Jean 17

1 Jésus dit ces choses; puis levant les yeux au ciel, il dit: Père, l'heure est venue, glorifie ton Fils, afin que ton Fils te glorifie;

2 Selon que tu lui as donné pouvoir sur toute chair, afin qu'il donne la vie éternelle à tous ceux que tu lui as donnés.

3 Or, c'est ici la vie éternelle, qu'ils te connaissent, toi le seul vrai Dieu, et Jésus-Christ que tu as envoyé.

4 Je t'ai glorifié sur la terre; j'ai achevé l'ouvrage que tu m'avais donné à faire.

5 Et maintenant, glorifie-moi, Père, auprès de toi, de la gloire que j'avais auprès de toi, avant que le monde fût.

6 J'ai manifesté ton nom aux hommes que tu m'as donnés du monde; ils étaient à toi, et tu me les as donnés, et ils ont gardé ta parole.

7 Ils ont connu maintenant que tout ce que tu m'as donné vient de toi.

8 Car je leur ai donné les paroles que tu m'as données, et ils les ont reçues, et ils ont connu véritablement que je suis venu de toi, et ils ont cru que tu m'as envoyé.

9 Je prie pour eux; je ne prie pas pour le monde, mais pour ceux que tu m'as donnés, parce qu'ils sont à toi.

10 Et tout ce qui est à moi, est à toi, et ce qui est à toi, est à moi, et je suis glorifié en eux.

11 Et je ne suis plus dans le monde, mais ceux-ci sont dans le monde, et je vais à toi. Père saint, garde en ton nom ceux que tu m'as donnés, afin qu'ils soient un, comme nous.

12 Pendant que j'étais avec eux dans le monde, je les gardais en ton nom. J'ai gardé ceux que tu m'as donnés, et aucun d'eux ne s'est perdu, sinon le fils de perdition, afin que l'Écriture fût accomplie.

13 Et maintenant je vais à toi, et je dis ces choses dans le monde, afin qu'ils aient ma joie accomplie en eux.

14 Je leur ai donné ta parole, et le monde les a haïs, parce qu'ils ne sont pas du monde, comme je ne suis pas du monde.

15 Je ne te prie pas de les ôter du monde, mais de les préserver du malin.

16 Ils ne sont pas du monde, comme je ne suis pas du monde.

17 Sanctifie-les par ta vérité; ta parole est la vérité.

18 Comme tu m'as envoyé dans le monde, je les ai aussi envoyés dans le monde.

19 Et je me sanctifie moi-même pour eux, afin qu'eux aussi soient sanctifiés par la vérité.

20 Or, je ne prie pas seulement pour eux; mais aussi pour ceux qui croiront en moi par leur parole;

21 Afin que tous soient un, comme toi, ô Père, tu es en moi, et moi en toi; afin qu'ils soient aussi un en nous; pour que le monde croie que c'est toi qui m'as envoyé.

22 Je leur ai donné la gloire que tu m'as donnée, afin qu'ils soient un, comme nous sommes un,

23 (Moi en eux, et toi en moi), afin qu'ils soient parfaitement un, et que le monde connaisse que tu m'as envoyé, et que tu les aimes, comme tu m'as aimé.

24 Père, je désire que ceux que tu m'as donnés soient avec moi, où je serai, afin qu'ils contemplent la gloire que tu m'as donnée, parce que tu m'as aimé avant la fondation du monde.

25 Père juste, le monde ne t'a point connu; mais moi, je t'ai connu, et ceux-ci ont connu que c'est toi qui m'as envoyé.

26 Et je leur ai fait connaître ton nom, et je le leur ferai connaître, afin que l'amour dont tu m'as aimé soit en eux, et que moi-même je sois en eux.

Jean 17 Commentary

Chapter 17

Christ's prayer for himself. (1-5) His prayer for his disciples. (6-10) His prayer. (11-26)

Verses 1-5 Our Lord prayed as a man, and as the Mediator of his people; yet he spoke with majesty and authority, as one with and equal to the Father. Eternal life could not be given to believers, unless Christ, their Surety, both glorified the Father, and was glorified of him. This is the sinner's way to eternal life, and when this knowledge shall be made perfect, holiness and happiness will be fully enjoyed. The holiness and happiness of the redeemed, are especially that glory of Christ, and of his Father, which was the joy set before him, for which he endured the cross and despised the shame; this glory was the end of the sorrow of his soul, and in obtaining it he was fully satisfied. Thus we are taught that our glorifying God is needed as an evidence of our interest in Christ, through whom eternal life is God's free gift.

6-10. Christ prays for those that are his. Thou gavest them me, as sheep to the shepherd, to be kept; as a patient to the physician, to be cured; as children to a tutor, to be taught: thus he will deliver up his charge. It is a great satisfaction to us, in our reliance upon Christ, that he, all he is and has, and all he said and did, all he is doing and will do, are of God. Christ offered this prayer for his people alone as believers; not for the world at large. Yet no one who desires to come to the Father, and is conscious that he is unworthy to come in his own name, need be discouraged by the Saviour's declaration, for he is both able and willing to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him. Earnest convictions and desires, are hopeful tokens of a work already wrought in a man; they begin to evidence that he has been chosen unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. They are thine; wilt thou not provide for thine own? Wilt thou not secure them? Observe the foundation on which this plea is grounded, All mine are thine, and thine are mine. This speaks the Father and Son to be one. All mine are thine. The Son owns none for his, that are not devoted to the service of the Father.

Verses 11-16 Christ does not pray that they might be rich and great in the world, but that they might be kept from sin, strengthened for their duty, and brought safe to heaven. The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity. He pleaded with his holy Father, that he would keep them by his power and for his glory, that they might be united in affection and labours, even according to the union of the Father and the Son. He did not pray that his disciples should be removed out of the world, that they might escape the rage of men, for they had a great work to do for the glory of God, and the benefit of mankind. But he prayed that the Father would keep them from the evil, from being corrupted by the world, the remains of sin in their hearts, and from the power and craft of Satan. So that they might pass through the world as through an enemy's country, as he had done. They are not left here to pursue the same objects as the men around them, but to glorify God, and to serve their generation. The Spirit of God in true Christians is opposed to the spirit of the world.

Verses 17-19 Christ next prayed for the disciples, that they might not only be kept from evil, but made good. It is the prayer of Jesus for all that are his, that they may be made holy. Even disciples must pray for sanctifying grace. The means of giving this grace is, "through thy truth, thy word is truth." Sanctify them, set them apart for thyself and thy service. Own them in the office; let thy hand go with them. Jesus entirely devoted himself to his undertaking, and all the parts of it, especially the offering up himself without spot unto God, by the eternal Spirit. The real holiness of all true Christians is the fruit of Christ's death, by which the gift of the Holy Ghost was purchased; he gave himself for his church, to sanctify it. If our views have not this effect on us, they are not Divine truth, or we do not receive them by a living and a working faith, but as mere notions.

Verses 20-23 Our Lord especially prayed, that all believers might be as one body under one head, animated by one soul, by their union with Christ and the Father in him, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. The more they dispute about lesser things, the more they throw doubts upon Christianity. Let us endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, praying that all believers may be more and more united in one mind and one judgment. Thus shall we convince the world of the truth and excellence of our religion, and find more sweet communion with God and his saints.

Verses 24-26 Christ, as one with the Father, claimed on behalf of all that had been given to him, and should in due time believe on him, that they should be brought to heaven; and that there the whole company of the redeemed might behold his glory as their beloved Friend and Brother, and therein find happiness. He had declared and would further declare the name or character of God, by his doctrine and his Spirit, that, being one with him, the love of the Father to him might abide with them also. Thus, being joined to Him by one Spirit, they might be filled with all the fulness of God, and enjoy a blessedness of which we can form no right idea in our present state.