Johannes 17:21

Det Norsk Bibelselskap

at de alle må være ett, likesom du, Fader, i mig, og jeg i dig, at også de må være ett i oss. forat verden skal tro at du har utsendt mig.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they all: John 17:11, John 17:22, John 17:23, John 10:16, Jeremiah 32:39, Ezekiel 37:16-19, Ezekiel 37:22-25, Zephaniah 3:9, Zechariah 14:9, Acts 2:46, Acts 4:32, Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 12:25-27, Galatians 3:28, Ephesians 4:3-6, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 2:1-5, Colossians 3:11-14, 1 Peter 3:8, 1 Peter 3:9

as: John 5:23, John 10:30, John 10:38, John 14:9-11, Philippians 2:6, 1 John 5:7

that the: John 13:35

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:3 - coupled together 1 Samuel 25:29 - with the Lord Psalms 86:11 - unite Psalms 122:6 - Pray Psalms 133:1 - how good Ezekiel 11:19 - I will give Zechariah 2:11 - thou Zechariah 4:9 - and Zechariah 6:15 - and ye Zechariah 11:7 - one Zechariah 12:8 - the house Zechariah 13:7 - the man Mark 3:24 - General John 6:56 - dwelleth John 6:57 - I live John 10:36 - sent John 11:42 - that thou John 12:19 - the world John 13:32 - shall John 13:34 - That ye love John 14:7 - ye John 14:10 - Believest John 14:20 - ye shall John 19:35 - that ye Romans 12:10 - kindly 1 Corinthians 1:9 - the fellowship 1 Corinthians 1:30 - in 1 Corinthians 3:23 - and Christ 1 Corinthians 6:17 - General 1 Corinthians 8:6 - and we 2 Corinthians 12:2 - in Christ Galatians 2:20 - but Ephesians 1:3 - in Christ Ephesians 2:6 - sit Ephesians 2:22 - an Ephesians 4:13 - we all Colossians 2:2 - being Colossians 2:9 - in Colossians 2:19 - knit 2 Thessalonians 1:12 - and ye Hebrews 2:11 - all 2 Peter 1:17 - God 1 John 1:3 - our fellowship 1 John 2:13 - ye have known 1 John 2:24 - ye also 1 John 3:24 - dwelleth

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That they all may be one,.... Among themselves. This may regard their unity in faith, and in the knowledge of Christ; for there is but one faith which all truly experienced souls agree in: they are converted by the same Spirit, and have the same work of grace wrought in them; and though they have not the same degree of light, and measure of spiritual knowledge, yet they agree in the main point of the Gospel, salvation alone by the Lord Jesus Christ; and such an agreement in the doctrine of faith, and the grand articles of it, respecting the person and offices of Christ, is absolutely necessary to their comfortably walking together in church fellowship, and the more honourable carrying on the worship of God together; and which will be more manifest in the latter day, when saints shall see eye to eye: likewise an unity in affection may be here designed, a being knit together in love to each other; which is the bond of perfectness, the evidence of regeneration, the badge of the Christian profession, the beauty of church communion, and the barrier and security from the common enemy; and without which, social worship and mutual service will be either neglected or coldly performed. Moreover, this petition may have respect to the gathering together all the saints at the last day, as one body united together in faith and love; as one general assembly and church of the firstborn; as one fold of which Christ is the head, Saviour, and shepherd:

as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee. There is a mutual in being of the Father and the Son, who are one in nature and essence, in power and will, and in understanding and affection; which union, though it infinitely transcends any kind of union among men, or that can be conceived of by men, yet is the exemplar of the saints' union one with another, and to the divine persons; and which must be understood not of an equality, but a likeness:

that they also may be one in us: there is an union of all the elect to God and Christ, which is already complete, and not to be prayed for; they are all loved by God with an everlasting love, by which they are inseparably one with him; they are all chosen in Christ, as members in their head, and are federally united to him, as their Mediator, surety, and representative; in consequence of which he has assumed their nature, stood in their place and stead, and brought them nigh to God. There is a manifestation of union in conversion, when persons openly appear to be in Christ; and as a fruit and effect of everlasting love, are with loving kindness drawn unto him; and which will be more gloriously seen, when all the elect shall be brought in, and God shall be all in all, and is what Christ here prays for:

that the world may believe that thou hast sent me; either the rest of God's chosen people in the world, not yet called; or rather the wicked and reprobate part of the world, particularly Jews and Deists: they shall see the concord and agreement of the saints in doctrine, worship, and affection in the latter day; and when all the elect shall be gathered together, and not only their union to each other, but to the divine persons, shall clearly appear; they will then believe, ant be obliged to own, that Jesus is the true Messiah, was sent of God, and is no imposter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Neither pray I for these alone ... - Not for the apostles only, but for all who shall be converted under the preaching of the gospel. They will all need similar grace and be exposed to similar trials. It is a matter of unspeakable joy that each Christian, however humble or unknown to men however poor, unlearned, or despised, can reflect that he was remembered in prayer by “him whom God heareth always.” We value the prayers of pious friends. How much more should we value this petition of the Son of God! To that single prayer we who are Christians owe infinitely more real benefits than the world can ever bestow; and in the midst of any trials we may remember that the Son of God prayed for us, and that the prayer was assuredly heard, and will be answered in reference to all who truly believe.

All may be one - May be united as brethren. Christians are all redeemed by the same blood, and are going to the same heaven. They have the same wants, the same enemies, the same joys. Though they are divided into different denominations, yet they will meet at last in the same homes of glory. Hence they should feel that they belong to the same family, and are children of the same God and Father. There are no ties so tender as those which bind us in the gospel. There is no friendship so pure and enduring as that which results from having the same attachment to the Lord Jesus. Hence, Christians, in the New Testament, are represented as being indissolubly united - parts of the same body, and members of the same family, Acts 4:32-35; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Ephesians 2:20-22; Romans 12:5. On the ground of this union they are exhorted to love one another, to bear one another’s burdens, and to study the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another, Ephesians 4:3; Romans 12:5-16.

As thou, Father, art in me - See John 14:10. This does not affirm that the union between Christians should be in all respects like that between the Father and the Son, but only in the points in which they are capable of being compared. It is not the union of nature which is referred to, but the union of plan, of counsel, of purpose seeking the same objects, and manifesting attachment to the same things, and a desire to promote the same ends.

That they also may be one in us - To be in God and in Christ is to be united to God and Christ. The expression is common in the New Testament. The phrase used here denotes a union among all Christians founded on and resulting from a union to the same God and Saviour.

That the world may believe ... - That the world, so full of animosities and fightings, may see the power of Christian principle in overcoming the sources of contention and producing love, and may thus see that a religion that could produce this must be from heaven. See the notes at John 13:34. This was done. Such was the attachment of the early Christians to each other, that a pagan was constrained to say, “See how these Christians love one another!”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 17:21. That they all may be one — This prayer was literally answered to the first believers, who were all of one heart and of one soul: Acts 4:32. And why is it that believers are not in the same spirit now? Because they neither attend to the example nor to the truth of Christ.

That the world may believe — are have already seen that the word, κοσμος, world, is used in several parts of this last discourse of our Lord to signify the Jewish people only.

Christ will have all his members to be one in spirit-one in rights and privileges, and one in the blessedness of the future world.