John 17:8

8 For the truths which Thou didst teach me I have taught them. And they have received them, and have known for certain that I came out from Thy presence, and have believed that Thou didst send me.

John 17:8 Meaning and Commentary

John 17:8

For I have given unto them the words
Not commands, but doctrines; and these not the doctrines of men; nor any of the divers and strange doctrines; but what are called in Scripture the doctrine of God, of Christ, of the apostles, are agreeably to the Scriptures, and according to godliness; and are styled the word of truth, of faith, of righteousness, of peace and reconciliation, of life and salvation, and of the Gospel; and which Christ gave to his disciples, and gifts along with them to preach them, and abilities to help them:

which thou gavest me;
for the words and doctrines which Christ, as the great prophet in Israel spoke, were not his own, but his Father's; and these were given him to speak and deliver to others, and in which he was faithful; so Jonathan ben Uzziel F12 paraphrases the text in ( Deuteronomy 18:18 ) ; concerning that prophet, the Messiah, God would raise up, after this manner;

``a prophet will I raise up unto them from among their brethren, in whom the Holy Spirit shall be, like unto thee; (ymgtp Ntyaw) , "and I will give the words", of my prophecy into his mouth, and he shall speak with them all that I have commanded.''

And so the Messiah Jesus did:

and they have received them;
willingly and gladly, with reverence and meekness, with love, and thankfulness; so as to understand them and believe them, and so as to be affectionately and closely attached to them:

and have known surely that I came out from thee;
which is meant, not of his eternal filiation, but of his constitution and commission, as Mediator by his Father: of which they had certain knowledge, full assurance of faith, and sincerely owned and confessed being fully persuaded he was the true Messiah, and no impostor:

and they have believed that thou didst send me;
into this world, to seek and to save lost sinners, to redeem all the chosen ones, and perform everything necessary to their salvation.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Targum Jon. in Deut. xviii. 18.

John 17:8 In-Context

6 "I have revealed Thy perfections to the men whom Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to me, and they have obeyed Thy message.
7 Now they know that whatever Thou hast given me is from Thee.
8 For the truths which Thou didst teach me I have taught them. And they have received them, and have known for certain that I came out from Thy presence, and have believed that Thou didst send me.
9 "I am making request for them: for the world I do not make any request, but for those whom Thou hast given me. Because they are Thine,
10 and everything that is mine is Thine, and everything that is Thine is mine; and I am crowned with glory in them.
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