John Chapter 17
John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
- Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- Acts 2:33 Therefore (Christ) being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
- Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
- Who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
- Exodus 4:5 That they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
- Exodus 6:3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them.
- So, it was Jehovah who "glorified his Son Jesus", and it was Jehovah, His Father, whom Jesus was praying to in John 17.
John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
- John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all...
- But, how is it that "they shall never perish"? Look for comments on John 11:17-27 in this study => http://sidnash.org/docs/John11-12.html
- 1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
- John later made reference to these words of Jesus in 1 John 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God["him that is true", who has a Son], and eternal life."
- Related study, which shows the "one God" to be just one person => http://sidnash.org/t/OneGodOnePerson25Verses.html
John 17:4-5 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
- Jesus glorified His Father by speaking and doing all that His Father asked Him to say and do.
- John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (Jesus)
- We know that Jesus was glorified before His incarnation, for all things were created through Jesus by His Father Jehovah => http://sidnash.org/t/Jehovah-Elohiym-Creator.php
John 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
- Notice that Jesus is magnifying His Father's words here, rather than His own words same as He did many times before. Here are some examples:
- John 5:19 ... I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. ... 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
- All things were given of the Father to His beloved Son => http://sidnash.org/t/AllThingsGivenSon.php
John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
- John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
John 17:9-11 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.(repeated in verses 21-22)
- We should be careful how we interpret the oneness between Father Jehovah and His only begotten Son. If that oneness is not something humans can have then we are in error, according to Jesus, when He said to His Father that "they may be one, as we are."
- "Wonderful statement! The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purpose, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are one." 8T 269.4
John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
- Psalm 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
- Acts 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
John 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
- John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 17:14-15 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
- Psalm 121:7 Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; He will keep thy soul.
- Matthew 6:13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
John 17:16-17 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
- Psalm 119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: Quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy lovingkindness. 160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
- Titus 3:5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he[Father Jehovah] saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ...
John 17:18-19 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
- Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
- Notice that Jesus is praying for us through this entire chapter :-). His reason for this is given next...
John 17:21-23 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
- This should be great comfort for us to know that we can be one with Jesus and His Father.
- In this chapter alone, Jesus told us 4 times that it was His Father that sent Him. Do you think this might be important to understand and believe?
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
- John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 17:25-26 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
- John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. (Jesus)
- John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
- John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (this is the oneness with God and His "beloved Son" that is our privilege to experience)
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Matt4:4)
-Sid Nash: 10/13/2023. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/John17.html