1._These words spake Jesus. _After having preached to the disciples about bearing the cross, the Lord exhibited to them those consolations, by relying on which they would be enabled to persevere. Having promised the coming of the Spirit, he raised them to a better hope, and discoursed to them about... [ Continue Reading ]
2._As thou hast given him. _He again confirms the statement, that he asks nothing but what is agreeable to the will of the Father; as it is a constant rule o prayer not to ask more than God would freely bestow; for nothing is more contrary to reason, than to bring forward in the _presence _of God wh... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And this is eternal life _He now describes the manner of bestowing _life, _namely, when he enlightens the elect in the true knowledge of God; for he does not now speak of the enjoyment of_life _which we hope for, but only of the manner in which men obtain life And that this verse may be fully und... [ Continue Reading ]
4._I have glorified thee. _His reason for saying this is, that God had been made known to the world both by the doctrine of Christ, and by his miracles; and the _glory _of God is, when we know what he is. When he adds, _I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do_, he means that he has compl... [ Continue Reading ]
5._The glory which I had with thee. _He desires to be _glorified with the Father_, not that the Father may _glorify _him secretly, without any witnesses, but that, having been received into heaven, he may give a magnificent display of his greatness and power, _that every knee may bow to him_, (Phili... [ Continue Reading ]
6._I have manifested thy name. _Here Christ begins to pray to the Father for his disciples, and, with the same warmth of love with which he was immediately to suffer death for them, he now pleads for their salvation. The first argument which he employs on their behalf is, that they have embraced the... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Now they have known. _Here our Lord expresses what is the chief part in faith, which consists in our believing in Christ in such a manner, that faith does not rest satisfied with beholding the flesh, but perceives his Divine power. For when he says, They have known that all things which thou hast... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And they have received them. _He expresses the manner of this knowledge. It is, because they have received the doctrine which he taught them. But that no one may think that his doctrine is human or is earthly in its origin, he declares that God is the Author of it, when he says, The words which t... [ Continue Reading ]
9._I pray for them_. Hitherto Christ has brought forward what might procure for the disciples favor with the Father. He now forms the prayer itself, in which he shows that he asks nothing but what is agreeable to the will of the Father, because he pleads with the Father in behalf of those only whom... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And all things that are mine are thine. _The object of the former clause is to show that the Father will assuredly listen to him. “I do not,” says he, “plead with thee for any but those whom thou acknowledgest to be _thine, _for I have nothing separated from thee, and therefore I shall not meet... [ Continue Reading ]
11._And I am no longer in the world. _He assigns another reason why he prays so earnestly for the disciples, namely, because they will very soon be deprived of his bodily presence, under which they had reposed till now. So long as he dwelt with them, he cherished them, as a hen gathereth her chicke... [ Continue Reading ]
12._While I was with them in the world. _Christ says that he hath kept them in the name of his Father; for he represents himself to be only a servant, who did nothing but by the power, and under the protection, of God. He means, therefore, that it were most unreasonable to suppose that they would no... [ Continue Reading ]
13._And these things I speak in the world. _Here Christ shows that the reason why he was so earnest in praying for his disciples was, not that he was anxious about their future condition, but rather to provide a remedy for their anxiety. We know how prone our minds are to seek external aids; and if... [ Continue Reading ]
14._I have given them thy word. _He employs a different argument in pleading with the Father on behalf of the disciples. It is, because they need his assistance on account of _the hatred of the world. _He likewise declares the cause of that _hatred _to be, that they have embraced _the word _of God,... [ Continue Reading ]
15._I ask not that thou shouldest take them out of the world. _He shows in what the safety of believers (121) consists; not that they are free from every annoyance, and live in luxury and at their ease, but that, in the midst of dangers, they continue to be safe through the assistance of God. For he... [ Continue Reading ]
16._They are not of the world. _That the heavenly Father may be more favourably disposed to assist them, he again says that _the whole world _hates them, and, at the same time, states that this hatred does not arise from any fault of theirs, but because the world hates God and Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Sanctify them by thy truth. _This _sanctification _includes the kingdom of God and his righteousness; that is, when God renews us by his Spirit, and confirms in us the grace of renewal, and continues it to the end. He asks, first, therefore, that the Father would sanctify the disciples, or, in o... [ Continue Reading ]
18._As thou hast sent me into the world. _He confirms his prayer by another argument; namely, because the calling of Christ and of the apostles is the same calling, and is common to both. “I now,” he says, “appoint them to an office, which I have hitherto held by thy command; and, therefore, it is n... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And for their sales I sanctify myself. _By these words he explains more clearly from what source that _sanctification _flows, which is completed in us by the doctrine of the Gospel. It is, because he consecrated himself to the Father, that his holiness might come to us; for as the blessing on th... [ Continue Reading ]
20._And I ask not for these only. _He now gives a wider range to his prayer, which hitherto had included the apostles alone; for he extends it to all the disciples of the Gospel, so long as there shall be any of them to the end of the world. This is assuredly a remarkable ground of confidence; for i... [ Continue Reading ]
21._That all may be one. _He again lays down the end of our happiness as consisting in unity, and justly; for the ruin of the human race is, that, having been alienated from God, it is also broken and scattered in itself. The restoration of it, therefore, on the contrary, consists in its being prope... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And I have given to them the glory which thou gavest to me. _Let it be observed here, that, while a pattern of perfect happiness was exhibited in Christ, he had nothing that belonged peculiarly to himself, but rather was rich, in order to enrich those who believed in him. Our happiness lies in h... [ Continue Reading ]
23._I in them, and thou in me; _for he intends to teach that in him dwells all fullness of blessings, and that what was concealed in God is now manifested in him, that he may impart it to his people, as the water, flowing from the fountain by various channels, waters the fields on all sides. _And ha... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Father, I will. To will _is put for _to desire; _(129) for it expresses not a command but a prayer. But it may be understood in two ways; either that _he wills _that the disciples may enjoy his eternal presence, or, that God _may, _at length, receive them into the heavenly kingdom, to which he g... [ Continue Reading ]
25._Righteous Father. _He compares his disciples to _the world, _so as to describe more fully the approbation and favour which they had received from _the Father; _for it is proper that they who alone know God, whom the whole world rejects, should be distinguished above others, and most properly doe... [ Continue Reading ]
26._And I have declared to them thy name, and will declare it. _Christ discharged the office of Teacher, but, in order to make known the Father, he employed the secret revelation of the Spirit, and not the sound of his voice alone. He means, therefore, that he taught the apostles efficaciously. Besi... [ Continue Reading ]