Bible Commentaries
John 14

Verse 1

Let not your heart be troubled - At my departure. Believe - This is the sum of all his discourse, which is urged till they did believe, John 16:30 . And then our Lord prays and departs.

Verse 2

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

In my Father’s house are many mansions — Enough to receive both the holy angels, and your predecessors in the faith, and all that now believe, and a great multitude, which no man can number.

Verse 4

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

The way — Of faith, holiness, sufferings.

Verse 5

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Thomas saith — Taking him in a gross sense.

Verse 6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

To the question concerning the way, he answers, I am the way. To the question concerning knowledge, he answers, I am the truth. To the question whither, I am the life. The first is treated of in this verse; the second, John 14:7-17; the third, 14:18, etc.

Verse 7

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Ye have known — Ye have begun to know him.

Verse 10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

I am in the Father — The words that I speak, etc.-That is, I am one with the Father, in essence, in speaking, and in acting.

Verse 11

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Believe me — On my own word, because I am God.

The works — This respects not merely the miracles themselves, but his sovereign, Godlike way of performing them.

Verse 12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Greater works than these shall he do — So one apostle wrought miracles merely by his shadow, Acts 5:15; another by handkerchiefs carried from his body, Acts 19:12; and all spake with various tongues. But the converting one sinner is a greater work than all these.

Because I go to my Father — To send you the Holy Ghost.

Verse 15

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If ye love me, keep my commandments — Immediately after faith he exhorts to love and good works.

Verse 16

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

And I will ask the Father — The21st verse, John 14:21, shows the connection between this and the preceding verses.

And he will give you another Comforter — The Greek word signifies also an advocate, instructer, or encourager.

Another — For Christ himself was one.

To remain with you for ever — With you, and your followers in faith, to the end of the world.

Verse 17

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Spirit of truth — Who has, reveals, testifies, and defends the truth as it is in Jesus.

Whom the world — All who do not love or fear God, cannot receive, because it seeth him not - Having no spiritual senses, no internal eye to discern him; nor consequently knoweth him.

He shall be in you — As a constant guest. Your bodies and souls shall be temples of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you.

Verse 18

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I will not leave you orphans — A word that is elegantly applied to those who have lost any dear friend.

I come to you — What was certainly and speedily to be, our Lord speaks of as if it were already.

Verse 19

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

But ye see me — That is, ye shall certainly see me.

Because I live, ye shall live also — Because I am the living One in my Divine nature, and shall rise again in my human nature, and live for ever in heaven: therefore ye shall live the life of faith and love on earth, and hereafter the life of glory.

Verse 20

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

At that day — When ye see me after my resurrection; but more eminently at the day of pentecost.

Verse 21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

He that hath my commandments — Written in his heart.

I will manifest myself to him — More abundantly.

Verse 23

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Jesus answered — Because ye love and obey me, and they do not, therefore I will reveal myself to you, and not to them.

My Father will love him — The more any man loves and obeys, the more God will love him.

And we will come to him, and make our abode with him — Which implies such a large manifestation of the Divine presence and love, that the former in justification is as nothing in comparison of it.

Verse 26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

In my name — For my sake, in my room, and as my agent.

He will teach you all things — Necessary for you to know. Here is a clear promise to the apostles, and their successors in the faith, that the Holy Ghost will teach them all that truth which is needful for their salvation.

Verse 27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Peace I leave with you — Peace in general; peace with God and with your own consciences.

My peace — In particular; that peace which I enjoy, and which I create, I give - At this instant.

Not as the world giveth — Unsatisfying unsettled, transient; but filling the soul with constant, even tranquillity. Lord, evermore give us this peace! How serenely may we pass through the most turbulent scenes of life, when all is quiet and harmonious within! Thou hast made peace through the blood of thy cross. May we give all diligence to preserve the inestimable gift inviolate, till it issue in everlasting peace!

Verse 28

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

God the Father is greater than I — As he was man. As God, neither is greater nor less than the other.

Verse 29

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

I have told you — Of my going and return.

Verse 30

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

The prince of this world is coming — To make his grand assault.

But he hath nothing in me — No right, no claim, or power. There is no guilt in me, to give him power over me; no corruption to take part with his temptation.

Verse 31

But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

But I suffer him thus to assault me, 1. Because it is the Father’s commission to me, John 10:182. To convince the world of my love to the Father, in being obedient unto death, Philippians 2:8.

Arise, let us go hence — Into the city, to the passover. All that has been related from John 12:31, was done and said on Thursday, without the city. But what follows in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters, was said in the city, on the very evening of the passover just before he went over the brook Kedron.