John 14 - NIV Bible Study Commentary

John understood Jesus’ death as the death of Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord (Isa 52:13 - 53:12). Thus it was important for him to show that Jesus carried out the role of the Lord’s Servant in all respects. This is the central theme of Jesus’ washing the feet of his disciples (13:1 - 20). The Servant, who gives himself for God’s chosen ones, cleanses them thoroughly by his sacrificial death: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (v.8). The disciples, having already put their faith in Jesus, are clean. Presumably the Servant’s coming death has already cleansed them. They have need only that their feet be washed (v.10).

Judas plays an important role here. He was the exception to all that Jesus spoke of in this text. He was the one who was not clean (vv.10 - 11). As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, Judas was the one who “turned against [him]” (v.18). But the presence of the betrayer among his disciples also demonstrates the truthfulness of Jesus’ claims. As the quotation from the OT shows, Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was also a sign of fulfilled prophecy (v.18).

John records Jesus’ farewell discourse at length (14:1 - 16:33) and concludes with Jesus’ prayer for his disciples (17:1 - 26). In both the discourse and the prayer, Jesus’ words look far beyond the specific needs and concerns of his disciples on the night of his death. They look to the whole of the subsequent history of the church. The background to his words is the teaching of Jesus found throughout this gospel. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man. As the Son of God, he had come to fulfill the command of the Father to redeem his chosen people. As the Son of Man, he had come to establish God’s kingdom.

The specific issue that the lengthy discourse addresses is the fact that Jesus is about to return to the Father and will no longer be physically present with his disciples. They will continue to follow him, however, and wait for his return. It is this time of waiting and watching that Jesus specifically has in mind throughout the discourse. Jesus’ departure means a further step in the progress of God’s purpose. He will prepare a place for his people in the heavenly temple (“my Father’s house,” 14:2).

The key to the meaning of the discourse is given at its conclusion. Jesus said, “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father” (16:28). This discourse explains what will happen to the disciples and the early church in the time between Jesus’ death and his return to establish his kingdom. He will send the Holy Spirit to guide them and comfort them. They will continue to have fellowship with Jesus through the Spirit. They will have the life he promised them through the work of the Spirit. The Spirit will take his place, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Spirit will guide the believing community “into all the truth” (v.13).

The one rule of faith that will define the disciples as a believing community will be their love for each other. This love will be the fruit of the Spirit who lives in them. The kind of community Jesus here envisions is the one that unfolds in Acts. This gospel presupposes and anticipates the establishment of the church.

Thus, Jesus defines more clearly the nature of his community during the time he will be with the Father. It will be the spiritual community. Each individual will be indwelt with the Spirit of God and will have life and bear fruit as a branch on a vine (15:1 - 7). It is this form of spiritual life that Jesus had spoken about to the Samaritan woman: “The true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (4:23). By giving believers the Spirit, “rivers of living water will flow from within them” (7:38).

In Jesus’ final prayer (ch. 17), the whole of his ministry and purpose is summarized and explained to the reader. Jesus was returning to the Father who had sent him (v.2). He had found his disciples and revealed to them the knowledge of the only true God (v.3). All that Jesus had done fulfilled God’s will for him (v.4). Now he was returning to his original glory with the Father (v.5). This theme is identical to that of the prologue (1:1 - 14).

As Jesus was now about to leave his disciples, he prayed for their protection (17:6 - 12) and for their continued joy and sanctification (vv.13 - 19). Jesus looked beyond these disciples to their disciples and prayed on their behalf (vv.20 - 22). His central concern was that these future generations of disciples would continue in unity and love for one another (v.23). Finally, Jesus looked to the time of his return to gather his community to himself (v.24).