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John 17

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:

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

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.

Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

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.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

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.

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.

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

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.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

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.

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

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.

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.

O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

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.

What does John 17:7 mean?

Explanation

John 17:7 is a verse from what is commonly referred to as the High Priestly Prayer, which is a prayer that Jesus Christ offers on behalf of His disciples shortly before His crucifixion.

The verse reads: "Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee." In this passage, Jesus is speaking to God the Father, affirming that His disciples have come to understand that everything Jesus has, that is, His teachings, authority, and works, are directly from the Father.

The verse underscores the unity of purpose and divine origin of Jesus' mission, as well as the disciples' realization of this truth.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John 17 is part of the Gospel of John, which is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

This chapter reflects the intimate conversation between Jesus and His Father, occurring during the Last Supper, before Jesus' betrayal and arrest.

The historical context here is the end of Jesus' earthly ministry and the impending events of His Passion, the suffering, crucifixion, and later, resurrection.

The setting reflects the Jewish and Roman milieu of 1st century Palestine. The disciples are Jewish followers who have embraced Jesus' teachings and are struggling to understand His identity and mission against the backdrop of Jewish messianic expectations.

Theological Insights

The theological insights from John 17:7 encompass a few key doctrines:

Divine Revelation: The verse supports the Christian belief that Jesus is the revelation of God to humanity, emphasizing that His teachings do not originate from human wisdom but from divine origin.
Knowledge of God: The disciples' recognition of the divine source of Jesus' gifts reflects a deeper understanding and relationship with God the Father through Christ.
Trinitarian Relationship: The verse implicitly speaks to the relationship within the Trinity, with Jesus acknowledging that all He has is from the Father, suggesting a dynamic of mutual glorification and unity among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Practical Applications

Practically, John 17:7 encourages believers to:

Recognize the divine authority behind the teachings of Jesus.
Trust in the divine mission and purpose of Jesus as integral to understanding God's plan.
Seek a deeper relational knowledge of Jesus to know God the Father more intimately.
Realize the importance of discerning the origins of spiritual teachings and authority in their own lives.

Cross-References

John 3:35: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand."
John 7:16: "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me."
John 8:28: "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things."

Language Study

The key Greek words in John 17:7 include:

"Know" (γινώσκω, ginōskō): To perceive, understand, or come to a realization.
"All Things" (πάντα, panta): Every part, signifying the totality of what Jesus has received.
"Hast Given" (δέδωκας, dedōkas): A perfect tense form of "to give," indicating a past action with continuing results.
"Of Thee" (ἐκ σοῦ, ek sou): Indicates that the source or origin is God the Father.

These key terms point toward the disciples' deep realization and the permanence of the divine gift that Jesus manifests.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient religious interpretations:

Similar to prophets in Judaism who spoke for Yahweh, Jesus is seen as having a divine mandate.
The idea of divine knowledge being bestowed upon a leader or teacher can be found in various cultures, such as the wisdom granted to kings or sages in Mesopotamian or Egyptian mythology.
However, the unique Christian claim here is the specific unity between Jesus and the Father, which is distinct from other religious systems of the time.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives do not typically intersect directly with the theological assertions in John 17:7.

However, modern psychology might explore the cognitive processes of how beliefs and knowledge are developed, potentially informing the way in which individuals come to comprehend spiritual teachings.

Anthropological studies might examine how cultural beliefs about divine authority and communication develop in various religious traditions, including early Christianity.

Commentaries

Commentaries on John 17:7 offer insights into the profundity of Jesus' prayer and its implications:

Many scholars notice the deep intimacy of Jesus' relationship with the Father reflected in the prayer, which models the relationship that believers are invited into.
Some commentators focus on the theme of glory and divine consecration, suggesting that the prayer provides a glimpse into Jesus' pre-existent glory and His obedient mission on earth.
Commentators often discuss the disciples' acknowledgement as a moment of faith and enlightenment, indicating their growth in understanding who Jesus is and the nature of His mission.

John 17

John 17

What does John 17:7 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 17:7 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?