John 17:19

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself.—Comp. Note on John 17:17. The consecration here thought of is that to the work which was immediately before Him—the offering Himself as a sacrifice. The word was in frequent use in the special sense of an offering or sacrifice set apart to God. As a New Testament example of this, comp. Romans 15:16. By this consecration of Himself—which in a wider sense is for all men, but in the special sense is “for their sakes”—He will, as both Priest and Sacrifice, enter into the Holy of Holies of the heavenly temple, and will send the Holy Ghost, who will consecrate them.

That they also might be sanctified through the truth.—Better, as in the margin, . . . . might be truly sanctified. The words “they also” are emphatic, answering to “their sakes” and “myself” in the preceding clause.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:17-19 Christ next prayed for the disciples, that they might not only be kept from evil, but made good. It is the prayer of Jesus for all that are his, that they may be made holy. Even disciples must pray for sanctifying grace. The means of giving this grace is, through thy truth, thy word is truth. Sanctify them, set them apart for thyself and thy service. Own them in the office; let thy hand go with them. Jesus entirely devoted himself to his undertaking, and all the parts of it, especially the offering up himself without spot unto God, by the eternal Spirit. The real holiness of all true Christians is the fruit of Christ's death, by which the gift of the Holy Ghost was purchased; he gave himself for his church, to sanctify it. If our views have not this effect on us, they are not Divine truth, or we do not receive them by a living and a working faith, but as mere notions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I sanctify myself - I consecrate myself exclusively to the service of God. The word "sanctify" does not refer here to personal sanctification, for he had no sin, but to setting himself apart entirely to the work of redemption.

That they also ... -

1. That they might have an example of the proper manner of laboring in the ministry, and might learn of me how to discharge its duties. Ministers will understand their work best when they most faithfully study the example of their great model, the Son of God.

2. That they might be made pure by the effect of my sanctifying myself - that is, that they might be made pure by the shedding of that blood which cleanses from all sin. By this only can men be made holy; and it was because the Saviour so sanctified himself, or set himself to this work so unreservedly as to shed his own blood, that any soul can be made pure and fit for the kingdom of God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. And for their sakes I sanctify—consecrate.

myself that they also might—may.

be sanctified—consecrated. The only difference between the application of the same term to Christ and the disciples is, as applied to Christ, that it means only to "consecrate"; whereas, in application to the disciples, it means to consecrate with the additional idea of previous sanctification, since nothing but what is holy can be presented as an offering. The whole self-sacrificing work of the disciples appears here as a mere result of the offering of Christ [Olshausen].

through—in.

the truth—Though the article is wanting in the original here, we are not to translate, as in the Margin, "truly sanctified"; for the reference seems plainly to be "the truth" mentioned in Joh 17:17. (See on [1883]Joh 17:17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

I sanctify myself, here, is no more than, I set myself apart, as a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing in the sight of God: and indeed sanctifying, in the ancient notion of it under the law, did ordinarily signify the setting of persons and things apart to the special service of God; which was done legally by certain ritual performances and ceremonies, and is still done inwardly and spiritually by regeneration, and renewing of the hearts of men and women by the efficacious working of the Holy Ghost. Christ saith, that for his disciples sake he sanctified himself, being both the Priest and the sacrifice.

Christ set apart himself as a sacrifice for his people,

that they might be sanctified: not only our eternal life and happiness, but all the means to it, fell within the counsel of God; hence we are said to be chosen of Christ, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Ephesians 1:4; and within the purchase of Christ: hence the apostle saith, Ephesians 5:25,26, that he gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water: and our Saviour here saith, that he set apart himself for a sacrifice for our sins, that his people might be sanctified through the truth; that is, by receiving the truth, not in their ears only, but in their hearts, in the love of it, and bringing forth the fruits of it in all holiness of life and conversation.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And for their sakes I sanctify myself,.... Which is to be understood, not of his making himself holy; for he never was a sinner, and so stood in no need of sanctification: he was made like unto us, yet without sin; he looked like a sinner, but was not one; he was traduced, charged, and treated as such, but was perfectly holy, and free from all sin; he was essentially and infinitely holy as God; and as man, he was holy in his conception and birth; he was filled with the Holy Ghost, and was holy in his life and in his death: rather this may be meant of his being separated, and set apart for his office as Mediator, which, though done by the Father, and is ascribed unto him, John 10:36; yet may also be attributed to himself; since he voluntarily devoted himself to this work, and cheerfully accepted of it: though it seems best to understand it of his offering himself a sacrifice for, and in the room and stead of his people, in allusion to the offerings under the law, the sacrificing of which is expressed by sanctifying, Exodus 13:2; and because his sacrifice was an Holy One: what he sanctified or offered was "himself": not his divine, but human nature, his body and his soul; and these as in union with his divine person; which gives his sacrifice the preference to all others, and is the true reason of its virtue and efficacy; and this is expressive of his great love. He himself is also the sanctifier or offerer, which shows him to be a priest, and that he had a power over his own life, and that he sacrificed it voluntarily; and this he is said to do at that present time, because the time was very near that he was to be offered up, and his present prayer and intercession were a part of his priestly office. This he did not for his own sake, nor for the sake of angels, nor for all men, but for his disciples, as distinct from the world; and not for the apostles only, but for all that the Father had given to him; and that as their substitute and surety, in their room and stead:

that they also might be sanctified through the truth; that is, have all their sins expiated, and they be cleansed from all the guilt and filth of them, through Christ himself and his sacrifice, who is the truth; or "in truth"; as it may be rendered, really and truly, in opposition to the legal sacrifices which atoned for sin, not really, only typically; or through the. Gospel of truth, bringing the good news of atonement by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, and which the Spirit of God seals to the conscience with comfort and joy.

Geneva Study Bible

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the {g} truth.

(g) The true and substantial sanctification of Christ is contrasted with the outward purifyings of the law.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 17:19. The crowning plea is that it was for this end, their consecration, Jesus consecrated Himself: καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, “and in their behalf, that they may be consecrated in truth, do I consecrate myself”. “Ἁγιάζω in the present with ὑπέρ can only be understood of Christ’s self-consecration to His sacrificial death.” Tholuck. ἐγὼ ἑκουσίως θυσιάζω ἐμαυτόν, Euthymius; so Meyer, Reynolds and others. This however is needlessly to limit the reference and to introduce an idea somewhat alien to this context and to John 10:36. Calvin is right: “Porro sanctificatio haec quamvis ad totam Christi vitam pertineat, in sacrificio tamen mortis ejus maxime illustris fuit”. ἵνα … The object of Christ’s consecration to His work was the severance of His disciples from the world and their inspiration with the same spirit of self-sacrifice and devotedness to sacred uses. ἐν ἀλήθειᾳ, understood by the Greek commentators as “real” in contrast to what is symbolic, cf. John 4:23. Thus Euthymius, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ὦσι τεθυμένοι ἐν ἀληθινῇ θυσίᾳ, ἡ γὰρ νομικὴ θυσία τύπος ἦν, οὐκ ἀλήθεια. “Discernit a sanctificationibus legis.” Melanchthon Similarly Godet. Meyer renders “truly” and remarks: “As contrasted with every other ἁγιότης in human relations, that wrought through the Paraclete is the true consecration”. But is it possible to neglect the reference to ἀληθείᾳ, John 17:17? As Lücke points out, John (3 John 1:3-4) does not always distinguish between ἀλήθεια and ἡ ἀλήθεια. The object to Christ’s consecration was to bring the truth by and in which the disciples might be consecrated.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. sanctify] Or, consecrate, as in John 17:17. Christ does for Himself that which He prays the Father to do for His disciples. In John 10:36 He speaks of Himself as consecrated by the Father; set apart for a sacred purpose. But only thus far is the consecration of Christ and of His disciples the same. In them it also implied redemption and cleansing from sin; and in this sense the word is frequently connected with ‘purify’ (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:26; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 9:13). The radical meaning of the word is not separation, as is sometimes stated, but holiness, which involves separation, viz. the being set apart for God.

might be sanctified through the truth] Rather, may be sanctified or consecrated in truth. ‘In truth’ = in reality and not merely in name or appearance; the expression is quite distinct from ‘in the truth’ in John 17:17. As a Priest consecrated by the Father (John 10:36) He consecrates Himself as a Sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2), and thereby obtains a real internal consecration for them through the Paraclete (John 16:7).

Bengel's Gnomen

John 17:19. Ἐγὼ ἁγιάζω ἐμαυτὸν, I sanctify Myself) I dedicate and consecrate Myself wholly to Thee. They are going out into the world for My sake; I, moreover, am going to Thee, also for their good. An Euphemism, appropriate to the love of Christ: I sanctify Myself, in enduring death, and that the death of the cross.—ἡγιασμένοι, sanctified) It is of such as these, and of them only, that the Canonisation is truly being made by the Lord Himself: 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God;” 2 Corinthians 5:15, “He died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again.”—ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, in [through] the truth) even though it may not appear externally. This is contrasted with ceremonial sanctimony.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - And for their sakes - on their behalf - I sanctify, consecrate, myself. The Father had consecrated him and sent him into the world, but over and above all this there were special and sacrificial acts of love and devotion which he made on behalf of his own. He went up voluntarily into the wilderness to be tempted for them; he wrought for them while it was yet day. He now was ready to commend himself to the supreme will of the Father, and to offer himself through the Spirit in his perfected humanity without spot of sin to God. Ἁγιάζω is equivalent προσφέρω σοὶ θυσίαν, as Chrysostom says, and it is used for הִקְדִּישׁ (Exodus 13:2; Deuteronomy 15:19). Christ is the Priest and the Victim, and the dedication of himself to this climax of his consecrated life is for the sake of the disciples (so Lange, Meyer, Godet, and Westcott). That they also may be sanctified indeed - truly or veritably.

(1) We have to notice that the passive form of the second clause shows that that which the Lord, in its highest form, effects for himself, they receive as a work wrought in them by another.

(2) Using the word ἁγιάζειν in the same sense in both clauses, the consecration effected in the disciples must correspond with Christ's consecration in self-sacrificial love, in abandonment to the power of the Word which has revolutionized their whole being, in entire equipment for their calling, even to the point of hatred and antagonism from the world, and death for his sake. They are indeed to drink of his cup, and be baptized with his baptism. They must be crucified with him and buried with him, and rise again with him, in the activity of their faith.

(3) Ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, without the article, has the sense of "verily and indeed" (Matthew 22:16; 2 Corinthians 7:14; 1 John 3:18, etc.). It is not certain that 2 John I or 3 John I can be thus translated, but the classical usage of this phrase, and also of ἐπ ἀληθείας, leaves little doubt about its use here. John 17:19