John 17:21
that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Christ's prayer isn't just for agreement, but for a shared life with the Father and the Son, mirroring their intimate unity. This profound connection, not mere human cooperation, is meant to be so radiant that it compels the world to recognize Jesus' divine mission.
Jesus is praying for all future believers who will come to faith through the apostles' message. He's not just praying for their salvation but for their profound unity with each other and with the Father and Son, mirroring the divine union. This unity, he explains, is crucial for the world to recognize and believe in God's sending of Jesus.
Jesus prays for believers to be 'one,' not just in agreement, but in a deep, shared life. What does this divine-level unity look like?
In John 17:21, Jesus draws a breathtaking parallel: the unity of believers should mirror the intimate, intrinsic unity between the Father and Himself. This isn't about having the same opinions or joining the same organization; it's a vital unity. Think of it like the Father being in Jesus and Jesus being in the Father – a perfect, inseparable communion.
This isn't a superficial agreement, but a shared existence, much like the members of a body sharing the same lifeblood. The commentary highlights this isn't just a 'moral unity of disposition and purpose,' but a deeper, shared life within a common organism. Believers are to be 'in us' – both Father and Son – experiencing a profound connection that flows from God Himself.
Jesus links believer unity directly to the world's belief in Him. What makes this unity so persuasive?
Jesus' prayer in verse 21 isn't just for the church's internal harmony; it has a powerful outward focus. The ultimate goal is 'that the world may believe that you have sent me.' This suggests that the unity of Christians is meant to be a powerful, visible signpost to Jesus' divine mission.
Commentaries suggest this unity is more convincing than mere outward conformity or even physical miracles. When the world sees believers truly united—loving one another, cooperating, and living out a shared spiritual life—it's a 'moral miracle.' It's a conquest of human will and division, demonstrating the transformative power of God's love at work. Conversely, disunity and conflict among Christians become a significant 'stumbling-block' to the world.
Understand the original words
patēr · Greek Noun
The title Jesus uses for God, emphasizing the intimate, relational, and eternal Father-Son bond within the Trinity and the believers' adopted relationship with God through Christ.
heis · Greek Adjective/Numeral
A state of unity, concord, or wholeness; in a theological context, it refers to the spiritual union of believers with God and with one another, modeled after the unity of the Godhead.
kosmos · Greek Noun
The world system alienated from God, often characterized by rebellion, darkness, and ignorance of divine truth; those who live apart from God's grace.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
To place faith in, trust, or rely upon; specifically, the act of accepting the testimony regarding Jesus Christ's identity and mission as the Savior sent by the Father.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' statement about his unity with the Father ('I and the Father are one'), providing the foundational example for the unity Jesus prays for among believers.
Acts 4:32This verse shows an early, tangible manifestation of the unity Jesus prayed for, describing the first believers as 'one in heart and mind,' highlighting the practical, observable outcome of this divine connection.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13Paul uses the metaphor of the body to describe how diverse believers are united into one organism through the Holy Spirit, mirroring Jesus' prayer for believers to be 'in us,' signifying a shared life and identity.
Ephesians 4:3-6This passage emphasizes the importance of unity in the Spirit, calling believers to 'maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace' and listing 'one God and Father of all' as the basis for this oneness, aligning with Jesus' prayer for unity 'in us'.
1 Peter 4:8-11Peter highlights selfless love and hospitality as expressions of unity, suggesting that such outward actions, rooted in spiritual gifts, are crucial for believers to 'glorify God in all things,' which is the ultimate purpose behind Jesus' prayer for unity.
cambridgeJohn 17:21: "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 believe that thou hast sent me."
21 . That they all may be one ] This is the purpose rather than the purport of the prayer: Christ prays for blessings for His Church with this end in view,—that all may be one. as ] Or, even as . The unity of believers is like the unity of the Father with the Son ( John 10:30 ), not a merely moral unity of disposition and purpose,…
jfbJohn 17:21: "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 believe that thou hast sent me."
- that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us—The indwelling Spirit of the Father and the Son is the one perfect bond of union, knitting up into a living unity, first all believers amongst themselves; next, this unity into one still higher, with the Father and the Son. (Observe…
Christ's prayer isn't just for agreement, but for a shared life with the Father and the Son, mirroring their intimate unity. This profound connection, not mere human cooperation, is meant to be so radiant that it compels the world to recognize Jesus' divine mission.
Jesus is praying for all future believers who will come to faith through the apostles' message. He's not just praying for their salvation but for their profound unity with each other and with the Father and Son, mirroring the divine union. This unity, he explains, is crucial for the world to recognize and believe in God's sending of Jesus.
Jesus is praying for all future believers who will come to faith through the apostles' message. He's not just praying for their salvation but for their profound unity with each other and with the Father and Son, mirroring the divine union. This unity, he explains, is crucial for the world to recognize and believe in God's sending of Jesus.
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apostellō · Greek Verb
The act of God the Father commissioning and dispatching the Son into the human experience for the purpose of salvation.
"that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." — Christ's prayer isn't just for agreement, but for a shared life with the Father and the Son, mirroring their intimate unity. This profound connection, not mere human cooperation, is meant to be so…
