Eternal life is not merely endless existence. Eternal life is knowing God. Jesus said This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3). To know God is the essence of eternal life. Here is the simplest definition of life forever.
The ινα introduces a clause in apposition to eternal life (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1078). Eternal life is explained by what follows ινα in the verse. It is not that the knowledge of God gives life or is the way to have eternal life. When I know God my life is transformed into eternal life for life is found in God and death, by definition, is separation from God (Morris, John, p. 720).
Knowing God is a present tense verb (γινωσκωσιν) indicating that our knowledge starts now. We have eternal life right now as we live on earth because we know God now. We are not merely awaiting eternal life in the age to come. We enjoy it now. The aspect of the present tense indicates a continuous, ongoing knowledge, even increasing knowledge. Certainly our knowledge of God is growing until it culminates in perfect knowledge in the age to come, but we are still living eternally right now because we know God right now.
The contents of our knowledge are laid out in almost a confessional form (Meyer, John, p. 461). The substance of our knowledge is the knowledge of two persons - God and (και) Jesus Christ. One must know both to live eternally. To know a person we must know certain propositions about that person before we can know the person relationally.
God is the only (μονον) God. He is solitary, unique. There are no other gods to know if you want eternal life. God is the true (αληθινον) God (1 John 5:20). He is trustworthy, genuine, authentic and real. He is not spurious or fake like the gods (idols) of this world. To know those gods is not to enjoy eternal life for those gods do not live forever.
John 17:3 is the only place where Jesus calls Himself by His compound name - Jesus Christ. Some suggest that the verse is an editorial comment by John rather than part of Jesus' prayer. However, the second person verb "whom you sent" (απεστειλας) and the personal pronoun "you" (σε) both prove that Jesus is praying these words. He is Jesus (God saves) and Christ (The Anointed One) who was sent by God so we could know God.
Eternal life is knowing God now and forever!
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