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". . . . . as many as received Him, to them gave He (Christ) power to become the sons
(children) of God, even to them that believe on His Name: which were born . . . of God"
(John 1: 12, 13).
Here in this chapter 17: Christ continually refers to this gift:
"I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world:
Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me" (17: 6).
"As Thou (God) hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life
to as many as Thou hast given Him" (17: 2).
"I pray . . . . . for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine" (17: 9).
". . . . . keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me" (17: 11).
". . . . . those that Thou gavest Me I have kept" (17: 12).
"Father, I will that they also, whom Thou has given Me, be with Me where I am"
(17: 24).
All these comfortable verses bespeak a unity with the Father and the Son and a close
sharing in the goal of that holy purpose.
Another repetitive word well worth study is "kept". The believer has kept the words
the Father gave the Son to proclaim and now the Son prays the Father to keep these
disciples:
"I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest
keep them from the evil" (17: 15).
This prayer is to counter the expected attacks of Satan. Man can be expected to fall
down on all the deceptions of the flesh: pride, lust for power and other selfish pursuits.
But it is Satan who is at the back of false teaching in the churches, political ploys that
undermine the character of the people, sapping their independence and their personal
responsibility for the good of their home and children. It is Satan who is at the back of
world politics that seek to channel all power into central units conveniently available for
his representative at the right time. On the other hand Satan will especially attack those
who are mature in the truth and who are proving useful to the Lord if they have failed to
`put on the whole armour of God' of Eph. 6: 11-17. It is especially this latter group for
whom our Lord prays.
"I have manifested Thy Name" (17: 6).
Time was when a person's name indicated some aspects of his or her character and
Biblical names of people and places find their appropriate connotation in a concordance.
The Lord Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry had concentrated on conveying to His
hearers both the character and the work of His Father. So much is embraced in this text.
How can folk sometimes say the Bible is difficult when on basic themes John
summarizes it so simply and in such a telling way:
"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