .Jesus that is recorded, but prayers of Jesus are recorded in Matthew 11:25-26; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:46; John 11:41-42 and Luke 23:34. Besides these recorded prayers, Luke 6:12 tells of one instance when he prayed all night. Hour is from HORA, and Thayer defines it at this place, “The fatal hour, the hour of death.” Jesus knew that ere the setting of another sun, he would lie in death at the hands of his enemies. But that very tragedy was to bring glory on both the Father and the Son. Lifted up his eyes to heaven means he looked up toward the sky, that being one of the definitions of the Greek word translated “heaven.” Heaven as the place where God dwells, is neither up or down, since those words are relative only, and would not mean anything as to direction were it not for the existence of the earth.

John 17:2

2 Power is from EXOUSIA, and its first definition is “authority,” and it is the same word that is rendered “power” in Matthew 28:18. Over all flea means Jesus was to have dominion over the Gentile as well as the Jew, and that he would exercise that dominion for their salvation.

John 17:3

3 This is life eternal denotes that the fruit of knowing (recognizing and obeying) God and Christ is eternal life. There is no way of obtaining such a reward except through a life on earth that is patterned faithfully according to divine law.

John 17:4

4 The verb glorify is from DOXAZO, and Thayer’s definitions of it include, “1. To think, suppose, be of opinion. 2. To praise, extol, magnify, celebrate. 3. To honor, do honor to, hold in honor. 4. To make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendor. To cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged. To exalt to a glorious rank or condition.” The word has such a wide range of meanings, that we need to consider who is being glorified and who is doing it, before we can know which part of the definition should be applied. By finishing 4e work on earth that God gave him to do, Jesus did honor to the name of God.

John 17:5

5 Glory is the noun form of the same word for glorify. Before Jesus came to the earth he was wholly divine. In order to fulfill the work his Father had for him to do, it was necessary for him to take upon him the nature of man in the flesh. That required him to “lay aside his robes of glory” and humble himself to the rank of a servant (Philippians 2:7). Now that his mission was performed, and he was about ready to leave the earth, he prayed his Father to restore him to his former place in the glory world. The passage in 1 John 3:2 indicates that his prayer was answered, since “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50).

John 17:6

6 This refers to the apostles who had been chosen from among the men whom John baptized. Thine they were. John did not baptize any of the Jews into the name of Christ; he only baptized them for the remission of sins, and they belonged to God in a special sense as those who had been reformed according to Malachi 4:5-6. The pronoun “I” in that passage refers to Gad personally, who was to send John into the world. After that great era came, the Jews who came under the influence of John’s work were prepared for the service of Christ when he came upon the scene. When he did so and received the men to be his apostles, baptized and prepared for his service, Jesus regarded them as having been given him of God.

Manifested thy name unto the men. Throughout his association with the apostles, Jesus kept his Father’s name and honor before their attention, impressing them with his dependence upon God in all that he did upon the earth.

John 17:7

7 The apostles were made to know this by the fact that Jesus constantly kept his Father’s name before them. By such a procedure, they accounted for the forcefulness of the work of their Master by considering the might of God.

John 17:8

8 This verse has virtually the same thoughts as the preceding one, but with the application being made specifically to the teaching of Jesus. The perfect agreement between the words of Jesus and those of his Father (as far as they had heard them), was evidence that God sent Jesus into the world. He would not have corroborated the sayings of Jesus had his coming been without the authority of his Father.

John 17:9

9 I pray not for the world. That is, he was not praying for the world in that part of his prayer; that will come later in his petition. They are thine is explained by the comments on verse 6.

John 17:10

0 This beautiful verse shows the complete and affectionate unity that existed between Jesus and God, in all of the affairs concerning the plan of salvation.

John 17:11

1 Am no more in the world is accommodative language. It means that the life work of Jesus was so near the end that his departure from the world was virtually at hand. These (apostles) are in the world. They were to live on in the work for which Jesus had chosen them. I come to thee. This was true spiritually at that very instant, in that Jesus was coming to God in prayer on behalf of his apostles.

It was true personally in that the time was near when He would leave his chosen ones on earth and go to his Father. Hence Jesus saw the need for the grace of his Father to keep the apostles in the bonds of love that their work required. One is from HEIS, and Thayer’s definition consists solely of the one word in the passage as we have it, which is “one.” But he uses one whole page in his lexicon in discussing and commenting on the many phases of the word as it is used in the Greek Testament, and then indicates that he has not exhausted the subject. That is because the word may be used with regard to its numerical value, or in cases where various persons or things are being distinguished, or in compositions where unity of principle is the subject. Under the numerical phase of the word, it would be considering whether the things being spoken of were one in principle only, or one thing literally and bodily. We know that God and Christ were not one in person, hence the oneness of the apostles which was to be as we are could not mean they could be one personally.

The only conclusion possible is that Christ wished his apostles to be one in purpose and activities in the Master’s service.

John 17:12

2 While I was with them refers to the personal association of Jesus with his apostles. Such direct contact would be a strong preventive against being corrupted by the evils of the world. Jesus offered his good influence to all of his apostles alike, and it was not his fault that one man among them failed to profit by it. But such an event was to be expected because it had been predicted that one of the chosen apostles would betray his Lord. Son of perdition means that Judas went to perdition because of his deed of suicide. The first word is from Hums and is used figuratively.

Thayer’s explanation of this Greek word for son when used figuratively is, “One who is worthy of a thing.” By destroying himself, Judas put it out of his reach to be saved, for there is no provision made for salvation that can be embraced after one has passed from this life. That the scripture might be fulfilled means as if it said, “and in so doing, the scripture was fulfilled.”

John 17:13

3 These things I speak in the world. While Jesus was still with his apostles in person, he spoke the gracious words of instruction and consolation, so that He could thus leave with them the benediction of his hallowed memory.

John 17:14

4 I have given them thy word. This is the oft-repeated truth that is so important that it cannot be spoken too often. Everything Jesus said to his apostles he received from his Father, because he was always in communion with Him. Such instructions could be delivered to them orally while he was with them, but he was soon to depart from them, hence they would need more direct instruction from God.

John 17:15

5 The work of God and Christ for the salvation of the world, required the personal presence and services of the apostles. That is why Jesus did not ask his Father to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the evils of the world, while they were fulfilling their task for the kingdom that was so great.

John 17:16

6 While the apostles were human beings and hence were creatures of earthly birth, yet their conversion to the cause of Christ had lifted them to a “higher plane” of living, even as He had shown them the better way of life.

John 17:17

7 Sanctify is explained in a full quotation from the lexicon, in the comments at chapter 10:36. If the reader will consult that place, he will see why Jesus asked his Father to sanctify the apostles by His truth which is the word of God.

John 17:18

8 God sent his Son from Heaven into the world in the form of a human being. He accomplished his mission within that part of the world that was in Palestine. The apostles were to accomplish theirs by going into “all the world” (Mark 16:15). The part Jesus was to perform in the scheme of human redemption, did not require his bodily presence anywhere except the country that had been the headquarters of God’s nation of Israel. That which the apostles were expected to accomplish required them to contact all peoples and languages in every land.

John 17:19

9 Sanctify myself. Jesus never had any impurities from which to be cleansed, hence the definitions 1 and 2 (at chapter 10:36) should apply to him. For their sakes denotes that Jesus consecrated himself to the great work for the sake of the apostles. One result of the consecration of Jesus was the bestowal of divine truth, and that was to be the means by which the apostles were to be sanctified. (See verse 17.)

John 17:20

0 Up to this point the prayer of Jesus has been on behalf of his apostles. Of course he was desirous that they should be saved, and also he wished their work for him to be effective. They were to take the words of truth concerning Christ to the people of the earth, and hence he now includes them in his prayer along with the apostles.

John 17:21

1 See the comments at verse 11 on the meaning of “one.” The believers were to be one as God and Christ were, which would rule out the idea of their being only one person. It has to mean oneness of purpose and work. Not only must the believers be united in their work, but Christ prayed that they should be one in us. If the whole religious world should become a perfect unit in its practices, it would not avail anything unless its people were in Christ and God. The great object of that unity for which Christ prayed was that the world may believe that thou has sent me. No doubt many thousands of infidels are made by the divided condition of those who profess to be followers of Christ. It is not enough for the professed disciples of the Lord to insist that “at heart we are united and believe the same things.” The world cannot see that, but the outward or bodily activities of the religious groups can be seen, and that is what Jesus was counting on as evidence of the truthfulness of the claims of the Gospel.

John 17:22

2 One of the commonest words in the definition of glory is “honor.” It certainly is among the highest of honors to be in the service of Christ. That honor is emphasized by the fact that Jesus bestowed it upon his servants, having received it himself from the Father. Best of all considerations, is the object of the bestowing such honor, namely, that the whole group of interested persons, God, Christ and his disciples, should form a unit in the great cause of human salvation.

John 17:23

3 This is an emphatic repetition of verse 21.

John 17:24

4 This part of the prayer was looking forward to the time after the judgment. It is the same thing that Jesus promised them in chapter 14:3. Again he refers to the glory he had with the Father when he was wholly divine. In order for that to be possible with the disciples, so that they could also have at least some measure of the same personal glory, they would have to be faithful servants of their Master to the end of life. After the resurrection they will be in the glorified state and fit for the association with Jesus in glory. World is from KOSMOS which means the inhabitants of the earth. Jesus existed before all other beings except his Father, and enjoyed His love such as a fond parent bestows on his child.

John 17:25

5 The world in general did not know God in the sense of recognizing and obeying the divine law. These means the apostles, who had learned of the Father through their association with the Son and the teaching that he gave unto them.

John 17:26

6. The general unity of purpose and spirit between God and Christ, including the faithful apostles, makes up this closing verse of Christ’s memorable prayer.