The Lord announced to His disciples in the previous chapter that He was going to leave them and return to the Father (chap. 13:33-36). They were naturally troubled about this because they were expecting Him to establish the kingdom in power as Israel's Messiah—but this upset all their plans and hopes. Since the Lord was rejected, He would not set up the kingdom at that time; but He was going to bring in a new order of things altogether in a new dispensation. To comfort their hearts, the Lord laid before the disciples no less than twelve things that they would gain in the new dispensation that were superior to what they had in the old. These things would all result from the Lord going to the Father on high and sending the Holy Spirit. These are the two distinguishing features of Christianity (John 7:39). Knowing that they were going to receive something better would bring comfort to their troubled hearts. The twelve spiritual gains are:
• They would know Him in a new way (relationship) as the glorified Head of the new creation in heaven, rather than having Him as the Messiah of Israel on earth (vs. 1).
• They would have a place prepared for them to dwell in the Father’s house in heaven (vss. 2-3). Every godly Jew looked for a place in the kingdom on earth, but this was superior to the best place that one could have on earth.
• They would know the Father by life eternal (vss. 4-11; John 17:3). The Lord Jesus is “the way” to the Father, “the truth” of the Father, and “the life” that brings us into relationship with the Father. But this necessitated Him accomplishing redemption (John 3:14-15) and returning to heaven to send the Holy Spirit (John 4:14).
• They would do greater works in service than the Lord did Himself (vs. 12; Acts 2:41; 5:15-16; 19:12).
• They would have a new power in prayer through using His "name" (vss. 13-14).
• They would have the Spirit’s presence and power with them in two ways: “with you,” and “in you” (vss. 16-17).
• They would enjoy the Lord’s presence in their midst collectively (vs. 18). He would come to them (in spirit) when they were gathered together, and thus they would have Him in their midst in a special way (Matt. 18:20; John 20:19).
• They would live by His high priestly help of intercession (vs. 19; Rom. 5:10; Heb. 7:25).
• They would have a new position of acceptance before God in Him (vs. 20 – “ye in Me”) and His character formed in them by the Spirit here below (vs. 20 – “I in you”).
• They would enjoy communion with Him and the Father in a more intimate way (vss. 21-24).
• They would have a complete unfolding of the truth through the coming of the Spirit (vss. 25-26). When He was with them, He taught them things concerning the kingdom on earth (“these things”), but the Spirit would unfold “all things” to them, which is the Christian revelation.
• They would have His peace with them as they faced opposition and persecution (vs. 27).