John 17:8

8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you 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 made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you;
8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.