Charles Ellicott Commentary John 17:6

"I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word." — John 17:6 (ASV)

I have manifested (or better, I manifested) your name to the men whom you gave me (or better, You have given Me) out of the world.—This manifestation of the name of God is making Him known as the only true God, and glorifying Him on earth, as described in John 17:3-4. For the special form in which the thought is expressed (“Thy name”), compare the Note on Matthew 6:9.

He thinks of the disciples as a body separated from the world (compare the Note on John 15:19), and as given to Him by the Father (compare the Note on John 6:37).

Yours they were, and you gave (or better, have given) them me.—The meaning of these words is that they were morally prepared by the earlier manifestation of God for the fuller manifestation in Christ. They were God’s in more than name, and therefore when Christ was revealed to them, they recognised Him of whom Moses and the prophets spoke (compare John 1:37 and following, and especially the Notes on John 5:46; John 6:37; John 8:47).

And they have kept your word.—Compare the Notes on John 8:51; John 14:23. He says here, “Thy word,” not “My word,” because the thought of these verses (John 17:6–8) is that they were originally and were still the Father’s. They had been given to the Son, but this was only the completion of the revelation of the Father to them. Christ’s word was that of the Father who sent Him (compare the Notes on John 7:16; John 12:48–49).