John 17:8

For the words which thou gavest me I have given them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.

The words that thou gavest me ... The revelation brought to men by Christ was a revelation of "words," not of thoughts or ideas. This consideration is of the most extensive importance in understanding the inspiration of the Scriptures. Everything in the Bible points to the verbal nature of holy revelation. Jesus made an argument for immortality to rest on a single two-letter word, the verb "AM" in Exodus 3:14, and the mere tense of a verb at that! (Matthew 23:32). Paul likewise trusted the number of the noun "seed" (Galatians 3:16), as the definitive argument for the calling of all the saved in Christ. Jesus brought God's words to men. Therefore, let men heed the words, for they shall judge all creation at the last day (John 12:48-50).

I have given unto them ... This made the apostles custodians of the sacred revelation from God, thus endowing the New Testament with plenary authority for determining God's will for mankind. This is true because only in the New Testament does one have the actual teachings of the apostles of Christ. Men need to learn how "not to go beyond the things which are written" (1 Corinthians 4:6).

And they believed that thou didst send me ... The use of the past tense here is prophetic and refers to the ultimate fidelity of the apostles to their divine commission, passing over the little season that very night when the Shepherd would be smitten and the sheep scattered.