Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(John 14:1) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."
At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had told His disciples He would be leaving them soon. He now told them not to be troubled by that. He told them to believe in God and believe in Him also, to trust in Them and have confidence in Their faithfulness.
(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."
Jesus told His disciples that in His Father's house, that is heaven, there were many mansions. Actually the original word translated as "mansions" just meant "abode, dwelling." Jesus was telling them that there was more than enough room for all of them. And if that was not true, He would have never given them such false hope. He was about to go and prepare a place for them.
(3) "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, you may be also."
Jesus assured them that if He went to prepare a place for them, He would surely come again and receive them into His heavenly abode with Him. They would indeed be able to follow Him there later as Jesus had told Peter at the end of the last chapter (John 13:36).
(4) "And where I go you know, and the way you know."
He told His disciples that they did know about where He was going, and they knew the way there, which was through Him. Although they may not have understood exactly what that meant, they had accepted and believed in Jesus as the Messiah, therefore they had known the way to Him.
(5) Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
Thomas demonstrated that they didn't understand what Jesus had meant when he told Him that they didn't know where He was going, so how could they know the way?
(6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me."
Jesus answered Thomas that He was the way. He was the way, the truth, and the everlasting life He had often talked about with His disciples. He explained how He was the way, as no one could come to the Father, and therefore to His Father's house, except through Him.
(7) "If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also, and from now on, you know Him and have seen Him."
Jesus answered that if they knew Him, they should have known His Father also, as He and His Father were one, as He had previously said (John 10:30). From that point forward, they should understand that they did know God and they had seen Him in the form of Jesus who was one with God, God Himself.
(8) Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us."
Philip, still not grasping Jesus's meaning, asked Jesus to just show them the Father and that would be enough for them.
(9) Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; and how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"
Jesus answered Philip by asking how it was he could have been so long with Him and still not know Him. He again stated that whoever had seen Him, had seen the Father. Therefore, how could he ask Jesus to show them the Father, as He already had shown them, in Himself.
(10) "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I speak not of Myself, but the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works."
Jesus went on to ask Philip if he believed that Jesus was in the Father and the Father was in Him as He had said in John 10:38. Jesus said that He did not speak from His human self, but from God who dwelt in Him. It was God Himself who did the works, therefore He had already shown them the Father.
(11) "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works' sake."
Jesus told him to believe that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him. Or at the very least, believe in Him as one with God because of the works that He did that could only be of God.
(12) "Verily, verily, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater than these will he do because I go to my Father."
Jesus told His disciples that very assuredly, he who believed in Him would do the works that He did. In fact, he would do greater works than what Jesus had done because He was going to His Father. It was because of Jesus's resurrection and ascension back to heaven that they could actually bring people to everlasting life. Once Jesus had finished His work of salvation to the world, they could help save people immediately, not having to look forward to the time when Jesus finished His work. Additionally, once Jesus returned to heaven, He would send His Holy Spirit that would indwell them. "Greater works" may have meant a greater number of works, as surely all of them preaching and teaching and spreading the word to others who could in turn preach the Gospel to even others was a work far greater than Jesus was able to do in His three and a half years of ministry.
(13) "And whatever you shall ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
Jesus went on to say that whatever they asked in His name, for His purposes, like in preaching His word, or performing miracles to confirm His word, or even to give them the means to go forth and teach all nations (Matthew 28:19), Jesus would do those things for them to glorify His Father, which was always His goal.
(14) "If you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it."
Jesus reiterated His promise to do whatever they asked in His name.
(15) "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
Jesus went on to instruct them to keep His commandments if they loved Him. It was not that Jesus doubted that His disciples loved Him, but the evidence of that love would be that they kept His commandments, to love one another, to deny themselves, take up their own crosses, and follow His teachings. Rather than tears at His leaving, they could better show their love by continuing His ministry and keeping His commandments.
(16) "And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever."
After Jesus died on the cross and made atonement for the sin of the world, He became Mediator between God and man in the causes of men's souls. After He returned to the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit, said to be Comforter (parakletos), which more precisely defined is Advocate, Defender, Counsellor. The Holy Spirit would be able to abide with them (and us who receive Jesus) forever, being our Advocate between God and us, and counseling us and showing us truths, and making intercession for us "with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).
(17) "The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him neither know Him, but you know Him for He dwells with you and shall be in you."
Jesus continued explaining that Comforter He would send, the Holy Spirit, was the Spirit of truth. The world would not be able to receive the Spirit because it had not received Jesus and did not know the Holy Spirit, and they certainly couldn't see the Spirit. However, Jesus's sheep knew the Holy Spirit of God for they knew and received Jesus, and soon the Holy Spirit would dwell with and within them after Jesus's ascension into heaven. I cannot help but feel sadness for those who don't accept Jesus and therefore don't have His Holy Spirit guiding and comforting them. It is such a scary time in history right now, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit comfort and guide us, and we know that they intercede for us with prayers we don't know how to pray, but that always work out for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
(18) "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."
What a beautiful and encouraging promise! Jesus will not leave us alone and defenseless! The original word defined as "comfortless" was "orphanos." Jesus will not leave us as an orphan in the world. His Holy Spirit is there to comfort and protect us by guiding us in all truth as a loving parent would. And I can attest to that comfort and peace knowing that He will guide me through any difficult times. And that's what makes me sad for those who don't know that peace.
(19) "Yet a little while and the world sees Me no more, but you see Me; because I live, you shall live also."
Jesus said the world would only see Him for a short time more. However, because they had received Jesus, they would continue to see Him and feel Him and be led by Him, and because He continued to live eternally, so would they.
(20) "At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you."
At that day when He would come to them (verse 18) as He did after His resurrection, they would have assurance that He was indeed one with the Father and equal to Him. They would come to have assurance in that day that they were in Him, in union with Him, and He would be in them by His Holy Spirit.
(21) "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and he who loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him."
Jesus said that the one who had His commandments and kept them within his heart and lived according to them, was one who truly loved Jesus. We may talk about loving Jesus, but Jesus Himself said that to truly love Him was to know and keep His commandments, proof that he loved Jesus both in word and in deed. The one who truly loved Jesus would be accepted and loved by His Father. And Jesus would manifest Himself in him by His Holy Spirit.
(22) Judas said to Him, not Iscariot, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us and not to the world?"
It was Judas Thaddeus, author of the book of Jude, who asked Jesus the question, not Judas Iscariot. He wondered how Jesus could manifest Himself to them without the world seeing Him, as well.
(23) Jesus answered and said to him, "If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him and make our abode with him. (24) He who does not love Me does not keep My sayings, and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent Me. (25) These things I have spoken to you, being present with you."
Jesus began His answer by reiterating what He had already said. If anyone loved Him, they would keep His words, and His Father would love them, and they would reside with Him in heaven. Anyone who did not keep His words did not love Him. The words Jesus spoke were those of the Almighty Father God in heaven. Jesus said He had told them these things while He was still present with them.
(26) "But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatever I have said to you."
However, after He was gone, God would send His Holy Spirit to them, and He would teach them all things and bring to their remembrance the things that Jesus had told them. In this way He would be manifested to them.
(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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Jesus said He was leaving them His peace. This was a common blessing among the Jews, "Peace be with you." However, Jesus said He didn't give them His peace as the world gave, just an empty wish and show of good will. Jesus's peace surpassed all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and was able to meet all the needs of one's soul and could quiet anxiety and fear. Therefore Jesus told them not to let their hearts be troubled at what was about to happen, nor let them be afraid, and this He said because He was on the throne and their future was secure.
(28) "You have heard how I said to you, 'I go away and come back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I go to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I."
Jesus reminded them that He had told them that He was going away, but that He would come back to them. He told them if they loved Him, they would rejoice with Him because He had told them He was going to the Father. And that was the most wonderful thing! It's just like when a righteous Christian loved one dies, we can be honestly happy that their trials are over and they are with Jesus! The only reason we are sad is for selfish reasons, but we should rejoice when our loved one has achieved his ultimate reward! They should rejoice that Jesus was going back to His original state as an equal part of the Godhead, for that was far greater than what He was with his human nature on earth that must suffer the trials on earth.
(29) "And now I have told you before it comes to pass that when it comes to pass, you might believe."
Jesus told His disciples that He had told them those things before they came to pass that when they did come to pass, they would believe. Although it may have been hard to believe and understand at the present, once those things unfolded, they would understand the things Jesus had said and it would be fully confirmed in their hearts that Jesus was from God.
(30) "Hereafter, I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world comes and has nothing in Me."
Jesus told them He would not be talking with them much anymore because the prince of the world was coming for Him, but he would find nothing in Him, for there was no sin in Him. Isn't it interesting that Jesus blames only Satan for what was about to happen to Him. He didn't blame Judas or the chief priests and Pharisees. He knew they had only surrendered to temptation by Satan to kill their "enemy." However, Jesus could never surrender to such temptation; it wasn't in His nature. Satan would have loved for Jesus to surrender to him to save His life, but that was never going to happen.
(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 from here."
So that the world would know that Jesus loved Father God, He would do as His Father had willed, even unto death. The fact that Jesus endured such a cruel death and separation from God when He had the power to stop it at any time showed His great love for His Father and for the people He came to save. Jesus then instructed them to rise from the table and leave.
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