John 17:8
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to gloss over, but Jesus uses "words" (Greek: rhema) rather than "word" (Greek: logos). This highlights that he's giving his disciples the specific, individual utterances from the Father, not just the whole body of doctrine, emphasizing the profound authority and divine origin of each spoken truth. Their reception of these distinct divine sayings led to their sure knowledge and belief.
Jesus is in his final moments before his arrest, offering a profound prayer to the Father for his disciples. He's recounting his ministry, explaining how he's faithfully conveyed God's message to those chosen for him, and how they, in turn, have responded with belief and understanding. This prayer is the culmination of his earthly work, a plea for their protection and unity as he prepares to leave them and face his crucifixion.
Jesus speaks of 'words' not just as pronouncements, but as a sacred trust from the Father. What does this distinction reveal about God's message?
In John 17:8, Jesus uses the Greek word for 'utterances' or 'spoken words' (rhemata), distinct from the broader term for 'doctrine' or 'message' (logos) used earlier in the prayer. This isn't just semantics; it highlights that Jesus faithfully delivered the specific, divinely-given instructions and revelations He received from the Father.
The disciples 'received' these divine words. But what does genuine reception look like? It’s more than just passive listening.
Jesus emphasizes that His disciples didn't just hear the words He gave them; they received them. This reception involved several key actions described in the verse:
Understand the original words
alētheia · Greek Noun
A state of being in accordance with reality and the character of God. It signifies the absolute genuineness of divine truth as revealed in Christ.
lambanō · Greek Verb
To accept, welcome, or take hold of what is offered. In faith, it refers to the active appropriation of God's revelation and the message of Christ.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
To trust, rely upon, or have firm conviction in someone or something. It implies a total commitment of the heart and mind to the truth of God and the identity of Jesus as the Messiah.
This passage foreshadows Jesus as the Prophet sent by God, echoing the disciples' belief that Jesus was sent by the Father as described in John 17:8.
Matthew 11:27Jesus states that all things have been handed over to Him by His Father, directly supporting the idea in John 17:8 that the words He gave the disciples originated from God.
1 John 4:14This verse affirms that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, aligning with the disciples' belief that Jesus was sent by the Father, as confessed in John 17:8.
John 16:30The disciples acknowledge Jesus' divine origin here, which directly corresponds to their having known 'in truth that I came from you' as stated in John 17:8.
John 6:68-69Peter's confession that Jesus has the words of eternal life reflects the disciples' reception and belief in the divine words Jesus shared, as mentioned in John 17:8.
cambridgeJohn 17:8: "For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me."
8 . the words ] Or, the sayings (see on John 5:47 ). This is not the plural of ‘word’ ( logos ) in John 17:6 ; but the other noun ( rhemata ), the singular of which is not used by S. John. It means the separate utterances as distinct from the doctrine as a whole. they have received … have known … hav…
calvinJohn 17:6-11: "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."
- I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world; thine they were, and thou hast given them to me, and they have kept thy word. 7. Now they have known that all things which thou hast given me are from thee; 8. For I have given to them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and…
It's easy to gloss over, but Jesus uses "words" (Greek: rhema) rather than "word" (Greek: logos). This highlights that he's giving his disciples the specific, individual utterances from the Father, not just the whole body of doctrine, emphasizing the profound authority and divine origin of each spoken truth. Their reception of these distinct divine sayings led to their sure knowledge and belief.
Jesus is in his final moments before his arrest, offering a profound prayer to the Father for his disciples. He's recounting his ministry, explaining how he's faithfully conveyed God's message to those chosen for him, and how they, in turn, have responded with belief and understanding. This prayer is the culmination of his earthly work, a plea for their protection and unity as he prepares to leave them and face his crucifixion.
Jesus is in his final moments before his arrest, offering a profound prayer to the Father for his disciples. He's recounting his ministry, explaining how he's faithfully conveyed God's message to those chosen for him, and how they, in turn, have responded with belief and understanding. This prayer is the culmination of his earthly work, a plea for their protection and unity as he prepares to leave them and face his crucifixion.
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"For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me." — It's easy to gloss over, but Jesus uses "words" (Greek: rhema) rather than "word" (Greek: logos). This highlights that he's giving his disciples the specific, individual utterances from the Fathe…
