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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 17:20-23

Next to their purity he prays for their unity; for the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable; and amity is amiable indeed when it is like the ointment on Aaron's holy head, and the dew on Zion's holy hill. Observe, I. Who are included in this prayer (John 17:20): ?Not these only, not these only that are now my disciples? (the eleven, the seventy, with others, men and women that followed him when he was here on earth), ?but for those also who shall believe on me through their word,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 17:20-21

17:20-21 "It is not only for these that I pray, but also for those who are going to believe in their word of testimony to me. And my prayer is that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so that they may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me." Gradually in this section Jesus' prayer has been going out to the ends of the earth. First, he prayed for himself as the Cross faced him. Second, he prayed for his disciples, and for God's keeping... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 17:22-26

17:22-26 "And I have given them the glory which you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I am in them, and you are in me, so that their unity with us and with each other may stand consummated and complete. I pray for this that the world may realize that you sent me, and that you loved them as you loved me. Father, it is my will that those whom you have given me should be with me where I am going, that they may see my glory which you gave me, because you loved me before the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 17:20

Neither pray I for these alone ,.... Meaning his immediate apostles and disciples, for whose preservation and sanctification he had been particularly praying in John 17:19 ; and now, that it might not be thought that these were his only favourites, and the only persons he had a regard for, and to whom his intercession and sacrifice were confined; he adds, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word : Christ is the object of true faith; which faith is not a mere... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 17:21

That they all may be one ,.... Among themselves. This may regard their unity in faith, and in the knowledge of Christ; for there is but one faith which all truly experienced souls agree in: they are converted by the same Spirit, and have the same work of grace wrought in them; and though they have not the same degree of light, and measure of spiritual knowledge, yet they agree in the main point of the Gospel, salvation alone by the Lord Jesus Christ; and such an agreement in the doctrine of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 17:22

And the glory which thou gavest me ,.... Not the glory of his deity; this is the same with his Father, what he has in right of nature, and not by gift; nor can it be communicated to creatures; this would be to make them one in the Godhead, as the three are one, which is not the design of the expression in the close of the verse: nor his mediatorial glory, which he had with the Father before the world began; this indeed was given him by the Father, but is not given to the saints: nor the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 17:20

III. Our Lord's Prayer for His Church, and for All Who Would Believe on His Name, Through the Preaching of the Apostles and Their Successor. John 17:20-26 . See on John 17:1 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 17:21

That they all may be one - This prayer was literally answered to the first believers, who were all of one heart and of one soul: Acts 4:32 . And why is it that believers are not in the same spirit now? Because they neither attend to the example nor to the truth of Christ. That the world may believe - are have already seen that the word, κοσμος , world, is used in several parts of this last discourse of our Lord to signify the Jewish people only. Christ will have all his members to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 17:22

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them - That is, the power to work miracles, and to preach unadulterated truth, say some; but as our Lord is not here praying for the disciples, but for all those who should believe on him through their word, John 17:20 , it is more natural to understand the passage thus. As Christ, according to his human nature, is termed the Son of God, he may be understood as saying: "I have communicated to all those who believe, or shall believe in me, the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 17:20

Verse 20 20.And I ask not for these only. He now gives a wider range to his prayer, which hitherto had included the apostles alone; for he extends it to all the disciples of the Gospel, so long as there shall be any of them to the end of the world. This is assuredly a remarkable ground of confidence; for if we believe in Christ through the doctrine of the Gospel, we ought to entertain no doubt that we are already gathered with the apostles into his faithful protection, so that not one of us... read more

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