John Calvin 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 your name. Here Christ begins to pray to the Father for His disciples. With the same warmth of love with which He was soon to suffer death for them, He now pleads for their salvation. The first argument He employs on their behalf is that they have embraced the doctrine which makes people actually children of God.

There was no lack of faith or diligence on Christ's part to call all people to God, but only among the elect was His labor profitable and efficacious. His preaching, which manifested the name of God, was common to all, and He never ceased to maintain its glory, even among the obstinate.

Why then does He say that He manifested His Father's name only to a small number of people? Is it not because the elect alone profit from the grace of the Spirit, who teaches inwardly? Let us therefore infer that not all to whom the doctrine is presented are truly and efficaciously taught, but only those whose minds are enlightened.

Christ ascribes the cause to God's election, for He assigns no other reason why He manifested the Father's name to some, while passing by others, than that they were given to Him. Hence it follows their faith flows from God's outward predestination, and therefore it is not given indiscriminately to all, because not all belong to Christ.

Yours they were, and you have given them to me. By adding these words, He points out, first, the eternity of election; and, secondly, how we ought to consider it. Christ declares that the elect always belonged to God. God therefore distinguishes them from the reprobate, not by faith or by any merit, but by pure grace; for, while they are completely alienated from him, he still considers them his own in his secret purpose.

The certainty of that election by free grace lies in this: that he commits to the guardianship of His Son all whom he has elected, so that they may not perish. This is the point to which we should turn our eyes, so that we may be fully certain that we belong to the rank of the children of God. For God's predestination is hidden in itself, but it is manifested to us in Christ alone.

And they have kept your word. This is the third step; for the first is election by free grace, and the second is that gift by which we enter into the guardianship of Christ. Having been received by Christ, we are gathered by faith into the fold. The word of God flows out to the reprobate, but it takes root in the elect, and hence they are said to keep it.