John 17:8

8 for 1the words which You gave Me 2I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that 3I came forth from You, and they believed that 4You sent 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 manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7 "Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You;
8 for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
9 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;
10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

Cross References 4

  • 1. John 6:68; John 12:49
  • 2. John 15:15; John 17:14, 26
  • 3. John 8:42; John 16:27, 30
  • 4. John 3:17; John 17:18, 21, 23, 25
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