John 14 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: John 14:1-3: Jesus on their future

A. Find Out:

1. What negative did Jesus first command? v.1a
   • ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.
2. What two positive things did he then command? v.1b
   • You believe in God; believe also in me.
3. What did he say about his Father’s house? v.2a
   • My Father’s house has many rooms;
4. Why did he say he was going there? v.2b
   • if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
5. What did he say he would then do? v.3 
   • And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

B. Think:

1. What do you think “trusting God” means?
2. How does Jesus explain his comings and goings?
3. How should that bring reassurance?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just said some troubling things, so now he simply says, don’t be troubled, it’s all in my purposes. Trust me!

When we say a little child trusts its parent, we mean it believes what the parent says, it believes the parent will look after it, care for it, provide for it, protect it. Trust is all about relying on the character or personality of another. It is about being at rest because of another. That is what Jesus asks us to do about he and his Father.

He further tells them that when he goes away, he goes to prepare a place in heaven for them, but he will come back and take them eventually to be with him there. In saying this he is bringing reassurance. First, over his going away: it is with a purpose, he is in complete control and he is doing what he is doing with an express end objective in mind. Second, his coming back: it will happen, he is not just leaving them for ever, they will see him again. Third, their own future: he has it planned so they will come to be with him where he is.    

Each of these things, seen in the light of the worrying things he has said previously, should allay their fears. Yes, he will be put to death, but that is not the end of the plan. Yes, Peter will betray him but that will not be the end of Peter. Trust me! Be at peace! 

D. Application:

1. Jesus, the perfect pastor, seeks to bring reassurance in troubling times,  by  bringing understanding of his purposes for us.
2. Jesus has provided a place for us with him in eternity. Praise him.

Passage: John 14:4-9: Father & Son

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus say they knew? v.4
   • You know the way to the place where I am going.’
2. What was Thomas’s reply to this? v.5
   • Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’
3. So what did Jesus say he was? v.6a
   • esus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.
4. In fact, what unique claim did he make? v.6b
   • No one comes to the Father except through me.
5. What did he say about himself and his Father? v.7,9b
   •  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ …Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?

B. Think:

1. Where, according to Jesus, did the way lead?
2. How did it start already, there?
3. How do you think there is also a future element to it?

C. Comment:

To reassure them, Jesus has just said that he was going to prepare a place for them and now, leading them to think further, he says they know the way there. This leads them to confess their confusion: we’re not sure where you are going, so we certainly don’t know the way there! Oh yes you do, says Jesus, I’m the way to the Father in heaven; that is your ultimate destination, to know God who is Father in heaven. Then he makes this most exclusive claim: no one comes to God except through me!

Look, says Jesus, if you know me you know the Father because (implied) we are so alike, so when you encounter me, you encounter the Father. Again this is a most incredible claim that no other man on earth can ever make. Basically he is saying, I am God! To have seen me is to have seen God! There is both a present and a future dimension to this: see me and you experience God now, follow me and when you die you will encounter the Father in all His fullness.

When we see this basic truth, we see something more in his claim to be the way, the truth and the life. The way we have dealt with. Only God is utter truth, utterly real, unmade by any other, not formed by the influence of any other. Only He is life, pure existence that moves with self-creating energy. And Jesus claims he is all this!

D. Application:

1. Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father.
2. Only Jesus is the expression of the Father in the flesh.

Passage: John 14:10-14: More on the Father & Son

A. Find Out:

1. How did Jesus describe his relationship with the Father? v.10
   • Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
2. What grounds did he say they had for believing this? v.11
   • Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
3. What did he say anyone with faith in him would do? v.12
   •  Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
4. What did he say he would do? v.13a,14
   • And I will do whatever you ask in my name … You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
5. Why? v.13b 
   • so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

B. Think:

1. How did Jesus say he could do what he was doing?
2. On what basis may we do the same things?
3. What is Jesus’ objective in all this?

C. Comment:

Staggering verses! First of all, the clarity of Jesus’ assertion that he and the Father were one. The words I speak, he says, and the things I do are all from the Father (God Almighty) living in me. Again and again in this Gospel Jesus explains this oneness with the Father. The first three Gospel writers hadn’t picked up this element of Jesus’ ministry; it was left to John having considered these things many years, to pick up this vital truth.

What follows is equally staggering: we, his followers who simply have faith in him, will do exactly the same sort of things he has been doing. Why? Because we will have God the Holy Spirit living in us in the same way, guiding us, motivating and empowering us in exactly the same way.    

So, continues Jesus, as you ask as led by my Spirit in you (implied), asking in my name as I lead you, I will then give you whatever you ask in this way, so that you will be able to go on and do these things and Father in heaven will be glorified by it. The whole context is one of unity of God in us here, so there is no question of us asking for things for our blessing, but it is all for His glory. As we flow in his will, we can then ask knowing that what we ask WILL be given because it originates in heaven.  

D. Application:

1. We are to continue all the works of Jesus today by his Spirit.
2. As we are led by Him, we can ask expecting to receive, for His glory.

Passage: John 14:15-21: Father, Son & Spirit

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus say we will do if we love him? v.15,21a
   • ‘If you love me, keep my commands. …‘If you love me, keep my commands.
2. What will he ask the Father to do? v.16
   •  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever
3. Who will that be and how do they now know him? v.17
   • the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
4. What did Jesus say would happen to him? v.18,19
   •  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
5. What would they then realise? v.20
   •  On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
6. What will happen to the person who loves Jesus? v.21
   • Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.’

B. Think:

1. Read Acts 5:32 How does that harmonise with today’s reading?
2. How did Jesus refer to the Holy Spirit?
3. How does the Trinity appear in this passage?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just been saying how his followers will do the things he has been doing. In the minds of the disciples may arise the question, “How can we do these things?”, and so in this passage Jesus gives them the answer.

It’s quite simple, he appears to be saying, when I leave you my Father will give you the Holy Spirit and He will come and live in you. You do know about him because He lives in me, and He will soon come and live within you. This is one of the marvels of the Christian faith that distinguishes a Christian from any other person on earth, that they are indwelt by the very Spirit of God.

Observe the names that Jesus gives for the Spirit in this passage. First he calls Him a Counsellor, a name that gives a sense of one who draws alongside to bring comfort and help. But he also calls Him the Spirit of truth, because Jesus said he was “the truth” (14:6) and John records that Jesus was “full of truth” (1:14). Thus the Spirit can only come and dwell in a person who is willing to face the truth, and live the truth, for His work is to bring the truth to us, the truth about Jesus and the truth about ourselves.

D. Application:

1. The Spirit comers to comfort and guide us. Do we let Him?
2. The Spirit comes to bring truth in us. Do we allow Him to teach us and face us with the truth about ourselves?

Passage: John 14:22-27: Love, obedience & peace

A. Find Out:

1. What question did Judas ask? v.22
   • Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’
2. What was Jesus’ two-part answer to that? v.23
   • Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
3. What about other people? v.24a
   •  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
4. What did he say about what they were hearing? v.24b,25
   • These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 ‘All this I have spoken while still with you.
5. Yet who did he say would come and do what 2 things? v.26
   •  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
6. What did he say he was giving them so what did he instruct? v.27
   • Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

B. Think:

1. What is the order to receive blessing in these verses?
2. Why will others not receive the same?
3. How was Jesus bringing reassurance to his disciples?

C. Comment:

As Jesus speaks about coming back and showing himself to them, the disciples question what this means. Why us and not others? How can that be? Jesus’ answer is that those who love him will obey him, and it is those who are obedient to God who will be blessed by His presence. As we saw yesterday, the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. The Lord comes to those who are open and responsive to Him. Those who don’t love him won’t obey him and therefore Jesus won’t come to them; it’s as simple as that!

Even now, says Jesus, the words you hear from me are from my Father, and when I go, He will give you the Holy Spirit so you will continue hearing from Him. He will teach you what you need to know, and He will remind you what I’ve said already. So, you see, (by implication) the relationship you have with me now will just carry on, even though you don’t see me in the same way.

So look, you can be at complete peace because, in one sense nothing is going to change, I’ll still be here with you. Have my peace. (By implication continuing) It comes in two ways: first you will have my very presence within you and second because you see that I am still in complete control, you need not be anxious. Just be at rest in this knowledge.

D. Application:

1. Jesus’ very own presence dwells within all Christians.
2. His presence brings peace as we share together (see Phil 4:6,7)

Passage: John 14:28-31: Jesus on his going

A. Find Out:

1. What had Jesus said? v.28a
   • ‘You heard me say, “I am going away and I am coming back to you.”
2. What does he say they should feel about that and why? v.28b
   • If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
3. Why does he say he has told them about it? v.29
   • I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
4. Who is coming? v.30a
   •  I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming.
5. What hasn’t he got? v.30b
   • He has no hold over me,
6. Yet what must the world learn? v.31 
   •  but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

B. Think:

1. How is Jesus continuing to reassure his disciples?
2. How is this a fitting close to the last in this set of studies?

C. Comment:

Throughout this chapter Jesus has been stating again and again (in outline at least) what is going to happen, and thereby bring reassurance to his disciples that it all is within his plan and purpose.

Essentially what he is saying in the first part of today’s passage is this: Look, I have told you I’m going away and will then come back, but if you can see it as part of my Father’s master plan, you would rejoice and be glad that I do these things, because my Father is supreme and whatever He plans is perfect. Not only that, to go to be with the Father is more wonderful than anything here.

Look, he continues, I’ve told you all this so that when it happens you will believe and realise it’s all been true what I have been saying, and that in itself should help you be at peace.    

He continues, I can’t carry on talking to you like this because time is running out and Satan will have brought his people here soon to play out the next part of this plan, but realise that even his activities, stirring on the people, is part of my plan. He doesn’t have a hold over me; I simply allow him to do what he will do to bring to completion the plan. When it’s all happened, you’ll all understand my love and my obedience to my Father. 

D. Application:

1. Jesus was in total control of those last awful hours and was working     through the decreed plan and purpose of God. Praise him!
2. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand – but they didn’t! And us?