John Chapter 14
The Departing Jesus
A. Calming Troubled Hearts with Trust and Hope in Jesus
John 14:1 – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
The words of Jesus in this verse are both a command and a comfort. He spoke them in the upper room on the night of His betrayal, just after He had told His disciples that one of them would betray Him, that Peter himself would deny Him, and that He was about to depart from them. Such heavy revelations understandably filled the disciples with sorrow, fear, and confusion. Into that storm of emotion, Jesus spoke with authority and love: “Let not your heart be troubled.”
The command is not to deny the reality of troubles but to refuse to allow them to dominate the heart. Jesus never promised His followers a life free from trials, but He did promise the possibility of a heart at rest even in the midst of a troubled world. As He said later in this same chapter, “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” (John 14:27). This shows that Christ’s peace is not circumstantial but supernatural, rooted in His presence and His promises.
The form of the Greek imperative here, me tarassestho, conveys the idea, “Stop letting your heart be troubled,” as if the disciples were already overwhelmed with fear and Jesus was now commanding them to lay it down. This command flows out of His compassion. As Charles Spurgeon observed, “He takes no delight in the doubt and disquietude of His people. When He saw that because of what He had said to them sorrow had filled the hearts of His apostles, He pleaded with them in great love, and besought them to be comforted.” Their agony moved Christ to console them with these words, and by extension, all Christendom has been indebted to this moment of divine comfort.
Jesus then gave them the basis for this calm heart: “You believe in God, believe also in Me.” Here He places Himself on the same level as God the Father, demanding equal faith and confidence. This is one of the most radical and clear declarations of His deity. To trust in Jesus Christ as fully as one trusts in God is not blasphemy but obedience to His command. Alexander Maclaren explained that what distinguished Jesus from all other religious teachers was not merely His emphasis on morality or love but the uniqueness of His call: “Believe in Me.”
This faith in Jesus is not abstract but relational. As Leon Morris notes, the best sense of the Greek is imperative: “Continue to believe in God, continue also to believe in Me.” In other words, Jesus was urging His disciples to keep trusting both the Father and Himself in the dark days ahead. The only remedy for a troubled heart is not formulas or philosophical explanations but an active, ongoing trust in the living Christ. As Merrill Tenney rightly said, “Jesus’ solution to perplexity is not a recipe; it is a relationship with Him.”
When we apply this verse to ourselves, the lesson is timeless. Our hearts are often troubled by betrayal, by our own failures, and by the fear of what lies ahead. Yet the same command and promise stands: Stop letting your heart be troubled, and instead place your trust fully in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. That faith alone can calm the soul amid life’s storms.
The Departing Jesus
A. Calming Troubled Hearts with Trust and Hope in Jesus
John 14:2–4 – “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. And 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
The reason the troubled heart can rest is because of the certainty of a future reunion with Christ in the Father’s house. Jesus assured His disciples that His departure was not abandonment, but preparation. Heaven is here pictured as His Father’s house, a place of welcome, permanence, and family.
When Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions,” He spoke with complete certainty about heaven. Unlike philosophers such as Socrates who speculated on immortality, Jesus declared the reality of life beyond with absolute authority. John Morrison contrasts the two: Socrates wondered, reasoned, and hoped, but Jesus promised, stating that in the Father’s house there is abundant room for all who belong to Him. The use of the word “mansions” comes from the Greek monai, meaning “dwelling places.” Though the idea could suggest simple resting places along a journey, the word in context conveys permanence. The believer’s eternal dwelling is secure, prepared, and glorious. Heaven is not a cramped refuge but a vast household, filled with multitudes from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 7:9).
Christ then declared, “I go to prepare a place for you.” This reveals His love and intention. Just as loving parents prepare a nursery for their child, or a host prepares a room for honored guests, so Christ Himself prepares a place for His own. Preparation here does not mean that heaven is incomplete, but that His work of redemption at the cross and His intercession in heaven secure the believer’s right of entry. His going includes His death, resurrection, and ascension, all of which are necessary to make heaven ready for His people. This also reveals His initiative: He was not dragged to the cross against His will, but He went in obedience to the Father and in love for His people. As Morrison observed, “They thought His death was an unforeseen calamity. Christ taught them it was the path of His own planning.”
He then gave the glorious promise, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself.” This “coming again” cannot be limited to His resurrection appearances or to the sending of the Spirit, though those were partial fulfillments. Ultimately, it points to the Second Coming of Christ, when He will return bodily and gather His saints to Himself. This hope was precious to the early Church. The Apostle Paul echoes it in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” This is the blessed hope of the believer (Titus 2:13), the promise that sustains in trial.
Finally, Jesus concluded, “That where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” The supreme joy of heaven is not golden streets, pearly gates, or angelic choirs, but Christ Himself. Heaven is heaven because Jesus is there. As He prepares a place for His people, He also prepares His people for that place, sanctifying them and conforming them into His image (Romans 8:29). His words mean that His presence is the believer’s ultimate destination. The comfort of heaven is not escape from earth but eternal communion with Christ.
The Departing Jesus
A. Calming Troubled Hearts with Trust and Hope in Jesus
John 14:5–6 – “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Thomas spoke with honesty when he confessed his confusion: “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” His question reveals that the disciples were still thinking in earthly terms, imagining Jesus was going to a physical destination, perhaps another city or location. Thomas’ willingness to voice his uncertainty is commendable, for he sought clarity from the Lord rather than pretending to understand. Jesus responded not with rebuke, but with a revelation of Himself. Spurgeon noted that the disciples spoke to Jesus with “a natural, easy familiarity,” asking questions as children would of a father. Their ignorance was evident, but their trust in His willingness to teach them gave them confidence to ask.
Jesus’ answer is one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Each phrase is exclusive and absolute. He did not say He would show them a way, but that He Himself is the way. He did not claim merely to teach a truth, but that He Himself is the truth. He did not promise to reveal the secrets of life, but that He Himself is the life. This is a declaration of His deity and sufficiency.
When Jesus declared, “I am the way,” He identified Himself as the only path of reconciliation between sinful man and a holy God. His way would soon lead to the cross, the place where He bore the wrath of God in the sinner’s place. As Hebrews 10:19–20 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” Christ’s sacrificial death opened the only way to the Father.
When He said, “I am the truth,” He set Himself apart from all falsehood and deception. His words, His character, and His very person embody truth. He is the full revelation of the Father, as He will later say in John 14:9, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Because He is the truth, His promises are certain and His word cannot fail.
When He said, “I am the life,” He declared that in Him is eternal life, both spiritual and physical. Apart from Him there is only death. As John 1:4 declared, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Through His resurrection, He conquered death and became the source of everlasting life to all who believe.
The exclusivity of this claim is sharpened in His final words: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This excludes all other supposed paths to God—whether through ritual, religion, or self-effort. Jesus is not one option among many; He is the only way. To claim otherwise is to contradict Christ Himself. This exclusivity is consistent with the rest of Scripture. God declared in Exodus 20:2–3, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” Isaiah 45:22 records God’s words: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” The Bible consistently presents one true God and one way of salvation, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
If Jesus is not the only way, then He is no way at all. His words leave no room for compromise. Either He is the true and exclusive way to God, or He is not trustworthy at all. Some attempt to claim that Jesus was merely a prophet or moral teacher and that these statements were later additions by Christians. But there is no manuscript evidence for such a claim. To strip Jesus of His exclusivity is to strip Him of His integrity. It is, as C. S. Lewis famously argued, to reduce Him to either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.
Yet the exclusivity of Jesus is not narrow in the sense of culture or ethnicity. The gospel is open to all who come through Him. Paul declared in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Christianity is the most inclusive exclusivity: it excludes every false way but includes every person who will believe. Slave and free, rich and poor, man and woman, Greek and barbarian—all are welcomed at the cross on equal ground.
The Christian faith is not bigoted but universal in its scope. It has the urgency to translate Scripture into every language and the compassion to bring the gospel into every culture. The exclusivity of Christ is not intolerance but truth. As Bruce explained, “If this seems offensively exclusive, let it be borne in mind that the one who makes this claim is the incarnate Word, the revealer of the Father.”
Thus, Jesus’ words stand as both a dividing line and a call of hope: there is no other way to God, but the way is open to all who will come through Him.
John 14:7–8 – “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
Jesus continued His explanation of why He alone is the way to the Father. He declared, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” Here He equated knowing Him with knowing God, for He is the perfect and complete revelation of the Father. To see Jesus’ character, words, and actions is to see God Himself, since He is the exact image of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). This statement underlines the truth that Christ is not merely a messenger about God but the manifestation of God in human flesh.
He added, “And from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” The disciples had learned much about God through their years of walking with Jesus, yet the full revelation of the Father’s love would be displayed at the cross, and His power vindicated in the resurrection. Only then would they grasp more fully what it meant that in Christ they had seen the Father. Still, even with this revelation, their human longing for certainty surfaced. Philip voiced it when he said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” His request echoes the deep desire of humanity to see God directly. Philip may have imagined a theophany, such as Moses’ glimpse of God’s glory (Exodus 33:18–23), that would bring them assurance and courage. His words reveal both a sincere yearning and a failure to grasp the reality already before him: in Christ, the Father was perfectly revealed.
John 14:9–11 – “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; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.’”
Jesus gently rebuked Philip: “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” Despite years of close fellowship, Philip still had not comprehended that to know Christ is to know God. This illustrates a sobering truth: one may be near to the things of Christ, even walking with Him, yet fail to truly understand His identity.
He then gave the profound declaration: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” No created being could truthfully make such a claim. To behold Jesus is to behold the love, mercy, holiness, and justice of the Father Himself. There is no difference in nature, only distinction of person. As Morris observed, “It is difficult to interpret this without seeing the Father and the Son as in some sense one. These are words which no mere man has a right to use.” In Christ, there is no division of character between Father and Son; the false dichotomy that pits a wrathful Old Testament God against a gracious New Testament Christ is forever destroyed. Exodus 34:5–9 reveals that the Father Himself is “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,” the very same character Jesus displayed.
Jesus continued, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” This expresses the mutual indwelling of Father and Son. Their unity is not one of mere cooperation but of essence. Jesus’ words and deeds were not His independent acts but the works of the Father dwelling in Him. He emphasized, “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” This underscores His constant dependence and submission, a theme repeatedly seen in John’s Gospel (John 5:19; John 8:28).
Finally, Jesus provided the disciples with two grounds for faith: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” His person and words alone were sufficient basis for trust, but His miracles provided undeniable confirmation. Every work He performed was a testimony of divine power, pointing to His oneness with the Father. As Clarke explained, “The works which I have done bear witness of the infinite perfection of My nature. Such miracles as I have wrought could only be performed by unlimited power.”
Thus, Christ called His disciples not merely to admire His works but to believe in His unity with the Father. True faith accepts His words as truth, but the works stand as further evidence for those who struggle to believe.
B. Three Assurances for Troubled Disciples
John 14:12–14 – “Most assuredly, 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 My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
Jesus began this section with the solemn phrase, “Most assuredly,” signaling the importance and certainty of His words. This is the first of three assurances He gave to His disciples on the night of His departure. Their hearts were heavy with the fear that His leaving meant the end of their mission, as if everything was collapsing. Yet Christ assured them that His departure was not dismissal but promotion—they would not be set aside, but empowered to carry on His work in even greater measure.
He declared, “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.” This shows that faith is the foundation of continued ministry. Belief in Christ is not merely intellectual agreement but trust, reliance, and clinging to Him as Lord. Those who truly believe will naturally continue His mission on earth. Jesus never intended that His followers disband after His ascension; rather, they were to advance His work with new boldness.
The staggering promise follows: “And greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” This phrase has been widely discussed. Jesus did not mean “greater” in the sense of more spectacular miracles, as if His disciples would surpass His works of walking on water, raising the dead, or feeding thousands with a few loaves and fishes. Instead, “greater” refers to magnitude and scope. After Pentecost, the Spirit-filled disciples would proclaim the gospel to multitudes, and the kingdom would spread far beyond the borders of Israel. As Morris points out, on the day of Pentecost alone, more souls were converted under Peter’s preaching than were recorded in the entirety of Jesus’ public ministry. These were greater works, not in kind, but in impact and reach.
Jesus explained the basis for this: “Because I go to My Father.” His ascension to the Father would result in the sending of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, John 14:26). The Spirit’s indwelling would empower the disciples to accomplish what they never could in their own strength. Alford aptly comments, “The reason why you shall do these greater works is, on account of the all-powerful Spirit of grace and supplication which My going to the Father shall bring down upon the Church.” Thus, the power for greater works flows not from human ability but from the Spirit given as a result of Christ’s exaltation.
Jesus then gave the second assurance: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do.” Here He revealed the means by which His disciples would carry out His mission after His departure: prayer in His name. To pray in His name is not a formula or incantation but signifies both authority and alignment. It is like presenting a check signed in His authority—it carries weight only if consistent with His will and character. To ask in His name is to pray as His representative, seeking what He Himself would desire. Barclay rightly said, “The test of any prayer is: Can I make it in the name of Jesus? No man, for instance, could pray for personal revenge, for personal ambition, for some unworthy and unchristian object in the name of Jesus.”
This assurance is repeated for emphasis: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” The repetition highlights the certainty of His promise, but also the responsibility of His followers to pray in harmony with His heart. As Trench observed, to act in His name means “a unity of mind with His, a unity of aim and of motive.” Prayer, then, is not bending God to our desires but aligning ourselves with His purposes.
Finally, Jesus revealed the ultimate goal of this assurance: “That the Father may be glorified in the Son.” All true prayer seeks the glory of God as its end. When believers pray in Jesus’ name and receive answers, it magnifies the Father through the Son, displaying the ongoing work of God in the world. Thus, answered prayer is not merely for personal blessing but for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom.
B. Three Assurances for Troubled Disciples
John 14:15–17 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
The second assurance Jesus gave to His disciples was the promise of the Holy Spirit. He began with a condition that flows from genuine love: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Love for Christ is not expressed merely in words, sentiment, or emotional fervor, but in obedience. Earlier, Jesus had demonstrated His love by washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–5). He had already given them commands to wash one another’s feet in humility (John 13:14–15), to love one another after the pattern of His love (John 13:34), and to place their trust in Him and in the Father (John 14:1). To love Jesus means to take these commands seriously, not out of fear or self-righteous striving, but out of affection for Him. As Spurgeon said, “The essence of obedience lies in the hearty love which prompts the deed rather than in the deed itself.”
Jesus then gave the promise: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” The disciples feared that His departure meant they would be abandoned, left to themselves without direction. Instead, Jesus assured them that His leaving would bring an even greater blessing: the Father would send “another Helper.” The Greek word used here is parakletos, which means “one called alongside to help.” It can refer to an advocate, intercessor, counselor, or comforter. The King James Version renders this as “Comforter,” which in older English meant one who strengthens and encourages, not merely consoles. The Spirit would provide everything Christ Himself had provided while bodily present with His disciples—guidance, strength, and defense.
The phrase “another Helper” is crucial. Jesus used the word allos, meaning “another of the same kind,” not heteros (“another of a different kind”). This means the Holy Spirit is not a replacement of lesser value but equal in nature and essence to Christ Himself. Just as Jesus revealed the Father, the Spirit would reveal the Son. This also implies that Jesus Himself had been their parakletos—their advocate and helper—and now the Spirit would carry forward that ministry in His absence (cf. 1 John 2:1).
Jesus explained the permanence of this gift: “That He may abide with you forever.” In contrast to the Old Testament, where the Spirit came upon individuals temporarily for specific tasks (for example, Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 16:14), the Spirit would now dwell permanently in believers. Once given, He would never depart. This assurance marked the dawning of a new era, the New Covenant age, in which God’s presence would not be limited to temple or tabernacle but would reside in the hearts of His people.
He further described Him as “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.” The Spirit is the Spirit of truth because He reveals and testifies of Christ, who Himself is the truth (John 14:6). But the world, blinded by sin and hostile to God, cannot recognize or receive Him. Just as the world rejected Christ, so too it rejects His Spirit. The unbelieving world walks by sight, but the Spirit cannot be seen, only known by faith.
Finally, Jesus contrasted the unbelieving world with His disciples: “But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” At that moment, the Spirit was “with” them, guiding and empowering through Christ’s ministry. But after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the Spirit would be “in” them, indwelling each believer permanently. This was fulfilled in part when Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22), and in fullness at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). Beyond being with and in, Scripture adds a third preposition: the Spirit comes “upon” believers, giving power for witness (Acts 1:8). Thus, the Spirit is with, in, and upon the follower of Christ.
Spurgeon observed, “Between Christ on earth and His disciples what a distance there was! In His condescension He came very near to them; but yet you always perceive a gulf between the wise Master and the foolish disciples. Now the Holy Ghost annihilates that distance by dwelling in us.” This is the heart of the promise: Christ would not leave His disciples as orphans but would give them His Spirit, to dwell in them and empower them forever.
B. Three Assurances for Troubled Disciples
John 14:18–21 – “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Jesus gave His third assurance to His disciples: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” In their fear, the disciples thought that His departure would end their discipleship, as if the Master’s program was cut short before it had truly begun. Yet Jesus explained that His leaving would not make them abandoned children but beloved sons empowered by His Spirit. In Jewish culture, disciples often referred to their teacher as a “father,” and students as his “children.” When a teacher died, the disciples were considered orphans (Clarke). Jesus reassured His followers that His death would not leave them spiritually fatherless. Through the Spirit, He would remain their teacher, guide, and protector.
Spurgeon beautifully noted the contrast between orphans and disciples of Christ. An orphan’s parents are dead, but the Spirit reveals that Jesus is alive. An orphan is left alone, but the Spirit draws believers near to God. An orphan loses provision, but the Spirit provides all things. An orphan lacks instruction, but the Spirit teaches truth. An orphan has no defender, but the Spirit intercedes and protects. Thus, the promise of the Spirit transforms the disciples’ fear of abandonment into assurance of intimacy and care.
Jesus added, “I will come to you.” This promise was fulfilled in multiple ways—through His resurrection appearances, through the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost, and ultimately through His second coming. As Bruce observes, “Every phase of His promised coming is embraced in this assurance: ‘I am coming to you.’” His presence with His people is not limited to one event but is the ongoing reality of His abiding relationship with them.
He continued, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me.” After His death, the unbelieving world would no longer behold Him. Yet the disciples would see Him—not only in His resurrection but in an even deeper way by the Spirit. Paul would later write, “Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer” (2 Corinthians 5:16). The knowledge of Christ by the Spirit surpasses even the physical sight of Him in the flesh, because it is a spiritual communion unhindered by distance or circumstance.
The assurance grows stronger: “Because I live, you will live also.” The disciples’ life would be grounded in His life. His resurrection guarantees the believer’s spiritual life now and eternal life in the future. As Spurgeon declared, “A man is saved because Christ died for him, he continues saved because Christ lives for him. The sole reason why the spiritual life abides is because Jesus lives.” This is the security of the believer—not in their own strength, but in the risen and living Christ.
Jesus then described the reality of union: “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” The indwelling of the Spirit would bring them into a shared life with the Triune God. This union is experiential, not theoretical. It is marked by knowledge of God’s will—“he who has My commandments”—and obedience to that will—“and keeps them.” It is marked by love—“it is he who loves Me.” It is marked by relationship with God the Father—“and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father.” And it is marked by personal revelation—“and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
This union is not reserved only for eternity but begins now. Trapp observed, “For He reserves not all for the life to come, but gives a grape of Canaan in this wilderness, such as the world never tasted of.” The believer enjoys a foretaste of heaven’s intimacy with God through the indwelling Spirit.
Finally, Jesus emphasized that obedience flows from love, not legalism: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” Love is not idle sentiment but an active principle that compels obedience (Dods). To “have” His commandments means more than hearing them; it means to internalize them, to make them part of one’s inner being (Morris). Obedience is the evidence of love, and love draws forth the manifestation of Christ.
B. Three Assurances for Troubled Disciples
John 14:22–24 – “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ 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 home with him. 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.’”
Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus an insightful question: “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” The word “manifest” means to reveal, to make visible, to make plain. Judas wrestled with what seemed a contradiction. Jesus had earlier taught that the whole world would one day see the Son of Man in His glory (Matthew 24:30). Yet here He spoke of a revealing that would be limited to His disciples. How could this be? Judas (also called Thaddaeus or Judas of James; cf. Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13) was not questioning out of disbelief but out of genuine confusion. John carefully noted, “not Iscariot,” as if to distance this faithful apostle from the infamous traitor whose name carried such shame (John 13:30).
Jesus’ answer redirected the question from speculation to application: “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.” Here Jesus explained that His manifestation is not primarily external, visible to the crowds, but internal, experienced by those who love Him and obey His word. The love He described is not general affection but personal devotion: “If anyone loves Me.” It is also practical, for true love expresses itself in obedience: “he will keep My word.” Love for Christ cannot be separated from reverent submission to His teaching.
The promise that follows is staggering: “My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” This reveals the reality of divine indwelling. Just as the Old Testament tabernacle and temple symbolized God’s dwelling among His people, so now the Father and the Son make their home in the heart of the believer through the Spirit. Bruce commented, “Where love and obedience are shown, the presence of God and of Christ is realized; the Father and the Son together make their home with each of the children.” This is not a fleeting visitation but a permanent residence. The God who once dwelt above the mercy seat now indwells every obedient disciple.
Jesus then stated the opposite reality: “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.” Here, love and obedience remain inseparable. To disregard His word is to demonstrate a lack of love for Him. This exposes the superficiality of those who claim affection for Christ while rejecting His commands. Moreover, Jesus reminded the disciples that His words were not self-originated but were the very words of the Father. In this way, He upheld both His equality with and submission to the Father. His unity with the Father ensures that to reject the word of Christ is to reject the word of God Himself.
The point is clear: the manifestation of Christ is not primarily a visible display to the world but the indwelling presence of Father, Son, and Spirit in the life of the believer who loves and obeys Him. Judas’ question was about visibility; Jesus’ answer was about intimacy.
C. As Jesus Departs, He Gives the Gift of the Holy Spirit and His Peace
John 14:25–27 – “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 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 things that I said to you. 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 now turned to His final assurances for His disciples, gifts He would leave them as He prepared to depart. He began, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.” His earthly ministry had been a season of direct instruction, where He, as the Rabbi, taught His disciples face to face. But with His departure, that mode of teaching would end—not in loss, but in a transition to a new and greater form of instruction by the Holy Spirit.
He promised, “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 things that I said to you.” The Spirit would be their divine Teacher, continuing the work Jesus had begun. The word “Helper” (parakletos) signifies one who comes alongside to aid, counsel, strengthen, and advocate. Jesus had already introduced the Spirit under this title (John 14:16), and here He expanded the promise: the Spirit would be sent by the Father, in the authority and character of the Son. Tenney notes, “The Spirit would be Jesus’ officially designated representative to act in His behalf.” Thus, the Spirit’s ministry is Christ-centered, not independent, always pointing back to the words and works of Jesus.
Two specific functions of the Spirit are highlighted. First, “He will teach you all things.” The Spirit would guide the disciples into the fullness of truth, illuminating what Jesus had already revealed and leading them into deeper understanding. Second, “He will… bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” This is not only a pastoral promise for spiritual encouragement but also a foundational assurance for the authenticity of Scripture. It is by the Spirit’s work that the apostles could accurately recall, interpret, and record the words of Jesus in the Gospels. As Alford explained, “It is on the fulfillment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently the authenticity of the Gospel narrative, is grounded.” The Spirit would continue Christ’s teaching, not replace it with something different, ensuring the unity and integrity of divine revelation.
Jesus then turned to His second gift: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you.” In Jewish culture, shalom was a customary farewell greeting, much like our word “goodbye” (literally, “God be with you”). But when Jesus spoke it here, He infused it with divine power and reality. This was not a casual well-wishing but the bequeathing of His own peace. Unlike worldly peace, which depends on distraction, denial, or temporary escape, the peace Jesus gives is real, lasting, and rooted in His victory over sin and death.
He clarified, “Not as the world gives do I give to you.” The world’s peace is fragile and deceptive, often built on avoidance of conflict or false assurances. Christ’s peace is grounded in the eternal security of God’s love, the presence of the Spirit, and the certainty of His promises. As Barclay observed, “The peace which the world offers us is the peace of escape… The peace which Jesus offers us is the peace of conquest. No experience of life can take it away.”
Jesus emphasized that this peace was His own: “My peace I give to you.” This is the peace of the Son of God, whose heart remained untroubled and unafraid even as He faced betrayal, the cross, and death itself. Morgan said well, “He carefully described the peace as ‘My peace.’ His peace was a heart untroubled and unfearful in spite of all the suffering and conflict ahead of Him.” He did not leave His disciples wealth or property, but something infinitely greater: the presence and power of the Spirit and the peace of His own life.
He concluded with a repetition of the command from the beginning of the chapter: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Faith in the Son, the indwelling Spirit, and the gift of Christ’s peace together form the antidote to troubled hearts and fearful spirits. Even in a hostile world, the believer may rest secure, for Christ’s peace sustains and guards the soul.
C. As Jesus Departs, He Gives the Gift of the Holy Spirit and His Peace
John 14:28–29 – “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.”
The disciples were troubled by the news of Jesus’ departure. Yet Jesus reminded them that true love for Him should result in rejoicing: “If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father.’” They should rejoice for His sake, because His return to the Father meant the restoration of the glory He willingly laid aside to take on human flesh (Philippians 2:5–11). They should rejoice for their own sake, because His return to the Father would bring the sending of the Spirit, His intercession on their behalf, and His preparation of a place for them (John 14:1–3, 14:16). They should rejoice for the sake of the world, because the spread of the gospel through the Spirit’s work would far exceed what had been accomplished during His earthly ministry.
Jesus expressed anticipation in these words: “I am going to the Father.” This was not resignation but joy. The Son longed for the fellowship He had eternally shared with the Father, now soon to be restored following His work on the cross. The phrase “for My Father is greater than I” refers not to essence but to position. In His incarnation, Jesus humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant. In that sense the Father was greater, because the Son had veiled His glory in human flesh. But in nature and essence, He remained fully God, equal with the Father. The very fact that He needed to clarify this distinction shows His claim to deity. As Dods noted, “That it should require to be explicitly affirmed, as here, is strongest evidence that He was Divine.”
He continued: “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” By foretelling His death, resurrection, and departure, Jesus prepared His disciples to anchor their faith when the events unfolded. His words would assure them that nothing was spiraling out of control, but that all was proceeding according to the divine plan.
John 14:30–31 – “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.”
Jesus then prepared them for the coming conflict: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming.” The “ruler of this world” is Satan, whose schemes were already unfolding through Judas’ betrayal and the approaching arrest in Gethsemane. Yet even as He spoke of the adversary’s advance, Jesus remained calm, loving, and focused. His composure in the face of betrayal and death reveals His absolute trust in the Father.
He declared with certainty: “He has nothing in Me.” Satan had no claim, no foothold, no point of accusation against Him. Unlike every other man, Jesus was without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). The cross was not the result of Satan’s triumph but of Christ’s obedience. Jesus would go to the cross not as a victim of dark powers but as a willing servant of the Father’s will. As Dods observed, “Jesus goes to death not crushed by the machinations of Satan, ‘but that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father has commanded me.’” His death was an act of love and obedience, not defeat.
He concluded, “Arise, let us go from here.” At this point, they began to leave the upper room and make their way toward Gethsemane. The discourse of chapters 15–17 was likely given either on the way or while they lingered in preparation to depart. Morris wryly notes, “Anyone who has tried to get a group of a dozen or so to leave a particular place at a particular time will appreciate that it usually takes more than one brief exhortation to accomplish this.” What is striking is not merely the timing but the heart of Christ. On the darkest night of His earthly life, knowing betrayal and crucifixion awaited Him, He did not abandon His disciples but chose to remain with them. As Morrison reflected, “One would have thought that on such a night as that, the deepest craving of Jesus would have been to be alone… He could not leave them to go out alone. He loved them far too deeply for that. They might forsake Him, as they were soon to do. It was impossible for Him to forsake them.”
