John Chapter 14

The upper Room Discourse (the last discourse of Jesus)

1. Two I Ams: 1) the way, the truth and the life, b) the true vine
2. Has 25 promises and 13 admonitions.

Takes place in the upper room (Mark 14:12-16)

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13 And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15 And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16 The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. (ESV)

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

1 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

1^st admonition

2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

1^st promise

Jesus He would leave the earth for the purpose of preparing a place for the believers.

"MANSIONS" of lasting, permanent, and eternal dwellings.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

2^nd promise

Jesus’ disciples that He would depart from them physically—first for a short period of time, and then return to them for a much longer duration. They were not to be troubled or disturbed by His ab­sence

This special coming to take believers to the place He has prepared is the promise of the rapture, not the second coming.

The purpose of the second coming is for Jesus to judge the living and the dead and to set up His kingdom. He will come to earth and reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years. In contrast, the promise in John 14:3 is that when He comes for the saints, He will take them to the place where He is going to be, which is heaven (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9, 7:55; 1 Peter 3:22). So, when Jesus returns at the second coming, He will stay on earth; but at the rapture, He will take the saints into heaven.

Jesus will take believers into heaven after they meet Him in the air (I Thess. 4:17). This is the pre-tribulational view of the rap­ture.

Note: post-tribulationism teaches that the Rapture and the Second Coming are facets of a single event that will occur at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns. (CS)

4 And you know the way to where I am going."

1. The first encouragement is: to the disciples of Christ heaven is sure (v.2,3).
2. The second encouragement is: disciples in Christ have a certain way to heaven (v.4-11).
3. The third encouragement is: disciples need not fear that with the departure of Christ His work will cease (v.12-14).
4. The fourth encouragement is: in the absence of Christ disciples will have the help of the Spirit (v.15-17).
5. The fifth encouragement is: Christ will not leave His people forever, but will come back again (v.18-24).
6. The sixth encouragement is: the Spirit will teach the disciples and supply their lack of understanding when left alone (v.25, 26).
7. The seventh encouragement is: the legacy of peace will be left to cheer them in their Master’s absence (v.27).  (JCR)

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

This verse shows how foolishly a disciple may talk under the influence of despondency. Here is one of the eleven faithful Apostles declaring flatly that they neither knew where their Master was going nor the way! (JCR)

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

2^nd Admonition

Christ is "the WAY": the way to heaven and peace with God. He is not only the guide, and teacher, and lawgiver, like Moses; He is Himself the door, the ladder, and the road, through whom we must draw near to God. He has opened the way to the tree of life, which was closed when Adam and Eve fell, by the satisfaction He made for us on the cross. Through His blood we may draw near with boldness, and have access with confidence into God's presence.

Christ is "the TRUTH": the whole substance of true religion which the mind of man requires. Without Him the wisest heathen groped in gross darkness and knew nothing about God. Before He came even the Jews saw "through a glass darkly," and discerned nothing distinctly under the types, figures, and ceremonies of the Mosaic law. Christ is the whole truth, and meets and satisfies every desire of the human mind.

Christ is "the LIFE": the sinner's title to eternal life and pardon, the believer's root of spiritual life and holiness, the surety of the Christian's resurrection life. He that believes on Christ has everlasting life. He that abides in Him, as the branch abides in the vine, shall bring forth much fruit. He that believes on Him, though he were dead, yet shall he live. The root of all life, for soul and for body, is Christ. (JCR)

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

Perhaps Philip’s petition is recorded to show how little knowledge the Apostles yet had of their Master’s nature, and how little they realized that He and the Father were one.

Melancthon remarks that Philip’s petition represents the natural wish of man in every age.

Men everywhere feel an inward craving to see God. Whatever sense we put on the words, we must carefully remember not to judge Philip too harshly.  (JCR) Especially from the 21 century!

9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

A gentle rebuke

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

3^rd Admonition

The whole difficulty of the verse arises from forgetting the close and mysterious and insoluble union between the Persons of the Trinity. How little we realize the fulness of the expression, “The Father dwells in Me.” (JCR)

11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

He is the one who knows the Father.

To know Him is to know the Father.

His words prove His origin, while His works authenticate His words. In light of these works, which authenticated His words, the admonition is to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

3^rd Promise

Believers will do greater works than Jesus.

Unfortunately, based on this verse, some teach that believers will be able to accomplish works of greater quality than Jesus; however, no one will ever be able to surpass the quality of Jesus’s works. He was the perfect God-Man.

The term greater can be understood in two ways: greater in quality or greater in number. The second option is the correct way to understand this promise: they are greater in quantity, but certainly not in quality.

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

4^th Promise

Answered prayer

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

With these words, Jesus established a new basis of prayer: to pray and ask in His name. Asking in Jesus’s name means to ask based on His authority, for His sake, and because of the believer’s relationship with Him.

It does not mean automatic answer in the affirmative

One of these teachings is that God will answer every prayer in the name of Jesus that is exercised by faith in accordance with His will.

Jesus promised to answer all prayers in His name that are in accordance with the will of the Father (I Jn. 5:14). The divine motive for answering prayer is that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13); hence, it must be in accordance with His will.

After all, the Father knows best. He can see the end from the beginning. He knows the future consequences of the request, and He knows whether such a prayer should be answered or not.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

4^th Admonition

Keep the Messiah’s commandments

Love

Keep

Commandments

The love that is called for here in this discourse is agapao – a love of the will – one chooses to love.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

5^th Promise

The Holy Spirit will be sent

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

1.       The Holy Spir­it is referred to in Greek as allon Parakleton, meaning another Com­forter. Just as Jesus is our Paraclete, our Advocate, the Holy Spirit is also called to our side to assist, console, comfort, encourage and intercede on our behalf as an ad­vocate in court.

2.       The apostles would have a new relationship to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was no stranger to them, which is why Jesus said, You know him (Jn. 14:17). The Holy Spirit had already been active in the disciples’ lives and was a well-known entity in the Hebrew Bible.

3.       The Holy Spirit will never leave the believer. The few people in the Old Testament who were indwelled by the Holy Spirit were not necessarily indwelled permanently. Now this would change, as Jesus promised, I will not leave you as orphans (Jn. 14:18). The Greek word orphanous, an adjective meaning “an abandoned person.”

In Old Testament times the Spirit came on some believers for special enablement, but after Pentecost He indwells every believer permanently (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13).

18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

He would not leave them orphaned, but through the Spirit, they would be the adopted sons of God.

Note: Others think, as Augustine and Bede, that our Lord looks far forward to His second coming at the end of the world and speaks the words to the whole company of believers in every age: “I am coming again. I come quickly.” JCR holds this view.

19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

It is now the night between Thursday and Friday. On Friday Jesus will die on the cross. After that the world referring to those who do not love him, will no longer see him. Not even physically will they be able to observe him. In the Spirit, however, the disciples will indeed observe Jesus.

His resurrection is also the pledge of their resurrection (Because I live, you also will live; cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–21) and the foundation of a new life.

20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

John 14:20 centres especially on the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and the oneness of the believers with Jesus. Jesus returned to heaven as the exalted Head of the church (Eph. 1:19–23); then He sent the Spirit so that the members of the body would be joined to their Head in a living union. Believers today, of course, did not see Jesus after His resurrection or in His ascension, but we are united to Him by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

6^th Promise

The focus moves from the eleven to whoever has my commandments.

Both the Father and the Son would love them

All believers show their love for God by keeping His commandments. God the Father and God the Son will show their love for the believers by rewarding them for keeping His commandments.

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"

Jesus will take special means to disclose His Person, nature and goodness to that believer.

Judas is confused, thinking manifest meant some kind of theophany—a visible manifestation of God. So he asks if it will be a private manifestation to themselves only and not a public theophany that will show the whole world his glory. Judas doesn’t understand the spiritual facet of this manifestation.

23 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

5^th Admonition

Love the Messiah

7^th Promise

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

The clause, “and make our home with him,” indicates a very close and intimate relationship. Father and Son, in and through the Spirit, are ever by the side of those who love their Lord, ready to comfort.

24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

Once more the same great principle already taught is laid down again from the negative side. Where there is no obedience to Christ, there is no love. (JCR)

25 "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.

This presence is very real. Its operation can be felt. The Spirit will convict of sin, lead to daily repentance, impart assurance of salvation, bestow the peace of God that passes all understanding, admonish, comfort; all of this in connection with the Word. It is in that way that Christ has promised to manifest himself to the disciples, but not to the world.

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

8^th Promise

The context limits the “all things” to the interpretation and significance of His person and work.

One of the special ministries of the Holy Spirit to the apostles was to bring to remembrance all that Jesus had taught them so they could record His teachings accurately. The Gospels of the New Testament exist because the Holy Spirit brought to remembrance all that Jesus taught.

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

9^th Promise

Divine peace: Jesus promised that there would be peace in the heart of the apostles, but not in the world, for that will only come during the millennial kingdom.

28 You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

6^th Admonition

Rejoice always

The disciple’s failure to rejoice would show that their love for Him was selfish. If they loved Him unselfishly, they would be neither troubled nor disturbed about His departure; they would rejoice in it, because He would be with the Father.

29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.

Fulfilled prophecy is a great comfort and support to believers. Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection many times (e.g., Mark 8:31–32; 9:31). When this came to pass, after their initial shock, it would greatly help their faith.

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

His teaching time was now limited because Satan, the ruler of this world (cf. John 12:31; 16:11), was moving his forces against Jesus through Judas (13:2, 27).

31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Jesus here says that he will not resist, but instead will go forth boldly, on his way to meet Satan’s representatives. He will do this because he lays down his life voluntarily (10:11).