John 14: Comfort, Unity & the Spirit
- v.1-14 Jesus Comforts His Disciples
- v.5-14 Jesus the Way to the Father
- v.15-31 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
v.1-4 Jesus Comforts His Disciples
v.1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
v.2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
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.
v.4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
[Note: Don’t be troubled, just believe. I’m going to prepare a place for you, but I’ll come back to get you. You know where that is
v.5-14 Jesus the Way to the Father
v.5-7 Thomas’s query evokes a major declaration from Jesus
v.5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
v.7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
[Note: Thomas asks, how can we know? Jesus explains about his Father: know me and you know my Father.]
v.8-11 Then Philip’s query evokes further explanation from Jesus
v.8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
v.9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us 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.
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.
[Note: Philip asks next. Again – see me and you see the Father, we are one, hear me and hear the Father. If you struggle to believe, believe the works.]
v.12-14 Believe me and you’ll do my works
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.
v.13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
v.14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
[Note: If you believe in me you’ll do these same works; ask and I’ll do it in order to glorify my Father, ask anything on my behalf.]
v.15-31 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
v.15-17 Obey me and we’ll send the Spirit to indwell you
v.15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
v.16,17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 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.
[Note: Let obedience be your sign of love and I’ll ask for you and He’ll send the Spirit.]
v.18-21 What’s going to happen will bring you a new unity life-experience
v.18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
v.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
v.20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
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.”
[Note: I won’t leave you alone because soon, although the world won’t see me, you will, then you’ll realise our unity. So, the one who obeys me is the one who loves me.]
v.22,23 The other Judas asks and is told of a new relationship
v.22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
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.
[Note: The ‘other Judas’ asks why us and not the world? Jesus explains obedience equals love, a therefore a place for ‘us’ to dwell.]
v.24-26 I’ve taught about love and obedience and so will the Spirit when He comes
v.24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
v.25 “All this I have spoken while still with you.
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.
[Note: Those who don’t love me, don’t obey. I’ve made sure you hear this while I’m with you, and when the Spirit comes, He also will teach you.]
v.27-31 Peace I’m giving you with the knowledge of what’s coming
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.
v.28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
v.29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
v.30,31 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
[Note: So my other-world peace I leave you. If you understand my going, you’d be glad. I’ve given you this pre-warning because the enemy is coming, so the world will see my obedience.]
For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: