God cannot contradict himself.
Everything is a matter of context. When Jesus tells his Disciples why the Gospel was given in parable form, to the fact no one comes to him unless the Father leads them , and Jesus refers to all those God gives him. And lastly, we understand why not everyone received Jesus s[oken Gospel when he tells through Paul who spoke the Gospel to the Gentiles, the natural mind,man, cannot understand the things of the holy spirit. Because they are spiritually discerned.
That's why not everyone understood Jesus teachings. That's why the Sanhedrin stoned Stephen to death. Because while they knew they'd killed Jesus, as Stephen reminded them, what they did not,could not comprehend is what that actually meant when they did condemn Messiah to death. Because they were of that natural mind that believed themselves correct for having done so. Which is why they gritted their teeth against Stephen, Acts7, for bringing their trespass up. And then they killed him.
Had they understood they would not have killed Stephen.
But how could they understand? When they orchestrated Jesus murder they levied God's curse upon their own heads. And upon those of their children,future generations.
In the context of Jesus being sent only to the Elect,whose names he,God,wrote in the Lamb's Book of Eternal Life before creating the world, saying he delivered his Gospel in a manner do that not all would understand and come to repentance, and no one can come unless God leads them by letting their minds be changed from the carnal human nature by his Holy Spirit, it is contrary to all that Jesus taught to insist he meant everyone to be saved and understand how that is accomplished.
Which is why he forewarned us of those who would insist they were his later on. And he would say he never knew them. Because many are called to believe what they read in the NT. Few are chosen to receive its dalvific message. Because they must be spiritually altered first. And that is not of our doing.
“God cannot contradict himself.
Everything is a matter of context.”
yeah the context is what’s written Jesus was praying for believers is the context he first prays specifically for the apostles and then during the same prayer he makes a point to say “ I’m not praying for these alone but for those who will believe on me through their word “
context isn’t sometring we explain it’s what’s written there that’s why I advocate that people read chapters rather than single verses see this makes it seem like it’s saying one thing
“For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
John 17:8-9 KJV
Bit of we keep reading on it changes that adds more context of what he’s actually saying
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
John 17:11-12, 14, 19-21 KJV
He spoke Gods word to them then he sent them to speak it to everyone d that’s the unity of our faith whether we walked along with Jesus then or we heard the witness of those who did and believe
he acknowledges the apostles first who walked with him who he chose and appointed and then includes everyone who would believe in him through thier wotness “ the New Testament is entirely wrotten by those who believed in Jesus it’s never going to change it came from Jesus , to them , to us the same promises and doctrine
This is the New Testament in a summary and how it came To us
“Therefore we ought to
give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord,( Jesus preached the gospel )
and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him;( the apostles and disciples who hears it preached it to others )
God also bearing them witness, ( the reason for the many signs and wonders the apostles did )
both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”
Hebrews 2:1, 3-4 KJV
Whether Jesus preached the gospel , his apostles who learned and believed what he taught them , or afterwards when the apostles were performing miracles to give credibility to thier witness of the gospel among people . It’s the same eternal and unchanging gospel and promises the same things to anyone that believes
it’s the entrance to Gods eternal kingdom
all I’m saying is he wasn’t excusing future believers from that prayer he specifically adds them in like he’s done gentiles into the same new covenant offered to israel which they rejected but for the believing remnant who was scattered about preaching the gospel to all
After Paul engineered a persecution they were scattered and did this
“Therefore
they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”
Acts 8:4 KJV
In that prayer if you notice it’s the word of Jesus that makes everyone one his apostles foret with him and then those who hear his apostles with him the common denominator is always the words of Jesus on the gospel even in the ot when it was promised
“As for me,
this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD;
My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”
Isaiah 59:21 KJV
this word
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but
my words shall not pass away.”
Matthew 24:35 KJV
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but
the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
Isaiah 40:8 KJV
“being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. But
the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
1 Peter 1:23, 25 KJV
There’s just the one gospel of the kingdom Jesus taught e apostles and then They taught the rest still today Christian’s learn the gospel from them we believe through their words written in the Bible so Jesus was actually also praying for you and I and anyone who believes what’s there