“1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
“8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way” John 14:1-31.
Chapters 14-17 in John’s Gospel are unlike any others in the bible. They represent the final discourses or teachings of Jesus. They contain some of the actual Last Supper sayings as well as a combination of many other discourses of Jesus throughout His life that John assembled and remembered personally. Jesus’ teachings in the first half of John’s Gospel were spoken to non-believers, while in these teachings we see Jesus turning His attention to believers. While the Synoptic Gospels had Jesus speaking in more historical occasions, John presents Jesus’ teachings in a more summary way — and deeply personal. Here we see Jesus having begun His ascent to glory while He is still in the world.
The first part of this speech refers to Jesus’ imminent departure from this world, and so it seems to fit nicely into the context of the Last Supper. (verse 2)? Knowing that His comments will cause consternation among His disciples, Jesus tries to calm their nerves: “3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (verse 3). This comment has obvious references to the parousia, or end time, something we don’t often see in John’s Gospel. And does not Thomas speak for all of us who don’t have a clue where Jesus is going? We don’t know what it means that Jesus is going to the Father, nor do we know the way there! Look at Jesus’ explanation to Thomas: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know Me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him”
(verse 6). Jesus tells us all, and reassuringly so, that He alone is the way to the Father because He is the truth about the Father, the truth come down from heaven, the Incarnate Truth, who gives life to all believers from above!
And then we meet Philip whose misunderstanding is as profound as yours and mine. Jesus’ words to Philip are some the most beautiful and comforting ever! Jesus stresses that He and the Father are one, and that if you have seen Jesus you have seen the Father. Jesus’ words are not His own but His Father’s. “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own; but the Father who dwells in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; but if you do not, then believe Me because of the works themselves” (verses 9-11). Jesus is the revelation of the Father, then, and if you believe in Jesus you “will also do the works that Jesus does and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because Jesus is going to the Father” (verse 12). And if you wonder how this is all possible, just pray in Jesus’ name.
And now Jesus draws us into the section of His teaching that addresses the triune God, first to the Spirit of God (verses 15-17), then to Jesus (verses 18-22), and lastly to the Father (verses 23-24). Jesus’ point is that if we keep the commandments, the Father, Son, and Spirit will come and dwell with us. The Spirit is given to us when we keep the commandments, and the commandments are followed only by those who love Jesus. That the Spirit is an “Advocate” suggests one who supports a dependent at a trial. Notice that Jesus says that the Sprit is another Advocate — Jesus Himself is the first defender of the disciples not just on earth but in heaven as well. Jesus also calls the Spirit the Spirit of Truth, because the Spirit reveals to the world who Jesus is. Receive Jesus and you receive the Spirit. “The world cannot receive the Spirit, because it neither sees him nor knows him” (verse 17).
And then Jesus speaks of Himself in the most comforting words ever.
Jesus consoles His disciples and predicts His return, assuring them that
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (verses 18-20). And notice again the keeping of the commandments of god is the condition for the coming of Jesus. “21
They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them”
(verse 21).
Finally Jesus speaks of the Father who will come to dwell in the hearts of Christians who “23 …love Me and keep My word” (verse 23). Judas (not Iscariot) wonders aloud to Jesus why God will not dwell in everyone, to which Jesus responds: “24 Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words” (verse 24), and this is how the Father will deal with everyone. We cannot love God and not keep His commandments.
Jesus completes this initial part of His teaching by speaking once again of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate “who will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (verse 26). His final word is the gift of His Peace, His Shalom, which will come on Easter evening when Jesus will say: “Peace be with you. Receive the Holy Spirit” John 20:21-22. The peace of Jesus Christ is to be freed of sin and united to God, and this will occur when Jesus is fully glorified, “when he goes away and comes back” (verse 28). Speaking as Jesus the man, “the Father is greater than I” (verse 28), but speaking as the Divine Son of God, Jesus and the Father are One” John 10:30.
The moment of departure has arrived, Jesus tells his disciples. “30 The ruler of this world” is here — but “he has no power over Me” John 10:30-31. And then the Last Supper ends, and Jesus says to them all:
“I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way” John 10:30.
Dear friends, considering all that Jesus has just said, I leave you this most powerful promise from these words of Jesus in verse 18: I will not leave you orphaned. May you spend some time in prayer today luxuriating in these most comforting words. Oh dear Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner, for I have sometimes forgotten You are present. You have n to left me — I have left You. Please forgive me and stay with me, now and forever, amen.
From the Bible:
“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” Exodus 33:14.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart”
Jeremiah 29:13.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matthew 5:8.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me”
Revelation 3:20.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near”
Isaiah 55:6.
“I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20.
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