John 14

David Lipscomb Commentary On John 14 HE HIS FINAL RETURNJoh_14:1-6 1 Let not your heart be troubled:—Jesus had impressed them with the truth that he would leave them; that Judas had gone to bring a band of soldiers to arrest him; that Peter, the boldest of the disciples, would deny that he knew him, and more or less discouragement took possession of the hearts and minds of the disciples. Jesus under these circumstances spoke words of comfort and assurance to them. [There was everything to fill their hearts with gloom, and doubtless a silence like death had settled upon the little company, and they needed the comforting words spoken by Jesus.] believe in God,—[Have confidence in God! Do not let your faith fail because of these earthly troubles! God is still your Father, still supreme. He can, and will, overrule all for good.] believe also in me.—He and God are one. As they believed in God, so they were to have confidence in him. So listen to the words of assurance which Jesus speaks. [If God seems so far off and your troubles so near, here am I in your midst. He that hath seen the Father. You know that I love you; you know my power with the Father. But their hearts kept saying, “ Thou art going away from us.” ] 2 In my Father’ s house are many mansions;—[Many “ abiding-places” in the footnote; many homes; in short, besides this one we call earth. Leaving earth, there are other places to which to go, places all radiant with beauty.] if it were not so, I would have told you;—[I would not have allowed you to give up the things of this world if I had not had better things to offer you. I would have told you frankly that it was all sacrifice and no reward.] for I go to prepare a place for you.—[This separation that makes you so sad is only a step toward providing you with a better home than earth can furnish.] He had told them that he would be separated from them for a time; that he would go where for a while they could not come, but afterward they would be with him. The assurance he gave them was that there was ample room in his house for them to dwell with him, and that he went before to prepare a place for them. When Jesus went to prepare for them the Holy Spirit came to earth to guide and direct them, to prepare and fit them to dwell in the place he prepared for them. Had there not been ample place he would have told them. He could not deceive them. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,—[What a thought is this that beautiful as the mansions of God must be, they are not beautiful enough; that Jesus goes to prepare them, make them fit for his followers! What must a home be when prepared by omnipotence and omniscience, moving at the dictate of infinite love.] I come again,—[(See Acts 1:11 Acts 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.) Let no one rob you of your confidence in the return of your Lord in glory. Some refer this coming to the resurrection of Christ; others refer it to the death of the believer as in the case of Stephen; and still others refer it to the coming of the Holy Spirit. We think these positions inadmissible. The reference is not to Christ’ s return from the grave, but a return from heaven, the second coming of the Lord, which is a part of the Christian faith.] and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.—[Connected directly with the coming again. Evidently the condition of final glory. Evidently, also heaven is a locality as well as a state, and we have the most substanial joys to which to look forward. To be so purified as to be able to dwell where Jesus is, and to be so ennobled as to share his life and glory is to reach the most exalted destiny of which created intelligences are capable.] He would go as their fore¬runner to make ready for them. He would come again before the close of the earthly affairs. God always fits his creatures with honor suited for them. When the disciples were fitted to dwell with Jesus, they would have a home with him. 4 And whither I go, ye know the way.—He had told them of the place and that he was the way. They ought to have understood this. [Jesus probably uttered these words to provoke questions such as follow. He was going to his Father from whom he came and the way by which he would go was the cross, the tomb, the resurrection, and the exaltation. (Matthew 16:21 Matthew 17:22 Matthew 20:17.)] 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?—Thomas was of a doubting and despondent disposition and found many difficulties in the way, so he was slow to take in what Jesus said, and especially the spiritual truths he spoke. [Thomas was a plain, honest, and plain-spoken disciple. He lost all faith and hope when Jesus died. He did not believe the Lord had risen until he saw with his own eyes. Now he affirms, “ We know not whither thou goest.” We expected you to stay with us and reign as our king in an earthly kingdom. We cannot under¬stand your going away and dying nor whither thou goest. Then how can we know the way?] 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,—To enter into Christ and continue in him is the way. [Jesus only answers his difficulties in part. He is the exemplar, the living embodiment of what is needful to impart immortality. He who walks in his footsteps will travel the same road.] and the truth,—He was the embodiment of the truth of God, and embodied that truth in his life and words. [He was not merely truth, but the truth— the key of all truth— the revelation of all truth necessary to elevate man to God.] and the life:—He taught true and real life to the world. He brought life and immortality to light both by revealing the existence of both and revealing the conditions on which they could be enjoyed. [He is life itself— the bread of life— the living waters— the source from which the germ from which immortal life is imparted to the soul. Without him there would be no way revealed, no saving truth, nor immortal life.] no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.—[No one can enter heaven without him, neither can he come close enough to the Father to enjoy the spiritual blessings of Christ Jesus. All must hold to Jesus to be saved. “ For neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.” “ By me,” that is, walk in the way I map out.] WITH THE FATHERJoh_14:7-14 7 If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also:—Jesus was the most complete and perfect representation of God that could be revealed to man. He was God “ manifested in the flesh.” Man is so fleshly that he cannot apprehend or appreciate true spirit. [After associating with Jesus as their teacher for about three and a half years they did not yet know, only in part. The central truth here is to know God is to know Christ. The universe which he created reveals his grandeur, the Old Testament his moral govment, but it is only in Christ that he reveals his surpassing love, mercy, and solicitude for the salvation of man. Through him he reveals himself as a Father. Previous to his coming men were not authorized to address God in prayer as “ Our Father who art in heaven.” ] from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.—So God clothed himself as humanity that man might live and know him. Jesus was this manifestation. So to know Jesus is to have the most complete knowledge of God that it is possible for him to know, and no man can come to God save through Jesus Christ. [They would see Jesus crucified the next day and from the cross they would know him. From the grave would burst forth upon their minds a new revelation of the character and mission of Jesus whom they had up to this time thought to be only an earthly, temporal king.] 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.—Philip failed to take in the truth, and still asked to see the Father. [He perhaps expected such a manifestation as Moses saw on the holy mount. (Exodus 33:8.) He, like many now, wanted to walk by sight instead of by faith.] 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?—[He, like the rest of the apostles, did not comprehend that the Son came to reveal the Father. He wanted a literal sight of God with the natural eyes. Natural eyes cannot behold God who is a “ Spirit" no more than they can see the soul of man. Man “ cannot see God and live," but he can see and understand “ God manifested in the flesh." Christ was not an ambassador from God, but “ Immanuel, God with us," the “ Godhead in bodily form."] 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?—Jesus entered into a more minute statement of the oneness of himself with the Father. the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.—The oneness is so complete that the words of Jesus came from the Father and God dwelling in Jesus did the works done by Jesus. Jesus was the human body in which God dwelled and through which he spoke and worked. [The personalities of the Son and the Father was perfect union, and we may never on earth comprehend fully its nature, but we can understand it to be so complete that he was the manifestation of God in the flesh.] 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works* sake.—If he could not believe on the teachings of Jesus as from God, the works that he did through Jesus ought to convince him that God was in Jesus. Both the mercy and power shown in the works of Jesus proclaimed him divine. [The works Jesus did were never done by man, and they ought to convince them that he was divine.] 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;—Jesus advances another step in his instruction. Not only did God work through Jesus, but he would work through all those that believe in him. Through the believers after his return to his Father’ s throne he would send the Spirit that would guide the apostles into all truth and would abide with his church forever. and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.—During the life of Jesus on earth his work was restricted to the limitations of his physical presence. After he ascended to his Father and the Holy Spirit came in his name, a greater and more extended work would be done by the fuller inspiration of the apostles, and the more extended mission they would fill. Then when miraculous gifts should cease al¬together, the church through its members would enter upon its world-wide mission of carrying the truth of God to the world. This last, performed through the regular working of the laws of the Spirit, would be more far reaching than the miraculous manifestations. It is comparable to the works of God in the natural world. Jesus by the exercise of miraculous power created food to feed the multitudes; but this, while more showy and calculated to attract attention, was not so ef¬fective as the regular workings of God through the laws of na¬ture. [At the time he was crucified Jesus had, so far as we know, only about five hundred disciples; but on the day of Pentecost the apostles converted three thousand. It was necessary that the Son return to the Father to enable his disciples to do these “ greater works.” ] 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,—To do anything in the name of Christ one must be in his name; become a part of his spiritual body and ask as the representative of Christ and for him. It means more than to ask by his authority. Asking as a member of his body, we must ask in accordance with his will. The prayer of Jesus in Geth semane—“ Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42)— should teach what prayer in the name and spirit of Christ means. We attach to our prayers, and properly so, “ in the name of Christ.” This implies an absolute self-sacrifice, and a prayer that our very prayers may not be answered except in so far as they are in accordance with the divine will. [To enjoy these promises, we must (1) believe; (2) we must ask in his name; (3) we must approach him with a complete submission to the Fathers’ will.] that the Father may be glorified in the Son.—[God is honored and glorified in his Son now through Christians. They are his representatives on earth. He works with and through them. He is glorified only when they work in harmony with his will.] 14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.—This was to make the spiritual body on earth, and as the Father who sent him worked through him, so he would work through his body, the church on earth. After the passing of the fleshly body of Jesus, his disciples entered into a closer spiritual relation to him than they had hitherto been able to do. His spirit entered into and dwelt in them. THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRITJoh_14:15-24 15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.—He gives here the fruit and test of their love to him. If they loved him as their Lord and Master, they would cherish and obey his commandments. This is the divine test of love. Love as God views it is practical and embodies the actions of the whole man. And the test and proof of love is the desire to do the will and seek the honor of the one whom we love. To do God’ s will, to do it because it is the will of God, is God’ s test. Let us apply it. [Christ’ s own test of love was keeping the Father’s commandments.] 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an¬other Comforter,—In response to their love manifested by keeping his words, he would pray the Father and he would send them another comforter. This was addressed directly to his apostles, and had a more direct application to them than to others. Yet it presents a truth and a principle applicable to all servants of God. If these disciples would keep his words, the Father would send them another comforter. Jesus had been their teacher and comforter while he was on earth; he was about to leave them. They felt bereft and disappointed, and to comfort and assure them he makes this promise of the Father. that he may be with you for ever,—[Not to be with you a few years, as I, and then be taken away. He is to be the per¬petual counselor of the church.] The Spirit was to be the guiding, directing power of the spiritual world as he is of the material world. He gave the law; he dwells in and guides through the law. “ It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.’’ (6: 63.) “ The seed is the word of God.’’ (Luke 8:11.) The seed is the dwelling place of the life prins. It is the body in which the life germ abides. The seed is placed in the soil to bring the life germ into contact with the juices of the soil. We take the word in the heart to bring the Spirit that dwells in the word into contact with the warm affections of the heart that the germ in all principle may spring forth and bear fruit in the life. “ Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.” (1 Peter 1:23.) The word of God in the heart is in the mind, the affections, the will.

It leads to prompt action so that its entrance into the heart leads to immediate obedience to Christ. No principle of life is imparted by birth. The principle of life is imd in the believing [the begetting] or taking the word in which the Spirit which gives life dwells into the heart. The old state is left. The new principle of life, imparted through faith, is brought into a new state by being baptized. In that new state it may develop a higher spiritual life.

If the Spirit imparts life, he does it before birth; and without this impartng life there is nothing to be born. Yet without birth there can be no development or manifestation of distinct life. The life that is not brought to the birth perishes. 17 even the Spirit of truth:—The Spirit whose special mis¬sion is to guide them into all truth, to call to their remembrance all things that Jesus had taught them, and to enable them to record and teach all truth to the world. He is hence called the Spirit of truth. He approves all truth, rejects all falsehood. whom the world cannot receive;—The disciples who kept his word could receive his Spirit, but the world, as distinguished from the disciples or who rejected that truth, could not receive this Spirit. [He cannot enter into men of the world as distinguished from the church, and all theological theories that teach the opposite contradict Christ. “ Because ye are sons [not to make you sons], God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6.)] for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him:— [The reasons why the world cannot receive the comforter: It does not observe him, does not give that sympathetic attention to him which results in knowledge; it had treated Jesus with contempt who was the only one through whom the Holy Spirit could be seen and known. Some had even ascribed his mira¬cles to Beelzebub. Such a world was incapable of receiving him.] ye know him; for he abideth with you,—[Present tense. It is something which they then have, and yet something less than they are yet to receive. It refers to Jesus being in their midst, he being filled with the Holy Spirit.] and shall be in you.—[Ultimately they are to have what Jesus then has. They, too, are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and the beginning of the fulfillment of this was on the following Pentecost, and in this they were but the representatives and forerunners of all those who love Jesus and keep his commandments.] The Spirit up to this time had not, as representatives of God, abode with his servants on the earth. He had made visits and revelations to men, but had not entered into and remained with them. But he would come to them after Jesus ascended to his Father. (Verse 20.) In Christ the disciples would enter into a closer relationship to God than his servants had ever held toward him. They would become sons of God, and the measure of the Spirit that pertains to a son would enter in and abide with them. 18 I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.—When Jesus left them, he would send the Spirit to dwell with them forever, so they would have a divine aid and comforter. Jesus and his Father would come to them and dwell with them for¬ever. 19 Yet a little while,—[Less than twenty-four hours Jesus would be crucified.] and the world beholdeth me no more;— [None but his disci¬ples saw him after his burial.] but ye behold me:—[The present use of the future.] because I live, ye shall live also.—[The mind of Jesus sweeps on in its outlook to the glorious consequences of the resurrection. Not only shall they see him for the few weeks between the resurrection and ascension, but they, too, will conquer death, and they, in their restored and eternal life, will continue to behold him.] In a short time he would be crucified. This was spoken on the day preceding his crucifixion. The world could see him till his burial. Then the world would see him no more. But his disciples would see him after his resurrection and would be with him through eternity. The world did not see Jesus after his resurrection, only his brethren. 20 In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.—After his resurrection, the disciples would know his union with the Father, and their union and oneness with Jesus. [Beginning, at least, on Pentecost, if not confined to it, for then began that clearness of spiritual per¬ception which goes on through the ages to the final glory. They shall realize the divine personality of Christ as never be¬fore. But they shall also realize, through the Holy Spirit, a divine exaltation for themselves which shall bring them into the most intimate spiritual relations with him.] 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:—Love as presented by Jesus is not a mere sentiment, but it is a living, active principle. “ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:3.) So he makes the keeping of the commandments of God the test of their love for him. Man needs a test to try his love for God. When do I love him sufficient to be accepted of him is a question that will frequently come up to the believer. Jesus gives the test: If we are willing to do what he commands us to please him, he will accept us. He gives commands that man can see no wisdom in, and that are humiliating that he may be sure he keeps the command from a desire to obey God. [Jesus repeats his crucial test of love. It is of the highest importance to us that we shall not overlook this pregnant utterance and substitute for obedience emotional ecstasies.] and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,—To those who show their love to God by obedience to his com¬mands, the Father will both love and manifest himself to them. and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.—Jesus will be with and in them as feeling and bearing their weaknesses, temptations, and sins; and they would be in him as partaking of his strength and comfort and sharing his bless¬ings and honors. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him,—Judas was the brother of James and is the same person as “ Lebbaeus” and “ Thaddaeus” and is the author of the Epistle of Jude. Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?—He failed as yet to understand the spiritual nature of Christ’ s kingdom or the condition of his disciples after the resurrection; he expected an earthly, temporal rule and did not see how Jesus could manifest himself to the disciples and fail to do the same to the world. [This reveals again the carnal inability of the disciples at this time to comprehend the spiritual revelations of Christ. The spiritual manifestation in the heart they knew nothing about. They thought only of external, visible manifestation in Messianic glory, and they supposed, and rightly, that this would be to the whole world.] 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word:—Jesus declares that the rule he had laid down, or the test given, applied not only to his immediate disciples, but it was one that applied to all men. If any one loves him, he must believe in him as the Son of God, infinite in wisdom, goodness, and power, and one who so believes and loves him will keep his words. All pretenses to believe in him, and trust him, while refusing to keep his words, are false and misleading. and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.—This abode will be through the Holy Spirit as their representative. “ In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22.) The Spirit as the representative of God dwells in his church. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my words:—On the other hand, he who does not love God will not keep his words — will not obey and follow him. To keep his words is to cher¬ish and ponder them in the heart, and to obey them because they have been commanded by God. One may do the very thing commanded by God, and yet not keep the words of God. He may do it from some other motive than to please and honor him. All service to God must be with the desire to please and honor him. [No other evidence of the want of love is necessary. This is conclusive.] and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’ s who sent me.—All things spoken by Jesus were from God, hence to hear Jesus was to hear God. [He thus adds the final sanction to all that he has been saying. In refusing to keep my words, they are refusing to keep the Father’s word, and, thus rejecting all divine instruction, they are unworthy of all divine presence.] OTHER WORKS OF THE SPIRIT AND WORDS OF COMFORT John 14:25-31 25 These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you.—Jesus knew the hour of his departure was now at hand. This was spoken the very night of his betrayal. Judas had already gone to bring the band to arrest him. 26 But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,—The disciples were now distressed that Jesus was about to leave them. The coming of the Holy Spirit to teach and strengthen them would be an especial comfort to them so he is called the Comforter. The Father would send him in his name to take the place as the representative of Jesus. he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.—He was to teach all things needful to their well-being and to guide them into all truth, and to recall to their remembrance his teaching. Man is forgetful and a divine Monitor is sent to them to call to their memory all things he had taught them. The ground for their reliance on the certainty of the word of God is that the Spirit of God guided into the truths stated. All departure from the word of God concerning entrance into the church and into Christ comes from the idea that the Spirit teaches outside of the word of God. All additions to the church in its order, organization, and work come from the idea that the Spirit dwells in, guides, and directs the church apart from his teaching in and through the word of God. To give up the word of God as the only direction and guidance of the Spirit is to give loose reign to the dreams and imaginations, the reasonings, and philosophies of men as the directions of the Holy Spirit.

It is to substitute these for the revelations of God when “ men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21.) There used to be a dilemma about creeds. If a creed has more than is in the Bible, it has too much; if it has less than is in the Bible, it has too little; if it differs from the Bible, it is wrong; if it has just what the Bible has, it is the Bible, and not a human creed. So if the Spirit teaches more than the Bible teaches, he teaches too much; if he teaches less, he teaches too little; if he teaches different from the word of God, he teaches wrong; if he teaches what the word teaches he teaches through the word, for no uninspired soul ever learned a spiritual truth save through the words of the Bible. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you:—The peace that Jesus gave them was not peaceable and pleasant surroundings. It was not an outward or external peace, but it was a composure and peace of mind and spirit that no external surroundings or troubles can destroy or disturb. This is the only sure and true peace on earth. Disturbances, trials, and troubles will arise in the world, and the mind that is dependent upon the external surroundings for peace will never find peace on earth. One who believes and trusts in Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells with and imparts to him the Spirit of Jesus, and he becomes a partaker of the peace that Jesus possesses. With the peace of Jesus in our hearts, we may look without fear on all the troubles and disturbances of life. This is unlike the peace the world proposes. not as the world giveth, give I unto you,—[Either in quantity or quality. I give richly, abundantly, my presence and my Father’ s presence in the most intimate communion.] Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.— [Neither caring for what has come, nor dreading that which may still come. Thus he returns to the beginning of the les¬son begun at the opening of the chapter. Believe in God, be¬lieve also in me, and rest in perfect peace!] 28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you.—It was for the good of the disciples and of all who keep his words that Jesus should go away. The Holy Spirit would not come unless he went away, and it was as needful that the believers in Jesus should enjoy the presence and offices of the Spirit as that they should those of Jesus. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father:—An intelligent love of Jesus would desire that he should go unto the Father that he might send the Spirit. “ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.” (16: 7.) for the Father is greater than I.—His returning to the Father would be the occasion of God bestowing greater or fuller blessing in sending the Spirit. The blessings of the Spirit were greater than those of Jesus only in the sense that the Spirit completed and perfected the work begun by Jesus. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe—In knowing before¬hand what was coming to pass would give them composure and endurance in passing through the trials, and be an assurance to them, after they had taken place as Jesus foretold. The object and purpose of prophetic foretellings were not to produce a completed faith in the things foretold in those to whom the announcements were made, but that when the fulfillment did come, the people then seeing the fulfillment of the announcements would believe the matter was prearranged and under the direction of God, and hence provided and inspired of God. 30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh:—The prince of the world was Satan. He was embodied in the wicked rulers, Jewish and Gentile, that were compassing the death of Jesus. and he hath nothing in me;—As the rulers of the kingdoms of this world, instigated by the prince of this world, they found nothing in Jesus for them to uphold, defend, or cherish. His works and spirit were antagonistic to theirs. [There was then, as now, nothing in common between the prince and spirit of the world and Christ, and hence had no sympathy for him. The devil never did, and never will, capture a man unless he finds something in him common with himself. If he finds a sinful ambition or lust in him, he seizes upon it and makes it the means of his ruin.] 31 but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.—The test of love is the keeping or obeying the commandments of God. This is the test of love in all the relations of life. The child shows its love for the parents by keeping the commands of the parents, so of the wife to the husband, the citizen to the earthly ruler. The dependent or subject shows love to those over them by keeping their commandments. The superior shows love for the inferior by sacrifice and condescension to help the inferior. The test of Christ’s love was to do the commandments of God, even unto the giving up of his life to please and honor him. This speech, beginning at chapter 13: 21 and continuing through this chapter, was spoken while they were still at the table. Jesus not only abode in his Father’s love by keeping his Father’s commandments, but he showed this love for the Father to the world by keeping his commandments. He knew of no better way to show his love to his Father than by doing his Father’s commandments. Are we wiser than he? Can we show our love to God in any better way, in any other way, than by doing the commandments of God? “ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. … If a man love me, he will keep my word. . . . He that loveth me not keepeth not my words.” (John 14:21-24.) “ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected.

Hereby we know that we are in him.” (1 John 2:4-5.) “ Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:2-3.) Arise, let us go hence.—They arose and went toward the Mount of Olives. On the way this discourse was completed, embracing the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters.

Verse 1 The supper with its tragic revelations was over. Judas had departed, and all of the disciples were in a state of shock and grief following the announcement that even Peter would deny the Lord. The greatest tide of evil ever known on earth was already rising around that little company huddled in the upper room. The forces of darkness, with God’s permission, were in command; and there was no moon in the blackness of that spiritual night which settled like some evil fog over the Holy City. It was a time of doubts and fears and falling tears. The unaided strength of natural man was no match for the desperate frustrations and shattered hopes of that critical hour; but Jesus was more than a match for that satanic storm moving so ominously upon them.

In words of supernatural calm and confidence, the Lord reassured his chosen ones, loving them, encouraging them, and protecting them in every way possible. Before leaving the scene of the supper, he spoke the words of this chapter concerning: (1) the Father’s house, (2) the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (3) the Comforter, and (4) the eternal necessity of what he was about to do. Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1) Let not your heart be troubled … is the theme of this chapter, the same words being repeated in John 14:27. Believe in God … in me … One of the difficulties of translating the Greek New Testament is that certain sentences are capable of more than one rendition, as here. These words mean either: “Ye believe in God” (indicative affirmation of fact), or “Believe (ye) in God” (imperative commandment to be obeyed). The English Revised Version (1885) rendition is preferred because the indicative that the disciples truly believed in God would seem to have been more than Jesus would have credited to them in the circumstance of their doubts and fears. Reynolds noted that: This (the English Revised Version (1885) rendition) is approved by the great majority of interpreters from the early Fathers to Meyer and Godet … the different order of the words in the Greek, bringing the two phrases, “in God” and “in me,” together, gives potency to the argument of the verse, which is that of the entire Gospel.[1]Thus, one of the overtones of this passage is that believing in God and believing in Jesus are one and the same thing. ENDNOTE: [1] H. R. Reynolds, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), II, p. 220.

Verse 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you: for I go to prepare a place for you.Hunter has a very perceptive comment on this, thus: The day before, Jesus had sent two of his disciples to secure a “large room upstairs” for the Last Supper (Mark 14:12 f). They did not know the way but had to follow the owner. Arriving, they found everything “prepared.” It looks as if Jesus here made the disciples’ journey of the day before a parable of eternity, in which the upper room foreshadows the home of God with its many habitations.[2]Speculations regarding the “many mansions” are fruitless. It is enough for us to know that they are indeed a reality, despite their existence beyond the perimeter of mortal vision. The souls which are of the faith of Jesus Christ shall truly inherit the upper and better habitations, and the Lord is even now preparing for the reception of the redeemed in the eternal world. Here in these beautiful words of Jesus lies the secret of the Christian’s triumph over every mortal disaster. When things on earth have issued in their superlative worst; when even life itself ebbs and the soul contemplates that ultimate terminus in the grave, then let the worshiper lift his eyes to see the City Foursquare coming down out of heaven from God. Such a refuge only Zion’s children know. ENDNOTE: [2] A. M. Hunter, The Gospel according to John (Cambridge University Press, 1965), p. 141.

Verse 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.And if I go … is not a statement of uncertainty but an argument that, as certainly as the Lord shall go, that certainly will he return and receive his own. I come again … The second coming of Jesus is dogmatically affirmed here and throughout the New Testament. As Dorris said: Some refer this to the resurrection of Christ, others to the death of a believer as in the case of Stephen, and still others to the coming of the Holy Spirit. We think these positions inadmissible. The reference is not to Christ’s return from the grave, but to his return from heaven, the second coming of the Lord, which is a part of the Christian faith.[3]THE SECOND ADVENTNot only here but in Acts 1:11; Acts 3:21; 2 Thessalonians 4:13-17, etc., the doctrine of the second coming of Christ is emphatically taught, the same being one of the foundational teachings of Christianity. I. What Christ will not do upon his return. A. He will not offer himself a second time for the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:26-28). B. He will not restore any phase of fleshly or national Israel. The Scripture makes it absolutely clear that race is nothing with God (Galatians 3:27). C. He will not set up a kingdom, having already done that, the church being his kingdom. It has existed continuously since the first Pentecost after the resurrection, and wherever the Lord’s Supper is, there is the kingdom (Luke 22:30). D. He will not extend a second chance for unbelievers to repent (Hebrews 9:27). II. What Christ will do upon his return. A. All the dead shall be raised to life (John 5:24-29). B. The judgment will occur (John 5:24-29; Matthew 25:31-36). C. The wicked shall be destroyed and the righteous rewarded (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). D. The crown of life shall be given to the faithful (2 Timothy 4:7-8). E. Christ will stop reigning, delivering up the kingdom to God (1 Corinthians 15:28). III. What Christ is now doing. A. He is reigning until all of his enemies have been put under foot (1 Corinthians 15:25 f). B. He is interceding for the redeemed (Hebrews 7:25). D. He is administering all authority in heaven and upon earth (Matthew 28:18-20). E. He is providentially overseeing the fortunes of his church on earth (Matthew 28:19-20). F. He is preparing a home for the faithful (John 14:3). ENDNOTE: [3] C. E. W. Dorris, A Commentary on the Gospel by John (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Co., 1939), p. 200.

Verse 4 And whither I go, ye know the way. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?Ye know the way … means that the disciples in knowing Jesus did indeed know the way to eternal life; but the full realization of what they did, in fact, already know would not come until after the resurrection of Christ. Thomas was speaking for them all in this disclaimer.

Verse 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.Another of the great “I am’s” of John, this is one of the profoundest teachings ever uttered. It presents Jesus as the unique means of access to God. Buttrick devoted most of an entire book to the mountain truth of this text, presenting Jesus Christ as the sole answer to the human problems of sin, ignorance, and mortality. As the way, Jesus is the answer to man’s sin; as the truth, he is the answer to man’s ignorance; and as the life, he is the answer to man’s mortality.[4]Man is constitutionally ignorant, endemically wicked, and irrevocably mortal … There is no book logic to refute or uphold these contentions, only the logic of life … Man is not delivered from his lower life by his own power but remains helpless without the Great Companion.[5]I AM THE WAY; AND THE TRUTH; AND THE LIFEJesus is the way.

Apart from him there is no solution of the problem of sin. Part of the problem is the universal tendency to deny that sin exists.

Every crime, however vicious, is rationalized. The major thesis of humanism is that there is really nothing much wrong with man as he already is. True, certain restrictions are admitted; but men fancy that if they can only shake off the chains that bind them they will be all right. Strike off their political chains, their economic chains, their psychological inhibitions, etc., and presto! the new age will appear. All such human air-castles fall in one awful consideration, that of the universal wickedness of mankind. Every utopian ship of all history has split open and sunk upon the submerged reef of unregenerated human nature.

In trying to find out how to live, men try to evaluate and compare various concepts and systems, and by deduction hope to find what is best; but the universal experience of humanity has demonstrated that whatever of the good, the pure and the beautiful that men have discovered - all of it derived from him who is the way. The sin problem is solved only in Christ.

He alone reveals man’s sin, ransoms him from the tyranny of it, removes him from the practice of it, remits it, and even overrules it for his benefit - provided only and always that the sinner must yield himself to the Lord and walk in his way; for he is the way. Jesus is the truth. In this, our Lord is the answer to man’s ignorance; but, in this sector also, man professes no need, pretending to be wise. In the dictionary that he wrote himself, is he not listed as “homo sapiens”? Look at the letters he has written after and before his name: Ph.D., M.D., Hon., Pres., etc., etc.; but, if man can bear to hear it, he would be just as accurately listed as “homo ignoramus”! Human wisdom is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 1:20); and only a little reflection will reveal that God is right. Apart from God, man is ignorant of his origin, destiny, and the meaning of life.

He cannot see one split-second into the future, but builds a house the day before an earthquake, elects scoundrels to public office, and in all social and political considerations moves with the intelligence (!) of a buffalo herd on stampede. Even in the areas of his greatest achievements, man is embarrassed by the fact that every truth he has ever discovered only raised a hundred other questions harder than the one he solved. The discovery of the power of the atom is only the most recent example of this. He cannot know what caused time, space, or matter, and does not have the slightest idea of the extent or duration of such things. He is an infant crying in the night with no language but a cry, until he shall turn to him who is the truth. Man’s vaunted knowledge has only multiplied his ignorance. He surveys from his tiny ant hill the morning star and the band of Orion; he cries for light, wisdom, and knowledge; but, as he pursues this will-o’-the-wisp, he is mocked by his own ignorance. The silent stars go by, and the whirling suns brush him into the grave. But in Christ who is the truth, all that is changed. He is the answer to man’s ignorance. In Jesus, the soul is secure in the fact that ultimate truth is not another gadget, or a new formula, but a person, God in Christ, man’s friend from above, who is at once the Cause and the explanation of all things. Jesus is the Life. In this, he is the answer to man’s mortality. Death is an ugly problem for man, but how does he face up to it? He will not even speak of it. Even when the last agony is upon him, his physician will hardly tell him the truth; his wife assures him that he is better; and even his minister speaks of what he will do when he gets well. What a tragic blindness it is that forces the great, the intelligent, the prominent and powerful on earth to go on living as if death had no claim upon them.

The greatest falsehood of the age is the allegation that Christianity is a psychological escape hatch for defeated and frustrated souls. In Christ only do men face up to the fact of death and go down to the grave shouting, “Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57). All of man’s efforts to negate the problem of mortality are pathetic. With what fanfare and enthusiasm he greets every new medicine or surgical skill; but has he abolished death? Here and there he might indeed have plucked a feather from the wings of the angel of death; but the shadow of those wings still darkens every threshold. Only in Christ does the redeemed soul march onward in the security of him who is the resurrection and the life. Jesus broke up every funeral he ever attended, promised to raise from the dead all who ever lived, and taught his disciples not to fear them that may kill the body. His is the glorious religion that teaches men how to live with all the facts of life and of death.

His is the only name that means anything when spoken over the cold form of the dead. This is the sublime truth that has sent his church shouting down two thousand years, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. [4] George A. Buttrick, Christ and Man’s Dilemma (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1945), p. 29. [5] Ibid.

Verse 7 If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: from henceforth ye know him and have seen him.There is hardly a paragraph in this whole Gospel where the deity of Jesus is not either stated dogmatically, or, as here, emphatically implied. Here is another example of it. Knowing Jesus is equivalent to knowing God. Jesus’ revelation to men, as far as verbal teaching goes, had here been completed. From henceforth … From that point onward, the apostles had in their full possession the sufficient knowledge of God as revealed in Jesus Christ to enable them to find eternal life. Although not yet fully realized by them, the verbal statement of it was complete. However, the Lord would add other significant statements of the great truth before the evening ended.

Verse 8 Philip saith unto him Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.Philip … For discussion of this apostle, see under John 1:43. It seems that Philip was slow in comprehending the world-shattering truth of God in Jesus Christ; but his limitation was that of all men. Moreover, he did not have the advantage possessed by those who view the events of Jesus’ ministry in the light of subsequent history.

Verse 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father: how sayest thou, show us the Father?Something in the mind of natural man is reluctant to accept the evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was actually Almighty God in human form. This reluctance on Philip’s part might have been the thing that prevented his becoming a very distinguished apostle. About all that has come down to us concerning him is his name and the reluctance evidenced by passages like this. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father … Could Jesus have stated the fact of his deity any more clearly than here? All that he had said of himself as the door, the good shepherd, the living water, the Son of God, the Son of man, the light of the world, the bread of life, the way, the truth, and the life coupled with his mighty signs - all of this had still left Philip unable to make the great step of faith in Jesus as God; and there seems to be in the Saviour’s words here an element of wonder that Philip had somehow failed to take it in. Show us the Father … We do not know just what Philip meant by this request, but Hunter thought he desired to see a theophany: He asks for such a revelation of God as Moses enjoyed (Exodus 24:9-1; 33:18) … He would like Jesus to pull aside the veil separating the seen from the unseen - to disclose a great Father-figure. But such a theophany is quite unnecessary.[6]ENDNOTE: [6] A. M. Hunter, op. cit., p. 142.

Verse 10 Believest: thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.This recapitulation of Jesus’ teachings earlier (John 12:49-50) was for Philip’s benefit.

Verse 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.Exactly the same teaching had been given previously. See John 5:36 and John 10:37-38.

Verse 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.Verily, Verily … With these words Jesus turned from replying to Philip and included them all (Judas absent) in the glorious promises about to be given. Greater works than these shall he do … It is difficult to know exactly what Jesus meant by this, for no miracle could be greater than raising Lazarus from the dead, and no work could be greater than that of the enabling act of redemption on the cross. Thus, as Guthrie noted: Greater works would then relate to the wider opportunities which the disciples would have when Jesus returned to the Father. It would then be possible for Jesus to work through his people. The book of Acts is a commentary on this promise.[7]Lipscomb has this: During the life of Jesus on earth, his work was restricted to the limitations of his physical presence; but, after he ascended to the Father and the Holy Spirit came in his name, a greater and more extended work would be done by the fuller inspiration of the apostles, and the more extended mission they would fill.[8]The very nature of Jesus’ appearance on earth required miraculous manifestations of his power; but those miracles, wonderful as they were, had an inherent limitation. Jesus’ miracle of feeding the five thousand was as nothing compared to the feeding of all the populations of earth throughout history through the operation of God’s natural laws. Similarly, the miracle of creating Adam and Eve was as nothing compared to the perpetuation of humanity through the ages by means of the natural laws of procreation. Just so, the miracles attending the establishment of the church, or kingdom of heaven, on earth, and even including the miracles wrought by Jesus, are as nothing compared to the salvation of countless millions of men through the operation of God’s spiritual laws which were set in motion by Jesus. The superiority of the spiritual over the physical is evidenced by Jesus’ words here. As Hendriksen said: According to this great saying of our Lord, the greater works are the spiritual works … Does Jesus, by this means of comparison, which places the spiritual so far above the physical, hint that miracles in the physical sphere would gradually disappear when they would no longer be necessary?[9]Three thousand souls were converted from death to life on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ, a feat far surpassing anything that was possible before Jesus returned to the Father. Because I go to the Father … The great works wrought by the apostles did not take place in spite of Jesus’ going to the Father but because he DID go to the Father. Thus, the “greater works” the apostles were to do were still truly the works of Jesus our Lord. [7] D. Guthrie, The New Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 958. [8] David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 224. [9] William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel according to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1961), II, p. 273.

Verse 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that wilt I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.In my name … For discussion of Christ as the one mediator, see my Commentary on Romans, p. 14.

Verse 14 If ye shall ask (me) anything in my name, that will I do.The insertion of “me” in this verse, as in many manuscripts, suggests that prayers might be offered directly to Jesus, as well as addressed to the Father in Jesus’ name. Note the prayer of Stephen (Acts 7:59). Dummelow cited Acts 9:14; Acts 9:21,1 Corinthians 1:2, where “calling upon the name of the Lord” was construed by him as examples of the same thing.[10]ENDNOTE: [10] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 799.

Verse 15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.The great tragedy of modern Christianity is that of the elevation of faith above love in the economy of salvation. Love is the sine qua non of redemption. He who does not love cannot be saved. Love, not faith, is the fulfilling of all the commandments, as stated here. Paul went so far as to declare that one might possess “all faith” and yet find it worthless without love ( 1 Corinthians 13:2). The reason why “faith alone” cannot save is that “faith alone,” by any definition, is faith without love. Also, there is no special brand of faith exempted from Paul’s all-inclusive “all faith.” Faith without love or even with the love of the wrong things, can never justify or save. See under John 12:42.

Verse 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.This is the first of the five Paraclete sayings in John, concerning which Hans Windisch published a thin tract upholding the thesis that these sayings form no part of John’s original Gospel but are interpolations! After listing a few so-called arguments, he asserted: This confirms our thesis: the five Paraclete sayings do not belong in the original text of the farewell discourses. They are alien entities in the course of both dialogues (John 13-14, and John 15-16).[11]And what is the evidence that supports such a thesis? Absolutely none whatever, as a glance at Windisch’s so-called reasons will prove. Here are the particular prejudices presented by him as “evidence.”

1. “They can be removed from the context without leaving a gap."[12] Is this a reason? One might remove any of the beatitudes without leaving a gap, or take a whole paragraph out of the Declaration of Independence without leaving a gap.
2. “The idea that Jesus comes back to his own is nowhere to be found, apart from the Paraclete references."[13] The argument (!) of this is that: after removing the five passages from John’s Gospel, the idea that Jesus will come to his own in spirit form is nowhere to be found. This is like saying, “When we take out a, e, 1o, u, and y, there are no vowels in the alphabet!” or “If we take out all references to it, the thing is nowhere visible!” Windisch is inaccurate in his allegation that these passages alone teach the coming of the Holy Spirit. See under John 7:37-39.
3. “The sending of the Holy Spirit is an entirely new idea which is not prepared for in what comes before it and is not referred to in what follows."[14] Only a person shutting his eyes against one of the most conspicuous elements in Christianity could make a statement like that. The preparation for this discussion of the Paraclete was laid as early as John 7:38-39 (which see) and was fully anticipated by the statement in John 14:12 that Jesus was going to the Father. Abideth with you … refers to the unlimited identification of Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the descending dove at his baptism. Further, as related by all the synoptics, and which John had in view throughout, the concept of the Spirit being in the disciples was dogmatically affirmed from the very first. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand for what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11; Matthew 10:19 ff; and Luke 12:11 ff). In this light, it cannot be logically said that the reception of the Holy Spirit as an indwelling force in Christians (especially the apostles) is “an entirely new idea.” We might ask, “New to whom?” Now the above three alleged reasons were presented as the sole support of Windisch’s ridiculous thesis; and they have been presented and exposed here to show how groundless and unreasonable are the efforts of “scholars” to butcher the Gospel of John. We shall now give attention to the blessed words of the promise itself. He shall give you another Comforter … Note that the Holy Spirit, called here the Comforter, will come as a result of Jesus’ action in praying the Father; and this is consistent with the thought that Jesus himself sent the Spirit. His actions and the Father’s actions are one, as repeatedly affirmed throughout John. Ferm’s definition of the term “Paraclete” is: A term applied in John to the Holy Spirit, though in 1John it is used of Christ himself. It means literally, “called to one’s side,” for the purpose of assistance, and thus corresponds exactly to the Latin “advocatus”. In the newer versions of the New Testament, it is translated “Advocate,” but this unduly narrows the meaning. It implies not merely intercessory help but help of every kind; and the old rendering, “Comforter,” is still the best one, when taken in its original sense of “strengthener."[15]Another Comforter … identifies Jesus himself as the Comforter of the disciples up until that time, but he was preparing them for his departure to the Father. That he may be with you forever … Unlike his own brief ministry, that of the Holy Spirit would be coextensive with the whole Christian dispensation. The Spirit of truth … This is another name of the Comforter and stresses his function of guiding the apostles into all truth. Whom the world cannot receive … The life founded upon materialism and sense alone cannot partake of the indwelling strength available to Christians. Ye know him, for he abideth with you … The Holy Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34) dwelt in Christ during his ministry. Therefore, the apostles did “know him,” whether “him” is referred to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, the latter being meant here. And shall be in you … refers to the Spirit’s indwelling, especially of the apostles. [11] Hans Windisch, The Spirit-Paraclete in the Fourth Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968), p. 3. [12] Ibid., p. 2. [13] Ibid. [14] Ibid. [15] Vergilius Ferm, An Encyclopedia of Religion (New York: Philosophical Library, 1945), p. 560.

Verse 18 I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.Desolate … actually means “orphans”; and from this premise, “I come unto you” is not speaking of the second advent but of an interim coming of the Lord in the person of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and afterward. The second advent was in view in John 14:3, but here the coming of Christ’s Spirit is meant. Hendriksen ably defended this interpretation thus, “The immediately preceding context refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and so does the following context."[16]ENDNOTE: [16] William Hendriksen, op. cit., II, p. 279.

Verse 19 Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me: because I live, ye shall live also.Because I live … is a prophetic reference to the resurrection, because Jesus was clearly speaking of a time when the world should no longer see him. This is a second “because,” like that in John 14:12, and shows the necessity of Jesus’ return to the Father. The divine plan of establishing a worldwide spiritual kingdom could only have been hindered by the continued physical presence of Jesus on earth. Advocates of a literal return of Christ to a literal throne should take this into account.

Verse 20 In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.Here is the whole prospectus of God’s kingdom in embryo, making this verse rank with Genesis 3:15 as a statement of the whole plan of salvation. Here is the achievement of God’s righteousness, the secret of justification, and the basis of the redeemed’s avoidance of judgment - the whole works; it’s all here! Ye in me … God’s way of accounting men righteous is that of totally identifying them with Jesus Christ who is righteous. The righteousness God imputes to men is a genuine righteousness, a total and absolute perfection, achieved by Jesus Christ and made available to men “in him.” Any so-called “righteousness” based upon anything else is spurious. Nothing that a sinner might either believe or do could make either his faith or his actions the grounds of his being accounted righteous in the sight of God. “All spiritual blessings are in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). God therefore makes a sinner righteous by bringing him into Christ, identifying him with Christ and as Christ, thus enabling all the righteousness of the Holy One to be in fact the righteousness of the redeemed soul in Christ (Galatians 2:20). For full discussion of justification in Christ, see my Commentary on Romans, pp. 108-113. No man can be saved as John Doe, Joe Bloke, or whoever he is. The only way any man can be saved is as Christ and in Christ. The identification of believers with Christ is revealed in this verse to be exactly the same as the identification of Christ with God. God is in Christ; Christ is in God; Christ is in Christians; and Christians are in Christ. The loss of personal identity for purposes of procuring justification was what Jesus referred to in “He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39).

Verse 21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.The thought here is like that of Joh 14:15 (which see); also, the oneness of Christ with the Father is the constantly recurring theme of the Gospel, and is apparent here in Christ’s loving whom the Father loves, and in the Father’s loving them that love Christ.

Verse 22 Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?Judas (not Iscariot) … Goodspeed identified this Judas thus: Thaddeus, as Judas the son of James is called in Matthew 10:13 and Mark 3:18, is credited to this day in Armenian tradition with having brought the gospel to Armenia with notable success.[17]Thou wilt manifest … and not unto the world … The belief that Christ would be some kind of overpowering earthly Messiah persisted even among the Twelve, and even after the resurrection (Acts 1:6). Thaddeus’ question here was strongly flavored with the ideas of Jesus’ brothers (John 7:3-4), regarding a “manifestation” in Jerusalem. He did not understand that the death on the cross would be a manifestation before the whole world. ENDNOTE: [17] Edgar J. Goodspeed, The Twelve (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1939), p. 30.

Verse 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.See under John 14:15 and John 14:20 for discussion of thoughts repeated here. Christ was ever interested in the salvation of men’s souls, and that is why he shifted the emphasis back to what had already been taught concerning salvation. Thaddeus’ dream of an earthly kingdom was of no concern at all to Jesus.

Verse 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my words; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.He that loveth me not … This first double clause is a negative statement of Joh 14:15 and John 14:23. See under those verses. Not mine, but the Father’s … This repeats the thought of Joh 12:48-50. The confusion of the apostles, necessitating Jesus’ repetition of things previously taught, was due to their misunderstanding the true nature of Christ’s kingdom, a misunderstanding that would not be cleared up until after Pentecost.

Verse 25 These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you.Recognizing the limitations of disciples like Thaddeus, the Lord again returned to his promise of the Holy Spirit, stressing the fact that the Spirit would bring to their “remembrance” all of those things they were finding it so difficult to understand. Thus there is an imperative connection between this second of the Paraclete sayings and the total context in which it lies, thus showing how groundless are such fantastic guessings as those of Windisch (see under John 14:17, above).

Verse 26 But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said unto you.Teaching the apostles all things and bringing to their remembrance all that Jesus taught are parallel. Christ’s message to men was perfect and complete; and the function of the Holy Spirit even in the apostles, was not that of continuing an incomplete revelation but of aiding their remembrance of the complete revelation already delivered. This promise of guiding into “all truth” pertained only to the apostles. Jesus never promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the Christians of all ages into the truth, except in the limited context of this original promise, them to what Jesus taught; and this is still the work of the Spirit. The Spirit of God enabled the memory of the apostles to deliver to humanity THE THINGS JESUS SAID, those being the things they HEARD him say. The notion that the Spirit guides men in spiritual things in any manner of contradicting or going beyond the Scriptures is wrong. The apostles themselves taught Christians “not to go beyond the things which are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). This truth needs emphasis today. As Lipscomb said: The ground of our certainty of the word of God is that the Spirit guided into the truth stated. All departure from the word of God concerning entrance into the church and into Christ comes from the idea that the Spirit teaches men outside the word of God … TO give up the word of God as the only direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit is to give loose rein to dreams, imaginations, reasonings, and philosophies of men.[18]Concerning the theory that the Spirit speaks “of himself” and apart from the word of God, see under John 16:13. All things that I have said unto you … What Jesus taught is the one true foundation of Christianity. Other passages bearing on this are: “these sayings of mine” (Matthew 7:24-26), “first spoken by the Lord” (Hebrews 2:3), and “whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). See my Commentary on Matthew, en loco. ENDNOTE: [18] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the Gospel of John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1960), p. 232.

Verse 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.The full appreciation of these remarkable words derives from their having been spoken within the very eye of the greatest storm of evil ever to appear on earth. Only Paul ever approached such tranquillity with his recurring theme “rejoice” written from a dungeon in Rome. As Reynolds said: This verse shows how the ordinary salutation may become invested with immense significance. There are moments when into one human word may be condensed the love of a lifetime. Christ does but pour through these common words the fire of his eternal and infinite love.[19]Peace … This is the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). Let not your heart be troubled … These were the opening words of the chapter, and they are appropriately repeated here. Neither let it be afraid … Literally, this means “neither let it be terrified,” suggesting that Jesus saw in the disciples some rising symptoms of that carnal weakness which would prostrate them all before the night was over. Fear not … is one of the central admonitions of Christian faith. Angels bore the same admonition to Joseph (Matthew 1:20), to Zacharias (Luke 1:13), to Mary (Luke 1:30), and to the shepherds (Luke 2:10). ENDNOTE: [19] H. R. Reynolds, op. cit., II, p. 230.

Verse 28 Ye heard how I said unto you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe.Jesus’ constant purpose that night was to strengthen the disciples against the ordeal through which they would pass. This was the purpose of his foretelling the treachery of Judas and the denial by Peter. Here he stressed the fact of his going away unto the Father by means of his death, resurrection and ascension. The Father is greater than I … is not a denial of the deity and Godhead of Jesus Christ but a contrast of the Father’s state in glory with that of the Lord in the depths of his humiliation. If the apostles had understood what a glorious thing it was for Jesus to leave the wretched scenes of his humiliation and return to the glory he had enjoyed with the Father from times eternal, they would have rejoiced. Westcott agreed that no denial of Jesus’ Godhead is in this verse. He wrote: The superior greatness of the Father must therefore be interpreted in regard to the absolute relations of the Father and the Son without violation of the one equal Godhead … if we may so speak of mysteries which transcend human knowledge.[20]ENDNOTE: [20] B. F. Westcott, The Gospel according to St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971), p. 210.

Verse 30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me; but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so do I. Arise, let us go hence.The prince of the world … is another reference to Satan as in John 12:31. Hath nothing in me … There is a hint here that Satan might have expected to have something in Christ; but the Saviour calmly announced that he would do what the Father had commanded, that is, die on the cross; and how, it may be wondered, had Satan hoped to thwart that? Satan had already exhausted every resource in vain efforts to kill Jesus; but with the announcement that Jesus would lay down his life of his own accord (John 10:17-18), and that it was impossible for any man to take his life away from him, Satan changed his strategy, thereafter exhausting every satanic resource in making Jesus’ death such a shameful, repugnant, and humiliating thing, that the Lord might finally abort the mission of redemption by refusing to die such a repulsive death for such a people. That such a temptation came to Jesus is certain fromMatthew 26:53. Jesus here announced that Satan’s strategy had failed. The price of human redemption would be paid by the Saviour. For extended discussion of Satan’s strategy in these tremendous events, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 26:39, and my Commentary on Romans, p 118. Arise and let us go hence … Some believe that Jesus and his disciples immediately rose up and left the scene of the last supper; but Hendriksen believed it likely that the next three chapters, which might easily have been spoken in ten or fifteen minutes, were uttered while they were standing and prior to leaving. As he stated it: This context implies there are still some things Jesus wished to say to his disciples (John 14:30) … How often it happens even among us Westerners that between exhortation, “Now, let us be going,” and the actual departure there is a period of ten minutes? … Speaking calmly and deliberately, with no attempt to rush himself, Jesus might have uttered the contents of John 15 through John 17 within a period of TEN MINUTES. When a company has been together several hours, what are ten minutes? … Accordingly, we shall proceed upon the assumption that the contents of John 14-17 comprise a unit, and that all of this was spoken that night in the upper room.[21]ENDNOTE: [21] William Hendriksen, op. cit., II, pp. 290-291.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For John 141. What did Jesus bid them not do? 2. On what belief did he base it? 3. Where were the many mansions ? 4. For what was Jesus going? 5. Afterward what was he to do? 6. This was for what purpose ? 7. Who questioned him about the way ? 8. Repeat the answer. 9. How must one come to the Father ? 10. How could the Father be known? 11. State Philip’ s request. 12. And the answer. 13. What should he believe ? 14. What words did Jesus speak ? 15. Tell who were doing the works. 16. These should produce faith in whom? 17. Who may also perform such works? 18. What further ability will be have? 20. What basis of asking is required ? 21. Tell the results promised. 22. Love for Christ requires what? 23. Tell what Jesus promised to do. 24. What was the Father to send ? 25. How long was he to remain? 26. What spirit was this? 27. Who cannot receive it? 28. State the reason. 29. What further assurance as to leaving them? 30. State advantage of disciples over the world. 31. What crisis was about to come? 32. Who was said to love Jesus ? 33. This will bring him what favor? 34. What manifestation will it bring? 35. Who next questioned Jesus? 36. State the point of his inquiry. 37. On what virtue was the answer based? 38. What association is then promised? 39. To what source does Jesus ascribe his words? 40. Why was he speaking them now? 41. What was to take his place? 42. Tell who was to send it. 43. In what name? 44. What service was it to do for them? 45. Jesus was to leave what with them? 46. It was different from what? 47. Repeat his words of comfort here. 48. What had they heard ? 49. How should they have felt about it? 50. Why should they have done so? 51. Tell why Jesus foretold these things. 52. What person was to contact him ? 53. He would obtain what ? 54. State the purpose of this contact.

John 14:1

1 Jesus and his apostles are still at the table where they have just concluded the passover supper. We might properly refer to this chapter as an “after-dinner” conversation between the Master and his beloved disciples. He had frequently told them that he would have to leave them, and they were naturally saddened by the announcement (chapter 16:6). In this speech Jesus wishes to give some words of consolation for their benefit. Troubled means “agitated,” and Jesus bids them not have such a feeling, and the basis of the opposite state of mind was to be their belief in the relationship between the Father and the Son.

John 14:2

2 If a dear friend is about to leave us, it would be some consolation to know that his leaving was not to be a permanent separation, and also that he was going away to arrange a special and better place than the one we now occupy. And what is especially cheering is the promise that he will find a place where we and our departing friend can again be together, never to be separated. Such a consolation Jesus offered to his apostles. The Father’s house means Heaven, the personal dwelling place of God and the holy angels, and the place where Jesus lived before coming to the earth. Mansions is from MONE, and Thayer defines it, “A staying, abiding, dwelling, abode: John 14:2.” There is only one place called Heaven as the dwelling of God, and it was in existence before Jesus came to the earth. He therefore was not going away to build or create such an institution.

But he was going to make arrangements for the residence of his apostles in that celestial city. If a man writes ahead to a hotel for reservations, he does not expect the managers to build some more rooms, but to reserve those already there for the use of the expected guests. That is what Jesus meant he was going to do when he said, I go to prepare a place for you. He was going to Heaven to make “reservations” for his apostles (as well as for all others who faithfully serve Him).

John 14:3

3 This verse sets forth the following truths. Jesus was going away from the world to his Father’s house to prepare a place for his apostles. After making that preparation he was coming to get his apostles. The purpose for coming after his apostles was that they might be with Him in the place prepared for them in his Father’s house. All of this allows but one conclusion, namely, the mansions promised in verse 2 are in Heaven and not on the earth.

John 14:4

4 This short verse has two important parts, namely, the place to which Jesus was going (to his Father’s house in Heaven), and the way to reach that place with reference to those who would go there after Him. The apostles should have known all this from the abundance of teaching Jesus had given them through the past three years.

John 14:5

5 In spite of all the teaching Jesus had given them, they seemed to be rather confused. Hence Thomas said they did not even know where he was going, much less know the way to it. His memory certainly was dull, for Jesus had just told him he was going to his Father’s house. As to the way in which they (and others) could follow him, Jesus had not spoken as definitely on that point, at least not so lately.

John 14:6

6 In answering the last question of Thomas, Jesus made his speech more general in its application. That is, he laid down the principle on which all must act who would reach that blest abode in the Father’s house. I am the way was the answer, and he asserted that no man would be able to reach the Father except by the Son.

John 14:7-8

8 These were not new subjects, for Jesus had spoken to them many times along that same line. The human mind is sometimes very frail, especially when it is agitated. The shadow of sorrow over the near departure of their Lord, seemed to dull the thoughts of the apostles. This is directly indicated by what Jesus said in chapter 16:6. That is why Philip requested to see the Father, although Jesus had previously taught the principle that seeing Him was equivalent to seeing the Father.

John 14:9

9 Been so long time with you. Jesus selected his apostles in the early part of his public ministry (Matthew 10:1-4), and hence Philip had enjoyed the advantage of that association all that time. It is significant that when Philip asked to be shown the Father, Jesus asked him if he did not know Him. Not that God and Christ are one in person, but they are one in purpose and spirit, and no man can treat or mistreat either one without doing the same thing to the other.

John 14:10

0 Since a father and his son are of kindred flesh, so the heavenly Father and his Son are thus closely related. In this sense they are in each other, though they are not the same person, even as an earthly father and son are not the same person. But if an earthly father and son were as united in character, purpose and spirit, as are God and Christ, than a man would need only to become acquainted with the son to learn the character of the father.

John 14:11

1 The strongest evidence of the divinity of Jesus was the work he was doing. He could not have accomplished his wonderful works without the aid of his Father. That is why he told the apostles they ought to believe him for the very works’ sake.

John 14:12

2 The greater works the apostles were to perform were not what are commonly called miracles. Jesus had raised the dead, cast out devils and cured all manner of diseases. No greater miracles of that kind could be performed by anyone. The key to this statement of Jesus is in the words, because I go unto the Father. The absence of Jesus did not enable the apostles to do any miracle that was greater than the ones referred to above. But Jesus could not bring men and women into the church, because that institution was not in existence until He had gone unto the Father. After that, the apostles could and did bring people into the kingdom of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel. Those were the greater works that Jesus promised they would be able to do after he had gone to his Father.

John 14:13-14

4 To ask anything in the name of Jesus means to ask it by his authority. Jesus never asked anyone to do something that would have displeased his Father (John 8:29), therefore when he authorized his apostles to come for a favor or some assistance, the Father would see that it was granted.

John 14:15

5 This verse words the sentence in the form of a request or requirement. Verse 23 makes it more conclusive; places the keeping of the words of Jesus as proof that the apostles loved him.

John 14:16

6 This and the next verse contain a promise of the Holy Spirit to be sent to the apostles. This promise was made a number of times in the last hours that Jesus was with his apostles. It pertained to the same Spirit since there is but one (Ephe-sians 4:4), but its work through the apostles was so extensive, that Jesus referred to it in different forms of speech. I shall give the reader the several references on the subject which he may form into a chain if he wishes, as follows: John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15. I now resume my comments on the present paragraph. It was appropriate to call the Spirit a Comforter, because Jesus was about to leave his apostles and the Spirit would furnish them consolation in the absence of their Lord.

For ever means “age-lasting,” hence the Spirit was promised to abide with the apostles as long as they lived, as a personal guide. It was also to abide in connection with their work to the end of the Christian Age (Matthew 28:20).

John 14:17

7 It was called the Spirit of truth because it was to guide the apostles into all truth (chapter 16:13). Whom the world cannot receive. None but the apostles were to receive the Holy Spirit in baptismal measure (except the special case of the household of Cornelius, which was temporary), and no one else was ever promised it in any measure until after he had come out of the world into the family of God (Galatians 4:6; Acts 5:32). Seeing him not. The world does not exercise its mental or spiritual eyes, by which only anyone could see the Holy Spirit.

John 14:18

8 The Greek word for comfortless is , which is so much like our English word that a lexicon definition is unnecessary. In its application here it means that Jesus would not desert his apostles whom he considered his “little children” (chapter 13:33). I will come to you. This was to be fulfilled figuratively or spiritually by sending to them His representative, the Holy Spirit. It will be fulfilled personally when He comes to take them with him to the home he has gone to prepare (verse 3).

John 14:19

9 See is used in two senses, literal and figurative or spiritual. Jesus was to be slain the next day, and in a few weeks was to leave the earth. After that the world would lose sight of Him literally. But the apostles were to continue seeing him spiritually through the association made possibly by the Spirit. Because I live. This was to be fulfilled for Christ both bodily and spiritually. He was to come forth from the dead to die no more, and also was to live continuously in the church for which he died and in which all of his faithful disciples would live spiritually.

John 14:20

0 At that day ye shall know. The apostles had professed faith in the promises of Jesus, but when the power of the Spirit was bestowed upon them, they would have personal evidence of the divine truth of them all.

John 14:21

1 This is virtually explained at verse 15.

John 14:22

2 Not Iscariot is inserted to distinguish the two men of the name of Judas. This one was the same whose shorter form was Jude. Judas did not observe the difference between the material and the spiritual manner of being manifested, hence he asked Jesus the question reported in this verse.

John 14:23

3 Come . . . make our abode is explained in the first part of the verse. The spiritual association of God and Christ with the disciples, was to be based on the condition that they keep the words of Jesus.

John 14:24

4 As the love for Christ is proved by obedience to his sayings, so the failure to keep them requires an opposite conclusion. God and Christ are one in Spirit and purpose, hence to reject the words of Christ is the same as rejecting God.

John 14:25

5 As long as Jesus was with his apostles, he could keep them informed on the necessary subjects by personal conversation. But they were human and their memory would be uncertain, therefore they would need some kind of helper that could renew it after Jesus was personally gone. That called for another statement of the promise that Jesus had already made in verses 16, 17. The said statement will be seen in the next verse.

John 14:26

6 Comforter is from PARA-KLETOS, and Thayer defines it, “A helper, succorer, alder, assistant.” He then explains his definition, “So of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to the deeper knowledge of gospel truth, and to give them the divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.” In view of the meaning of the Greek word, we can understand why the King James translators gave us “Comforter” in these passages. The apostles had been used to leaning on the counsel of Jesus for guidance, and to have that taken from them would give them a feeling of helplessness as well as loneliness. The Spirit would thus overcome this state of mind and really give them comfort. The inaccuracy of unaided human memory would have made the historical reports of the apostles rather uncertain. But with the guidance of the Spirit, they could relate the various conversations of Jesus with infallible accuracy.

John 14:27

7. The Greek word for peace is ETRENE, and its proper or general meaning is a state of mind that is satisfied. It does not mean that no trials or hardships were to be expected, for Jesus had frequently told his apostles that such experiences were to be their lot. Notwithstanding such conditions, the assurance that Jesus would care for them was to give them a peace of mind that the world could not give. Hence Jesus again bade them not to be troubled or agitated.

John 14:28

8 They should not rejoice over the fact of His absence, but because of what it would mean for him to be again with his Father. In other words, as a feeling of unselfishness, or “rejoicing with them that do rejoice” (Romans 12:15), they should be glad for his sake. Father is greater than I. Jesus and his Father were perfectly united in spirit and purpose, but there are many respects in which a parent is greater than his child, and Jesus recognized that truth.

John 14:29

9 I have told you. This is a general reference to the instances in which Jesus told his disciples of his departure from them. By telling them beforehand, they would be prepared for the shock. Also, when the sad affair came to pass, it would have the virtue of evidence based on fulfilled predictions.

John 14:30

0 This was the Lord’s way of repeating what he had said before, namely, that his conversations with them would soon be ended. According to Luke 4:6; John 12:31; John 16:11; Ephesians 2:2, the prince of this world is Satan. Bath nothing in me. 1 John 3:5 states that “in him [the Son of God] is no sin.” There was nothing in the character of Jesus that was of interest to Satan, hence he determined to have Him removed from the world, and thus from the association with his apostles.

John 14:31

1 The wicked motive of Satan was to drive Jesus out of this world by a shameful and violent death. But the deed was to be turned into a demonstration of the love that Jesus had for the Father, in that he was willing to die to fulfill the will of his Father (Hebrews 10:7-9). Arise, let us go hence. This meant to arise from the table since the passover supper was over. But having given his apostles the consolation speech while still at the table, recorded in the preceding chapter, the Lord concluded to spend the few remaining hours he had left to be with them, by further instructions and admonitions. But while they left the table, there is no evidence that they left the room at once. That movement did not take place till chapter 18:1.