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THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
PRAYER FOR GUARDIANSHIP, SANCTITY, UNITY
[“Father, watch over them”]
Key Word: One
John 17:1-5 – “I Have Finished the Work”
JN17:1 Jesus spoke these things, and then raising his eyes heavenward,886
he said:
“Father,887 the hour has come.888 Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify You,
886
Jesus spoke these thing, and then raised his eyes heavenward: Or, skyward. Jesus may move easily from conversation with his apostles
to communication with God. The prayer that follows is called by some the real “Lord’s Prayer.” It is the longest of all prayers in the Christian Bible. It is likely this prayer came following the Lord’s Supper, and concluded the evening
before they all departed for the Garden.
887
Father: The Master’s favorite designation for God is “Father.”
Some should note that never in this prayer does the Nazarene ever use the Hebrew Name for God, YHWH. [Yehowah; Jehovah; Yahweh] In this prayer Jesus uses “Father” 5 times, twice with the added terms “Holy” and “Righteous.”
Jesus calls the Father, “the only true God.” [John 17:1, 11, 21, 24, 25] By this he means the only one who is absolute God.
888
The hour has come: It is about the length of time of a woman’s birth pangs. Jesus’ execution is about a dozen hours away.
JN17:2just as You have
given authority to him over all flesh,889 in order that all You have given to him, he will give
them endless Life.
889
Authority to him over all flesh: The Son does not have this authority naturally, but it is given to him by the One who is not his
equal, his greater Father. Compare Matthew 28:19 and Ephesians 1:19-21. Upon his ascension to heaven this dominion will include those described in Daniel 7:13, 14.
JN17:3But,
this is the endless Life – that they may continue890 to know You,891 the only True God,892 and the One whom You sent forth,893 Jesus Christ.894
890
That they may continue: Jesus speaks specifically of his apostles in his prayer.
The One whom You sent forth: It was the “only true God” who sent Jesus Christ.
894
Jesus Christ: This is a rare and unique use of this designation by the Nazarene. It occurs only one other time at John 1:17.
JN17:4I glorified You upon the earth, completing the work895 that You have given to me so that I might do it.
895
Completing the work: Or, having accomplished, done perfectly. [John 4:34]
JN17:5So now, You glorify me next to Yourself896 with the glory thatI possessed next to You before the Cosmos existed.”897
[Proverbs 8:22, 30 LXX]
896
Next to Yourself: Or, alongside, with, in the presence of. The Greek is PRO, or “before, beside.”
The word is used several times in the Jewish Greek Septuagint of the 3rd Century BC in Proverbs 8:22-30.
897
I possessed next to You before the Cosmos existed: Or, KJV: had with thee before the world was; MOF: which I enjoyed in thy presence before the world began. It is clear from Jesus’ prayer that he did have a pre-existence in the celestial realms
next to God before his life-form was transferred to the womb of Mary. There are many references to Christ’s pre-existence in the Gospel of John. [John 1:1, 10, 15, 18, 27, 37; 3:13; 6:32, 38, 41, 51, 62; 8:23, 26, 58] Though some doubt such an idea in
the Synoptics, there do appear allusions to his pre-existence. See notes in Matthew, Mark and Luke under the subject pre-existence.
John 17:6-10 – “I Have Made Your Name Known”
JN17:6“I manifested Your Name to the men whom You gave me898 from out of the world of humankind. To You they belonged, and You gave them to me, and they have observed Your Word.899
They have observed Your Word: Or, kept. Jesus gives a report to his Father regarding his apostles.
JN17:7Now they know that all the things, everything You gave to me, came from You.900
900
Came from You: The apostles know Jesus did nothing of his own initiative or originality as God could do.
JN17:8Because the Sayings that You gave to me,901 I have given to them – and they accepted [them] – and for a certainty they realize902 that I came out from next to You.903 And they believed that You sent me forth.
901
The Sayings that You gave to me: Or, words, declarations, truths, knowledge. Now found in the four Gospels. Compare Hebrews 1:1.
902
They accepted [them] – and for a certainty they realize: Or, KJV: have received and known surely; BER: really understood; GDS: convinced;
WMS: know in reality; BAS: have certain knowledge.
903
I came out from next to You: Or, from you. Possibly an
allusion to the pre-existence of Jesus Christ.
JN17:9I am making a request904 regarding them. I am not making a request regarding the world905 of humankind, but rather those [apostles] You have given to me.
904
I am making a request: Or, pray, intercede. As foretold by the prophet. [Isaiah 53:12]
905
I am not making a request regarding the world: Or, praying. Despite God’s love for the world [John 3:16] Jesus does not pray for it.
JN17:10Because they belong to You, and all my things are Yours, and Yours are mine. Also, I have been glorified in their midst.”906
906
I have been glorified in their midst: This began at the wedding
in Cana. [John 2:11]
John 17:11-14 – “Watch Them Because of Your Name”
JN17:11“Soon I will no longer be in the world907 of humankind. They will remain in the world of humankind, and I am returning toward You.908
Holy Father,909 watch over them910 because of Your Name which You have given to me.911
907
Soon I will no longer be in the world: Or, KJV: now I am no more in the world; BER: my presence in the world is over.
908
I am returning toward You: Or, I am coming to you. The Greek ERKHOMAI [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #2064, used both of persons
arriving and of those returning] means “coming” though the context can also allow “returning.”
909
Holy Father: Holiness is one of God’s attributes or character. Those who worship Him must also be holy. [2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15, 16] None others should be addressed by “holy Father.”
910
Watch over them: Or, keep, preserve, protect, guard. Compare notes on 1 John 5:13. [1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24]
911
Because of Your Name which You have given to me: Or, by the power of. Likely Jesus means to refer to God’s authority and reputation. [Exodus 9:16]
JN17:12As long as I was with them I watched over them because of Your Name which You have given me. Also, I protected them,912 and not one among them was destroyed,913 exceptthe son of destruction,914
[Psalm 41:9] so that the Scripture should be fulfilled.915
912
I protected them: Or, guarded, kept them safe.
913
Not one among them was destroyed: Or, lost. Compare notes on John 18:19.
914
The son of destruction: Most think this an allusion to Psalm 41:9.
915
So that the Scripture should be fulfilled:
Compare the actual verse at John 18:9.
JN17:13But now I am returning to You,916 and these things I am speaking in the world of humankind so that they may continue to have my joy in themselves completely.
916
Now I am returning to You: Or, come to you. Compare notes on John 13:3; 17:11.
JN17:14I have given to them Your Word, and the world of humankind hated them,917 because they are not of this world of humankind,918 just as I am not from the world of humankind.”
917
The world of humankind hated them: Jesus means the Jewish world.
918
They are not of this world of humankind: Though being Jews themselves, they were not really part of the Jewish system, or world.
John 17:15-19 – “Sanctify by the Truth”
JN17:15“I am not requesting that You should lift them up out of the world,919 but rather that You should watch over them because of the Wicked One.920
919
Lift them up out of the world: Or, take them out, remove them. The Greek is ARES [AIRO] [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
#142, to lift, take up, raise, weigh anchor]. It is possible this is an allusion to the rapture which will snatch or lift up the end-time Saints out of the world. Note 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where AERA is used for “air.”
JN17:16These [apostles] are not from out of the world of humankind, just as I am not from out of the world of humankind.JN17:17Sanctify them in the Truth.921
Your Word is the Truth.922
921
Sanctify them in the Truth: Or, consecrate, make them holy, set them apart. That is from the Jewish world of which they are no part.
[Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13]
922
Your Word is the Truth: Or, message. The Greek
is LOGOS. To Jesus God’s “Word” was found in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as in his own Sayings. The writings of his inspired disciples will also become part of these Scriptures. [2 Peter 3:16] See verse 20.
JN17:18Just as You sent me forth into the world of humankind, I am also sending them923 forth into the world of humankind.
923
I am also sending them: The root of “apostle.” These apostles were sent forth into the Jewish world, just as Christ was.
Others would later be sent into the non-Jewish world.
JN17:19Also, I am sanctifying myself in their behalf,924 so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”925
924
I am sanctifying myself in their behalf: Or, dedicate, consecrate. Jesus is setting himself apart as God’s
sacrificial offering to redeem humankind. [Matthew 20:28] Sanctification always includes two parties: oneself, and God. [1 Thessalonians 4:3] Compare Hebrews 2:11.
925
So that they also may be sanctified in truth: Or, RIE: consecrated in the truth; PME: made holy in the truth; MON: thoroughly dedicated in the truth. God’s Word is the Truth. Without a knowledge of this truth sanctification
is impossible.
John 17:20-26 – “I Request Their Unity”
JN17:20“I am not making request regarding just these [apostles]926 – but also those believing in me by means of their word927 –
926
I am not making request regarding just these [apostles]: Or, prayer, thinking, interceding. Jesus has been praying n behalf of his
apostles. Now he includes other future disciples. Jesus prays for the whole Church to come.
927
Those believing in
me by means of their word: Or, RIE: those who are brought by their teaching to have faith in me. Jesus sent out his apostles with the commission of Matthew 28:19. They did indeed make many thousands of disciples. [Acts 2-8] All later Christian disciples
came to believe in Christ through the “word” – or inspired teachings – of the apostles. Today Christianity is the world’s largest and most widely dispersed religion, and the Holy Bible the oldest, and most published book. The Nazarene’s prayer was surely answered.
JN17:21so that all of these [apostles] may be one just as You, Father, [are] in me and I in You,928 so that they may also be one in us,929 that the world of humankind may believe You sent me forth.930
928
May be one just as You, Father, [are] in me and I in You: Or, GDS: just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am with you, let
them be in union with us. See notes on John 10:30.
929
So that they may also be one in us: Not part of a triune
godhead plurality.
930
That the world of humankind may believe You sent me forth: Conviction that Jesus was sent
by God will be based in part on the unity among the apostles. If they prove to be divided they will be no more than another religion.
JN17:22Also, the glory You
have given to me I have given to them, so that they may be one just as we are one –JN17:23I in them and You in me, so that they may be perfected into one931 – so the world of humankind my know that You sent me forth, and You loved them just as You loved me.
931
They may be perfected into one: Or perfectly united, completely one, perfectly unified, perfect unity. Jesus speaks of his apostles.
Thus Paul could write of “one faith.” [Ephesians 4:4]
JN17:24Father, regarding what You have given to me, I wish that where I am, also those [apostles]
may be with me,932 so that they may behold my glory that You had given to me.933 Because You loved me before the founding of the Cosmos.934
932
I wish that where I am, also those [apostles] may be with me: This will become a “home eternal in the heavens.” [2 Corinthians
5:1] Compare Luke 22:30; John 12:26; 14:1-3; Revelation 3:12, 21]
933
Behold my glory that You had given to me:
Compare John 17:5.
934
Loved me before the founding of the Cosmos: Or, KJV: before the foundation of the world;
GDS: before the creation of the world; BEC: before the world was made. Compare notes on John 1:1-3, 10; 17:5. [Colossians 1:15; Proverbs 8:22-30]
JN17:25Righteous
Father, the world of humankind never knew You,935 but I knew You, also these [apostles] knew You
sent me forth.
