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| Chapter 14 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ "Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God; believe also in Me. 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. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 ¶ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." 5 Thomas said unto Him, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said unto him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. 7 If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him." 8 Philip said unto Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth." 9 Jesus said unto him, "Have I been so long a time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father?’ 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. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the very works’ sake. 12 ¶ Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth in Me, the works that I do he shall do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 ¶ "If ye love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever" 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. 18 ¶ "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth Me no more, but ye see Me. Because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said unto Him, "Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" 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. 24 He that loveth Me not, keepeth not My sayings. And the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. 25 ¶ "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit 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. 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. 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. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 "Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. |
This chapter tries to prepare the disciples for the departure of Jesus, the rejection and betrayal of Judas and the failure of Peter and the other disciples. It concerns the final return of Christ, the future home of the followers. v1-2 The disciples were troubled, Jesus had showed that Peter would fail Him, if Peter failed what chance had they? Jesus told them to Believe in the Father and in Him. The future reward is great for God has prepared a place, Jesus said My Fathers House, though the Temple of Jerusalem was large and had many rooms, Jesus is referring to the Fathers heavenly home. There are many mansions (homes, places to live in.) for you. "if it was not so I would have told you," The Father has provided for His children more than we need. v3 Jesus is going to prepare the way, He will open the door to the Father for you ( when He dies on the cross). "Come again" could mean His resurrection, the death of a believer or the second coming. (compare the death of Stephen and Jesus waiting for him. Act 7:55-60). v4,5 "You know the way" Thomas’s questions showed that they still had not understood the spiritual truth, they still did not know where Jesus was going so could not know the way. v6,7 Jesus gives a spiritual answer, "I am the only way to the Father, my way is the true way." You know me, through me you have seen the Father. If you know Jesus then you will know the Father. v8 Philip was expecting a physical appearance of the Father, a direct vision of Him. (See Ex 33:18-23). v9-11 Jesus tells Philip and the other disciples off, "Have I been with you for so long?," time was getting short to when He was to complete the plan and still they did not know Him. "Have you not been listening to me? Not seen what I have done? " They had seen wonders and miracles showing His great power, His healing, His bringing people back to life who were dead. Yet it appears that they still had not recognized who He was and His true nature. This power can only come from God, It is God who is doing the miracles, God is in Jesus, Jesus must be God. v12,13 Belief leads to power. The words Jesus now speaks were not just to the disciples but to all who were to believe in the future, you and I. But belief and obedience must go together, trust and obey, the secret of answered prayer. "Greater Works" Not only are the works of Jesus to be a pattern (copied) for the disciples but they are to do even greater works. The "Works" must be under the control and plan of God, part of His God given mission. Greater works must also show the wider contacts the disciples were to have, the book of Acts shows this happening. The whole point is that the Father must be glorified by the "works." v15 We must link faith and love together in obedience, "My Commandments" is referring to all the teaching of Jesus, this is a very large improvement on the obedience of the Jews to the Mosaic Laws. v16 Is linked to the promise of keeping His commandments, ‘The Comforter’ is the coming Holy Spirit, who was to be part of the believer to give all the help needed to live the life in Christ, not just to come upon a person to carry out the Will of God as had happened up to this point. v17 Jesus puts importance upon the special characteristics (abilities, powers) of the coming Comforter, "The Spirit of Truth" must be very important for the believer. The non believer cannot see or feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, but those who are the children of God through Jesus will not only know about Him but He will live with you and live in you. v18-20 Jesus tells the disciples that He will never leave them, even though the world may not be able to see Him. "Yet a little while" points to the resurrection (coming back to life) of Jesus when the disciple would see Jesus differently. v21 For us to love the Lord and keeping His commandments must always go together, The Father and Jesus will love us because of this. v22-24 This raises a problem for Judas(not Iscariot). Why not the whole world? The answer Jesus gives makes love motive the center, for wherever believers look for the Father, then Jesus and the Father will make there home with them. But many will not desire this situation and reject Jesus and His words. These are not my promises, they are the Fathers. v25-26 Jesus again mentions His soon departure but also reminds them that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit will soon come and will teach and remind the disciple of all the teaching of Jesus. v27-29 Jesus now speaks of the peace He will give, a peace which the world cannot give. "What ever happens do not be frightened when what I have talked about to you happens." Be very happy, rejoice when I go to my Father for He controls all things and when all this happens you will believe. Jesus was about to be glorified, His future position would be greater than now. v30,31 The ruler of the world is coming, yet Satan has no power over Jesus. Jesus is following the Fathers orders in love for His Father. They now leave the upper room, which means that the teaching in the following chapter must have taken place as they walked to Kidron. |
Easy English Translation
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