"6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me."
John 17:6-8
Bishop Ryle makes the following comment on these verses: 'These are wonderful words when we consider the character of the eleven men to whom they were applied. How weak was their faith: How slender their knowledge: How shallow their spiritual attainments: How faint their hearts in the hour of danger...! Yet, these very weak servants were the men of whom the gracious Head of the Church speaks here in honourable terms. The lesson before us is full of comfort and instruction. It is evident that Jesus sees far more in His believing people than they see in themselves or than others see in them. The least degree of faith is precious in His sight. Though it be no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, it is a plant of heavenly growth, and makes a boundless difference between the possessor of it and the man of the world. Wherever the gracious Saviour of sinners sees true faith in Himself however feeble, He looks with compassion on many infirmities and passes by many defects. It was even so with the eleven apostles. They were weak and unstable as water, but they believed and loved their Master when millions refused to own Him. And the language of Him who declared that 'a cup of cold water' given in the name of a disciple should 'not lose its reward' shows clearly that their constancy was not forgotten (Matthew 10:42).
The true servant of God should mark well the feature of Christ's character that is here brought out, and rest his soul upon it. The rest among us must often see in himself a vast number of defects and must feel ashamed of his poor attainments in religion. But do we simply believe in Jesus? Do we cling to Him and roll all our burdens on Him? Can we say with sincerity and truth as Peter said afterwards, 'Lord, Thou knowest all things: Thou knowest that I love Thee'? Then let us take comfort in the words of Christ before us and not give way to despondency. The Lord Jesus did not despise the eleven because of their feebleness, but bore with them and saved them to the end because they believed. And He never changes. What He did for them He will do for us.