Homilies on the Gospel of John

“I pray for them.”

“What sayest Thou?” “Do You teach the Father, as though He were ignorant? Do You speak to Him as to a man who knows not?” “What then means this distinction?” Do you see that the prayer is for nothing else than that they may understand the love which He has towards them? For He who not only gives what He has of His own, but also calls on Another to do the same, shows greater love. What then is, “I pray for them”? “Not for all the world,” He says, but “for them whom You have given Me.” He continually puts the “hast given,” that they might learn that this seems good to the Father. Then, because He had said continually, “they are Yours,” and, “You gave them unto Me,” to remove any evil suspicion, and lest any one should think that His authority was recent, and that He had but now received them, what says He?