Teks -- John 17:17 (NET)

17:17 Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.

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Robertson: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify

Sanctify ( hagiason ).

First aorist active imperative of hagiazō . To consecrate or set apart persons or things to God. See Exo 28:41; Exo 29:1, Exo 29:36; Exo 40:13. See Paul’ s prayer for the Thessalonians (1Th 5:23). This is done in the sphere (en ) of truth (God’ s truth), God’ s Word (not human speculation, but God’ s message to us).

Vincent: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify

Sanctify ( ἁγίασον )

Constantly used in the Septuagint to express the entire dedication and consecration of both persons and things to God. See Exo 29:1, Exo 29:36; Exo 40:13; Lev 22:2, Lev 22:3. Rev., in margin, consecrate . See on Joh 10:36.

Vincent: Joh 17:17 - Through thy truth

Through thy truth ( ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου )

The best texts omit thy . Through (ἐν ) is to be rendered literally, in , marking the sphere or element of consecration. Rev., sanctify them in the truth .

Vincent: Joh 17:17 - Thy word

Thy word ( ὁ λόγος ο σὸς )

Properly, the word which is thine . See on Joh 15:9.

Wesley: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify

Consecrate them by the anointing of thy Spirit to their office, and perfect them in holiness, by means of thy word.

JFB: Joh 17:15-19 - I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world

For that, though it would secure their own safety, would leave the world unblessed by their testimony.

JFB: Joh 17:15-19 - but . . . keep them from the evil

All evil in and of the world.

JFB: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them

As the former prayer, "Keep them," was "negative," asking protection for them from the poisonous element which surrounded and pressed upon their renewed nature, so this prayer, "Sanctify them," is positive, asking the advancement and completion of their begun sanctification.

JFB: Joh 17:17 - through

In.

JFB: Joh 17:17 - thy truth

God's revealed truth, as the medium or element of sanctification; a statement this of immense importance.

JFB: Joh 17:17 - thy word is truth

(Compare Joh 15:3; Col 1:5; Eph 1:13).

Clarke: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them

Sanctify them - Ἁγιασον, from α, negative, and γη, the earth. This word has two meanings

1.    It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service

2.    It signifies to make holy or pure. The prayer of Christ may be understood in both these senses. He prayed -

1.    That they might be fully consecrated to the work of the ministry, and separated from all worldly concerns

2.    That they might be holy, and patterns of all holiness to those to whom they announced the salvation of God

A minister who engages himself in worldly concerns is a reproach to the Gospel; and he who is not saved from his own sins can with a bad grace recommend salvation to others

Clarke: Joh 17:17 - Through thy truth

Through thy truth - It is not only according to the truth of God that ministers are to be set apart to the sacred work; but it is from that truth, and according to it, that they must preach to others. That doctrine which is not drawn from the truth of God can never save souls. God blesses no word but his own; because none is truth, without mixture of error, but that which has proceeded from himself. Our Lord still acts here in reference to the conduct of the high priest, to whom it belonged to sanctify the priests, the sons of Aaron: see on Joh 17:1 (note).

Calvin: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them by thy truth // Thy word is truth; // The truth

17.Sanctify them by thy truth This sanctification includes the kingdom of God and his righteousness; that is, when God renews us by his Spirit, and confirms in us the grace of renewal, and continues it to the end. He asks, first, therefore, that the Father would sanctify the disciples, or, in other words, that he would consecrate them entirely to himself, and defend them as his sacred inheritance. Next, he points out the means of sanctification, and not without reason; for there are fanatics who indulge in much useless prattle about sanctification, but who neglect the truth of God, by which he consecrates us to himself. Again, as there are others who chatter quite as foolishly about the truth and yet disregard the word, Christ expressly says that the truth, by which God sanctifies his sons, is not to be found any where else than in the word.

Thy word is truth; for the word here denotes the doctrine of the Gospel, which the apostles had already heard from the mouth of their Master, and which they were afterwards to preach to others. In this sense Paul says that

the Church has been cleansed with the washing of water by the word of life,
(Eph 5:26

True, it is God alone who sanctifies; but as

the Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth,
(Rom 1:16,)

whoever departs from the Gospel as the means must become more and more filthy and polluted.

The truth is here taken, by way of eminence, for the light of heavenly wisdom, in which God manifests himself to us, that he may conform us to his image. The outward preaching of the word, it is true, does not of itself accomplish this, For that preaching is wickedly profaned by the reprobate; but let us remember that Christ speaks of the elect whom the Holy Spirit efficaciously regenerates by the word. Now, as the apostles were not altogether destitute of this grace, we ought to infer from Christ’s words, that sanctification is not instantly completed in us on the first day, but that we make progress in it through the whole course of our life, till at length God, having taken away from us the garment of the flesh, fills us with his righteousness.

Defender: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them

The process of sanctification (that is, of being set apart from this world for His service) is accomplished through the Word of God (Eph 5:26) by "the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2Th 2:13)."

TSK: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify // word

Sanctify : Joh 17:19, Joh 8:32, Joh 15:3; Psa 19:7-9, Psa 119:9, Psa 119:11, Psa 119:104; Luk 8:11, Luk 8:15; Act 15:9; 2Co 3:18; Eph 5:26; 2Th 2:13; Jam 1:21; 1Pe 1:22, 1Pe 1:23

word : Joh 8:40; 2Sa 7:28; Psa 12:6, Psa 19:7, Psa 119:144, Psa 119:151, Psa 119:152; Eph 4:21; 2Ti 2:25, 2Ti 2:26

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Poole: Joh 17:17 - through

It is doubted amongst interpreters, whether sanctifying in this place signifieth the consecrating, deputing, or setting the apostles apart, and preparing them for the work of the ministry in which they were to be employed, as the word signifies, Jer 1:5 ; or the strengthening and confirming their habits of grace, so as they might be able to encounter the temptations they should meet with from the hatred or opposition of the world; or the perfecting of them in holiness. Mr. Calvin saith our Saviour here prayeth that God would appropriate them unto himself. And he showeth how this is done,

through or in, thy truth that is, some say, through thy truth engraven and imprinted upon their hearts by thy Holy Spirit, which was promised to lead and to guide them into all truth, Joh 16:13 : say others, through thy Spirit, which indeed is the Sanctifier; and we have met with twice, called, the Spirit of truth, Joh 14:17 . Some say, Sanctify them through thy truth, is no more than, Sanctify them truly, in opposition to that legal sanctification of priests, &c., of which we read in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. Others would have it, to thy truth, that is, to the preaching of thy gospel. But our translation seems to come nearest the meaning; through thy truth, that is, through the knowledge of thy truth; as the Gentiles are said to have had their hearts purified by faith, Act 15:9 . He opens what he meant by truth, adding, thy word is truth; that is, thy word and gospel, which I have preached to them, is truth (the abstract, as some think, for the concrete); that is, it is most true: it is not like the doctrine of false prophets, nor like the doctrine of the Pharisees, which is partly true, partly false; but it is truth itself: and though indeed it is the blood of Christ which cleanseth and purifieth the heart, yet this is applied to the conscience by the Spirit, which is the Sanctifier, in and through the word of God preached and applied to the soul.

Gill: Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth // thy word is truth

Sanctify them through thy truth,.... The Syriac version introduces this petition, with the appellation אבא, "Abba, Father": and the sanctification prayed for regards the apostles, either as ministers of the word, and may intend their separation for their work and office; for which though they were sanctified or separated from their mother's womb, and by Christ when he sent them forth, yet were to have a fresh commission and unction after our Lord's resurrection, and upon his ascension to heaven; and also their qualification for it, with the truth of grace and doctrine, with holiness of heart and life, and with a preservation in the truth, by being kept faithful to it: or it may also regard them as Christians and believers, and intend a greater degree of the sanctification of the Spirit, which is imperfect in this life; for though sanctification in Christ is perfect, and so it is in the saints, as to parts, yet not as to degrees; which appears from the imperfection of faith, hope, love, and knowledge, from indwelling sin, being in the best of saints, from their necessities, from their disclaiming perfection, and their desires after it. Sanctification is a progressive work, which is carried on gradually; as is clear from the characters of regenerate ones, who are first newborn babes, then young men, and afterwards fathers in Christ; from the similes, by which it is expressed as seed which opens and grows up by degrees, and light which shines more and more unto the perfect day from exhortations to a concern for the growth of it, and prayers for it: and it is indeed continually carrying on, as may be concluded from the hand in which it is; and the progress and finishing of this work, as well as the beginning of it, are entirely the Lord's; and the way and means in which this is done, are by or through the truth of the Gospel:

thy word is truth; it is "peculiarly" so, as the Arabic version reads it. The Gospel is here meant, and is so called on account of its original, it comes from the God of truth; and because of the concern which Christ, who is the truth, has in it, he being the author, preacher, and sum and substance of it; and because the Spirit of truth has dictated it, leads into it, qualifies men to preach it, and makes it effectual: and because it contains all truth necessary to salvation, and nothing but truth, and particularly that eminent truth, salvation alone by Christ; and because it is opposed to the law, which is but a shadow, of which the good things in the Gospel are the substance: now this is the means both of the beginning, and increasing, and carrying on the work of sanctification in the hearts of God's people, as well as of an experimental knowledge of it; and an increase of that knowledge does more and more qualify the ministers of it for their ministerial work and service, which seems here chiefly designed.