The Prayer of the Great High Priest "The prayer which follows the last discourse as its fit crown and conclusion has been designated by an old tradition _the Prayer of the High Priest_, now about to take upon Him His office, and to offer atonement for the sins of the people." S. p. 235. It is unique... [ Continue Reading ]
_These words_ More exactly, _these_ THINGS, as in John 16:1; John 16:4; John 16:6; John 16:25; John 16:33. _lifted up his eyes_ in calm confidence and in the assurance of victory (John 16:33). The attitude is in marked contrast to His falling on His face in the garden (Matthew 26:39). -To heaven" do... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prayer for Himself The Son was sent to give to men eternal life, which consists in the knowledge of God. This work the Son has completed to the glory of the Father, and therefore prays to be glorified by the Father.... [ Continue Reading ]
_As thou hast given him power_ Better, EVEN AS _Thou_ GAVEST _Him_ AUTHORITY. The authority was given once for all, and is the reason for the petition in John 17:1. Comp. John 5:27. _all flesh_ A Hebraism not used elsewhere in this Gospel. Comp. Matthew 24:22; Luke 3:6; Acts 2:17; Romans 3:20, &c. F... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this is life eternal_ More exactly, BUT THE LIFE ETERNAL IS THIS. - _The_life eternal" means that which has just been mentioned; and -is this" means -this is what it consists in:" comp. John 3:19; John 15:12. _that they might know_ Literally, IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY RECOGNISE; comp. John 6:29; J... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have glorified_ Better, I GLORIFIED. In confident anticipation Christ looks backs from the point when all shall be accomplished, and speaks of the whole work of redemption as one act. Our translators have been very capricious throughout this chapter, rendering aorists as perfects and perfects as... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now_ When the ministry is completed. _glorify thou me_ The pronouns are placed side by side for emphasis, as in John 17:4, where the Greek runs, -I Thee glorified." The two verses are parallels; -I Thee glorified on earth; glorify Me Thou in heaven." _with thine own self_ In fellowship with T... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have manifested_ Better, I MANIFESTED: see on John 17:4 and John 1:31. _which thou gavest_ Better, _whom Thou_hast given: in the next clause -gavest" is right. Sometimes the Father is said to -give" or -draw" men to Christ (John 17:24; John 6:37; John 6:44; John 6:65; John 10:29; John 18:9); some... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prayer for His Disciples 6 8. The basis of the intercession; they have received the revelation given to them. The intercession itself begins John 17:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they have known_ Rather, _they_ KNOW: literally, -they have recognised, come to know." Comp. John 5:42; John 6:69; John 8:52; John 8:55; John 14:9. _whatsoever thou hast given_ Both His doctrine and His mission, as the next verse explains. The whole of Christ's work of redemption in word and act w... [ Continue Reading ]
_the words_ Or, _the_ SAYINGS (see on John 5:47). This is not the plural of -word" (_logos_) in John 17:6; but the other noun (_rhemata_), the singular of which is not used by S. John. It means the separate utterances as distinct from the doctrine as a whole. _they have received … have known … have... [ Continue Reading ]
_I pray for them_, &c. Literally, _I am praying concerning them; concerning the world I am not praying, but concerning them whom_, &c. -I," -them," and -the world" are emphatic. -For them who have believed I in turn am praying; for the world I am not praying." On the word here used for -pray" see on... [ Continue Reading ]
The intercession for the disciples based on their need.... [ Continue Reading ]
_all mine are thine_ Better, _all things that are Mine are Thine_. The statement does not refer to persons only, but continues and amplifies the reason with which John 17:9 concludes; -Because they are Thine, and all My things are Thine." There should be no full stop at the end of John 17:9. _thine... [ Continue Reading ]
In John 17:6 the disciples" acceptance of Christ is given as the basis of intercession for them: here another reason is added, their need of help during Christ's absence. This plea is first stated in all simplicity, and then repeated at intervals in the petition.... [ Continue Reading ]
_but these_ Rather, AND _these_. The coupling of the sentences is solemnly simple; -And now … and these … and I." _Holy Father_ The expression occurs nowhere else; but comp. Rev 6:10; 1 John 2:20; and -Righteous Father," John 17:25. The epithet agrees with the prayer that God would preserve the dis... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the world_ These words are omitted by the best authorities. _I kept_ Literally, _I was keeping:_Christ's continual watching over His disciples is expressed. -I" is emphatic, implying -now that I am leaving them, do Thou keep them." _I have kept_ RATHER, I GUARDED: both verb and tense are chang... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now come I_ Better, BUT _now I come_. The conjunction introduces a contrast. Hitherto Christ has been with them watching over them; -but now" it is so no longer. _that they might_ Better, _that they_ MAY. Christ is praying aloud in order that His words may comfort them when they remember that... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have given_ -I" in emphatic opposition to the world. _thy word_ The revelation of God as a whole (see on John 17:16 and John 5:47). _hath hated_ Rather, HATED; the aorist expresses the single act of hate in contrast to the perfect, -I have given" a gift which they continue to possess. These are... [ Continue Reading ]
_I pray not_ See on John 14:16. The nature of the protection is made clear to the listening disciples; not exemption from attack and temptation, but freedom from the permanent influence of the enemy. _from the evil_ Rather, _from the_ EVIL ONE; comp. 1 John 2:13; 1 John 3:12, and especially John 5:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_They are not … world_ What was stated in John 17:14 as the reason for the world's hatred is repeated here as the introduction to a new and more definite petition; not merely protection, but sanctification. There is a slight change from the order of the words in John 17:14; -Of the world they are no... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sanctify_ Or, CONSECRATE. The word expresses God's destination of them for their work and His endowment of them with the powers necessary for their work. The word is used of God's consecration of Jeremiah, Moses, and the chosen people (Jeremiah 1:5; Sir 49:7; Sir 45:4; 2Ma 1:25). This prayer has be... [ Continue Reading ]
_As thou hast sent_ Better, EVEN AS THOU DIDST SEND. Comp. John 10:36. _even so have I also sent_ Better, I ALSO DID SEND. Comp. John 20:21; John 15:9. The Apostles had already received their commission (Matthew 10:5-15; Mark 6:7; Luke 9:2-5), which is about to be renewed.... [ Continue Reading ]
_sanctify_ Or, CONSECRATE, AS in John 17:17. Christ does for Himself that which He prays the Father to do for His disciples. In John 10:36 He speaks of Himself as consecrated by the Father; set apart for a sacred purpose. But only thus far is the consecration of Christ and of His disciples the same.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prayer for the whole Church 20. _Neither pray I for these alone_ More accurately, BUT _not concerning these only do I pray_(see on John 14:16). The limitation stated in John 17:9 is at an end: through the Church He prays for the world (John 17:21). _which shall believe_ The true reading gives,... [ Continue Reading ]
_That they all may be one_ This is the purpose rather than the purport of the prayer: Christ prays for blessings for His Church with this end in view, that all may be one. _as_ Or, EVEN AS. The unity of believers is like the unity of the Father with the Son (John 10:30), not a merely moral unity of... [ Continue Reading ]
Having prayed for them with a view to their unity, He states what He Himself has done for them with the same end in view. _gavest_ Better, HAST GIVEN (see on John 17:4). The meaning of this gift of -glory" seems evident from John 17:24; the glory of the ascended and glorified Christ in which believ... [ Continue Reading ]
_I in them, and thou in me_ And therefore, -Thou in them and they in Thee." _made perfect in one_ Literally, _perfected into one_; i.e. completed and made one. In the unity the completeness consists. The expression -into one" occurs elsewhere only John 11:52 (comp. 1 John 5:8). For -perfected" comp... [ Continue Reading ]
_Father_ Comp. John 17:1_; John 17:5; John 17:11_, John 11:41; John 12:27. The relationship is the ground of the appeal; He knows that His -will" is one with His Father's. _I will_ Comp. John 21:22; Matthew 8:3; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 2 [ Continue Reading ]
Summary 25. _righteous Father_ The epithet (comp. John 17:11) harmonizes with the appeal to the _justice_of God which follows, which is based on a simple statement of the facts. The world knew not God; Christ knew Him; the disciples knew that Christ was sent by Him. -Shall not the Judge of all the... [ Continue Reading ]
_have declared … will declare_ Better, MADE KNOWN … _will_ MAKE KNOWN. The verb is cognate with that rendered -know" in John 17:25, and here as there the aorist is used, not the perfect. Christ knows the Father and makes known His name, i.e. His attributes and will (see on John 1:12), to the discipl... [ Continue Reading ]