John 17:25

25 Father, rightfully the world knew thee not [Rightful Father, the world knew not thee], but I knew thee, and these knew, that thou sentest me.

John 17:25 Meaning and Commentary

John 17:25

O righteous Father
God is righteous in all the divine persons: the Father is righteous, the Son is righteous, and the Holy Spirit is righteous: he is so in his nature; righteousness is a perfection of it; he is so in all his purposes and promises; in all his ways and works of providence and grace; in predestination, redemption, justification, pardon of sin, and eternal glory. Christ makes use of this epithet, as containing a reason why he might justly expect that all his petitions and claims, on behalf of himself and people, would be regarded:

the world hath not known thee;
the unbelieving Jews, and idolatrous Gentiles, wicked men, one or another, know not God: as not the Father, so neither the Son, nor Spirit; though deity may be known by them, or that there is a God, yet they know not God in Christ, nor as the Father of Christ, or as their Father in him, nor what it is to have communion with him; nor do they know any of the things of God in a spiritual way; which shows the darkness and blindness of men by nature, the necessity of a divine illumination, and the miserable state of men without one:

but I have known thee;
his nature, perfections and glory, his secret thoughts, purposes and designs, his covenant, promises and blessings, his love, grace and good will to his people, his whole mind and will; as he needs must, since he was one with him, and lay in his bosom;

and these have known that thou hast sent me;
meaning his disciples and apostles, whom he distinguishes from the world; these knew the Father that sent him, and that he was sent by the Father; they knew the love of the Father in sending of him, the manner in which he was sent, and the end, man's redemption, for which he was sent; and acknowledged all this, and which laid them under an obligation to trust in him, love him, and magnify his grace; and is used by Christ as an argument with the Father to be concerned for them.

John 17:25 In-Context

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they be ended into one; and that the world know, that thou sentest me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved also me.

24 Father, they which thou hast given to me, I will that where I am, that they be with me, that they see my clearness, that thou hast given to me [Father, I will that and they whom thou hast given to me, be with me where I am, that they see my clearness, which thou hast given to me]; for thou lovedest me before the making of the world.

25 Father, rightfully the world knew thee not [Rightful Father, the world knew not thee], but I knew thee, and these knew, that thou sentest me.

26 And I have made thy name known to them, and shall make known; that the love by which thou hast loved me, be in them, and I in them.