Exposition of John, Chapter 17 · Verse 17
Verſe 20. Neither pray I for theſe alone; but for them alſo which beleeve on me, through their word:
21. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us: that the world may beleeve that thou haſt ſent me.
Followeth the third part of the Chapter, wherein Chriſt prayeth for the Apoſtles and whole Church of beleevers expreſly, ſeeking ſeveral benefits unto them. In theſe verſes, 1. He deſcribes theſe for whom he prayes; namely, not the Apoſtles only, but all theſe who to the end of the world ſhould by the Word preached by them, either immediately or mediately in the mouth of other meſſengers, be converted and drawn to beleeve on him, v. 20. 2. He propounds his firſt ſuit for them, the ſame in ſubſtance with what he had ſought unto the diſciples, v. 11. Namely, that they may be preſerved in unity, and be one in the Father and him, as he and the Father are one, and the Father in him, and he in the Father. This ſuit he amplifieth and preſſeth from the final cauſe thereof: namely, that by their union the world may be convinced and made to beleeve the truth of Chriſtian Religion, and that Chriſt is an Embaſſadour, ſent by the Father into the world, v. 21. This unity prayed for, doth indeed include and preſuppoſe their unity in relation to Chriſt and God in him, in which they are ſtated by beleeving, and which is the root of the other unity; But that which it moſt expreſly holds out, is unity in love flowing from the other, and which is viſible to the conviction of the world.
From v. 20. Learn, 1. Albeit Chriſt when he departed out of this world, left but a few followers, and his weak diſciples being entruſted with the word of reconciliation, were to meet with perſecution and oppoſition; yet he knew certainly his Kingdome was to ſpread, as accordingly he hath accompliſhed in the world; for, here he ſuppoſeth for certain, that there will be them who ſhall beleeve. 2. Chriſts love and heart are enlarged, to take in all his people throughout the world, and to employ himſelf in his Mediatory office and interceſſion for them; Therefore, after his prayer for himſelf, and for his Apoſtles, he doth now ſhew how large his affection is, Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall beleeve. 3. Chriſts love towards his people is a preventing love, even before they have a being, and before they come to him; and whoever do in any age embrace him, ſhall finde that they were in his heart, and were as tenderly regarded and minded of him, in his ſuffering and ſolemn interceſſion on earth, as any of his followers then preſent with him; for, here before they are, or do beleeve, they are remembred, and he hath left a blank that all beleevers in all ages may put in their owne name, as prayed for by him, when he prayeth for his Apoſtles, Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall beleeve. 4. The character whereby Chriſts followers, and thoſe whom he prayes for, are diſcerned, is, their faith in him, whereby they are driven out of themſelves to embrace and relie upon him, and to have all their ſubſiſtence by him; for, I pray for them which ſhall beleeve on me. Where albeit he pray for them before they beleeve, and that the meanes may be kept to them, till they be brought to beleeve; yet the thing here prayed for ſuppoſeth them in a ſtate of beleeving, and him interceding for what is needful to them in that ſtate. And albeit his interceſſion have influence alſo upon their beleeving, and is a mean to draw them to it; yet Chriſt doth not mention that in the Apoſtles audience, becauſe none can make comfortable application of Chriſts interceſſion to themſelves, till firſt they be drawn to beleeve. 5. True faith is begotten by, and grounds it ſelf upon the Word of God delivered by the Apoſtles, without doating on ſignes and wonders, or expecting any other revelation of the minde of God; for, they beleeve on me through their word. Which alſo imports, that that Word will be continued, and a Miniſtry to preach it, ſo long as there is a Church, or any to be converted. 6. Such as are taught to diſcerne the divine authority of the Word, will not ſtumble at the deſpicableneſſe or meanneſſe of inſtruments carrying the ſame, but will cloſe with it by ſaith to ſalvation; for, albeit it be their word, as the inſtruments, who were but mean and deſpiſed men in the world, yet they beleeve on me through their word.
From v. 21. Learn, 1. The whole bulk of beleevers and Catholike Church, though of different Nations and conditions, are but one body in Chriſt their Head, having one Spirit, one faith, one baptiſme, &c. Eph, 4.4, 5, 6. for, this is Chriſts aime, wherein he ſucceeds, that they which ſhall beleeve, may be one. 2. Whatever adverſity there be among beleevers, in adminiſtrations, gifts and operations; yet this doth not, nor ought hinder their being one in him; and all of them have alike intereſt in him and his love; for, when he mentions the Apoſtles, who were extraordinarily gifted, and all beleevers of all ſorts, he prayeth that they all may be one. 3. As it is the great dignity and priviledge of beleevers to be one; ſo their emproving of this priviledge and living in unity, is the ſumme and compend of their happineſſe, and the mean of obtaining all other bleſſings; Therefore doth Chriſt ſo o…ten pray for this, and for this only in place of all, that they may be one. See Pſal. 133.1, 2, 3. Jam 3.16. 4. Whatever be the bonds of unity among beleevers, or their obligations to it, yet the emprovement thereof to the uniting of them, muſt be ſought and given of God, and Chriſts interceſſion made uſe of for that end; for, ſo much doth Chriſt teach us, while he prayeth, that they all may be one, 5. The union of beleevers, prayed for by Chriſt, is not every combination or conſent, even of Saints, nor a conjunction in any ſinful courſe, but it is an union in God, and in the wayes of God; for this doth Chriſt pray for, that they may be one in us. 6. The way to keep up true union among Saints, is, that they keep cloſe communion with God in Chriſt, leſt otherwiſe, if they be carnal, this breeds ſtrife, 1 Cor. 3.3. for, ſo much alſo is imported in this prayer, that they may be one in us, or, by being in us, and keeping communion with us 7. The true union of beleevers among themſelves, doth reſemble that union betwixt the Father and Son; partly, in reſpect of the ſtrictneſs of the union, that this union cometh neareſt to that inexpreſſible union, (though indeed it be infinitely ſhort of it,) and doth far ſurpaſſe any other conjunction; And partly, that as the Father being in the Son, and the Son in the Father, they do mutually delight each in other, as a conſequent of their union, Prov. 8.30. ſo this union of beleevers is teſtified and entertained by ſpiritual exerciſe of mutual edification; to which alſo may be added, that from this union betwixt the Father and the Son who is our Mediatour, this union of beleevers doth flow, that they are made one in them: Therefore again doth Chriſt pray, That as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, they may be one in us 8. The true union of beleevers will not conſiſt in contemplative notions, or outward profeſſions, but ought to expreſſe it ſelf in viſible fruits; as here is ſubjoyned, that the world may beleeve, &c. 9 In expreſſing the f…u…ts of union, beleevers ought not only to reſpect the honour of God and their own edification, but they ought to ſtudy ſuch a converſation, as as may either convince or convert others, and bring them to the acknowledgment of Chriſt and his truth; for this the end propounded here, that the world may beleeve that thou haſt ſent me. See 1 Pet. 3.1, 2. 10. The people of God then walking in an united way, is a ſpecial mean to convince the world of the excellency of Chriſt; and of the truth of Chriſtian Religion, and ſo either leave them inexcuſable, or convert them; whereas ſchiſmes and rents among them is a ready mean to beget and cheriſh Atheiſme in the world; for, when they are one in us, the world ſhall beleeve that thou haſt ſent me.