John 14 - The Moody Bible Commentary

14:1 The thought of Jesus’ betrayal and departure (13:21-38) would have greatly disheartened the disciples. To console them, Jesus instructed, Do not let your [pl.] heart be troubled. The disciples could calm their hearts by faith [believe in God and believe also in Me]. The two occurrences of the verb “believe” are spelled the same (pisteuete in both), but that spelling could make either or both verbs a statement of fact (an indicative mood verb, “You do believe”), or a command (an imperative mood verb, “Believe!”), or a combination of the two (one could be a statement and the other a command). The first phrase could also be a question (“Do you believe in God?”). It is a complicated issue. The NET Bible (p. 2073 n. 8) is most likely correct in its reasoning: “[Jesus] is about to undergo rejection by his own people as their Messiah. The disciples’ faith in him as Messiah and Lord would be cast into extreme doubt by these events, which the author makes clear were not at this time foreseen by the disciples. After the resurrection it is this identification between Jesus and the Father that needs to be reaffirmed (cf. Jn 20:24-29). Thus it seems best to take the first pisteuete [transliteration added] as indicative and the second as imperative, producing the translation “You believe in God; believe also in me.”

14:2-4 Jesus’ teaching about His Father’s house with many dwelling places evokes the image of a first-century wealthy home with beautiful additions. Jesus would not go to prepare a place for His disciples unless He would also come again and receive them to Himself (v. 3). This “coming” is the pretribulation rapture (see the comments on Mt 24:36-441Th 4:13-17) rather than the second coming since at the latter Jesus returns to stay on earth (Zch 14:3-4; Mt 24:29-31; Rv 19:11-21). This is Jesus’ second revelation about the rapture (Mt 24:36-44 was a few days earlier, probably on Tuesday of Passion Week). Jesus deeply desires us to be with Him where He is (cf. 1Th 4:17). The disciples know the way (v. 4) Jesus will take to the Father’s house. He has told them repeatedly of the cross.

14:5-6 Thomas questioned Jesus’ logic. Lord … how do we know the way? Jesus affirmed (v. 6) their faith with the sixth I am claim in John. He is not one way but the way to God. He is not only true. He is the truth. Truth is embodied in Christ, and so is eternal life (1:4). No one comes to the Father for eternal life or for Christian living except first by way of faith in Christ.

14:7 Although born again (2:11; 14:10-11), the Eleven had not begun true intimacy with Christ. They lacked a more complete understanding of who He was. That He was the only way or access to the Father (v. 6) escaped their thinking so far. If they (you is pl. in Gk.) had known Christ intimately (cf. Php 3:10), they would have known the Father intimately as well. But they had not (v. 9). From now on references that moment forward. Through the farewell instructions (chaps. 13–17), they could gain an intimate knowledge (know) and full spiritual vision (have seen) of the Father.

14:8-9 Philip, in his request show us the Father, demonstrated the very unfamiliarity with the Father Jesus had just mentioned. Jesus had spent three years with the disciples (v. 9) and yet they had not come to know Him fully (v. 9). To “know” or “see” Christ (He who has seen Me) is to recognize God Himself fully (has seen the Father). God the Father is completely revealed in Jesus the Son, but Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is distinct from God the Father in terms of their respective personhood. For this important point, see the comments on 1:1, 18. This claim of Jesus is nothing less than a stupendous declaration of deity, leading to the NT teaching of the Trinity.

14:10-11 Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in Jesus—a holy, eternal fellowship and unity in the Godhead. The words that Jesus speak[s] are never on His own initiative, independent of the Father. The Father abiding in Christ does His works. The mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son stresses inseparability, yet maintains a distinction within the Trinity. If the disciples believe because of Jesus’ works themselves, they would see the truth of this abiding relationship between the Father and the Son.

14:12 What are the greater works Jesus says believers will do? These greater works were made possible because Jesus went to the Father, i.e., after His ascension when the Holy Spirit was given. The “greater works” took place at Pentecost and ever since when people are brought to faith in Christ.

14:13-14 The promise that the disciples will do greater works than Jesus was now directly linked to their prayers in His Name. Whatever you ask (aiteo, a request from an inferior to a superior) begins the subject of prayer for the first time in the upper room teaching (15:7, 16; 16:23-24, 26). It also instructs Christians for the first time that prayer is to be made through Christ (in My name) to the Father (15:16; 16:23-24, 26). Prayer in Jesus’ name suggests that the one who offers it understands that Jesus is the sole mediator between the one who prays and the Father (v. 6). The prayer is made for Jesus’ sake, not primarily for personal benefit (cf. Ps 25:11). So we can ask in prayer as if Jesus were asking it. This implies that our prayers must be designed according to His will, character, and purpose (1Jn 5:14-15). But if you ask Me (v. 14) authorizes prayers also made to the Son of God (cf. Ac 7:59; 2Co 12:8). The promise I will do it must be harmonized with other conditions for prayer (e.g., Ps 66:18; Jms 4:3; 1Pt 3:7; 1Jn 5:14-15).

14:15-17 To keep Jesus’ commandments is a test of devotion to Him. The coming of another Helper (parakletos; v. 16), i.e., the Spirit at Pentecost, implies that Jesus Himself is a parakletos. This Greek word is used five times in the NT, all by John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; 1Jn 2:1). The various functions of the parakletos in these contexts make it difficult to translate with a single term. The word often means “one who helps, by consoling, encouraging, or mediating on behalf of” another (L&N, 1:141). Most translations capture something of its meaning (cf. “Helper,” ESV, NKJV; “Counselor” NIV, HCSB; “Advocate,” NET, NRSV; “Companion,” CEB; though in its use in 1Jn 2:1 it means “advocate” in a legal sense). The Spirit is with the believer forever, securing his salvation. Just as Christ embodies the truth (14:6), the Spirit is the Spirit who promotes and spreads truth. Like Christ (1:10-11), the world cannot receive the Spirit either. By saying that the Spirit abides with you, Jesus depicted the relationship of the Spirit in the OT with OT saints, i.e., the Spirit was “with” them. But at that time the Spirit did not reside within them as He does following Pentecost (when He will be in them).

14:18-19 Christ would not leave His disciples permanently as orphans, i.e., helpless. He promised to come to them during the 40 days after His resurrection (16:16-24), and later through the coming Holy Spirit. After His death, the world would no longer see Christ (v. 19), but the Eleven, and other disciples, would. The resurrection appearances were only to believers (cf. 1Co 15:6). His resurrection (because I live) is the guarantee of our resurrection (you will live also).

14:20-21 The words you in Me, and I in you speak of the believer’s ongoing intimacy with Christ, maintained by obedience (v. 21; Cf. 15:1-11). Verse 21 returns to the love-theme of v. 15 and connects it to the mutual indwelling of Jesus and the believer in v. 20. It is not merely the one who has the commandments, but the one who also keeps them who is identified as the one who loves Me (cf. v. 15). “The one who loves Me” is broader than just the Eleven. Jesus promised to disclose more and more of His heart to each believer who loves Him by his obedience (see the comment on 2:23).

14:22-23 This is the only time that Judas (but not the betrayer, Judas Iscariot), one of the Twelve, speaks in the Gospels. He may be Thaddaeus of the Synoptics (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18). Judas asked why the Lord was going to disclose Himself to the disciples and not to the world. Judas thought of the Messiah setting up His earthly kingdom publicly. To Judas’s question, Jesus restated His previous teaching (v. 23) that the full experience of His and His Father’s love required obedience to His word. Then the Son and the Father would make their abode (their home) in the obedient follower. Jesus’ self-disclosure would come through the gift of the Spirit and the abiding or friendship relationship explained further in chap. 15.

14:24 The Lord then declared the reverse of v. 23: He who does not love Me does not keep My words. The reference to Jesus’ “words” (pl.) recalls His commandments (v. 21), and is now identified as the word [sg.] which you hear. One cannot claim obedience to Christ’s word without keeping all of His individual commands and teachings, especially the instructions to love one another (13:34, 35).

14:25-26 These things I have spoken to you (14:25; 15:11; 16:1, 4, 25, 33) refers to the teachings Jesus gave while abiding with the apostles in the upper room. Jesus also promised (v. 26) that the Holy Spirit would teach the apostles (including Paul) all things (the rest of the NT). “Helper” (Gk. masculine) and “He” (Gk. masculine) suggest the Spirit is a person. The Spirit would guide the memory (bring to your remembrance all that I said) of the apostles as they wrote down the teachings of Christ (Cf. 2:17-22; 12:16; 20:9). “I have spoken to you” and “bring to remembrance all that I said” limit the specific promise of this verse to the apostles. The result is the completeness and inerrancy of the NT record of Jesus.

14:27-28 Jesus pledged to give the disciples His peace, far superior to the deficient and fleeting peace the world gives. The disciples are again informed of the Lord’s departure and promised return (v. 28). The disciples should have rejoiced because Jesus was going to the Father, instead of selfishly desiring that He stay. In their essence and nature, Christ and the Father are equal (10:30) while also being distinct Persons. But in Christ’s incarnation and humanity, the Father is greater than the Son in function, not in possessing a superior essence. Both the Father and the Son are equally divine, though distinct in their personhood. But the Father is greater than the Son from the standpoint that Jesus submitted to and obeyed the Father, and came to do His will. In this Christ submitted fully to Him.

14:29-31 Christ had predicted His death and resurrection (13:31-32) so that when it happened, the disciples would believe. Fulfilled prophecy builds faith. Satan, the ruler of the world, holds control over the minds and hearts of the unbelievers (8:44; cf. Lk 4:6; Eph 2:2; 6:11-12; 1Jn 5:19). Although believers have divine protection (Jn 17:15), they are tempted by Satan (2Co 2:11; Eph 4:7; 1Pt 5:8). But the Devil was defeated at the cross and will ultimately be destroyed (see the comment on 12:31). Jesus said he was soon coming (Cf. 12:31; 16:11), i.e., in Judas (Cf. 13:27), in the garden to betray Him. As the sinless Messiah (8:46; Heb 4:15; 1Jn 3:5), Jesus could declare he [Satan] has nothing in Me (i.e., no sin through which to gain control). To the end that the world may know that Christ loves the Father, He did all things exactly as the Father commanded Him, including the crucifixion and all the events leading to it. With the command let us go from here, the disciples left the upper room. At 18:1, they would leave the city.