OH 14{ Verses 1-11. Here the Lord enters upon His last words to His disciples in view of His departure from them. He begins with words of comfort. "Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in Me." They would still be the objects of His care; and though they could not have Him any more personally as the Messiah with them, as they believed in God whom they could not see, so now they were to believe in Him, who, though out of sight, would be nearer to them than ever before, and He would have them ever on His heart. In His Father's house were many abodes-room for them all-and He was going to prepare a place for them there. He was parting company with them just for a purpose, and only for a little while. He had to go to the cross to prepare them for the place, and He had to go to heaven to prepare the place for them, then He would come again and receive them unto Himself, so that where He was, there they should be also. Now they knew whither He was going and they knew the way. But Thomas did not understand Him, and said, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me, if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." We have already seen that the words Ile spoke were not from Himself, and that the Father did all His works through Him. But Philip has not understood this, and says, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." The Lord draws his attention to Himself, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet past thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? 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. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the very works' sake." "In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9.) "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." John 1:18. And yet, "No man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father.'' Luke 10:22. "He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20. "God manifest in the flesh." How those dear disciples would wonder afterward at their slowness to apprehend the blessed person that He was that walked with them those three years and a half of His servant path on earth, Where they saw all His works and heard His words all spoken and done as a man dependent on the Father. We cannot fathom such mysteries, but faith believes and worships.
Verses 12-14. " 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. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that v. ill I do, that the Father may be glorified in he Son if ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." In the words of another, "After He was gone, they would do even greater works than He did, because they should act in connection with his greater nearness to the Father. This was requisite to His glory. It was even unlimited. He placed them in immediate connection with the Father by the power of His work and of His name; and whatsoever they should ask the Father in His name, Christ Him self would do it for them. Their request should be heard and granted by the Father-showing hat nearness He had acquired for them; and (Christ) would do all they should ask. For power of the Son was not, and could not wanting to the Father's will: there was no limit to His power." (Synopsis J. N. D.) These are works done by the Lord through disciples in connection with His glorified place-works that are for His glory, not necessarily, or only, miracles for testimony, though it would also include them. (See Acts 19:11, 12.) And it is certainly more wonderful to see such works done by Christ's power in a redeemed man-a weak vessel in himself-than to see them done by Him whom we know is God over all, blessed forever.
Verse 15. Their love was to show itself by keeping His commandments. Obedience was ever His on earth, and they are to walk in the same path; not the obedience of the law, but the delight of the heart that loves Him, to do what pleases the one it loves. It was this they were set apart for (1 Peter 1:2), and love delights to own His claims upon it, as a purchased one.
Verse 16. "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." What divine unity of mind and purpose we constantly see in these three persons, as in this verse. And here the Son prays the Father that the Holy Spirit may abide with them forever-a comforter that will never leave them, but will take possession of them as redeemed ones, for time and eternity.
Verses 17, 18. He is the Spirit of truth, but the world cannot receive Him. They would not receive the Son whom they could see, and this one they can neither see nor know, but His own would know Him. He would dwell with them, and should be in them, and He would give them to know the presence of the Lord with them. They would not be left (orphans) comfortless. He, the Lord, would come to them. How different when in the days of His flesh He companied with them, and they could see Him, but how much more intimately would they enjoy, in spirit, His presence now by the Holy Spirit's power, and so for all believers. everywhere, and at once. For now it is the privilege of each believer to know His presence, and to walk with Him. Praise His blessed name!
Verse 19. “Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more." The world has lost Christ. They put Him on the cross, and then saw Him no more. (Acts 10:40, 41.) When it sees Him again He will come as a judge, ''Every eye shall see Him... And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him." "But ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also." Yes, as believers, we now see Jesus crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2) and in His life we live. How safe is the life that is hid with Christ in God! Because I live, ye shall live also. Nothing can touch that blessed One there, and we are in Him, and He is in us.
Verse 20. "At that day (that is, when the Holy Spirit had come) ye shall know that am in My Father, and ye in Me, and in you." This expresses our new position in the Father and the Son, and He in us down here.
In the epistles it is more developed. (Eph. 1:3.)
Verse 21. This life that is ours in Him, expresses its love in having and keeping His commandments, and where it is so, where we express our love to our blessed Lord, we find a deep and warm response in the Father's love, and in the Son's love; and, blessed manifestations of Himself to us.
Verse 22. Judas (not Iscariot) could not understand how the world would not see Him also, if manifested.
Verse 23. This should convince Judas that it was spiritual manifestation, and something much to be desired in our lives here below. "If a man love Me, he will keep My word; (that is, the mind of God, though not expressed directly in commandments, as Mary knew it by sitting at Jesus' feet), and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." What comfort of love to the obedient heart this must be! What intimacy of love and communion this gives! O, that our souls knew practically what it means to have the Father and the Son making their abode with us, while we wait for our Lord to come and take us to dwell with Him in the Father's presence, in the home prepared for us, and where we shall go no more out.
No more as here, mid snares, to fear
A thought or wish unholy;
No more to pain the Lamb once slain,
But live to love Thee wholly!"
"Lord, haste that day."
Verse 24. But there were those who did not love Him, and kept not His sayings; yet the word was not His, but the Father's and in rejecting Him they also rejected the Father.
Verses 25, 26. He had told them all these things while He was present with them, but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father would send in His name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. He has here two special works to do-to teach them, and to bring all things to their remembrance. What a comforter He is!
Verse 27. Now He bequeaths to them "Peace," but, O, what trouble He had to go through that we might have it. "He made peace by the blood of His cross," and "He is our Peace." With all that work of the cross before Him, opposition from man and Satan's power, and all the judgment of God to be borne, He can speak as assured of victory. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." It is for us, and given to those who walk in His footsteps. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." This is the path Jesus walked in, depending on His Father. He does not give as the world gives, He shares with us what He has proved and enjoyed with the Father here below.
Verses 28, 29. Here He counts on their hearts rejoicing in His going to the Father, but it seems only to bring sorrow to them because of their loss. (Chapter 16:6.) They thought of it afterward.
Verse 30. His conversation with them is near an end. The prince of this world was again allowed to come against Him, only to find nothing in Him.
Verse 31. He will finish His path of loving obedience to the Father's will at all cost.
"The Lord then ceases to speak, and goes forth. He is no longer seated with His own, as of this world. He arises and quits it." (Synopsis J. N. D.)