John 17:9
I pray for them…
This is to be understood of Christ,
not as God; for as such he is the object of prayer; nor need he pray
to any other; nor is there any superior to him under that
consideration to pray unto; but as man and Mediator: nor is his
praying any argument against his deity; nor proof of inferiority to
his Father with respect to his divine nature; since it is not in
that, but in his human, nature, that he prayed; though this may be
ascribed to his whole person as Godman; hence he had the greatest
qualifications and abilities for this work, and his prayers were
always heard: praying, as attributed to Christ, must be restrained
to his state of humiliation; prayer is never spoken of Christ but
whilst he was here on earth; his intercession in heaven is never
expressed by prayer; and the saints when they come thither, will
have done praying, Christ whilst on earth, was an excellent pattern
of prayer; of private and solitary prayer; of social prayer; for and
with his disciples; of frequent and fervent prayer; of submission to
the will of God in prayer; and of praying even for enemies: the
persons he is here said to pray for are his apostles; which shows
their danger and their wants, his care over them, and concern for
them, and his love unto them:
I pray not for the world;
the inhabitants of it, the carnal
unbelieving part of the world, which lie in sin, and will be
condemned; as he died not for them, so he prayed not for them; for
whom he is the propitiation, he is an advocate; and for whom he
died, he makes intercession; and for no other in a spiritual saving
way:
but for them which thou hast given me;
out of the world, as distinct
from them, to be saved with an everlasting salvation by him; and to
be preserved safe to his kingdom and glory; for these he prays, for
the conversion of them, the application of pardon to them, their
final perseverance and eternal glory:
for they are thine;
not merely by creation, and as the care of his
providence, but by eternal election, and special grace in calling;
which is a reason why Christ prayed for them, and an argument why
the Father should, and would regard his prayers.
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