A frequent misinterpretation views 'power over all flesh' as endorsing universalism, suggesting Jesus grants eternal life to every human indiscriminately, while overlooking the limiting phrase 'as many as thou hast given him' that emphasizes divine election; another error reduces this authority to mere human influence rather than Christ's divine lordship, diminishing the Trinitarian implications of shared glory and purposeful redemption.
John 17:2
King James Version (1769)
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
In this verse from Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, He acknowledges the Father's granting of absolute authority over all humanity, empowering Him to confer eternal life specifically upon those the Father has given Him, revealing the profound unity in the divine plan of salvation where Christ's sovereign power ensures the eternal security and life of the elect through God's purposeful choice.