JOHN CHAPTER 14.

JOHN CHAPTER 14.

           

1/   The departure of Jesus to the Father was that as a forerunner (14:1-7).  Jesus was now alone with his disciples, but he was about to leave them and return to his Father.  The disciples were disturbed and troubled, and it would appear to them that they had been left to their own resources.  The Lord, however, would have them know that it was not an occasion for despair, but one for confidence and hope.   The disciples must grasp the great significance of the departure of their Lord to the Father.   This was an occasion for a new venture of faith.  The situation was a challenge to believe in God the Father and to believe in the Son whom He sent.  It was the oneness of the Father and His Son that made possible a new venture of faith by the disciples.

           

In the Father's house there was plenty of room for all.  Jesus was about to go to the Father and the disciples were bound for the same destiny.  He went there to prepare a place for them.  The way he went was by means of the Cross and Ascension.  The disciples could be assured that all His future activities concerned their welfare.

             

Jesus gives to them the promise that he would come again for them and take them to be with himself.  The verb "come" is in the present tense, and this expresses the certainty of his coming.  Westcott suggests that this event is the consummation of all his coming.  The mention of the Father's house and that he would take the disciples to be with him that they may also be where he is suggests that the Lord spoke of his Second Advent.  The Father's house is eschatological, but it is also a present reality.  Jesus is the Way, this means that he is not only a preacher of the way, but he is the Way.  We have continual access to the Father through Christ.  He makes prayer to be possible for He is the Way to the Father.

           

Jesus is the Truth in that He is the full revelation of the Father.  Truth is found in the Person of Jesus.  Truth is not found in a legal code nor dogma, but truth is found in a Person, and to walk in truth implies a right and proper relationship to Him.  It means obedience to Him who is Truth.

           

Jesus also describes himself as the Life.  Therefore, whosoever has the Son has life.  The N.E.B. repeats "I am" before each assertion, and this is probably done because "I am" has an emphatic place in Greek.

           

2/   The Son is the full revelation of the Father.  14:8-11.  Philip said, "Show us the Father."  Jesus makes known to him that the oneness with the Father constituted Him the perfect Revealer of God.  He could say, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."  We could not have His Deity more fully expressed.  He is the perfect expression of the Father.  The relationship of the Father and Son is such that what is ascribed of the Father is true of the Son also.  Joyfully then we often sing

:

            "In thee, most perfectly expressed,

            The Father's glories shine,

            Of the full deity possessed,

            Eternally Divine."

           

3/   His departure to the Father would enable those who believe on Him to do much greater things.  14:12-15.  Some interpreters regard these greater works than Jesus did as that of healing and other things that Jesus did.  More probably, the greater works refer to the mission to the Gentiles, to the expansion of the Church and the triumphs of the Gospel.  That Jesus went to the Father made possible the evangelisation of the nations and the calling out of the Church.  It was then important that He should go to the Father.

           

The disciples had their part in the greater works for they were works of faith.  And works of faith must be wrought by prayer, for prayer is the expression of faith.  The Lord gives to the disciples a new dimension in prayer, for he enjoins, "You may ask anything in My Name" (See 14:14).  This a new encouragement to prayer.  To ask in His Name is to ask knowing that He leads the way to God.  It is by prayer that our lives are brought into agreement with the revelation in Jesus Christ.  And if we love Him we shall do what He commands.  We shall not want to do what He forbids, but we shall want to do all He enjoins.

           

4/  His departure to the Father would be recompensed by the Father sending Another Counselor to them.  14:16-17.  For Counselor the A.V. has Comforter.  The rendering Comforter goes back to Wycliff.  The Johanine references to the Counselor emphasize strongly the Personality of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot think of the Counselor as merely an influence, nor a force, but as a Personality.  Probably in no part of the New Testament does the Holy Spirit take on a more personal role than in the Counselor - `sayings' of these chapters.  The fulfilling of His ministry point strongly to His Deity.

           

The world cannot receive the Counselor for it receives only what it can see.  The world walks by sight and not by faith.  That the disciple is indwelt by the Counselor marks a separation between the disciple and the world.  That the disciples possess the Counselor is the proof they belong to Christ.  The Lord does not leave his disciples as orphans or comfortless.  Wycliff reads "fadirless".  His departure to the Father is not a desertion of his own, but he will give them "Another Counselor" who will represent the Lord.  And when the Counselor should come, He would make them aware of a new relationship to the Father.

           

His departure to the Father would not deprive the disciples of His presence, but would be the prelude for a new manifestation of himself and the Father to the disciples.

           

The Lord firstly manifested himself by his resurrection - appearance, but they did not cease there, but throughout the history and experience of the Church, the Lord has shown himself to those that love him (14:21).  Love is a practical force and its distinguishing mark is obedience to his commands.  The Lord requires love and obedience, but he asks for an obedience that springs from love that expresses itself in works of love. 

           

They who love Jesus and obey his teaching, will not only be loved by the Father, but the Father and the Son will come to him and make their home with him.  Obedience is the proof of our love to the Lord.  The final authority for Jesus' words is that they are not his own, but belong to the Father who sent him (14:24).

           

5/  His departure to the Father was both imminent and a ground of rejoicing.  14:25-31. Further teaching on the Holy Spirit is given in verse 26.  These are known as Paraclete - `Sayings'.  The Holy Spirit would be their Counselor and Teacher, and He would remind them of everything Jesus had said to them.  John gives the spiritual authority for all he wrote, it was the Holy Spirit.

           

Jesus not only counsels peace on his departure, but he gives peace.  The Old Testament had not only enlarged the meaning of peace, but here, the main thought is that they should be free from trouble and undisturbed.  They should rejoice and be united in hope, so that all fear and unrest are banished from their hearts.  If they loved Christ, they would rejoice that He was about to go to the Father who was greater than himself.  Jesus was subordinate to the Father and he came to do His will.  But that he went to the Father who was greater, they could anticipate greater security and greater achievements.

           

As one concludes the reading of this chapter, the conviction is formed that the entire discourse is wonderfully designed to provide courage, comfort and hope to the troubled disciples.