Jesus says that he has manifested the Father's name to the people given to him out of the world. The statement summarizes a central theme of John's Gospel: Jesus makes the unseen Father known.
Jesus in Context
I Have Manifested Your Name
In biblical culture a 'name' can represent character, identity, reputation, and authority, so Jesus' manifestation of the Father's name means revealing the Father rather than merely pronouncing a divine label.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
In Scripture, a person's 'name' can stand for far more than a spoken designation. It can represent identity, character, reputation, presence, and authority. God's name is especially bound to the revelation of who he is. Jesus' claim therefore need not mean that the disciples previously lacked knowledge of a particular Hebrew divine name. Through his words, works, character, and mission, he has disclosed the Father himself.
Why It Matters
The idiom prevents the verse from being reduced to a debate about pronunciation. Jesus' revelation is personal and comprehensive.
To know the Father's name in this Johannine sense is to encounter what the Father is like through the Son who uniquely makes him known.