Bible Commentaries
John 14

Verse 1

Joh 14:1

John 14:1

Let not your heart be troubled:—Jesus had impressed them with the truth that he would leave them; that Judas had gone to bring a band of soldiers to arrest him; that Peter, the boldest of the disciples would deny that he knew him, and more or less discouragement took possession of the hearts and minds of the disciples. Jesus under these circumstances spoke words of comfort and assurance to them. [There was everything to fill their hearts with gloom, and doubtless a silence like death had settled upon the little company, and they needed the comforting words spoken by Jesus.]

believe in God,—[Have confidence in God! Do not let your faith fail because of these earthly troubles! God is still your Father, still supreme. He can, and will, overrule all for good.]

believe also in me.—He and God are one. As they believed in God, so they were to have confidence in him. So listen to the words of assurance which Jesus speaks. [If God seems so far off and your troubles so near, here am I in your midst. He that hath seen the Father. You know that I love you; you know my power with the Father. But their hearts kept saying, “Thou art going away from us.”]

Verses 1-4

Joh 14:1-4

Jesus Comforts His Disciples - John 14:1-4

Open It

1. What is it about your home that makes it feel like home to you?

2. *In what way do you sometimes feel that this world is not your home?

3. Who or what is most comforting to you when you are upset?

Explore It

4. *How didn’t Jesus want His disciples to respond to His departure? (John 14:1)

5. How did Jesus want His disciples to respond to His departure? (John 14:1)

6. In what did Jesus want His disciples to trust? (John 14:1)

7. Where did Jesus say He was going? (John 14:2)

8. What assurance did Jesus give His disciples that what He said was true? (John 14:2)

9. *What is in God’s house? (John 14:2)

10. What did Jesus say He was going to do in His Father’s house? (John 14:2)

11. *What did Jesus tell His disciples that He would do for them? (John 14:3)

12. What promise did Jesus make? (John 14:3)

13. What did Jesus’ disciples know? (John 14:4)

Get It

14. What troubles your heart?

15. How do you usually handle worries that trouble you?

16. Why is it sometimes hard to trust God with our problems?

17. *How does it make you feel to know that Jesus is preparing a place for you in His Father’s house?

18. In what way is Jesus preparing you to be with Him?

19. *How are you preparing to be with Jesus?

Apply It

20. What troubles do you need to entrust to God today?

21. *What can you do today to prepare yourself for an eternity with Jesus?

Verse 2

Joh 14:2

John 14:2

In my Father’s house are many mansions;—[Many “abid­ing-places” in the footnote; many homes; in short, besides this one we call earth. Leaving earth, there are other places to which to go, places all radiant with beauty.]

if it were not so, I would have told you;—[I would not have allowed you to give up the things of this world if I had not had better things to offer you. I would have told you frankly that it was all sacrifice and no reward.]

for I go to prepare a place for you.—[This separation that makes you so sad is only a step toward providing you with a better home than earth can furnish.] He had told them that he would be separated from them for a time; that he would go where for a while they could not come, but after­ward they would be with him. The assurance he gave them was that there was ample room in his house for them to dwell with him, and that he went before to prepare a place for them. When Jesus went to prepare for them the Holy Spirit came to earth to guide and direct them, to prepare and fit them to dwell in the place he prepared for them. Had there not been ample place he would have told them. He could not deceive them.

Verse 3

Joh 14:3

John 14:3

And if I go and prepare a place for you,—[What a thought is this that beautiful as the mansions of God must be, they are not beautiful enough; that Jesus goes to prepare them, make them fit for his followers! What must a home be when prepared by omnipotence and omniscience, moving at the dictate of infinite love.]

I come again,—[(See Acts 1:11; Acts 3; Acts 21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Let no one rob you of your confidence in the return of your Lord in glory. Some refer this coming to the resurrection of Christ; others refer it to the death of the believer as in the case of Stephen; and still others refer it to the coming of the Holy Spirit. We think these positions inadmissible. The reference is not to Christ’s return from the grave, but a return from heaven, the second coming of the Lord, which is a part of the Christian faith.]

and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.—[Connected directly with the coming again. Evidently the condition of final glory. Evidently, also, heaven is a locality as well as a state, and we have the most sub­stantial joys to which to look forward. To be so purified as to be able to dwell where Jesus is, and to be so ennobled as to share his life and glory is to reach the most exalted destiny of which created intelligences are capable.] He would go as their forerunner to make ready for them. He would come again before the close of the earthly affairs. God always fits his creatures with honor suited for them. When the disciples were fitted to dwell with Jesus, they would have a home with him.

Verse 4

Joh 14:4

John 14:4

And whither I go, ye know the way.—He had told them of the place and that he was the way. They ought to have understood this. [Jesus probably uttered these words to pro­voke questions such as follow. He was going to his Father from whom he came and the way by which he would go was the cross, the tomb, the resurrection, and the exaltation. (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:1

John 14:5

Verse 5

Joh 14:5

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?—Thomas was of a doubting and despondent disposition and found many difficulties in the way, so he was slow to take in what Jesus said, and especially the spiritual truths he spoke. [Thomas was a plain, honest, and plain-spoken disciple. He lost all faith and hope when Jesus died. He did not believe the Lord had risen until he saw with his own eyes. Now he affirms, “We know not whither thou goest.” We expected you to stay with us and reign as our king in an earthly kingdom. We cannot under­stand your going away and dying nor whither thou goest. Then how can we know the way?]

Verses 5-14

Joh 14:5-14

Jesus the Way to the Father - John 14:5-14

Open It

1. What are some widely accepted "truths" that you believe to be false?

2. *In what ways do you resemble your parents?

Explore It

3. What did Thomas ask Jesus? (John 14:5)

4. *What did Jesus tell Thomas that He was? (John 14:6)

5. Whom did Jesus say that His disciples would know if they really knew Him? (John 14:7)

6. Whom did Philip ask Jesus to show them? (John 14:8)

7. *What did Jesus ask Philip in response to Philip’s request to be shown the Father? (John 14:9)

8. How did Jesus characterize His relationship with the Father? (John 14:10-11)

9. *What evidence did Jesus use to prove that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him? (John 14:11)

10. What did Jesus say that those who had faith in Him would do? (John 14:12)

11. Why did Jesus say that anyone who had faith would do greater things? (John 14:12)

12. Why did Jesus say that He would do whatever His believers asked in His name? (John 14:13)

13. What did Jesus say that He would do for His followers? (John 14:14)

Get It

14. *In what way is faith in Jesus Christ exclusive or narrow?

15. In what way is Christianity an exclusive belief system?

16. *How is Jesus the way, the truth, and the life in your life?

17. How are we related to Jesus Christ and God the Father?

18. What does it mean to know someone?

19. What does it mean to know Jesus and God?

20. What "greater things" are we doing today?

21. What can we ask Jesus to do?

22. What should our motivation be when we make requests of Jesus?

23. How can we bring glory to the Father?

Apply It

24. What can you do this week to deepen your relationship with Christ?

25. What can you do today to bring glory to God?

26. *Whom do you need to tell about the way Jesus offers a relationship with God?

Verse 6

Joh 14:6

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,—To enter into Christ and continue in him is the way. [Jesus only answers his difficulties in part. He is the exemplar, the living embodiment of what is needful to impart immortality. He who walks in his footsteps will travel the same road.]

and the truth,—He was the embodiment of the truth of God, and embodied that truth in his life and words. [He was not merely truth, but the truth—the key of all truth—the revelation of all truth necessary to elevate man to God.]

and the life:—He taught true and real life to the world. He brought life and immortality to light both by revealing the existence of both and revealing the conditions on which they could be enjoyed. [He is life itself—the bread of life—the living waters—the source from which the germ from which immortal life is imparted to the soul. Without him there would be no way revealed, no saving truth, nor im­mortal life.]

no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.—[No one can enter heaven without him, neither can he come close enough to the Father to enjoy the spiritual blessings of Christ Jesus. All must hold to Jesus to be saved. “For neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.” “By me,” that is, walk in the way I map out.]

Verse 7

Joh 14:7

John 14:7

If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also:—Jesus was the most complete and perfect representa­tion of God that could be revealed to man. He was God “manifested in the flesh.” Man is so fleshly that he cannot apprehend or appreciate true spirit. [After associating with Jesus as their teacher for about three and a half years they did not yet know, only in part. The central truth here is to know God is to know Christ. The universe which he cre­ated reveals his grandeur, the Old Testament his moral gov­ernment, but it is only in Christ that he reveals his sur­passing love, mercy, and solicitude for the salvation of man. Through him he reveals himself as a Father. Previous to his coming men were not authorized to address God in prayer as “Our Father who art in heaven.”]

from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.—So God clothed himself as humanity that man might live and know him. Jesus was this manifestation. So to know Jesus is to have the most complete knowledge of God that it is possible for him to know, and no man can come to God save through Jesus Christ. [They would see Jesus crucified the next day and from the cross they would know him. From the grave would burst forth upon their minds a new revela­tion of the character and mission of Jesus whom they had up to this time thought to be only an earthly, temporal king.]

Verse 8

Joh 14:8

John 14:8

Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.—Philip failed to take in the truth, and still asked to see the Father. [He perhaps expected such a manifesta­tion as Moses saw on the holy mount. (Exodus 33:8). He, like many now, wanted to walk by sight instead of by faith.]

Verse 9

Joh 14:9

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?—[He, like the rest of the apostles, did not comprehend that the Son came to reveal the Father. He wanted a literal sight of God with the natural eyes. Natural eyes cannot behold God who is a “Spirit” no more than they can see the soul of man. Man “cannot see God and live,” but he can see and understand “God manifested in the flesh.” Christ was not an ambassador from God, but “Immanuel, God with us,” the “Godhead in bodily form.”]

Verse 10

Joh 14:10

John 14:10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?—Jesus entered into a more minute statement of the oneness of himself with the Father.

the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.—The oneness is so complete that the words of Jesus came from the Father and God dwelling in Jesus did the works done by Jesus. Jesus was the human body in which God dwelled and through which he spoke and worked. [The personalities of the Son and the Father was perfect union, and we may never on earth comprehend fully its nature, but we can understand it to be so complete that he was the manifestation of God in the flesh.]

Verse 11

Joh 14:11

John 14:11

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.—If he could not believe on the teachings of Jesus as from God, the works that he did through Jesus ought to convince him that God was in Jesus. Both the mercy and power shown in the works of Jesus proclaimed him divine. [The works Jesus did were never done by man, and they ought to convince them that he was divine.]

Verse 12

Joh 14:12

John 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;—Jesus advances an­other step in his instruction. Not only did God work through Jesus, but he would work through all those that believe in him. Through the believers after his return to his Father’s throne he would send the Spirit that would guide the apostles into all truth and would abide with his church forever.

and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.—During the life of Jesus on earth his work was restricted to the limitations of his physical presence. After he ascended to his Father and the Holy Spirit came in his name, a greater and more extended work would be done by the fuller inspiration of the apostles, and the more ex­tended mission they would fill. Then when miraculous gifts should cease altogether, the church through its members would enter upon its world-wide mission of carrying the truth of God to the world. This last, performed through the reg­ular working of the laws of the Spirit, would be more far reaching than the miraculous manifestations. It is compara­ble to the works of God in the natural world. Jesus by the exercise of miraculous power created food to feed the multi­tudes; but this, while more showy and calculated to attract attention, was not so effective as the regular workings of God through the laws of nature. [At the time he was cru­cified Jesus had, so far as we know, only about five hundred disciples; but on the day of Pentecost the apostles converted three thousand. It was necessary that the Son return to the Father to enable his disciples to do these “greater works.”]

Verse 13

Joh 14:13

John 14:13

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,—To do anything in the name of Christ one must he in his name; become a part of his spiritual body and ask as the rep­resentative of Christ and for him. It means more than to ask by his authority. Asking as a member of his body, we must ask in accordance with his will. The prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane—“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42)—should teach what prayer in the name and spirit of Christ means. We attach to our prayers, and properly so, “in the name of Christ.” This implies an absolute self-sacrifice, and a prayer that our very prayers may not be answered ex­cept in so far as they are in accordance with the divine will. [To enjoy these promises, we must (1) believe; (2) we must ask in his name; (3) we must approach him with a complete submission to the Father’s will.]

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.—[God is hon­ored and glorified in his Son now through Christians. They are his representatives on earth. He works with and through them. He is glorified only when they work in harmony with his will.]

Verse 14

Joh 14:14

John 14:14

If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.—This was to make the spiritual body on earth, and as the Father who sent him worked through him, so he would work through his body, the church on earth. After the passing of the fleshly body of Jesus, his disciples entered into a closer spiritual relation to him than they had hitherto been able to do. His spirit entered into and dwelt in them.

Verse 15

Joh 14:15

John 14:15

If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.—He gives here the fruit and test of their love to him. If they loved him as their Lord and Master, they would cherish and obey his commandments. This is the divine test of love. Love as God views it is practical and embodies the actions of the whole man. And the test and proof of love is the desire to do the will and seek the honor of the one whom we love. To do God’s will, to do it because it is the will of God, is God’s test. Let us apply it. [Christ’s own test of love was keeping the Father’s commandments.]

Verses 15-31

Joh 14:15-31

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit - John 14:15-31

Open It

1. *What people, things, or experiences in life bring you comfort and peace of mind?

2. How do the people you love (whether close friends, spouse, or family members) know that you love them?

3. What relationship in life brings you the most satisfaction? Why?

Explore It

4. What did Jesus say His disciples would do if they loved Him? (John 14:15)

5. *What did Jesus say He would ask God to give His disciples? (John 14:16)

6. Why could the world not accept the Spirit of Truth? (John 14:17)

7. What did Jesus promise the disciples? (John 14:18)

8. Why did Jesus tell His disciples that they would live? (John 14:19)

9. How is Jesus related to the Father and to His disciples? (John 14:20)

10. What is the result of obeying Jesus’ commands and loving Him? (John 14:21-23)

11. *What did Jesus say the Counselor would do? (John 14:25-26)

12. What did Jesus leave with His disciples? (John 14:27)

13. *Why were the disciples to be glad that Jesus was leaving them? (John 14:28)

14. Why did Jesus tell His disciples about the future? (John 14:29)

15. Why did Jesus say He wouldn’t speak much longer? (John 14:30)

16. What did Jesus intend to show the world? (John 14:31)

Get It

17. How can we show Jesus that we love Him?

18. What are the commands of Jesus that we should obey?

19. *How are we taught by the Holy Spirit?

20. When have you been comforted by the Holy Spirit?

21. *What is the peace that Jesus has given us?

22. How can we experience the peace Jesus has given us?

23. What concerns trouble you or cause you to fear?

24. How should we deal with the fear in our lives?

25. What example has Jesus set for us in His relationship with God?

Apply It

26. In what specific way can you show Jesus that you love Him today?

27. *What can you do today to experience and enjoy the peace Jesus has given you?

28. What troubling problem or fear do you need to turn over to God?

Verse 16

Joh 14:16

John 14:16

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an­other Comforter,—In response to their love manifested by keeping his words, he would pray the Father and he would send them another comforter. This was addressed directly to his apostles, and had a more direct application to them than to others. Yet it presents a truth and a principle ap­plicable to all servants of God. If these disciples would keep his words, the Father would send them another comforter. Jesus had been their teacher and comforter while he was on earth; he was about to leave them. They felt bereft and disappointed, and to comfort and assure them he makes this promise of the Father.

that he may be with you for ever,—[Not to be with you a few years, as I, and then be taken away. He is to be the perpetual counselor of the church.] The Spirit was to be the guiding, directing power of the spiritual world as he is of the material world. He gave the law; he dwells in and guides through the law. “It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.” (John 6:63). “The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11). The seed is the dwelling place of the life principles. It is the body in which the life-germ abides. The seed is placed in the soil to bring the life germ into contact with the juices of the soil. We take the word in the heart to bring the Spirit that dwells in the word into contact with the warm affections of the heart that the germ in all principle may spring forth and bear fruit in the life. “Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.” (1 Peter 1:23). The word of God in the heart is in the mind, the affections, the will. It leads to prompt action so that its entrance into the heart leads to immediate obedience to Christ. No principle of life is imparted by birth. The principle of life is imparted in the believing [the be­getting] or taking the word in which the Spirit which gives life dwells into the heart. The old state is left. The new principle of life, imparted through faith, is brought into a new state by being baptized. In that new state it may develop a higher spiritual life. If the Spirit imparts life, he does it before birth; and without this imparting life there is nothing to be born. Yet without birth there can be no development or manifestation of distinct life. The life that is not brought to the birth perishes.

Verse 17

Joh 14:17

John 14:17

even the Spirit of truth:—The Spirit whose special mis­sion is to guide them into all truth, to call to their remem­brance all things that Jesus had taught them, and to enable them to record and teach all truth to the world. He is hence called the Spirit of truth. He approves all truth, rejects all falsehood.

whom the world cannot receive;—The disciples who kept his word could receive this Spirit, but the world, as distin­guished from the disciples or who rejected that truth, could not receive this Spirit. [He cannot enter into men of the world as distinguished from the church, and all theological theories that teach the opposite contradict Christ. “Because ye are sons [not to make you sons], God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6).]

for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him:—[The rea­sons why the world cannot receive the comforter: It does not observe him, does not give that sympathetic attention to him which results in knowledge; it had treated Jesus with contempt who was the only one through whom the Holy Spirit could be seen and known. Some had even ascribed his miracles to Beelzebub. Such a world was incapable of receiving him.]

ye know him; for he abideth with you,—[Present tense. It is something which they then have, and yet something less than they are yet to receive. It refers to Jesus being in their midst, he being filled with the Holy Spirit.]

and shall be in you.—[Ultimately they are to have what Jesus then has. They, too, are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and the beginning of the fulfillment of this was on the following Pentecost, and in this they were but the represent­atives and forerunners of all those who love Jesus and keep his commandments.] The Spirit up to this time had not, as representatives of God, abode with his servants on the earth. He had made visits and revelations to men, but had not en­tered into and remained with them. But he would come to them after Jesus ascended to his Father. (Verse 20). In Christ the disciples would enter into a closer relationship to God than his servants had ever held toward him. They would become sons of God, and the measure of the Spirit that per­tains to a son would enter in and abide with them.

Verse 18

Joh 14:18

John 14:18

I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.—When Jesus left them, he would send the Spirit to dwell with them forever, so they would have a divine aid and comforter. Jesus and his Father would come to them and dwell with them forever.

Verse 19

Joh 14:19

John 14:19

Yet a little while,—[Less than twenty-four hours Jesus would be crucified.]

and the world beholdeth me no more;—[None but his dis­ciples saw him after his burial.]

but ye behold me:—[The present use of the future.]

because I live, ye shall live also.—[The mind of Jesus sweeps on in its outlook to the glorious consequences of the resurrection. Not only shall they see him for the few weeks between the resurrection and ascension, but they, too, will conquer death, and they, in their restored and eternal life, will continue to behold him.] In a short time he would be crucified. This was spoken on the day preceding his cruci­fixion. The world could see him till his burial. Then the world would see him no more. But his disciples would see him after his resurrection and would be with him through eternity. The world did not see Jesus after his resurrection, only his brethren.

Verse 20

Joh 14:20

John 14:20

In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.—After his resurrection, the disciples would know his union with the Father, and their union and oneness with Jesus. [Beginning, at least, on Pentecost, if not confined to it, for then began that clearness of spiritual per­ception which goes on through the ages to the final glory. They shall realize the divine personality of Christ as never before. But they shall also realize, through the Holy Spirit, a divine exaltation for themselves which shall bring them into the most intimate spiritual relations with him.]

Verse 21

Joh 14:21

John 14:21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:—Love as presented by Jesus is not a mere sentiment, but it is a living, active principle. “For this is the love of God. that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:3). So he makes the keeping of the commandments of God the test of their love for him. Man needs a test to try his love for God. When do I love him sufficient to be accepted of him is a question that will frequently come up to the believer. Jesus gives the test: If we are willing to do what he commands us to please him, he will accept us. He gives commands that man can see no wisdom in, and that are humiliating that he may be sure he keeps the command from a desire to obey God. [Jesus repeats his crucial test of love. It is of the highest importance to us that we shall not over­look this pregnant utterance and substitute for obedience emotional ecstasies.]

and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,—To those who show their love to God by obedience to his com­mands, the Father will both love and manifest himself to them.

and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.—Jesus will be with and in them as feeling and bearing their weaknesses, temptations, and sins; and they would be in him as partaking of his strength and comfort and sharing his bless­ings and honors.

Verse 22

Joh 14:22

John 14:22

Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him,—Judas was the brother of James and is the same person as “Lebbaeus” and “Thaddaeus” and is the author of the Epistle of Jude.

Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?—He failed as yet to under­stand the spiritual nature of Christ’s kingdom or the condi­tion of his disciples after the resurrection; he expected an earthly, temporal rule and did not see how Jesus could mani­fest himself to the disciples and fail to do the same to the world. [This reveals again the carnal inability of the disci­ples at this time to comprehend the spiritual revelations of Christ. The spiritual manifestation in the heart they knew nothing about. They thought only of external, visible mani­festation in Messianic glory, and they supposed, and rightly, that this would be to the whole world.]

Verse 23

Joh 14:23

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word:—Jesus declares that the rule he had laid down, or the test given, applied not only to his immediate disciples, but it was one that applied to all men. If any one loves him, he must believe in him as the Son of God, infinite in wisdom, goodness, and power, and one who so believes and loves him will keep his words. All pretenses to believe in him, and trust him, while refusing to keep his words, are false and misleading.

and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.—This abode will be through the Holy Spirit as their representative. “In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22). The Spirit as the representative of God dwells in his church.

Verse 24

Joh 14:24

John 14:24

He that loveth me not keepeth not my words:—On the other hand, he who does not love God will not keep his words—will not obey and follow him. To keep his words is to cherish and ponder them in the heart, and to obey them because they have been commanded by God. One may do the very thing commanded by God, and yet not keep the words of God. He may do it from some other motive than to please and honor him. All service to God must be with the desire to please and honor him. [No other evidence of the want of love is necessary. This is conclusive.]

and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.—All things spoken by Jesus were from God, hence to hear Jesus was to hear God. [He thus adds the final sanction to all that he has been saying. In refusing to keep my words, they are refusing to keep the Father’s word, and, thus rejecting all divine instruction, they are unworthy of all divine presence.]

Verse 25

Joh 14:25

John 14:25

These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you.—Jesus knew the hour of his departure was now at hand. This was spoken the very night of his betrayal. Judas had already gone to bring the band to arrest him.

Verse 26

Joh 14:26

John 14:26

But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Fa­ther will send in my name,—The disciples were now distressed that Jesus was about to leave them. The coming of the Holy Spirit to teach and strengthen them would be an espe­cial comfort to them so he is called the Comforter. The Father would send him in his name to take the place as the representative of Jesus.

he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.—He was to teach all things needful to their well-being and to guide them into all truth, and to recall to their remembrance his teaching. Man is forgetful and a divine Monitor is sent to them to call to their memory all things he had taught them. The ground for their re­liance on the certainty of the word of God is that the Spirit of God guided into the truths stated. All departure from the word of God concerning entrance into the church and into Christ come from the idea that the Spirit teaches outside of the word of God. All additions to the church in its order, organization, and work come from the idea that the Spirit dwells in. guides, and directs the church apart from his teach­ing in and through the word of God. To give up the word of God as the only direction and guidance of the Spirit is to give loose reign to the dreams and imaginations, the reason­ings, and philosophies of men as the directions of the Holy Spirit. It is to substitute these for the revelations of God when “men spake from God. being moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21). There used to be a dilemma about creeds. If a creed has more than is in the Bible, it has too much; if it has less than is in the Bible, it has too little; if it differs from the Bible, it is wrong; if it has just what the Bible has, it is the Bible, and not a human creed. So if the Spirit teaches more than the Bible teaches, he teaches too much; if he teaches less, he teaches too little; if he teaches different from the word of God, he teaches wrong; if he teaches what the word teaches, he teaches through the word, for no uninspired soul ever learned a spiritual truth save through the words of the Bible.

Verse 27

Joh 14:27

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you:—The peace that Jesus gave them was not peaceable and pleas­ant surroundings. It was not an outward or external peace, but it was a composure and peace of mind and spirit that no external surroundings or troubles can destroy or disturb. This is the only sure and true peace on earth. Disturbances, trials, and troubles will arise in the world, and the mind that is dependent upon the external surroundings for peace will never find peace on earth. One who believe and trusts in Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells with and imparts to him the Spirit of Jesus, and he becomes a partaker of the peace that Jesus possesses. With the peace of Jesus in our hearts, we may look without fear on all the troubles and disturbances of life. This is unlike the peace the world proposes.

not as the world giveth, give I unto you,—[Either in quan­tity or quality. I give richly, abundantly, my presence and my Father’s presence in the most intimate communion.]

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.—[Neither caring for what has come, nor dreading that which may still come. Thus he returns to the beginning of the lesson begun at the opening of the chapter. Believe in God, believe also in me, and rest in perfect peace!]

Verse 28

Joh 14:28

John 14:29

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe—In knowing be­forehand what was coming to pass would give them com­posure and endurance in passing through the trials, and be an assurance to them, after they had taken place as Jesus foretold. The object and purpose of prophetic foretellings were not to produce a completed faith in the things foretold in those to whom the announcements were made, but that when the fulfillment did come, the people then seeing the fulfillment of the announcements, would believe the matter was prearranged and under the direction of God, and hence provided and inspired of God.

Verse 30

Joh 14:30

John 14:30

I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh:—The prince of the world was Satan. He was embodied in the wicked rulers, Jewish and Gentile, that were compassing the death of Jesus.

and he hath nothing in me;—As the rulers of the kingdoms of this world, instigated by the prince of this world, they found nothing in Jesus for them to uphold, defend, or cherish. His works and spirit were antagonistic to theirs. [There was then, as now, nothing in common between the prince and spirit of the world and Christ, and hence had no sympathy for him. The devil never did, and never will, capture a man unless he finds something in him common with himself. If he finds a sinful ambition or lust in him, he seizes upon it and makes it the means of his ruin.]

Verse 31

Joh 14:31

John 14:31

but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.—The test of love is the keeping or obeying the commandments of God. This is the test of love in all the relations of life. The child shows its love for the parents by keeping the com­mands of the parents, so of the wife to the husband, the citi­zen to the earthly ruler. The dependent or subject shows love to those over them by keeping their commandments. The superior shows love for the inferior by sacrifice and con­descension to help the inferior. The test of Christ’s love was to do the commandments of God, even unto the giving up of his life to please and honor him. This speech, beginning at chapter 13:21 and continuing through this chapter, was spoken while they were still at the table.

Jesus not only abode in his Father’s love by keeping his Father’s commandments, but he showed this love for the Father to the world by keeping his commandments. He knew of no better way to show his love to his Father than by doing his Father’s commandments. Are we wiser than he? Can we show our love to God in any better way, in any other way, than by doing the commandments of God? “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. ... If a man love me, he will keep my word. . . . He that loveth me not keepeth not my words.” (John 14:21-24). “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him.” (1 John 2:4-5). “Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:2-3).

Arise, let us go hence.—They arose and went toward the Mount of Olives. On the way this discourse was completed, embracing the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters.

Questions on John Chapter Fourteen

E.M. Zerr

1. What did Jesus bid them not do?

2. On what belief did he base it?

3. Where were the many mansions?

4. For what was Jesus going?

5. Afterward what was he to do?

6. This was for what purpose?

7. Who questioned him about the way?

8. Repeat the answer.

9. How must one co}me to the Father?

10. How could the Father be known?

11. State Philip’s request.

12. And the answer.

13. What should he believe?

14. What words did Jesus speak?

15. Tell who were doing the works.

16. These should produce faith in whom?

17. Who may also perform such works?

18. What further ability will be have?

19. What basis of asking is required?

20. Tell the results promised.

21. Love for Christ requires what?

22. Tell what Jesus promised to do.

23. What was the Father to send?

24. How long was he to remain?

25. What spirit was this?

26. Who cannot receive it?

27. State the reason.

28. What further assurance was given with regards to leaving them?

29. State advantage of disciples over the world.

30. What crisis was about to come?

31. Who was said to love Jesus?

32. This will bring him what favor?

33. What manifestation will it bring?

34. Who next questioned Jesus?

35. State the point of his inquiry.

36. On what virtue was the answer based?

37. What association is then promised?

38. To what source does Jesus ascribe his words?

39. Why was he speaking them now?

40. What was to take his place?

41. Ten who was to send it.

42. In what name?

43. What service was it to do for them?

44. Jesus was to leave what with them?

45. It was different from what?

46. Repeat his words of comfort here.

47. What had they heard?

48. How should they have felt about it?

49. Why should they have done so?

50. Ten why Jesus foretold these things.

51. What person was to contact him?

52. He would obtain what?

53. State the purpose of this contact.