John 17:9

Joh_17:9-16

I pray for them

The keeping of the saints

I.

THE PERSONS. Those whom Thou hast given Me. The disciples in contrast

1. With the world (Joh_17:9). Christ meant, not that men, as men, were excluded from His intercessions, but that they were not then the object of His pleadings; He was then acting as the Churchs High Priest, preparing to sanctify Himself as a sacrifice for His believing people. Hence the unbelieving world had no direct interest in the blessings He was asking.

2. With the son of perdition. Judas had by this time been excluded from the apostolic circle (Joh_13:30).

II. THE BLESSING--preservation in

1. Unity (Joh_17:11), such as expresses itself in one faith, one love, one body, one life (Eph_4:3-6). This is not only the subject of Christs intercession with the Father, but the object of the Fathers keeping of the saints. He keeps them, not by forcible compulsion, but by spiritual persuasion, helping them to understand the oneness of love, life, power subsisting between the Father and the Son, in such fashion that they earnestly desire and labour after such oneness among themselves; in this showing that they follow God as dear children.

2. In safety (Joh_17:15). One can imagine reasons why Christ should have prayed that the disciples should be taken from the world with Himself, e.g., He would rather be accompanied by those who had loved Him; and that it would be better for them than to be left exposed to the world Php_1:23). But He discerns grounds why it was better that they should be left

(1) For themselves, inasmuch as they were as yet imperfectly sanctified.

(2) For Christ, for the vindication of His honour, for the propagation of His truth.

(3) For the world.

They were to remain as salt to preserve it, as light to illuminate it, as leaven to work in it. Hence Christ prayed that they might be shielded from evil, from hurtful things (Mar_16:18; Luk_10:19; Act_18:10); from wicked men (2Th_3:2); from the evil one (1Jn_5:8).

3. In felicity (verse 13).

III. THE ARGUMENTS.

1. They belonged to Him, the Father (verse 9). Believers are Gods

(1) By nature, as His creatures.

(2) By grace, as His children.

(3) By community of interest with Christ (verse 10).

2. Christs glory was involved in their preservation (verse 10). In them the world would behold His glorification, and the character of His religion. By them His glorification would be proclaimed, and the glory of His kingdom advanced (Act_2:33; Act_3:13).

3. They were about to be deprived of His presence (verse 11). Up to then Christ had shielded them; accordingly, like a dying parent, He commends them to His Heavenly Fathers care. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

The Divine Suppliant

The truths in this part of the prayer are

I. THAT THE SUPREME GOOD OF MAN IS SPIRITUAL AND NOT TEMPORAL. Christ prays that they may be kept from the evil, sanctified, and be one with themselves, Him, and the Father. He does not pray that they may be healthy in body, prosperous in circumstances, or long-lived. He does not undervalue these things, but temporal prosperity to Him was insignificant compared with spiritual. There are good reasons for this. Temporal prosperity is

1. Insufficient to satisfy the cravings of the human soul. A mans life [happiness] consisteth not in the abundance of things, &c. What shall it profit a man, &c.

2. Often leads to spiritual adversity and ruin. How often it happens that the higher a man rises in worldly things, the lower he sinks in moral destitution. Seek ye first the kingdom of God.

II. THAT THERE IS A COMPLETE UNITY OF INTEREST BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE FATHER. All Mine are Thine, &c. This is

1. True absolutely. God is the universal Proprietor. We are only trustees, not owners.

2. True subjectively. Thine are Mine.

III. THAT SINCE THE DEPARTURE OF CHRIST THE PRESERVATION OF A GOOD MAN IN HIS GOODNESS DEPENDS ON THE AGENCY OF THE GREAT FATHER (verse 11). THE MEANING IS, I have taken care of them until now; now I commend them to Thee. Note

1. The way of keeping them. Through Thine own Name, i.e., His moral character. This is enough to convert them to, and to keep them in goodness.

2. The reason for keeping them, that they may be one as we are, i.e., in supreme purpose, inspiring spirit, moral character. What attraction is in the material world, love is in the moral.

IV. THAT AMONGST THOSE WHO ARE GIVEN BY GOD TO THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST THERE ARE BAD MEN AS WELL AS GOOD (Joh_17:12). There has ever been a Judas in Christian communities: tares as well as wheat; goats as well as sheep. Bad men as well as good are

1. The property of God. He can give them.

2. Under the direction of God. Judas did not go into Christs school by accident, but that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.

3. Employed in the service of God. Judas did a useful work.

4. Must meet with a terrible end. The son of perdition went to his own place. It is better for a man to fall from the level sands than from a lofty cliff; to fall into ruin from a corrupt world than from the height of Christian privilege.

V. THAT THE GRAND DESIRE OF CHRIST IS THAT ALL HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN HIS JOY (Joh_17:13).

1. Although in one sense a Man of Sorrows, no man had so much joy as Christ. The joy of

(1) An innocent conscience.

(2) Disinterested love.

(3) Close communion with the Father.

2. Now His desire is that His disciples should participate in this joy, and

3. At last enter into the joy of the Lord.

VI. THAT THE FAITHFUL CARRYING OUT OF CHRISTS DESIRE WILL EXCITE THE WORLDS HATRED (Joh_17:14). The world is ever in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ. The man, therefore, who will act out the one and live the other will ever come in antagonism with the worlds passions and prejudices. The conduct of the godly acts on the sensibilities of the corrupt as the sun on diseased eyes, and music on diseased auricular nerves.

VII. THAT IT IS POSSIBLE SO TO LIVE IN THE WORLD AS NOT TO BELONG TO IT (Joh_17:16). (D. Thomas, D. D.)

Why Christ prayed for the disciples

Before proceeding to the more special petitions Jesus reproduces the two principal claims of the disciples to the Divine interest.

I. THOU HAST GIVEN THEM TO ME--watch over Thine own gift; and the more since, in becoming Mine, they have not ceased to belong to Thee, but have even become more than ever Thine. For what I receive from Thee; I receive only to restore to Thee, and to ensure to Thee its possession. The present are Thine is purposely substituted for the imperfect were Thine (Joh_17:6), to express the idea that the gift of them to the Son has only confirmed their being Gods.

II. THEY HAVE BECOME DEPOSITARIES OF THE SONS GLORY. Notwithstanding His form as a Servant, Jesus had appeared to their hearts in all His beauty as the Son of God. Even before restoration to His glory, He had regained it in them by the fact that they had recognized Him for what He truly was (Joh_17:7-8). (F. Godet, D. D.)

Why Christ did not pray for the world

Jesus has not the same reasons to bring forward in favour of the world, not the same request to make for it. Luther justly says, What must be asked for the world is that it may be converted, not that it may be sanctified or kept. Assuredly the statement of Jesus is no absolute one. He said on the cross, Father, forgive them. Was not this to pray for the world? Only He did not then, as He does now, bring forward as a reason they have known (Joh_17:8), but, on the contrary, they know not what they do; and instead of appealing, as here, to the care of God for beings precious and belonging to Himself, He invokes His compassion for beings guilty and perishing. The saying in Joh_17:21, that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, contains an implicit prayer for the world (cf. Joh_2:16)

. The statement of Jesus, that He prays not for the world, only becomes absolute in proportion as its moral characteristic of opposition to God is fixed, and as it becomes the association of those who are not only enemies of God, but who desire to remain such. (F. Godet, D. D.)

The mediatorial plea

I. A GRACIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT I pray for them.

1. The words which follow seem at first startling. Does He mean that the world had no place in His desires and formed no object of His supplications? No, for He had said, God so loved the world, &c., and was so soon to pray on the cross for His murderers. It is simply as if He had said, I am not now at this moment praying for the world at large, or else, I pray not in this way for the world. For the world He does pray (Joh_17:20-21), but He prays in another manner, viz., that it may cease to be what it is, attain to knowledge which it does not possess, and realize a life which it does not know, while in praying for His disciples He asks that they may be perfected in what they have received, confirmed in their faith and so prederved from forgetting or losing that which they know.

2. I pray for them. The word pray here is a word which Christ Jesus alone uses in relation to His prayers. The Saviour never uses the word ordinarily used to express prayers by man, but one which has the sense of authority in it, and which therefore it is not proper for us to use. How much, then, is involved in this announcement! Frequently in the course of social intercourse we say to a friend in difficulty or affliction, when we feel that our poor thoughts, counsels, or help can be of little or no avail, I will pray for you. Does that not include the highest thought, and the most effective aid that we can reach? What magnitude and depth of meaning, then, must there be in our Saviours words, I pray for you! The Lord who prayed for these disciples intercedes for His people now. There is not a single day of our life, how full soever of duty, difficulty, or darkness, in which we may not derive encouragement and comfort from this gracious word of Christ.

II. AN EXPLANATION. The disciples

1. Belong to God They are Thine,

(1) He had created them, selected them out of the many thousands of Israel, to be trained by His Son. The preparation they received under the minister of Jesus was altogether of God; and the variety of their dispositions, qualifying them for varied service and duty, was due to His wisdom and power. It is one thing to be Gods creatures, made originally in His image; it is much higher and grander to be Gods men, created anew in Christ Jesus.

(2) This interest was reciprocal: All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine. In the Fathers interest the Son had an interest, and in the Fathers property the Son has an equal right (chap.

V. 19). No language could more impressively show the Godhead and glory of Jesus than this claim of kindred interests.

2. Christ, as Mediator and Saviour, had an interest in these disciples peculiar to Himself: I am glorified in them.

(1) It may well excite our wonder and adoration that He, withoutwhom was not anything made that was made, should have glory in feeble, ignorant, and imperfect men, and only in the little band was He glorified. The life and attractiveness of the vine are in its branches, foliage, and fruit; and as Jesus said, I am the Vine, ye are the branches, His honour was essentially connected with them, as the first-fruits of a multitude of followers.

(2) How was Jesus glorified? To draw men to Himself, to secure their devotedness for God, that they might be redeemed from sin, and be made partakers of the Divine nature, was the very purpose for which He came into the world; and in these disciples, who were lovingly drawn around Him as the first-fruits of His advent, was He glorified. There is a depth and breadth of meaning in these words which we cannot fully comprehend. When the hero of many battles receives the thanks of a grateful country, and says in reply that he could have nothing but for the bravery and devotion of the troops under his command, we can appreciate his modesty and admire his candour. But when the strong Son of God says, I am glorified in them these My disciples, few and weak we cannot refuse our admiration and our love. (J. Spence, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 17:9-10. I pray for them — Who have attended me as my apostles. These only he prays for here, as appears from Joh 17:12, where he says, he had kept all the persons he was praying for in the faith and practice of true religion, except the son of perdition; and from Joh 17:18, where he says, he had commissioned them to go forth into the world for the same purpose that the Father had sent him; and from Joh 17:20, where he expressly distinguishes them from all other believers whatever. I pray not for the world — Not in these petitions, which are adapted to the state of believers only. But this no more proves that our Lord did not pray for the world, both before and afterward, than his praying for the apostles only in these verses proves that he did not pray for them also who should believe in him through their word, Joh 17:20. But for them which thou hast given me, &c. — See on verse; for they are thine — The reason thus assigned for making them the subject of his prayers at this time is remarkable. It is as if he had said, “I employ the last moments of my life in praying particularly for my apostles, because their are more especially thy servants, destined for that work which is the great object of thy attention, the instruction and salvation of the world.” All mine are thine — All my servants are thy servants; that is, whosoever assists me in my work, serves thee in thy great designs of love and mercy to men. And thine are mine — Thy servants are my servants; every one who really serves thee must join issue with me, and assist me in my work. And I am glorified in them — By the zeal, faithfulness, and success of my servants in converting the world, I am greatly honoured. This, however, is not our Lord’s only meaning in this clause; the original words being τα εμα παντα σα εστι, και τα σα εμα, not, all my servants are thy servants, &c., but, all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine; expressions too grand for any mere creature to use; as implying, that all things whatsoever, inclusive of the divine nature, perfections, and operations, are the common property of the Father and the Son. And this is the original ground of that peculiar property which both the Father and the Son have, in the persons who were given to Christ as Mediator, according to what is said in the close of the verse of his being glorified by them; namely, by their believing in him, and so acknowledging his glory.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:9-19 Jesus prayed for his disciples, who must carry on after his departure.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 17:9. Περὶ αὐτῶν, for [concerning] them) Jesus prays for believers: He Himself and believers pray for the world.—οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου, not for the world) This ought not to be taken absolutely: Comp. v. 21, 23, “That the world may believe—know—that Thou hast sent Me.”[370] But what is meant is that Jesus does not pray for the world at this time, and in this place, and with these words, which were applicable to believers alone, Joh 17:11; Joh 17:15; Joh 17:17. Christ says the same things in Psa 16:3-4, “The saints that are in the earth, and the excellent in whom is all My delight;” and of the ungodly, “I will not take up their names into My lips.” He does not, however, exclude the world [from His prayers], when He commends the disciples chosen out of the world.

[370] Also His prayer for His murderers on the cross, Luk 23:34.—E. and T.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_17:9. I pray for them! Both in ἐγώ and in περὶ αὐτῶν there lies a motive element in reference to God. That which lies in περὶ αὐτῶν is then further made specially prominent, first negatively (οὐ π. τ. κόσμ. ἐρ.), and then positively (ἀλλὰ περὶ, κ.τ.λ.).

οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου] has no dogmatic weight, and is therefore not to be explained in the sense of the condemnation of the world (Melanchthon), or of absolute predestination (Calvin, Jansen, Lampe), or of the negation of such intercession in general (Hengstenberg), but refers simply and solely to this present intercession, which has in truth no relation to those who are strangers to God, but to His own, whom He has given to Jesus,and this should all the more move Him to fulfil the prayers. Prayer for the unbelieving has been enjoined by Jesus Himself (Mat_5:44), and was, moreover, offered by Himself upon the cross (Luk_23:34), and for them did He die, comp. also Joh_17:20; but here He has only the disciples in view, and lays them, by the antithesis οὐ περὶ τ. κόσμου, the more earnestly on the Fathers heart. Luther well says: At other times one should pray for the world, that it may be converted. Comp. Joh_17:21.

ὅτι σοί εἰσι] Ground of the intercession: because theyalthough given to meare Thine, belonging to Thee as my believing ones, since they were Thine (Joh_17:6) already, before Thou gavest them to me.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 9, 10. “I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me, because they are thine. 10. And all that which is mine is thine, and that which is thine is mine, and I am glorified in them.”

From the infinite value which these antecedents give to the person of the disciples, Jesus draws this conclusion: “I pray for them.” ᾿Εγώ, I, at the beginning: “I, who have labored so much to bring them to this point and to whom they now belong.”

Then, immediately afterwards, and before the verb, the limiting words περὶ αὐτῶν, for them: “For them, this fruit of my labors, this present which thou hast made to me.” This general prayer is equivalent to an: “I commend them to thee.” Thus is the antithesis explained: I pray not for the world. Jesus has not the same grounds for commending the world to God; if He wished to pray here for the world, He would formulate His petitions on its behalf quite differently. Luther rightly says: “What must be asked for the world is that it should be converted, not that it should be kept or sanctified.” Assuredly the refusal of Jesus to pray for the world is not absolute. He Himself says on the cross: “Father, forgive them!” Is not this to pray for the world? Only He does not, as here, allege this ground:They have known (Joh 17:8); He says, on the contrary, “For they know not what they do.” He cannot make an appeal to God for the world, as for a precious being which belongs to Him, as He does here for His disciples. All that He can do on the cross is to make an appeal to His compassion towards a being who is guilty and is lost. Moreover, the words of Joh 17:21 : “That the world may know that thou hast sent me,” contain also an implicit prayer on behalf of the world. Comp. Joh 3:16. The refusal of Jesus to pray for the world becomes absolute only when its moral character of opposition to God is irrevocably fixed, and when it has become the society “of those who not only are enemies of God, but who desire to remain such” (Gess).

Before expressing the more special petitions included in this general prayer, Jesus presents again the two principal claims which the disciples have to the divine interest: 1. God has Himself given them to Jesus, and He must keep this gift for Him. Still more, by thus becoming the property of Jesus, they have not ceased to be that of God. For all property is common between them, and this bond connecting them with Jesus strengthens forever that which bound them to God. Would a mere creature express himself in this way? Luther says: “Every man can say, What I have is thine; but the Son alone can say, What is thine is mine.” The present, “are thine,” is purposely substituted for the imperfect, “were thine,” Joh 17:6, in order to express the idea that the gift made to Jesus has only served to confirm their belonging to God. 2. The second ground which commends them henceforth to the Father’s interest is, that they are become the depositaries of the glory of the Son (perfect, δεδόξασμαι). We must not make this clause depend on the ὅτι of Joh 17:9, which would render the sentence dragging, and would force us to make a parenthesis of the first part of Joh 17:10.

The expression: I am glorified in them, has been understood in different ways. There is no reason to depart from the constant sense of the term: to be glorified. Notwithstanding His form of servant, Jesus has been manifested to them inwardly in His divine character; even before having been restored to His glory, He has regained it within them by the fact that they have recognized Him as the Son of God. This is the testimony which Jesus has borne to them, Joh 17:7-8.

With this general commendation there are connected two more precise petitions. The first: keep them, is prepared for by Joh 17:11 a, expressly stated Joh 17:11 b, and supported by reasons Joh 17:12-15.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I pray for them--not as individuals merely, but as representatives of all such in every succeeding age (see on Joh 17:20).

not for the world--for they had been given Him "out of the world" (Joh 17:6), and had been already transformed into the very opposite of it. The things sought for them, indeed, are applicable only to such.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. I pray not for the world] I am not yet come to that part of my intercession: see Joh 17:20. I am now wholly employed for my disciples, that they may be properly qualified to preach my salvation to the ends of the earth. Jesus here imitates the high priest, the second part of whose prayer, on the day of expiation, was for the priests, the sons of Aaron: See Clarke on Joh 17:1. These words may also be understood as applying to the rebellious Jews. God's wrath was about to descend upon them, and Christ prays that his own followers might be kept from the evil, Joh 17:15. But he does not thus pray for the world, the rebellious Jews, because the cup of their iniquity was full, and their judgment slumbered not.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. I pray for them. Hitherto Christ has brought forward what might procure for the disciples favor with the Father. He now forms the prayer itself, in which he shows that he asks nothing but what is agreeable to the will of the Father, because he pleads with the Father in behalf of those only whom the Father himself willingly loves. He openly declares that he does not pray for the world, because he has no solicitude but about his own flock, which he received from the hand of the Father. But this might be thought to be absurd; for no better rule of prayer can be found than to follow Christ as our Guide and Teacher. Now, we are commanded to pray for all, (1 Timothy 2:8) and Christ himself afterwards prayed indiscriminately for all,

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do, (Luke 23:34.)

I reply, the prayers which we offer for all are still limited to the elect of God. We ought to pray that this man, and that man, and every man, may be saved, and thus include the whole human race, because we cannot yet distinguish the elect from the reprobate; and yet, while we desire the coming of the kingdom of God, we likewise pray that God may destroy his enemies.

There is only this difference between the two cases, that we pray for the salvation of all whom we know to have been created after the image of God, and who have the same nature with ourselves; and we leave to the judgment of God those whom he knows to be reprobate. But in the prayer which is here related there was some special reason, which ought not to be produced as an example; for Christ does not now pray from the mere impulse of faith and of love towards men, but, entering into the heavenly sanctuary, he places before his eyes the secret judgments of the Father, which are concealed from us, so long as we walk by faith.

Besides, we learn from these words, that God chooses out of the world those whom he thinks fit to choose to be heirs of life, and that this distinction is not made according to the merit of men, but depends on his mere good-pleasure. For those who think that the cause of election is in men must begin with faith. Now, Christ expressly declares that they who are given to him belong to the Father; and it is certain that they are given so as to believe, and that faith flows from this act of giving. If the origin of faith is this act of giving, and if election comes before it in order and time, what remains but that we acknowledge that those whom God wishes to be saved out of the world are elected by free grace? Now since Christ prays for the elect only, it is necessary for us to believe the doctrine of election, if we wish that he should plead with the Father for our salvation. A grievous injury, therefore, is inflicted on believers by those persons who endeavor to blot out the knowledgeof election from the hearts of believers, because they deprive them of the pleading and intercession of the Son of God. These words serve also to expose the stupidity of those who, under the pretence of election, give themselves up to the indolence, whereas it ought rather to arouse us to earnestness in prayer, as Christ teaches us by his example.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) I pray for them: I pray not for the world.—Better, I am praying for them: I am not praying for the world. Both pronouns are emphatic. “I who have during my work on earth taught them;” “they who have received the truth” (Joh_17:8). “I who am about to leave the world;” “they who will remain in the world” (Joh_17:11). The tense is the strict present, referring to the prayer which He is at this moment uttering, and not to His general practice, which the Authorised version may be taken to express. Against any limitation of the prayer of our Lord, see Joh_17:21, and His own prayer for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luk_23:34). Comp. also His command to His disciples to pray for “them which despitefully used them” (Mat_5:44). The present prayer was like that which pious Rabbis were accustomed to offer for their pupils. (Comp. Schöttgen’s Note here.) It is from its very nature applicable only to disciples. He is leaving them, and commends them to His Father’s care.

But for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.—This is the special claim on which He commends them to the Father. They were the Father’s before they were given to the Son. By that gift they have become the Father’s more fully (Joh_17:6-8). They are the Father’s, for all things which are the Son’s are the Father’s, and all things which are the Father’s are the Son’s (Joh_17:10).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. I pray for them, &c.] Literally, I am praying concerning them; concerning the world I am not praying, but concerning them whom, &c. ‘I,’ ‘them,’ and ‘the world’ are emphatic. ‘For them who have believed I in turn am praying; for the world I am not praying.’ On the word here used for ‘pray’ see on Joh_14:16. Of course this verse does not mean that Christ never prays for unbelievers; Joh_17:23 and Luk_23:34 prove the contrary; but it is for the chosen few, in return for their allegiance, that He is praying now.

they are thine] Although they have been given to the Son.

9–19. The intercession for the disciples based on their need.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I pray for them,.... This is to be understood of Christ, not as God; for as such he is the object of prayer; nor need he pray to any other; nor is there any superior to him under that consideration to pray unto; but as man and Mediator: nor is his praying any argument against his deity; nor proof of inferiority to his Father with respect to his divine nature; since it is not in that, but in his human, nature, that he prayed; though this may be ascribed to his whole person as Godman; hence he had the greatest qualifications and abilities for this work, and his prayers were always heard: praying, as attributed to Christ, must be restrained to his state of humiliation; prayer is never spoken of Christ but whilst he was here on earth; his intercession in heaven is never expressed by prayer; and the saints when they come thither, will have done praying, Christ whilst on earth, was an excellent pattern of prayer; of private and solitary prayer; of social prayer; for and with his disciples; of frequent and fervent prayer; of submission to the will of God in prayer; and of praying even for enemies: the persons he is here said to pray for are his apostles; which shows their danger and their wants, his care over them, and concern for them, and his love unto them:

I pray not for the world; the inhabitants of it, the carnal unbelieving part of the world, which lie in sin, and will be condemned; as he died not for them, so he prayed not for them; for whom he is the propitiation, he is an advocate; and for whom he died, he makes intercession; and for no other in a spiritual saving way:

but for them which thou hast given me; out of the world, as distinct from them, to be saved with an everlasting salvation by him; and to be preserved safe to his kingdom and glory; for these he prays, for the conversion of them, the application of pardon to them, their final perseverance and eternal glory:

for they are thine; not merely by creation, and as the care of his providence, but by eternal election, and special grace in calling; which is a reason why Christ prayed for them, and an argument why the Father should, and would regard his prayers.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Ver. 9. I pray for them] Christ hath left us this prayer here recorded, as a pattern of that intercession he incessantly maketh for us at the right hand of his heavenly Father. Joab was heard for Absalom: shall not Christ for us? Solomon denied his mother’s request, 1Ki 2:22; God will not deny Christ’s. The prodigal came without a mediator to his father, and was embraced; much more shall we, presented by Christ.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I pray for them - In view of their dangers and trials, he sought the protection and blessing of God on them. His prayer was always answered.

Not for the world - The term world here, as elsewhere, refers to wicked, rebellious, vicious men. The meaning of this expression here seems to be this: Jesus is praying for his disciples. As a reason why God should bless them, he says that they were not of the world; that they had been taken out of the world; that they belonged unto God. The petition was not offered for wicked, perverse, rebellious men, but for those who were the friends of God and were disposed to receive his favors. This passage, then, settles nothing about the question whether Christ prayed for sinners. He then prayed for his disciples, who were not those who hated him and disregarded his favors. He afterward extended the prayer for all who should become Christians, Joh 17:20. When on the cross he prayed for his crucifiers and murderers, Luk 23:34.

For they are thine - This is urged as a reason why God should protect and guide them. His honor was concerned in keeping them; and we may always “fill our mouths with” such “arguments” when we come before God, and plead that his honor will be advanced by keeping us from evil, and granting us all needful grace.

I am glorified in them - I am honored by their preaching and lives. The sense of this passage is, “Those who are my disciples are thine. That which promotes my honor will also promote thine. I pray, therefore, that they may have needful grace to honor my gospel, and to proclaim it among men.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I pray for them, I pray not for the world. That is, now in this prayer, when I desire special graces and assistances for them, to discharge their duty, as my apostles; yet we must take notice, that (ver. 20.) Christ prays for all those, who should believe in him. He also prayed (Luke xxiii. 34.) for all, even for those that crucified him, Father, forgive the, for they know not what they do. (Witham) --- The prayer I now offer up to thee, O my Father, is all in behalf of my disciples, it is not for the world. I pray not now for the incredulous Jews, nor for such of the Gentiles as shall afterwards believe in me; for them I will pray at another time. At present I speak to thee for my apostles only: they call for my first care, because they are thine, and thou has given them to me. (Calmet) --- Jesus Christ prayed with an absolute and an efficacious prayer, for all those, for whom his prayer was to be heard: he begged for them, whatever his Father had predestined to give them; but he asked for nothing, that his Father had predestined not to give them.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

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. Christ afterward prays for the world, Joh 17:20; that is, for such who, though they at present were unbelievers, yet should be brought to believe by the apostles’ ministry. But to teach us to distinguish in our prayer, our Saviour here distinguishes, and prays for some things for his chosen ones, which he doth not pray for on the behalf of others: these he describes to be such as his Father (whose they were) had given him, either by an eternal donation, or by working faith in them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Pray not for the world—For the world, as such, and while it stays such, (in the sense used here and in Joh_17:14,) is not a possible object of the mercies and blessings he is now imploring; and so cannot be the object of his direct prayer. Indirectly he prays, in Joh_17:21; Joh_17:23, for the world, that it may be brought under the scope and cover of his prayer, by conversion to faith in him. When Christ intercedes, as here, for his Church, it is that it may be, as here, preserved, sanctified, and glorified. When he prays for the world, it is that it may be converted and forgiven. Luke xxiii, 34. Then the world comes into the Church, and receives the blessing of Christ’s Church by intercession.

For them which thou hast given me—The apostles, as in Joh_17:6; Joh_17:8.

They are thine—The Father gave them, yet still retained them. They were the common property of God and of Christ. Therefore did Christ confidently pray for them.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I very emphaticam praying for them (for this use of erwtw see note, Joh_16:23). We must remember that this is perfectly consistent with the fact that, in the day of the spiritual manifestation to the disciples, when both the Father and Son came to them, the disciples would ask the Father for the gifts which his love to them was waiting to supply; and he, Christ himself, would hear them if they asked in his Name; and that then there would be no need that he should pray the Father for them. That time had not yet come, though it was coming. Both statements are also perfectly consistent with his "intercession" for us. Not concerning or, not for the world am I praying. Surely this is not an assertion that he would never pray, or that he had not already prayed, for the world. Nay, his entire ministry is the expression of the Father"s love to the whole world. (Joh_3:16) He came as Jehovah"s Lamb to take away its sin, (Joh_1:29) he bade his disciples (Mat_5:44) pray for their enemies, and he cried at the last for a blessing on his murderers. He "came to seek and save the lost," to call sinners to repentance," not to condemn, but to save the world." Moreover, in this prayer (Ver. 21) he does pray for those who should ultimately, though they do not now, believe on him through the word of the disciples; therefore it is inconceivable that he should here dogmatically limit the range of his gracious desire. Calvin here observes, "We are commanded to pray for all," (1Ti_2:1) and quotes Luk_23:34 that Christ prayed for his murderers. We ought to pray that this man and that man and every man may be saved, and thus include the whole human race, because we cannot distinguish the elect from the reprobate." Calvin implies that Christ is here within the sanctuary, and places before his eyes the secret judgments of the Father. Lampe goes much further. Luther says, In the same sense in which he prays for the disciples, he does not pray for the world." But the best explanation is that the high-priestly intercession at this supreme moment is concerned with those who were already given to him, and who have come to believe in his Divine Person and commission. He expressly and divinely commends to the Father those whom thou hast given me the burden of the thought is contained in the motive he suggests for this commendation, viz. because they are thine; i.e. though thou hast given them to me, though they have "come to me," through thy drawing, they are more than ever "thine." This most fervent yielding to the attraction of Jesus, and utter moral surrender to his control, do not alienate the heart from the Father, but make it more than ever his.

Vers. 9-11. Jesus praying for his own.

I THE EXCLUSION. We have here a striking illustration of the definiteness of the prayers of Jesus. He knows exactly for whom he is praying, and what he wants for them. He defines them positively, and he defines them negatively. It is not enough for him to call them his own." It must also be said why they are his own. If they belonged to the world, and had in them, unchecked and unmixed, the spirit of the world, they would not be his. This is a very decided exclusion for the purpose which Jesus has in view; but no one who understands the whole drift of the work of Jesus will say that it is a harsh exclusion. When Jesus prays for his own, he is really doing the best he can for the world. What can the Father of Jesus do for the world, so long as it remains the world? He has nothing to give that the world cares for. What God bestows on the world is given irrespective of prayer given to all; given, a great deal of it, to the lower creation as well. If more is to be given, it is because of the appearing of a spirit of recipiency which is in itself a sign of passing from the world to the Church. When Jesus prays for his own, he is really praying that they may so let their light shine as to attract and persuade the world. The very best things that Jesus can do for the world are to be done through the character of his own people.

II THE GROUNDS OF THE REQUEST. Jesus prays to the Father for those whom the Father had given to him. What a view of the claims of the heavenly Father is here! When we give anything it implies that we have a right to give it. We have made it our own by purchase or manufacture; We could not take any human life and make a present of it to somebody else that he might use it for his own purposes. There would be a protest at once. But God makes this claim, and gives over human souls to the control of Jesus. To that control and to no other. The same truth is expressed when Jesus says that all authority is given to him in heaven and on earth. What an inspiration there should be in the thought that the Father reckons us worthy to be bestowed on the Son for him to use! What a folly and misuse of ourselves if we, who are intended for gifts to Jesus, should refuse to Jesus the necessary control! What an explanation of the frequent misery and waste of life! If Jesus cannot get a proper use of his own, how can we turn it to anything but misuse? But Jesus goes on to say how that in receiving he only receives to give back. "All mine are thine, and thine are mine." No wonder that, in the first fullness of Pentecostal blessing, the disciples had all things in common. The Father and the Son have all things in common. The Father gives humanity to the Son that Jesus may send out consecrated men and women to glorify him. And then these consecrated men and women, used as they only can be used by Jesus, are rendered up to the Father who bestowed them on the Son. The heavenly Father is the great Fountain of the highest good, and all that he gives comes back to him at last, having ministered strength and gladness to human hearts innumerable. All that is in God and all that is in Jesus are for us; and we are, not for ourselves that is only a small part of the truth but for the Son in the Father, and the Father in the Son. There is no serving the Son without serving the Father, nor glorifying the Son without glorifying the Father. And we need that the Father should strengthen and equip us through invisible means for all this serving and glorifying, because the Son no longer remains visibly in the world. The invisible ministry is far to excel in depth and extent the visible one. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I pray not for the world - Not in these petitions, which are adapted to the state of believers only. (He prays for the world at ver. 21, 23, that they may believe - That they may know God hath sent him.) This no more proves that our Lord did not pray for the world, both before and afterward, than his praying for the apostles alone, ver. 6-19, proves that he did not pray for them also which shall believe through their word, ver. 20.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

world

kosmos = world-system. Joh 17:14; Joh 17:16; Joh 7:7. (See Scofield "Rev 13:8").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The distinction between the disciples and the world:

v. 9. I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.

v. 10. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them.

v. 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.

Jesus here makes a deliberate distinction. He expressly says that He is praying for His disciples; His intercession concerns them only. He sets aside the unbelieving world, for the unbelievers included under that name refuse to accept Him under any circumstances. "But this is the difference. In this way and in the same manner He does not pray for the world as He does for His Christians. For the Christians and for all that are to be converted He prays thus, that they may remain in the true faith, grow and continue in it, and not fall away from it, and that those that are still without faith leave their manner and also come. That means to pray right and well for the world, as we should all pray. " For those that God has given Him by a deliberate act of mercy, and that belong to God by His gracious choice and selection, Jesus prays. He is so certain of being heard in this instance because the believers are God’s own, in whom He will naturally take an interest. And Jesus here addresses the Father in a very bold manner: And what is Mine is all Thine, and what is Thine is Mine. He calmly claims absolute community of interests and property for Himself and the Father. "This no creature can say before God. For you must understand this not only of that which the Father has given Him on earth, but also of His one divine essence with the Father. For He speaks not only of His disciples and Christians, but comprehends in one heap all that is the Father’s, eternal, almighty essence, life, truth, righteousness, etc. , that is, He confesses freely that He is true God, for the word ’All that is Thine is Mine’ permits nothing to be excluded. If everything is His, then also the eternal Godhead is His; otherwise He cannot and dare not use the word ’all. ’" And so Jesus, the Son of God, that has everything in common with the Father, is glorified in His believers. He has taught them to know Him; He has brought His picture as the Redeemer of the world into their souls. Their understanding has been enlightened to enable them to understand, at least in a measure, the purpose of God in the salvation of the world, to place their trust in Christ, in the definite hope that the remaining revelation will be theirs in heaven. The career of Jesus in the world is now coming to its end; He is now leaving the world to return to His Father. But the disciples are still in the world, in the midst of unbelievers and enemies of the Gospel. Therefore the earnest petition of Christ is most necessary, that His Father, the holy Father, that desires to keep His holy name unsullied, would keep the believers in His name, in the confession of His name, in true faith, to the end. Only if the Father Himself takes care of His own, will the spiritual union of the believers in no wise be disturbed or brought to naught. God must keep the believers in the one true faith by the Word of His truth, which revivals and teaches His name. The preservation in faith is the work of God. To Him the believers of all times must look to keep them steadfast in His Word and faith, unto the end, as is His gracious and good will.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, "I now offer up a prayer particularly, 1. For my apostles, designed for so great a work as the preaching of the everlasting gospel to the obstinate Jews and obdurate Gentiles.

2. I intercede also for all believers at this time, for their perseverance in the faith, and constancy in persecution, but I do not now intercede for the wicked and impenitent world, they not being capable (whilst such) of these mercies and blessings;" though at other times we find him praying for the world, yea, for his very crucifiers: Father, forgive them, &c.

Nay, in this very prayer, at the 20th verse, he prays for the world; that is, for the Gentile world; all those that, by the preaching of the apostles and their successors, should be brought to believe on him to the end of the world.

Learn hence, 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the great and gracious intercessor.

2. That all believers, all the children of God in general, are under the fruit and benefit of Christ’s intercession.

3. That as all the members of Christ in general, so the ministers and ambassadors of Christ in special, have a particular interest in Christ’s intercession: and great are the advantages of his intercession for them.

1. From the person interceding, Christ: consider the dignity of his person, God-man: the dearness of his person, God’s son.

2. From the manner of his intercession: not by way of entreaty, but meritorious claim.

3. From the sublimity of his office: our intercessor is near to God, even at his right hand.

4. From the fruits of his intercession: it procures the acceptance and justification of our persons, the hearing and answering of our prayers, the pardon and forgiveness of our sins, our preservation in grace, and our hopes of eternal glory.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. I pray for them. The apostles. The prayer from verse 9 to verse 19 is for these. I pray not for the world. Not at this time; he came into the world to save it, and we are not to conclude that he would never pray for its conversion and welfare, Now, however, his petition is confined to the apostles, the little band who are hanging upon his words.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

I do not pray for the world

Here the word "world" is a metonym that refers to the people who oppose God. AT: "I am not praying for those who do not belong to you" (See: Metonymy)

in the world

This is a metonym that refers to being on earth and being among the people who oppose God. AT: "among the people who do not belong to you" (See: Metonymy)

Holy Father, keep them ... that they will be one ... as we are one

Jesus asks the Father to keep those who trust in him so they can have a close relationship with God.

Father

This is an important title for God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

keep them in your name that you have given me

Here the word "name" is a metonym for God's power and authority. AT: "keep them safe by your power and authority, which you have given me" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

pray

world

glory

holy

God the Father

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

9–19. The intercession for the disciples based on their need.

9. ‘For them who have believed I, who have laboured to bring them to this belief, am praying; for the world I am not praying.’ Ἐγώ, αὐτῶν and κόσμου are emphatic. Περί indicates the subject of the petition: for ἐρωτῶ see on Joh 14:16. Of course this does not mean that Christ never prays for unbelievers; Joh 17:23 and Luk 23:34 prove the contrary: but it is for the chosen few, in return for their allegiance, that He is praying now. He could not pray for unbelievers that they should be kept (Joh 17:11) and sanctified (Joh 17:17), but that they should be converted and forgiven.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9.] Stier remarks, that the Lord here begins to fulfil His promise Mat 10:32.

οὐ περὶ τ. κόσμου ἐρ.] The misconceptions which have been made of this verse (Calvin, Lampe, and even Luther, who elsewhere corrects himself, see Tholuck on John, edn. 6, p. 352) as implying a decree of exclusion for the vessels of wrath, may be at once removed by considering the usage of ὁ κόσμος in this Prayer. The Lord does pray distinctly for ὁ κόσμος, vv. 21, 23, that they may believe and know that the Father hath sent Him. He cannot therefore mean here that He does not pray (absolutely) for the world, but that He is not now asking for the world, does not pray this thing for the world. These (οὓς δέδωκάς μοι) have already believed and known; the prayer for them is therefore a different one, viz. that in vv. 11, 15. The mistake would be at once precluded for English readers by the paraphrase, I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world.

ὅτι σοί εἰσιν—in a fuller sense than σοὶ ἦσαν, ver. 6. That was their preparation for Christ; this is their abiding in Him, which is abiding in the Father, see next verse.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. ἐγὼ περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρωτῶ. From v. 9 to v. 19, we have the prayer of Jesus for His chosen disciples, that the Father may guard them from evil, and that He may sanctify them in the truth. He had prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail (Luk 22:32), but this prayer does not contemplate any failure of faith among the Eleven, in the days to come when their Master had returned to His glory. For ἐρωτᾶν, which is the verb generally used by Jesus of His own prayers, see on 11:22, 16:23, and cf. 16:26, 14:16.

οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἐρωτῶ, i.e. “I am not praying for the world now”; the prayers which follow were for those who loved Him, not for those who rejected Him. But this is not to be interpreted as indicating that Jesus never prayed for His enemies (cf. Luk 23:34 and His own precept Mat 5:44). The κόσμος (see on 1:9) was hostile to Him, but God loved it (3:16); and even this Prayer of c. 17, which was primarily a prayer for Himself and His own disciples, present and future, does not exclude the thought of the world’s acceptance of Him at last (v. 21).

The language of 1Jn 5:16, “there is a sin unto death: I do not say that he should pray (ἐρωτήσῃ) for that,” is verbally similar, but the thought there is different, viz. of the propriety or duty of praying for a fellow-Christian whose sin is πρὸς θάνατον.

ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν δέδωκάς μοι, ὅτι σοί εἰσιν, sc. because they are God’s. See on v. 6, from which verse this clause is repeated.

Only in this chap. (cf. vv. 15, 20) is ἐρωτᾶν used by Jn. absolutely or intransitively, being generally followed by the account of the person who is asked either to give something or to reply. See on [8]:7.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I pray [ερωτω] . More strictly, I make request. See on 16 23. The I is emphatic, as throughout the prayer.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.