rwp - John:17:6-19

rwp@John:17:6 @{I manifested} (\ephanersa\). First aorist active indicative of \phanero\ (from \phaneros\, manifest). Another word for claiming successful accomplishment of his task as in verse 4| with \edoxasa\ and in verse 26| with \egnrisa\. {Whom} (\hous\). Accusative case after \edkas\, not attracted to case of antecedent (\anthrpois\). Jesus regards the apostles as the Father's gift to him. Recall the night of prayer before he chose them. {They have kept} (\tetrkan\). Perfect active indicative, late _Koin_ form for the third plural instead of the usual \tetrkasin\. Jesus claims loyalty and fidelity in these men with the one exception of Judas (verse 12|). He does not claim perfection for them, but they have at least held on to the message of the Father in spite of doubt and wavering (6:67-71; strkjv@Matthew:16:15-20|).

rwp@John:17:7 @{Now they know} (\nun egnkan\). Perfect active indicative third plural like \tetrkan\ above. They have come to know, not as fully as they felt (16:30|), and yet in a real sense.

rwp@John:17:8 @{The words} (\ta rmata\). Plural, each word of God, as in strkjv@3:34|, and of Christ (5:47; strkjv@6:63,68|), while the singular (\ton logon sou\) in verses 6,14| views God's message as a whole. {Knew} (\egnsan\). Second aorist active indicative of \ginsk\ like \elabon\ in contrast with \egnkan\ (perfect) in verse 7|. They definitely "received and recognized truly" (\alths\). There was comfort to Christ in this fact. {They believed} (\episteusan\). Another aorist parallel with \elabon\ and \egnsan\. The disciples believed in Christ's mission from the Father (John:6:69; strkjv@Matthew:16:16|). Note \apesteilas\ here as in verse 3|. Christ is God's {Apostle} to man (Hebrews:3:1|). This statement, like a solemn refrain (\Thou didst send me\), occurs five times in this prayer (verses 8,18,21,23,25|).

rwp@John:17:9 @{I pray} (\eg ert\). Request, not question, as in strkjv@16:23|. {Not for the world} (\ou peri tou kosmou\). Now at this point in the prayer Christ means. In verse 19| Jesus does pray for the world (for future believers) that it may believe (verse 21|). God loves the whole world (3:16|). Christ died for sinners (Romans:5:8|) and prayed for sinners (Luke:23:34|) and intercedes for sinners (1John:2:1f.; strkjv@Romans:8:34; strkjv@Hebrews:7:25|). {For those whom} (\peri hn\). A condensed and common Greek idiom for \peri toutn hous\ with \toutn\ (the demonstrative antecedent) omitted and the relative \hous\ attracted from the accusative \hous\ (object of \dedkas\) to the case (genitive) of the omitted antecedent.

rwp@John:17:10 @{Are} (\estin\). Singular number in the Greek (is), not the plural \eisin\ (are), emphasizing the unity of the whole as in strkjv@16:15|. "This no creature can say in reference to God" (Luther). {I am glorified in them} (\dedoxasmai en autois\). "I stand glorified (perfect passive indicative of \doxaz\) in the disciples" (\en autois\), in spite of all their shortcomings and failings. There is comfort for us in this.

rwp@John:17:11 @{And these} (\kai houtoi\ or \autoi\, they). Note adversative use of \kai\ (= but these). {I come} (\erehomai\). Futuristic present, "I am coming." Cf. strkjv@13:3; strkjv@14:12; strkjv@17:13|. Christ will no longer be visibly present to the world, but he will be with the believers through the Holy Spirit (Matthew:28:20|). {Holy Father} (\pater hagie\). Only here in the N.T., but see strkjv@1John:2:20; strkjv@Luke:1:49| for the holiness of God, a thoroughly Jewish conception. See strkjv@John:6:69| where Peter calls Jesus \ho hagios tou theou\. For the word applied to saints see strkjv@Acts:9:13|. See verse 25| for \patr dikaie\ (Righteous Father). {Keep them} (\trson autous\). First aorist (constative) active imperative of \tre\, as now specially needing the Father's care with Jesus gone (urgency of the aorist tense in prayer). {Which} (\hi\). Locative case of the neuter relative singular, attracted from the accusative \ho\ to the case of the antecedent \onomati\ (name). {That they may be one} (\hina sin hen\). Purpose clause with \hina\ and the present active subjunctive of \eimi\ (that they may keep on being). Oneness of will and spirit (\hen\, neuter singular), not one person (\heis\, masculine singular) for which Christ does not pray. Each time Jesus uses \hen\ (verses 11,21,22|) and once, \eis hen\, "into one" (verse 23|). This is Christ's prayer for all believers, for unity, not for organic union of which we hear so much. The disciples had union, but lacked unity or oneness of spirit as was shown this very evening at the supper (Luke:22:24; strkjv@John:13:4-15|). Jesus offers the unity in the Trinity (three persons, but one God) as the model for believers. The witness of the disciples will fail without harmony (17:21|).

rwp@John:17:12 @{I kept} (\etroun\). Imperfect active of \tre\, "I continued to keep." {I guarded} (\ephulaxa\). First aorist (constative) active of \phulass\. Christ was the sentinel (\phulax\, strkjv@Acts:5:23|) for them. Is he our sentinel now? {But the son of perdition} (\ei m ho huios ts apleias\). The very phrase for antichrist (2Thessalonians:2:3|). Note play on \apleto\, perished (second aorist middle indicative of \apollumi\). It means the son marked by final loss, not annihilation, but meeting one's destiny (Acts:2:25|). A sad and terrible exception (Mark:14:21|). {The scripture} (\h graph\). It is not clear whether this is John's own comment or the word of Jesus. Not in strkjv@18:9|. The Scripture referred to is probably strkjv@Psalms:41:9| quoted in strkjv@13:18| with the same formula \hina plrthi\ which see there.

rwp@John:17:13 @{That they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves} (\hina echsin tn charan tn emn peplrmenn en heautois\). Purpose clause with present active subjunctive of \ech\, "that they may keep on having Christ's joy in their faithfulness realized in themselves." \Peplrmenn\ is the perfect passive participle of \plro\ in the predicate position. For the use of \plro\ with \chara\ (joy) see strkjv@15:11; strkjv@16:24; strkjv@Phillipians:2:2|.

rwp@John:17:14 @{Not of the world} (\ouk ek tou kosmou\). They are "in the world" (\en ti kosmi\, verse 13|) still and Christ sends them "into the world" (\eis ton kosmon\, verse 18|), but they must not be like the world nor get their spirit, standards, and message "out of the world," else they can do the world no good. These verses (14-19|) picture the Master's ideal for believers and go far towards explaining the failure of Christians in winning the world to Christ. Too often the world fails to see the difference or the gain by the change.

rwp@John:17:15 @{Shouldest take} (\aris\). First aorist active subjunctive of \air\ (liquid verb). {From the evil one} (\ek tou ponrou\). Ablative case with \ek\, but can mean the evil man, Satan, or the evil deed. See same ambiguity in strkjv@Matthew:6:13|. But in strkjv@1John:5:18| \ho ponros\ is masculine (the evil one). Cf. strkjv@Revelation:3:10|.

rwp@John:17:16 @Repetition of verse 14| for emphasis.

rwp@John:17:17 @{Sanctify} (\hagiason\). First aorist active imperative of \hagiaz\. To consecrate or set apart persons or things to God. See strkjv@Exodus:28:41; strkjv@29:1,36; strkjv@40:13|. See Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians (1Thessalonians:5:23|). This is done in the sphere (\en\) of truth (God's truth), God's Word (not human speculation, but God's message to us).

rwp@John:17:18 @{Sent I them} (\apesteila autous\). The very verb (\apostell\) used of the original commission of these men (Mark:3:14|) and the special commission (Luke:9:2|) and the renewal of the commission after the resurrection (John:20:21f.|, both \apostell\ and \pemp\ here).

rwp@John:17:19 @{I sanctify myself} (\eg hagiaz emauton\). To his holy ministry to which the Father "sanctified" (\hgiasen\) him (John:10:36|). {That they themselves also may be sanctified in truth} (\hina sin kai autoi hgiasmenoi en altheii\). Purpose clause with \hina\ and the periphrastic perfect passive subjunctive of \hagiaz\ (that they may remain sanctified). The act of Christ helps us, but by no means takes the place of personal consecration on the part of the believer. This high and holy prayer and act of Christ should shame any one who uses the livery of heaven to serve the devil in as does, alas, sometimes happen (2Corinthians:11:13-15|).