John 14:1-31 • The last day part 2 • Jesus Comforts His Disciples

Steve Schott
Aug 2
12 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

► In section 1 of our study in the Gospel of John we looked at the 7 signs recorded, and referenced in John 20:30-31, where it says

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• We also explored the 7 "I AM" statements that do not always correspond to the signs, but also add definition to the nature and purposes of Jesus.

• I also posted a composite of all of them together to show how they correlate to one another. And to also show some enhanced context for the essence of Jesus' ministry.

• Links to all of these posts can be found at the end of this posting.

► In section 2, I turned my attention to what I call the "passed-over" passages, Those passages from chapter 1 to chapter 12 which I hadn't previously dealt with.

• Links to all of these posts are also down below.

► In section 3, which we start today, we'll deal with chapters 13 to 19, which I call "the end of it all" and/or "the last day"

• Sections 1 & 2 (chapters 1-12) cover approximately 3 years.

• The chapters in section 3 deal with a single 24-hour period, that starts with the last supper in the upper room, and takes us all the way to the cross and the tomb.

• Links to all of these posts are also down below.

► In section 4, when we get to it, we'll end with chapters 20 and 21 that I call "the new beginning".

► So now, here in part 2 of "The last day", we'll look at chapter 14.

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

John 14:1-6 → ¹ “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

► Jesus knowing what is coming, fully understanding that His disciples will be in a disarray, encourages them to "not let your heart be troubled;..."

• "troubled" literally carries the connotation of being anxious, perplexed, or distressed.

• Jesus knows that in a very short time their entire world is going to be turned upside down.

• He encourages them that just as they believe in the Father, to also trust in Jesus regardless of their circumstances.

² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

► We know that when Jesus said "in My Father's house are many dwelling places;..." that He was talking about heaven, but did the disciples?

• Is it possible they thought of Jesus' "Father's house" was the temple?

• Jesus is also stressing that He's not just going away, but is going somewhere specific, with the task of preparing a place for each of them.

• And also that once those places are ready, He'll be back to get them, and will take them with Him.

⁴ And you know the way where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do 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 but through Me.

► Thomas, the disciple who will end up with the moniker "doubting Thomas" expresses what must have been on each of their minds.

• "Where, exactly is this place you're talking about Jesus?"

• "We haven't a clue where you are going, so how will we know how to get there?"

• Jesus answers that the "where" is in the presence of the Father, and the "how" is through Himself.

• "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

• Only one way to God - through Jesus Christ.

• This is one of the "I Am" statements in the gospel of John. You can read that blog posting here.

Oneness with the Father

John 14:7-15 → ⁷ “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

► Jesus had at first spoken mainly of Himself, but now is changing the focus to the Father.

• He equates knowing Him with also knowing the Father.

• And not just in this moment, but moving forward.

• And this "knowing" is not just about awareness of some facts or data, but about having an intimacy, or personal understanding of Him.

• You've seen and watched and witnessed; now you will understand and experience.

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who 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 initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

► Philip, asking Jesus to show them the Father, not understanding that Jesus has been doing that for the last 3 years.

• "He who has seen Me HAS seen the Father;..." (emphasis mine).

• Jesus challenges them to understand that everything He has said came straight from God.

• He encourages them to understand that all the works that Jesus has done testify to His being one with the Father.

¹² Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

► Jesus stresses to them that all the types of "works" that He has done, they will also do.

• When He says "greater works than these", I don't believe Jesus is saying that they will be greater in expression, but greater in number.

• They aren't going to do things more miraculous that was Jesus did, but rather they will be similar types, but because of the longer period of time they will be serving, they have the opportunity to perform more miracles than Jesus did during His 3 year ministry.

¹⁵ “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

► And Jesus reminds them that true love for Christ is proven by obedience.

• We will see this discussed more fully in the next chapter.

Role of the Spirit

John 14:16-31 → ¹⁶ “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

► Jesus tells His disciples that in His absence, another "Helper" will come, and that it is the Holy Spirit, whom He calls "the Spirit of truth".

• The word "Helper" in Greek is parakletos, and means someone who comes along one's side.

• It has the connotations of coming along side to act as an aide, or an advocate, or a legal defender, or an intercessor.

• The job of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Jesus. This can happen in many ways.

→ Initially I think it's as we are convicted of our need for Someone to save us from our sin.

→ As we begin to walk with Christ we understand that He guides us into deeper truth. I'm not talking about some kind of mysticism, but rather a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, so we can apply God's truths to our lives.

→ And the Holy Spirit also emboldens us to tell others about Jesus.

→ It's full circle - bring us to Jesus, make us more like Jesus, lead us to speak like, and about, Jesus.

• And Jesus promises that not only will the Holy Spirit "abide with you", but He "will be IN you" (emphasis mine), and will do so "forever".

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

► Jesus goes on to tell them that after His death He "will come to you", and that His coming back to life will demonstrate to them that they themselves will have everlasting life.

• As an added benefit, they will then fully understand the unique relationship between themselves, Jesus, and the Father.

²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered and said to 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 abode with him. ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

► Jesus goes on to tell them that the proof of their true devotion to Jesus is their obedience to Him.

• It's not really a big checklist He's asking them (and us) to keep.

• Matthew 22:34-40 → “³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. ³⁵ One of them, ^a a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” ”

• In this passage Jesus summarized our obligations. Two things - both tied to love.

1st - that we would have an overwhelming love for the "Lord your God". An all consuming love that leads us to seek Him with everything that is in us.

2nd - that we would love others no less that we would care for ourselves.

→ In both cases it's not about emotions or feelings. It's about a devotion that seeks to serve the others to their betterment. Not that we can do anything for His betterment, but we can at least try to do things for Him that He would approve of as opposed to doing things He wouldn't.

► The end result is our abiding with Christ.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while abiding 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 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. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. ²⁸ You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

► Jesus then reminds them again that He is leaving; returning to the Father.

→ He reiterates what He told them about "the Helper, the Holy Spirit" who will begin to indwell all the believers on the day of Pentecost.

→ Jesus tells them the mission of the Holy Spirit is to teach them, and help them remember all that Jesus said to them.

→ He also tells them that they should not fear the coming future as He is giving them His peace, an eternal peace that is greater than anything the world can offer.

²⁹ Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. ³⁰ I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; ³¹ but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.

► Jesus finishes this section of His comments by letting them know that what He is currently saying is so that when all these things do happen, that they will fully understand AND BELIEVE!

• He lets them know that after He has left, the "ruler of the world", referring to Satan, will be more obvious and active.

• He also reminds them that He obeyed the Father so that the world would know that He loved Him.

Get up, let us go from here.

► And from this point they will start moving toward the Garden of Gethsemane.

So what?

► I've been in a situation twice now, where the pending end of my career (1st job - laid off after 23 years; 2nd job - retired after 21.5 years) has seen me in the position of training my replacement.

• In both cases, I was daunted by the task of imparting 20+ years worth of experience into a short training time.

• Did I remember to tell them this or that? Have they truly understood what I told them and the significance of why I did the things I did the way I did them?

• But in either case, I really had no control over what my replacements did with the information I imparted to them.

► Jesus isn't quite in this situation. He's still in charge, and His Representative (the Holy Spirit) will still be there to assist. But it still must have felt overwhelming, thinking that there was so much to say and so little time in which to say it.

Section 1 • The Signs and "I Am" Statements

The Signs

► Sign 1, Water to Wine, Jesus is the master of the ELEMENTS → John 2:1-12

► Sign 2, Nobleman's Son, Jesus is the master over DISTANCE → John 4:46-54

► Sign 3, Lame Man at Bethesda, Jesus is the master over TIME → John 5:1-18

► Sign 4, Feeding of 5,000+, Jesus is the master over DIMENSION → John 6:1-15

► Sign 5, Jesus walks on water, Jesus is the master over NATURE → John 6:15-21

► Sign 6, The Man Born Blind, Jesus is the master over HISTORY → John 9:1-41

► Sign 7, The Raising of Lazarus, Jesus is the master over DEATH → John 11:1-46

The "I AM" Statements

► I AM #1 • I AM the Bread of Life - Jesus ELIMINATES HUNGER → John 6:26-58

► I AM #2 • I AM the Light of the World - Jesus ELIMINATES DARKNESS → John 8:12-9:5