In John 17:6, John 17:11-12 and John 17:16, what is the "keeping power" of God's name?

Question

[Jhn 17:6, 11-12, 26 NKJV] (6) "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ... (11) "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. (12) "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ... (26) "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

Which name does Jesus mean when he says "I manifested your name"? And what does Jesus mean when he says "I protected them by the power of the name" you gave me and "kept them in your name"?

What is the keeping power in God's name?

Answer 1

The name which Jesus manifests to the flock, the name which Jesus declares to the flock, the name in which Jesus keeps the sheep ... is the name which appears as the very first word of Jesus' prayer in John 17.

Father ... [John 17:1, KJV.]

This is the same name to which the sheep pray :

Our Father which art in heaven ... [Matthew 6:9, KJV.]

And it is the same name to which they cry in all distress, and in all times of jubilation :

Abba, Father ... [Romans 8:15, KJV.]

Abba, Father ... [Mark 14:36, KJV.]

Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying :

Abba, Father ... [Galatians 4:6, KJV.]

The keeping power of God is a matter of a relationship. This is not the relationship of a Creator and a creature. Nor is it the relationship of a Judge and a Law. Nor is it the relationship of a Master and a hired servant.

The Father begets sons : they share the same life. There is a relationship that involves the Son of God, who is come like unto his brethren.

This relationship is a matter of redemption. This relationship is a matter of a new birth. This relationship is a matter of the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Thus are thy kept in life, in love and in holiness.

Thus does the Father bring many sons to glory, Hebrews 2:10.

Answer 2

Well the first five verses Jesus prays for His own glorification that the world might know the Father, (vs3) the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent." This is important because it sheds light on the following verses especially John 17:6.

"I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were and Thou gave them to Me, and they have kept Thy word." The Greek word for "manifested" is (Ephanerosa) and is in the active voice verb indicating the whole of what Jesus did.

Specifically the word means "to make visible, clear, or known." In other words, Jesus made known the reality of God's nature and character. So, the Father gave the disciples to the Son for special care for the provisions of His redemptive work. "Thy word" refers to the revelation of the Father through the Son and they kept it, which means they treasured and guarded what they received. From this I can assure you that the name Jesus meant is not a proper name.