JESUS CONTINUES HIS FINAL WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM (JOHN 13-16). Having warned Peter of what was to come in his immediate future Jesus now turns to all the disciples in order to encourage them, and this did of course include Peter. He wanted them all to have assurance for the future.... [ Continue Reading ]
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have confidence (believe) in God, have confidence also in me.” Conscious of their troubled thoughts and hearts He set out to encourage them. And He did it by pointing out what He would be doing for them in the future. Let them not be afraid. They must not waver... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GUARANTEE OF THEIR ETERNAL FUTURE (JOHN 14:1). He commences by giving them the confidence that their eternal future is secure. Such a certainty would undergird any problems that might arise in the future, and enable them to face whatever came with equanimity. Certainty as to their destiny would... [ Continue Reading ]
“In my Father's house are plenty of dwelling places. If it were not so I would have told you. I am going in order to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again, and will receive you face to face with myself, that where I am, you may be as well.” Jesus then li... [ Continue Reading ]
“And where I am going, you know the way there.” He first stresses that they know the way to where He is going, an that where He is going is to His Father's dwelling place. He has previously taught them, and revealed to them, the way into the Father's favour and presence through ‘eating and drinking'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR CERTAINTY FOR THE FUTURE LIES IN THEIR KNOWING HIM AS THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER AND IS THE ONE WHO FULLY REVEALS THE FATHER (JOHN 14:4). Having made clear their final destiny Jesus now ensures that they recognise that their way of entry to the Father is through response to Him as th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Thomas says to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ' Thomas now speaks up for all. (We note here the equality between the Apostles). While Jesus was there, there had been no problem. But that other world often appeared far away and strange, and at no time more... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus says to him, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.' Jesus then explained more fully what He meant. These words of Jesus have filled a multitude of books, and rightly so, for they make Jesus totally central as the way to the Father. Compare P... [ Continue Reading ]
“If you had fully known me you would have known my Father as well. And from now on you do know him and have seen him.” Jesus now confirms His uniqueness. The question is, have they fully known Him? Let them now recognise Who He really is. He is the One Who has fully revealed the Father in such a way... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Philip says to him, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be sufficient for us”.' As yet they were not fully enlightened and could not grasp this. Philip, for example, had not yet had time to contemplate the wonder of Christ, and he therefore did not quite appreciate what Jesus meant by their hav... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus says to him, “Have I been with you all (plural) so long and yet you (singular) do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How then can you say ‘show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak... [ Continue Reading ]
“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works' sake.” Jesus now repeats what He has said in John 10:38. He longs that they may look at Him and consider His life and recognise His uniqueness as the One Who is the abode of the Father, recognise that... [ Continue Reading ]
“Emphatically I tell you, he of you who goes on believing on me, the works that I do he will do as well, and he will do greater things than these because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in m... [ Continue Reading ]
2). THE DEMANDS THAT HE MAKES AND THE PROVISION THAT HE IS MAKING FOR THEIR FULFILMENT (JOHN 14:12). Jesus now stresses what He is expecting from His disciples and assures them that full provision has been made for their future. As His ambassadors they can call on His Name for anything that they wil... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY MUST KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HE WILL RESPOND BY GIVING THEM THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH FOR THEIR HELP AND STRENGTHENING (JOHN 14:15). Central to what the disciples are to receive is their obedience. This is stressed here in the opening and closing verses of the passage. And we should note that it i... [ Continue Reading ]
“If you love me you will constantly keep in mind and obey what I have commanded you (literally ‘my commandments'), and I will pray the Father and he will give you another ideal companion (paraclete)”. These words connect directly with what has gone before. In John 14:13 He has spoken with the assump... [ Continue Reading ]
“He will give you another paraclete, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive for it neither sees him in such a way as to recognise him, nor does it know him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” So when Jesus goes He will be rep... [ Continue Reading ]
“I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world sees me no more, but you see me. Because I live, you will live as well. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me and I in you”. For it is Jesus Himself Who will come to them. If we say (som... [ Continue Reading ]
“He who holds closely my commandments and fully observes them, he is the one who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will make myself known to him”. Note the repetition of the idea in John 14:15. Our paraphrase brings out the force of the words. They ar... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Judas, (not Iscariot), said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will fully reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ' Like all the disciples the other Judas (‘Judas of James' not Judas Iscariot) was puzzled. It was anticipated by most that the expected Messiah would make himself known to the worl... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS RESPONDS TO JUDE'S QUESTION ABOUT AN EARTHLY KINGDOM BY POINTING OUT THAT THE NEED IS FOR A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE (JOHN 14:22). We note throughout this time together in the Upper Room how all the disciples felt free to ask qu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus answered and said to him, “If a man loves me he will hold firmly to and obey (keep) my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. The one who does not love me, does not hold firmly to and obey my words. And the word which you hear is not mine but Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
“I have spoken these things to you while abiding with you”. These words signal the end of His own personal ministry to them. They will no more benefit from His earthly presence and teaching. He has shared their lives and watched over them, corrected them and guided them, but now He will do so in th... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS PROMISES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ENABLE THEM TO REMEMBER FULLY ALL THAT HE HAS TAUGHT THEM (JOHN 14:25). Drawing attention to what He has taught them during His earthly ministry Jesus now promises that the Holy Spirit will continue that teaching and will also enable them to remember all tha... [ Continue Reading ]
“But the ideal companion (paraclete), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and enable you to remember all that I have said to you”. However, they need not fear for another will come Who will replace Him in this task. And that replacement is the Holy Spi... [ Continue Reading ]
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. It is not as the world gives that I give to you”. Jesus now assures them of peace in mind and heart, which He will give to them, indeed is now giving to them. His Spirit will not only teach them but will give them peace within, ‘peace that passes all... [ Continue Reading ]
“Do not allow your heart to be troubled, nor let it be fearful. You have heard how I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you'. If you loved me you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father. For the Father is greater than I”. While it is true that He is leaving them, they mu... [ Continue Reading ]
3). CLOSING WORDS OF COMFORT (JOHN 14:27). Jesus ends these words of strengthening and encouraging with further assurances. They will enjoy His peace, and are to recognise that it is good that He is going away because it means a greater and a wider work, and will also result in His once again enjoy... [ Continue Reading ]
“And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe”. He is telling them here that, before it happens, He is preparing them for the amazing change that will take place in His status. Then when they see Him resurrected, and ascending to the glory of the Father, th... [ Continue Reading ]
“I will not speak with you much more. For the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, so I do. Arise, let us go from here”. He now lets them know that He feels that He has said almost all that needs... [ Continue Reading ]