“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
My Notes
What Does John 17:21 Mean?
Jesus prays for the unity of all believers: that they all may be one. The standard of unity is the relationship between Father and Son — as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. The unity Jesus prays for is not organizational but relational, modeled on the Trinity itself.
"That they also may be one in us" — the believers' unity with each other exists inside their unity with God. You are one with other believers because you are in the Father and the Son. The horizontal unity flows from the vertical.
"That the world may believe that thou hast sent me" — the purpose of Christian unity is evangelistic. When believers are genuinely one, the world believes. Disunity undermines the gospel's credibility. Unity authenticates it.
This is Jesus' prayer — the thing he asks the Father for on behalf of all future believers. The unity of the church is not a nice ideal. It is the Son's request to the Father. And the Father always hears the Son.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the Trinity as the model for Christian unity raise the standard beyond organizational agreement?
- 2.Where is your unity with other believers fractured — and what would repair look like?
- 3.How does Christian unity function as evidence that the Father sent the Son?
- 4.What does it mean that this is the specific thing Jesus prayed for in his final hours?
Devotional
That they all may be one. Jesus prays for you. And what he prays for is not your comfort, your success, or your safety. He prays for your unity with other believers.
As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. The model is the Trinity. The Father and Son are one — not identical, but inseparably united. That is the standard for Christian unity. Not uniformity. Unity. Distinct persons, inseparably connected.
That the world may believe. The purpose of unity is witness. When believers are genuinely one — not performing unity but living it — the world pays attention. Conversely, when the church is divided, the world dismisses the message.
Your unity with other believers is not optional. It is the answer to a prayer Jesus prayed in his final hours. The Son asked the Father for this. It is the thing he considered worth praying for when time was running out.
Where is your unity with other believers fractured? Where has disagreement become division? Where has preference become separation? Jesus prayed against exactly that. And the Father always hears the Son.
The world is watching. And what it sees — unity or division — determines whether it believes.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And the glory which thou gavest me,.... Not the glory of his deity; this is the same with his Father, what he has in…
Neither pray I for these alone ... - Not for the apostles only, but for all who shall be converted under the preaching…
That they all may be one - This prayer was literally answered to the first believers, who were all of one heart and of…
Next to their purity he prays for their unity; for the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable; and amity is…
That they all may be one This is the purpose rather than the purport of the prayer: Christ prays for blessings for His…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture