LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED,.... In some copies this verse begins thus, and he said to his disciples; and certain it is, that these words are addressed to them in general, Peter being only the person our Lord was discoursing with in the latter part of the preceding chapter; but turning, as it wer... [ Continue Reading ]
IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS,.... This he says to draw off their minds from an earthly kingdom to an heavenly one; to point out the place to them whither he was going, and to support them with the views and hopes of glory under all their troubles. By his "Father's house" is meant heaven; s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU,.... Seeing I am going to prepare, and will prepare a place for you, of the truth of which you may be fully assured: I WILL COME AGAIN; either by death or in person a second time, here on earth: AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; I will take you up with me to heav... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHITHER I GO YE KNOW,.... They might have known, at least, whither he was going, since he had spoke of his Father's house, and of his going to prepare a place for them there, and doubtless had some knowledge thereof, though very confused and imperfect: AND THE WAY YE KNOW: this also they might... [ Continue Reading ]
THOMAS SAITH UNTO HIM, LORD,.... Who was one of his apostles, and here betrays his ignorance, as elsewhere his unbelief; and not only speaks for himself, but for the rest of the apostles, of whom he judged by himself; and who, it may be, might understand things better than himself, though their know... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY,.... Our Lord takes the opportunity of this discourse about the place he was going to, and the way unto it, more fully to instruct his disciples concerning himself, saying, "I am the way"; Christ is not merely the way, as he goes before his people as an example; or... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE HAD KNOWN ME,.... Christ having made mention of his Father's house, and of himself, as the way thither, and the way of access to the Father, was willing to inform his disciples better concerning him before his departure from them, which he introduces, saying: "if ye had known me"; that is, mor... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP SAITH TO HIM, LORD,.... Another of his disciples addresses him in a reverend and becoming manner, as Thomas before had done, calling him Lord, and saying to him, "show us the Father, and it sufficeth us": he speaks in the name of them all, seems to own their ignorance of the Father, and expre... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU,.... Conversing familiarly with you, instructing you by my ministry, and performing so many miraculous works among you, for so long a time; see Hebrews 5:11; AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILIP? Surely you cannot be so ignorant as this come... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVEST THOU NOT THAT I AM IN THE FATHER?.... This surely is, as it must needs be, and ought to be, an article of your faith, "that I am in the Father", AND THE FATHER IN ME; phrases which are expressive of the sameness of nature in the Father and the Son; of the Son's perfect equality with the F... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVE ME THAT I AM IN THE FATHER, AND THE FATHER IN ME,.... Take my word for the truth of this; you may assure yourselves that nothing is more certain; but if you will not believe upon my saying so, either believe for the sake of the doctrines I have preached unto you, which are such as never any... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME,.... Having mentioned his miracles as proofs of his deity, he assures his disciples, in order to comfort them under the loss of his bodily presence, that they should do the same, and greater works; for we are not to understand these words of ev... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME,.... Whether it be for assistance in preaching of the Gospel; or for the performance of miraculous operations in confirmation of it; or for success to attend it; or for any blessings whatsoever, whether for themselves or others: THAT WILL I DO; he does not say... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE SHALL ASK ANYTHING,.... These words are much, the same with the former, and have been thought, by some, to have crept into the text from the margin; though they seem rather to be repeated by Christ, the more to strengthen and confirm the faith of his disciples in this matter; that whatsoever t... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE LOVE ME,.... Not that Christ doubted of the love of his disciples to him; but he argues from it to their observance of his precepts, seeing ye do love me; as all do who are born again, who have had any spiritual sight of him, of his glory, suitableness, and fulness; who believe in him, and hav... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL PRAY THE FATHER,...., Here Christ speaks as Mediator, and promises his disciples, that he would intercede for them with the Father; which is designed as an encouragement to them to ask for what they want, in his name, and to comfort their hearts, which were troubled at the news of his dep... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, WHOM THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE,.... These words explain who is meant by the Comforter, "even the Spirit of truth"; the true Spirit of God, the dictator of the Scriptures of truth, who leads men into the truths of the Gospel, confirms them in them, and gives boldness and free... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS,.... Gr. "orphans", or "fatherless". Christ stands in the relation of a Father to his people, and they are his children, his spiritual seed and offspring; and so the disciples might fear, that as Christ was going from them, they should be left as children without a f... [ Continue Reading ]
YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND THE WORLD SEETH ME NO MORE,.... The men of the world now see me with their bodily eyes, which is all the sight they have of me; and this they will be deprived of in a very little time; they will see me no more until the time that I shall come in the clouds of heaven to judge... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT DAY YE SHALL KNOW,.... The things they should know, or the objects of knowledge are, THAT I [AM] IN MY FATHER; in his bosom, in union with him, partaker of the same nature, perfections, and glory with him, and equal to him: AND YOU IN ME: that they were in union with him as the branches in... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH MY COMMANDMENTS, AND KEEPETH THEM,.... He that has not merely the external revelation of them in the Bible; but has them written on his heart, by the finger of the Spirit of God, and keeps them under the influence of grace and strength received from him: HE IT IS THAT LOVETH ME: others... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS SAITH UNTO HIM, NOT ISCARIOT,.... This was Judas Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus, the same with Jude the apostle, the author of the epistle which bears his name; and is said to be "not Iscariot", to distinguish him from the betrayer. The question put by him, Lord, HOW IS IT, τι γεγονεν,... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... This answer is returned, and these words are spoken, for the further confirmation and explanation of what was before said: IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL KEEP MY WORDS; by his "words" are meant not his doctrines, but his ordinances; the same with his commandments, J... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH ME NOT, KEEPETH NOT MY SAYINGS,.... These words may have respect both to external professors of religion, who being destitute of true love to Christ, though they outwardly observe his ordinances and commands; yet inasmuch as this does not spring from a principle of love to him, and is... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU,.... Concerning his Father, and his Father's house, and the way to both; concerning his being in the father, and the Father in him; concerning keeping his commandments, and the advantages and benefits following upon it: BEING, says he, [YET] PRESENT WITH YOU; wh... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE COMFORTER, [WHICH IS] THE HOLY GHOST,.... Before spoken of, John 14:16, for whom Christ promised to pray the Father that he might be given to them. The word used there, as here, signifies an "advocate", and is so rendered, 1 John 2:1, a patron, one that pleads and defends, the cause of anoth... [ Continue Reading ]
PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU,.... Christ being about to die and leave his disciples, makes his last will and testament, and as the best legacy he could leave them, bequeaths peace unto them; MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU: he left the Gospel of peace with them, to be preached by them to all the world; which is... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE HEARD HOW I SAID UNTO YOU,.... Christ had not only told his disciples that he should depart from them in a little time, but also that he should return again to them, and comfort them with his presence, and receive them to himself, to be with him in his Father's house for ever: and this he ag... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE IT CAME TO PASS,.... This is a strong proof of his true and proper deity, for none but the omniscient God can tell of things before they come to pass; this is peculiar to him, and distinguishes him from the gods of the Gentiles; see Isaiah 41:22; THAT WHEN IT IS COME... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREAFTER I WILL NOT TALK MUCH WITH YOU,.... Meaning before his death; for after his resurrection he talked much with them, about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; being seen of them and conversing with them, for the space of forty days; not much, he says, chiefly what is delivered in the... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW,.... Not the wicked and unbelieving world, but the world of God's elect, such as are brought to believe in Christ: THAT I LOVE THE FATHER; Christ must needs love the Father, as being of the same nature and essence with him, and as standing in the relation of a son to him... [ Continue Reading ]