John 14 - Doctrine that Helps, Comforts, and Advises
Jesus responds to our confusion with deep theology that brings ultimate peace.
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John 14 (ESV)
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe
in God;
believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms.
If it were not so,
would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I
will come again
and
will take you to myself,
that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him,
“Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him,
“I am
the way,
and the truth,
and the life.
No one
comes to the Father
except through me.
7 If you had known me,
you would have known my Father also.
From now on
you do know him
and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him,
“Lord, show us the Father,
and it is enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him,
“Have I been with you so long,
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever
has seen me
has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that
I am in the Father
and the Father is in me?
The words that I say to you
I do not speak on my own authority,
but the Father
who dwells in me
does his works.
11 Believe me that
I am in the Father
and the Father is in me,
or else believe on account of the works themselves.
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you,
whoever
believes in me
will also do the works that I do;
and greater works than these will he do,
because I am going to the Father.
13 Whatever you ask in my name,
this I will do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask me anything
in my name,
I will do it.
15 “If you love me,
you will keep my commandments.
16 And
I will ask the Father,
and he will give you
another Helper,
to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive,
because it
neither sees him
nor knows him.
You know him,
for he dwells with you
and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while
and the world will see me no more,
but you will see me.
Because I live, you also will live.
20 In that day you will know that
I am in my Father,
and you in me,
and I in you.
21 Whoever
has my commandments
and keeps them,
he it is who loves me.
And he who loves me
will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him
and manifest myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him,
“Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself
to us,
and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered him,
“If anyone loves me,
he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and
we will come to him
and make our home with him.
24 Whoever does not love me
does not keep my words.
And the word that you hear
is not mine
but the Father’s who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
26 But the Helper,
the Holy Spirit,
whom
the Father will send
in my name,
he will
teach you all things
and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
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 hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.
28 You heard me say to you,
‘I am going away,
and I will come to you.’
If you loved me,
you would have rejoiced,
because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you
before it takes place,
so that
when it does take place
you may believe.
30 I will no longer talk much with you,
for the ruler of this world is coming.
He has no claim on me,
31 but I do as the Father has commanded me,
so that the world may know that I love the Father.
Rise, let us go from here.
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Previous DIG DEEPER posts on John
John 14 Summary
The first part of chapter 14 is one of the most requested passages to read at funerals because in these short passages, Jesus tells of several key Christian doctrines:
There's life beyond life on earth (Jesus is going to prepare a place for us)
Jesus will come back to take each of us there
Jesus is the only way to gain life and access to the Father
If you know Jesus, you know the Father
Thank God for these massively comforting truths that bring us peace in our darkest moments!
Jesus goes on to explain how that comfort would be applied to those who love Him after He leaves: The Father will send another in His name. Almost every English Bible translation uses a different word here to describe the title given to the Holy Spirit'. The ESV we've been reading this year calls Him the Helper, while the 1984 edition of the NIV calls Him the Counselor and the 2011 NIV calls Him the Advocate. Other translations go with Comforter.
This may seem confusing. Which one is the most accurate? The Greek word is paraklētos, which literally means to call out from alongside. With that literal meaning, you can see why all of the English translations are correct!
Dig Deeper
Thomas is quoted three times in the gospels, all by John. The first time was back in chap. 11:16, when after Jesus has decided to go back to Jerusalem he says, "Let's also go, so that we may die with him." His most famous quotation comes at the end of the gospel where he refuses to believe in the resurrection until he can see and touch the risen Christ, and so earns the nickname the 'Doubter.'
Thomas comes across as a wet blanket, sort of the yin to Peter's ever exuberant yang. But Thomas' question in today's chapter (v5) shows why we need more people like him: he gives voice to what everyone else is thinking but are too timid to actually say. I'm so thankful that Thomas asked his question, because if he hadn't, we'd never read Jesus' famous response in v6:
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Next time you're wondering about something, be like Thomas. Go ahead and ask the question out loud. Chances are lots of others are thinking the exact same question.
AAA Prayer :
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who we are invited to come back home to through Jesus (v1-3)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you experience Christ's other-worldly peace (v27)
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: You may ask for anything in Christ's name, and He will do it (v14)
