Charles Spurgeon 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 thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:

They had not all of them clearly seen that manifestation. Jesus had to ask the question, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? Still, that was not the fault of the manifestation; Christ had manifested the name – that is, the character – of God to those who had been given to him out of the world.

Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

We might have expected that the verse would end, "and I have kept them." But their keeping God's Word is the evidence that Christ has kept them.

Whenever a soul loves the Word of God, delights in the teaching of Christ, and glories in those things which the world called dogmas—as if they were so much dog's meat—when you and I can feed upon these things, and when every utterance of Christ is dear and precious to us—that is good evidence of our being called out of the world and separated unto Christ.

It is one of the marks of divine grace which Jesus works in those whom the Father has given him: Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy Word.

I have manifested your name to the men which you gave me out of the world: yours they were, and you gave them to me; and they have kept your word.

God's people belong to him, he gives them to his Son, Christ gives them his word, and they keep it: They have kept your word.

Do we keep God's word? Do we hold to it? Do we make it the guide of our whole life? Do we seek to obey it? This is the token of God's chosen people.

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

"They were yours, my Father, under your direct government, but you have transferred them to my mediatorial sovereignty. You have given them up to be mine, in a very special sense, beyond all the rest of mankind.

And this is one of their distinguishing characteristics: that they have kept thy word.'"

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

How tenderly he speaks about them! He says the best he can of them; they were faulty, feeble folk, but he says, They have kept thy word. So they did. Oh, that you and I may do the same, and not be swept away by the drift of the current of unbelief! If we are not perfect, if we fail in some respects, yet may the Master be able to say of us to God, They have kept thy word!

I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world: yours they were, and you gave them to me; and they have kept your word.

No one but Christ could or would have borne such a testimony concerning his fickle, feeble followers; it will be happy for us if he can also say concerning us, who profess to be his disciples, They have kept your word.

Yours they were, and you gave them me; and they have kept your word.

It has been their treasure. They have preserved it as a priceless blessing. They would never let it go.

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

How gracious it was on our Lord's part to say the best he could of his disciples! These twelve men had learned but little of the Divine Word, but they had believed what they had been taught; so Jesus could say of them to his Father, Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

What high praise this was of Christ's disciples! They have kept thy word. Poor creatures that they were, they often turned aside from the right path, they were often very ignorant, and very willful, yet the Lord knew that their hearts were right towards him, and that they were willing to learn, and desired to believe. So he saw in them what was often hidden even from themselves, and he testified to his Father, They have kept thy word.