After the Last Supper, Jesus prays. He just asked the father to sanctify his apostles in truth.
John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
John 17:18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
As you sent me out for this society, I myself also send them out for this society.
The Greek word translated as "sent" is the word from which "apostle" is made. It has a sense of not just sending.. It means sending off, sending away, and sending out. This sense comes from the preposition, apo, which begins the word. The verb's ignored prefix indicates separation.
However, the real wordplay here is in the preposition translated as "into." It also means "for" a purpose. So Jesus is saying both that he and they are sent our "into" the world, or this society, but also that they are sent out "for" this society. The word translated as "world" has more the sense of "society" because it refers not to the planet or its people, but its social order and, sometimes the powers in it.
We are for the things that we are into.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "hast" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "sent" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "myself" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "also" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "sent" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "sent" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "myself" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "sent" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
As - "As" is from a Greek word that means which means "even as," "how," and, in relating to time, "as" and "when."
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
hast -- (WT) This helping verb "hast" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
sent -- (CW) The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." This word is not the simple "send" but a more complex one that means "send out" or "send from."
me -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
into -- The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object. Here it has the sense of both "in" and "for" a purpose.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world, -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
even so - --This is from "and I/me," a contraction of the conjunction "and" and the first person pronoun, "I/me." The Greek word translated as "even so" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). After words implying sameness "as."
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
I -This "I" is a subject pronoun from the contraction above. Since the verb is already in the first person, subjective pronoun. The addition of this pronoun is like saying "and I myself," emphasizing the first-person speaker.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The -go represents the first-person, subjective pronoun, "I" The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
also -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "also" in the Greek source.
sent - (CW) The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." This word is not the simple "send" but a more complex one that means "send out" or "send from."
them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a plural object of a verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Events may show the amount of time
into -- The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object. Here it has the sense of both "in" and "for" a purpose.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world, -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
As - "As" is from a Greek word that means which means "even as," "how," and, in relating to time, "as" and "when."
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
sent -- (CW) The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." This word is not the simple "send" but a more complex one that means "send out" or "send from."
me -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
into -- The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object. Here it has the sense of both "in" and "for" a purpose.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world, -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
missing "and" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the conjunction "and"in a contractions with and the first person pronoun, "I/me." The Greek word translated as "even so" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). After words implying sameness "as."
I -This "I" is a subject pronoun from the contraction above. Since the verb is already in the first person, subjective pronoun. The addition of this pronoun is like saying "and I myself," emphasizing the first-person speaker.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The -go represents the first-person, subjective pronoun, "I" The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
sent - (CW) The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." This word is not the simple "send" but a more complex one that means "send out" or "send from."
them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a plural object of a verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Events may show the amount of time
into -- The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object. Here it has the sense of both "in" and "for" a purpose.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world, -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
καθὼς [36 verses] (adv) "How" is kathos, which means "even as," "how," and, in relating to time, "as" and "when." -
ἐμὲ [49 verses](pron 1st sg masc acc) "Me" is eme, which is the objective first-person, objective, singular pronoun that means "me."
ἀπέστειλας [60 verses](2nd sg aor ind act) "Thou hast sent" is apostello, which means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch." -- The "send forth" here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle."
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
κόσμον,[63 verses](noun sg masc acc) "World" is kosmos, which mean "order," "good order," "ruler," "civilization," "world order," "universe," and "the world of men." It is a form of the is verb kosmeô, which means "to order," "to arrange," "to rule," "to adorn" (especially women), and "to equip." It especially means controlling and arranging an army.
κἀγὼ [34 verses](conj, pron 1st sg masc nom ) "And...I" is kago, a contraction of kai-ego. It also appears as a contraction of other forms of the pronoun, kamoi (dative) and kame (acc). "And" is kai-, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just." "I" is -ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and "for myself." -
ἀπέστειλα[60 verses](1st sg aor ind act) "I send" is apostello, which means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch."
αὐτοὺς [62 verses](pron pl masc acc) "Them" is autos, in the form of the plural, object, masculine pronoun "them"
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)." -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object.
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
κόσμον,[63 verses](noun sg masc acc) "World" is kosmos, which mean "order," "good order," "ruler," "civilization," "world order," "universe," and "the world of men." It is a form of the is verb kosmeô, which means "to order," "to arrange," "to rule," "to adorn" (especially women), and "to equip." It especially means controlling and arranging an army.
Two meanings of "eis" play off each other: in movement, it means "into" the world but for a purpose, it means "for" the world.
This is important because the word for "holy" in Hebrew means "to separate." In the previous verse (and in the next), Christ brings in the idea of "separation" when he uses the term "sanctify." The formal meaning of "sanctify" is "to separate for God."
So Christ was separated from the Father and the apostles are separated from Christ by being sent off, but they are being sanctified, that is, dedicated to a holy purpose.
This brings us to the Greek word translated as "into." This preposition means "into" when it refers to a location, therefore, "into the world of men." However, it also means "for" when it refers to purpose. This means that the line could also be read as "for the world of men."
So Christ and the apostles are separated from God for God and sent into the world of men for the world of men. And this separation sanctifies them, that is, makes them holy by separating them for the purposes of God.