“I have manifested Your name to the men
whom You have given Me out of the world.
They were Yours; You gave them to Me,
and they have kept Your word.
John 17:6
Continuing our study on The Excavation of John 17, Jesus spoke in His prayer to the Father in John 17:6 using a term translated into English as “manifested.” Some translations use the word “revealed.” This is from the Greek root word phaneroo, which means “to make something visible, recognizable, explained, or to declare.”
Just as the term used in chapter 1, logos implies a message or speech, this verse indicates that Jesus represented God the Father in His ministry to the disciples. Acting “in the name of” someone means to reveal their will and their authority (John 12:13; 14:26; 15:21; 16:26). (Bible Ref.)
John records in his first letter the experience of the disciples with Jesus.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—” 1 John 1:1-2
Jesus was revealing the Father (His name, His being, His authority, His power), Jesus, Himself, being the “image of the invisible God.” (Col. 1:15)
“who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,” (Hebrews 1:3)
He revealed the Father’s name to “the men He had given Him out of the world.” We recall the parables Jesus spoke to the crowds but interpreted only to His disciples.
In verse 9, He says He prays for them, “but not for the world.”
The scribes and Pharisees were blind and could not see what Jesus was revealing to those whom the Father had chosen as his own.
Only to those who were predestined before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4: 2 Tim. 1:9), were the Father’s and given to Jesus.
They had “kept His Word.” They had believed and followed as He taught them for three years. In verse 12, He says He kept them “in His name.”
From the start of our study of John 17, we learn that Jesus reveals His Father (and our Father) as a giver and the work He sent Jesus to do reveals Him as a forgiver.
Jesus was given authority over all flesh. (vs. 2) His atonement was His means of giving eternal life to those the Father had given Him.
He finishes the work the Father had given Him to do. (vs. 4)
The Father gave those who were His to Jesus for their atonement and His keeping. (6, 12)
They knew all things which the Father had given Him were from the Father. (7
He gave them the Words the Father had given Him. (8, 14)
The glory the Father gave Him, He gave to them. (22)
He prayed that those the Father gave Him would be with Him in His glory. (24)
Jesus kept them in the Father’s name. (12)
He prays, “Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me.” (11)
In His prayer to the Father, He reveals vividly His role as our Mediator.
In Him, the Father merged the creature who needed redemption with His name, His Words of truth, reconciliation, and His glory.
We will see in further study more of the work of Christ’s atonement between us and the Father.
“I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
Psalm 138:2
Gracious Father, thank you for revealing your name and your Word to us through Christ, your living Word. His prayer to you is a blessing for us to know who you are and why you sent your Son. Reveal your glory to us as we read and meditate more on your Word. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Fran
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