In verses 6-9 what initiatives has Jesus taken toward those given to him by the Father?   How are these initiatives continued toward us today?

In verse six, Jesus says that he has revealed the Father to us.  In verse seven, Jesus points out that he has made clear the connection between himself and the Father.   In verse eight he points out that he has passed on to them the words given to him by the Father.  In verse nine, he intercedes for them.  For the second question, today the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the written Word to reveal the Father to us and help us make the connection between Jesus and his Father.   Today, Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us too (Rom. 8:34).

In verses 6-9, what are the responses of the true disciple to the divine initiative?

In logical order rather than text order, first of all, the disciple comes to understand that Jesus words are more than his own, they come from the heavenly Father (John 7:16; 12:49).  Second, the disciple accepts Jesus words and because of them knows that Jesus came from the Father (Mark 4:20; John 3:11-15).  This acceptance is more than a shallow intellectual one; it is rather an acceptance that involves belief (v. 8) in submission to the implications of Jesus teaching.   That is why the third logical step, which is mentioned first in the text, is that the disciple obeys Jesus word (v. 6; 14:15, 21, 23, 24).

Three or four times in verses 6-9 Jesus mentions that we who follow him are given to him by his Father.   How does it make you feel that Jesus prizes you as given to him by God? 

One of the key purposes of this prayer in the Gospel of John has to be how it helps the disciples of Jesus, not just the first century ones but all those who follow, to sense how much Jesus values them.  Theologically, this high-value is based in the fact that Jesus followers are a gift to him from the Father.  This certainly is mysterious to us, but it is in perfect agreement with what Jesus taught in John 6:44  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

What does Jesus mean when he says in verse 10,  “All I have is yours and all you have is mine (NIV)”;  “All mine are yours, and yours are mine (ESV)”?

There are two interpretations of this verse found in commentaries.   First, the surrounding context fits well with the reading of the ESV which reflects the traditional reading.   In this interpretation, the phrase is a repetition of the truth that the disciples, those who have been given to Jesus by the heavenly Father, now belong both to the Father and to the Son.   The second interpretation, based on more contemporary readings such as the NIV is allowed by the fact that the Greek pronouns such as the word “all” are not masculine but neuter.  While this does not preclude the first interpretation it allows that Jesus may have something wider in mind.  He may be making a general statement.  If so, this has got to be one of the ultimate statements about the unity of the Father and the Son.   Jesus had already said bluntly to the disciples, “I and the Father are one (John 10:30).”  This would be one of the implications.  If this second one is the interpretation, it may be related to the end of the verse by contrast.  Jesus may be saying first that on the one hand he has everything through his relationship to His Father, yet he has actually received glory through the testimony and service of the 12 and other disciples with him.   

What does he mean, “Glory has come to me through them”?

In this passage Jesus is elevating again the value of his disciples. They have brought glory to him by accepting his words, believing in him, acknowledging his connection with his heavenly Father, and serving him in ministry.  Their ministry has been an extension of Jesus’ own, including casting out demons, healing, and preaching the good news of the kingdom.  All this has brought glory to Jesus.   We too are to glorify Jesus through our daily lives, just as the early disciples did.   We want Jesus in heaven to be able to pray to his Father about us, saying, “Glory has come to me through them.”