John 17 John 17:1–5 Christ prayeth to his Father to glorify him, John 17:6–14 and to preserve his apostles in unity of faith, John 17:15–16 and from all evil, John 17:17–19 and to sanctify them with the word of truth, John 17:20–26 and for the perfect union of all believers, and their admission to…

When our Lord had finished his discourses, of which we have had a large account in John 14—16, he goes to prayer. As he taught us when we pray to direct our petitions to the Father, so in this he setteth us an example; and before he speaketh it is said he lifted up his eyes to heaven, as his…

I see no reason for any to contend here, that by all flesh the elect only, who shall be eternally saved, are to be understood; Christ’s power undoubtedly extendeth further than to the elect, though to them only for salvation; he hath a power over reprobates and unbelievers to condemn them, as well…

Those who deny the Divine nature of Christ, think they have a mighty argument from, this text, where Christ, (as they say), speaking to his Father, calleth him the only true God.

I have glorified thee on the earth; by preaching the gospel, by living up to the rule of thy law, by the miracles which I have wrought. God could not be glorified by Christ, by the addition of any thing to his essential glory; only by manifesting to the world his Father’s goodness, justice, mercy,…

Let the glory which, as to my Divine nature, I had with thee before the foundation of the world, be communicated also to my human nature, that my whole person may be made glorious.

Here he openeth this former phrase, I have glorified thee on the earth: it was done by manifesting the Lord’s name, proclaiming his goodness and mercy, publishing his will, making famous all whereby God can be made known: this Christ did both by his words and by his works.

They have thus far made proficiency in the doctrine which I have taught them; that though the Pharisees say, that I cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils, yet they believe, and are persuaded, that the doctrine which I have taught them is from thee, and that it is by a Divine power that…

Our Lord here doth both justify himself, and commend those whom in this former part of his prayer he is commending to his Father. He justifieth himself that he had not delivered any thing to them but what he had from his Father; thereby teaching all those who claim the name of his ministers what is…

The world seemeth here to signify all mankind, for whom Christ in this place doth not pray; though some interpret it of reprobates, others of unbelievers.

In the Greek the adjectives are of the neuter gender, so as the sense is not, All my friends, or all my disciples, are thine also; but, All my things are thine, and all thy things are mine; which is no more than he hath before often said.

The term world in this verse signifies not the men of the world, nor any particular party of them, (as it often signifies), but the habitable part of the earth.

Christ speaks here of himself as one who had already died, was risen, and ascended, though none of all these things were past, because they were so suddenly to come to pass.

He speaketh still in the present tense. These words were not fulfilled six weeks after this, for he conversed with his disciples forty days after his resurrection, Acts 1:3; but Christ was now shortly coming, therefore he saith, I come.

I take more to be understood here, by Christ’s giving his word unto his disciples, than his preaching the gospel in their ears: otherwise Christ had no more given these his disciples his word, than he had given it to many thousands of others who were yet in the world, and whom the world hated not.

Christ doth not pray that his Father would take up his saints out of this sinful and troublesome world into heaven, because he knew that they were to be of use to him for a time in the world; but he prays that the Lord would keep them from the evil one, (so some would have it translated), or from…

This is the same thing which he had said before, John 17:14, which he again repeateth, either to fix it in their memories, that they, calling it to their minds, might direct their lives accordingly, or be thereby fortified against the hatred and malice of the world; for which purpose he told them…

It is doubted amongst interpreters, whether sanctifying in this place signifieth the consecrating, deputing, or setting the apostles apart, and preparing them for the work of the ministry in which they were to be employed, as the word signifies, Jer.

That is: My Father, they have not thrust themselves into their employment, they have not run without sending; for as I am thine apostle, as I was sent by thee, so I have sent them.

I sanctify myself, here, is no more than, I set myself apart, as a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing in the sight of God: and indeed sanctifying, in the ancient notion of it under the law, did ordinarily signify the setting of persons and things apart to the special service of God; which was…

Three things are evident from this verse. 1. That Christ did not pray for any reprobates, not for any that were and should die unbelievers: he prayed before for those who actually did believe; he prays here for them that should believe; but we never read that he prayed for any others.

Our Saviour here prays on the behalf of such as should believe on him, that they might be one in faith, and one in brotherly love. Whoso considereth this as a piece of Christ’s prayer for believers, and that St.

By glory here some understand the heavenly glory; but then they must understand the oneness mentioned in the latter part of the verse, of the union which the saints shall have with Christ and his Father in glory, in another world. Others understand the Divine nature, of which the apostle in, 2 Pet.

I in them; not only as my Divine nature is united to their flesh, but as I have made them partakers of my Spirit, and of the Divine nature; as I have loved them with a special and peculiar love, and am the head, they the members; I the vine, they the branches.

Here our Saviour wills his disciples eternal life; or rather prays to his Father, that he would preserve his disciples unto, and at last bestow upon them, eternal life and salvation; so as the phrase, whom thou hast given me, is not to be restrained to the apostles, but to be extended to all those…

It is observed, that the servants of God, in holy writ, have used in their prayers to give unto God such compellations as have been suitable to the things which they have begged of God in their prayers, and proper to express their faith in God, for the hearing of such their prayers: Christ here…

By the name of God, is to be understood God himself, and whatsoever God hath made himself known by his word and gospel, his attributes and perfections.