XIV. (1) LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. — The division of Chapter s is unfortunate, as it breaks the close connection between these words and those which have gone immediately before. The prophecy of St. Peter’s denial had followed upon the indication of Judas as the traitor, and upon the announce... [ Continue Reading ]
IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS. — The Greek word used for “house” here is slightly different from that used of the material temple on earth in John 2:16. The exact meaning will be at once seen from a comparison of 2 Corinthians 5:1, the only other passage in the New Testament where it is use... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF I GO AND PREPARE... — For the form of the expression, comp. Notes on John 12:32, and 1 John 2:28. It does not imply uncertainty, but expresses that the fact is in the region of the future, which is clear to Him, and will unfold itself to them. I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF. —... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHITHER I GO YE KNOW, AND THE WAY YE KNOW. — The better reading is, _And whither I go, ye know the way, i.e.,_ “Ye know that I am the way to the Father, whither I am going.” (Comp. John 14:6, and John 13:33.) They did not, indeed, fully know this, but the means of knowing it was within their rea... [ Continue Reading ]
THOMAS SAITH UNTO HIM. — Comp., for the character of Thomas, John 11:16; John 20:24; John 21:2. LORD, WE KNOW NOT WHITHER THOU GOEST. — Our Lord’s words had laid stress upon the “way.” Thomas lays stress upon the “whither.” His mind seeks for measured certainty. In all that he has heard of the Fath... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE WAY. — The pronoun is emphatic. “I, and none besides Me.” “The way” is again made prominent, reversing the order which Thomas had used. He and He only is the means through which men can approach to the Father. (Comp. Notes on John 1:18, and on 1 Timothy 2:5.) THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. — Bett... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE HAD KNOWN ME, YE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN MY FATHER ALSO. — The thought here is made quite plain by what has preceded; but the form in which it is expressed demands attention. The emphasis of the first part of the sentence is not upon “Me” as is generally supposed, but upon “known.” In the second par... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP SAITH UNTO HIM. — Comp. for the character of Philip John 1:44 _et seq.;_ John 6:5 _et seq.;_ John 12:21 _et seq._ He is joined with Thomas at the head of the second group of the Apostles, in Acts 1:13. LORD, SHEW US THE FATHER, AND IT SUFFICETH US. — He catches at the word “seen “and thinks... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU, AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILIP? — More exactly,... _hast thou not recognised Me,_ as in John 14:7. Comp. the reference in John 14:8, from which it will be seen that Philip was one of the first-called disciples, and had occupied a prominent position in the b... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVEST THOU NOT THAT I AM IN THE FATHER, AND THE FATHER IN ME? — Comp. Note on John 10:38. He had there taught this truth to the Jews; but Philip’s words seem to show that even the disciples did not fully receive it. The order of the clauses is reversed here, in accordance with the thought of the... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVE ME THAT I AM IN THE FATHER. — He passes now from Philip, and addresses Himself to the whole body of the apostles. He claims from them a personal trust in Himself, which should accept His statement that He and the Father were immanent in each other. OR ELSE BELIEVE ME FOR THE VERY WORKS’ SAK... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU. — Comp. Note on John 1:51. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO. — He that by faith becomes one with the Son shall have the Son, and therefore also the Father, dwelling in him (John 14:11; John 14:20; John 14:23), and shall himself become an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO. — Comp. John 15:16; John 16:23. The prayer is thought of as addressed to the Father; but the answer here, and still more emphatically in the following verse, is thought of as coming from the Son, who is one with the Father. The width and limita... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE SHALL ASK ANY THING IN MY NAME. — This is an emphatic repetition of the width of the promise and of its condition. In the second clause of the verse the pronoun “I” bears the stress. “I (on My part) will do it.” In the parallel passage in John 15:16; John 16:23 the Father is thought of as answ... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. — Comp. Notes on John 14:17; John 13:34; John 15:10. The connection here is through the condition “in My name,” which includes willing obedience to His commands. The word “My” is emphatic — “The commandments which ye have received from Me.” Those of this last dis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL PRAY THE FATHER. — Comp. Note on John 16:26. The pronoun is again emphatic — “I have given you your part to do. I on My part will pray the Father.” The word used for “pray” is one which implies more of nearness of approach and of familiarity than that which is rendered “ask” in John 14:14... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. — Comp. John 15:26; John 16:13, and 1 John 5:6. He is called the Spirit of Truth, because part of His special office is to bring truth home to the hearts of men, to carry it from the material to the moral sphere, to make it something more than a collection of signs seen or... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS. — Better with the margin, _I will not leave you orphans,_ which exactly represents the Greek word. “Comfortless” is unfortunate, as it suggests a connection with “Comforter” which does not exist in the original. Our translators have rendered the word by “fatherless”... [ Continue Reading ]
YET A LITTLE WHILE. — Comp. John 13:33; John 16:16. BUT YE SEE ME — _i.e.,_ in the spiritual presence of the Paraclete. The words may indeed have their first fulfilment in the appearances of the forty days (comp. Acts 10:41), but these appearances were themselves steps in the education which was lea... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT DAY YE SHALL KNOW — _i.e.,_ the day of the gift of the Comforter, in whom Christ shall come to them. In the first reference the Day of Pentecost is meant, but the words hold good of every spiritual quickening, and will hold good of the final coming in the last day. The pronoun _“_ye” is emph... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH MY COMMANDMENTS. — Comp. John 14:15 and John 5:36. This verse points out the successive degrees which led up to the full manifestation of Christ. The first step is the moral apprehension and practical observance of our Lord’s commandments, which necessarily result from love to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS SAITH UNTO HIM, NOT ISCARIOT. — That he was “not Iscariot” is mentioned to distinguish him beyond all possibility of confusion from him who had gone out into the darkness, and was no longer one of their number (John 13:30). He is commonly identified with “Lebbæus whose surname was Thaddæus” (c... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL KEEP MY WORDS. — Our Lord repeats the condition necessary on the part of man in order that the manifestation of God to him may be possible. This is an answer to the question of Judas, the world in its unbelief and rejection of Christ’s words, and without the spirit of love,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH ME NOT KEEPETH NOT MY SAYINGS. — He has shown in the previous verse how the Father and the Son can take up their abode in the hearts of the believers. He now shows how they could not be manifested to the hearts of the world. He that loveth not Christ keepeth not His word, and that wor... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, BEING YET PRESENT WITH YOU. — Better,... _while abiding with you._ He was about to depart from them. He had been speaking to them words which they found it hard to understand. He now pauses in His teaching, and proceeds to tell them of the Holy Spirit who should... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE COMFORTER, WHICH IS THE HOLY GHOST. — Better, as before, _but the Advocate_... (Comp. _Excursus G: The Meaning of the word Paraclete._) For the words “Holy Ghost” comp. John 7:39; John 20:22, which are the only passages where we find them in this Gospel. They are frequent in the earlier Gosp... [ Continue Reading ]
PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU. — The immediate context speaks of His departure from them (John 14:25; John 14:28), and it is natural therefore to understand these words as suggested by the common Oriental formulas of leave-taking. Men said to each other when they met and parted, “... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE HEARD HOW I SAID UNTO YOU. — Better, _Ye heard how I said unto you._ (See John 14:19.) IF YE LOVED ME, YE WOULD REJOICE. — True love seeks another’s good and not its own. Their sorrow at His departure was at its root selfish, as all sorrow for those who depart to be with God is, however lit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE IT COME TO PASS. — Comp. John 13:19. Here, again, He tells them the event before the accomplishment, that it may serve to strengthen their faith. Two interpretations of this verse are possible. (1) That He told them of the coming of the Advocate to teach all truth, and... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREAFTER I WILL NOT TALK MUCH WITH YOU. — Better, _I will no more,_ or, _I will not continue to talk much with you._ The discourse is broken by the thought that the hour of the conflict is at hand, and that He must go forth to meet it. FOR THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD COMETH. — Better, _is coming._ Th... [ Continue Reading ]
The most probable arrangement of this verse is to omit the period after “so I do,” and to consider all down to this point as governed by “that.” We shall read then, “But, that the world may know that I love the Father, and that as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do, arise, let us go hence.” He... [ Continue Reading ]