John 14 – Devotional & Commentary
Posted on January 14th, 2010 by debbiefitz in Devotions, SyndicatedDevotional Questions:
John 14:5-7
“Jesus’ reply is the ultimate foundation for a satisfactory philosophy of life. First, it is personal. He did not claim merely to know the way, the truth, and the life as a formula he could impart to the ignorant; but he actually claimed to be the answer to human problems. Jesus’ solution to perplexity is not a recipe; it is a relationship with him[…] He is the truth because he has the perfect power of making life one coherent experience irrespective of its ups and downs. He is the life because he was not subject to death but made it subject to him. He did not live with death as the ultimate end of his life; he died to demonstrate the power and continuity of his life.”[1]
- Reflect on v. 6. In what ways has Jesus been the way, the truth and the life for me?
John 14:12-14
“He wanted to impress on the disciples that he was not disbanding them in anticipation of his departure but, rather, he was expecting them to continue his work and do even greater things than he had accomplished. Such an expectation seems impossible in the light of his character and power; yet, through the power of the Spirit whom Jesus sent after his ascension, there were more converts after the initial sermon of Peter at Pentecost than are recorded for Jesus during his entire career. The influence of the infant church covered the Roman world, whereas Jesus during his lifetime never traveled outside the boundaries of Palestine. Through the disciples he multiplied his ministry after his departure. […] The power of the disciples originated in prayer. Jesus could hardly have made more emphatic the declaration that whatever they should ask in his name, he would do. The phrase ‘in my name,’ however, is not a talisman for the command of supernatural energy. […] In prayer we call on him to work out his purpose, not simply to gratify our whims. The answer is promised so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. The disciples’ obedience to him will be the test of their love.”[2]
- What does Jesus use as criteria for what it means to have faith in him?
- What is amazing about the fact that Jesus said his followers “will do even greater things” than what he did after he returns to the Father?
- What are the things that I need to ask in Jesus’ name in prayer and experience “greater things than these” in order to “bring glory to the Father?”
John 14:15-26
“Jesus in his reply did not discuss the question of post-resurrection appearances. He focused the disciples’ attention on the broader revelation that would come to them through obedience to his known teaching and through the work of the Holy Spirit. The reality of Jesus’ and the Father’s presence would be conditioned on obedience. […] Obedience is not, however, the condition of God’s love for men but the proof of their realization of his love and of their love for him.”[3]
- What is the relationship between knowing God, loving God and obedience?
- Why is it impossible to get to know God without obedience?
- What do I need to obey in order to grow in my knowledge of God?
- What is the role of the “Counselor,” “the Spirit of truth,” in a disciple’s life? How does this challenge any notion that obedience is all about my own willpower?
John 14:30-31
- Why does the “prince of this world” (i.e. Satan) have “no hold” on Jesus?
- What does this teach about the necessity of obedience to prevent Satan from having a hold on me?
Additional Questions:
John 14:1-3
- Are there things that trouble my heart today?
- How does the knowledge that Jesus is preparing “a place for [me]” help me to “trust in God” with the things that trouble me today?
John 14:27-29
- Why was Jesus able to offer his peace to the disciples in the middle of telling them about his death?
- Contrast the peace that Jesus gives and the “peace” the world gives.
- Do I have this peace of Jesus?
[1] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for chapter 14.
[2] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for chapter 14.
[3] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for chapter 14.
Commentary:
Introduction “Even though it is Christ who comes in each event, the best view takes 14:2 – 3 as a plain promise of the Second Coming. As the chapter develops, Jesus points to other returns he will make (14:18, 23), but these are separate from what he affirms here. […] The word translated ‘rooms’ does not refer to the quality of the place Jesus is preparing (as in the KJV, ‘mansions’). The concern on the hearts of the disciples is their loss of Jesus’ fellowship. The ‘room’ in Greek refers to an abode, a place of residence, a place ‘with your name on it.’ Jesus is saying to them (and to us) that heaven is awaiting our arrival. The experience of heaven will not be merely one of bliss, but it will be one of fellowship when Jesus renews his presence with us.
“Jesus speaks openly and honestly about his departure. […] But here in chapter 14 Jesus tells us something about his aims: He is going to prepare a place (a ‘room’) for us. Immediately this means that we need to have a different perspective on the ‘dwellings’ we possess in this world. Jesus has gone ahead of us, and there is now something ready for us. The implications of such a teaching are profound and timely.
“Philip’s question (14:8) now concentrates on Jesus’ last phrase. ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ This is perhaps a typical ‘misunderstanding’ that we have seen in numerous Johannine discourses. Philip does not understand that no one has seen God (1:18a). It is beyond the human capacity. Even Moses’ request on Mount Sinai was refused (Ex. 33:18 – 23). But in Christ Philip has before him the full embodiment of God as it can be seen by humanity. Nevertheless, Jesus now says with utter clarity what Philip could not comprehend before (14:9). In seeing Jesus Philip is seeing God. This is one of the high points of John’s Christology. Jesus is not simply a religious teacher or guide, nor is he simply the means to some other destination. He is also the end, the goal. He is the One in whom God can be found. The exhaustive and exclusive nature of this astonishing claim cannot be missed (cf. 10:30, 37 – 38).”[1]
vv. 12-17 “It is interesting that Jesus calls the Spirit another Paraclete. This should not be taken to mean that the Father will send ‘another person, namely, a Paraclete.’ First John 2:1 makes clear that John views Jesus also as a Paraclete (‘But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,’ NRSV, italics added) Jesus is thus a Paraclete, who is now sending a second Paraclete. This means that the ongoing work of the Spirit will be a continuation of the work of Jesus during the disciples’ lifetime.”[2]
vv. 18-24 “But the coming of Jesus on Easter will mean more than a mere return of Jesus to life. His aim is to establish the sort of intimacy and unity he has promised throughout the discourse. The oneness he enjoys with the Father (14:20a) parallels the oneness the disciples will enjoy with him (14:20b). Thus the Easter return will be the bridge that will inaugurate the spiritual union Jesus wants with them. The call to obedience (14:21) is similar to that given in 14:15 and is a clue that Jesus is speaking of a union that will include the coming of the Spirit. This is precisely what happens when on Easter Jesus appears to them and in that setting they receive his Spirit (20:22).”[3]
vv. 25-31 “The phrase ‘is greater than’ suggests (in some views) that Jesus simply cannot be God in the fullest sense, so that this verse has been used to deny the divinity of Christ.
“[…] The word picture Jesus often uses to describe his life is the agent sent on a mission (17:4 – 5) and completing the assignments of his Sender (4:34; 5:30; 6:38 – 39; 9:4; 10:32, 37; 17:4). Within this agent/sender relationship, the originator of the mission has greater authority.
“This experience of the Spirit promised by Jesus also points to benefits that are truly astounding. Believers will sustain the miraculous works of Jesus (14:12), they will have intimacy with God in prayer (14:13 – 14), and they will recall God’s word with conviction (14:25; 1 John 2:22 – 27) — all with the aid of the Spirit. A brief perusal of the book of Acts shows that this is exactly the profile of the earliest Christians, and it is safe to assume that this must have been the experience of the believers in John’s church. Christians were reproducing not merely the work of Jesus; they were continuing the presence of Jesus in the world. Perhaps we could put it this way: As the Son incarnated the Father’s presence in the world, so now the Spirit brings the Son’s presence into the world through the life of the believer.
“These three themes have sweeping importance for the church today. We live in an age that is eager for spiritual experiences. John 14 provides us with guidance on how to interpret and understand them.”[4]
[1] Burge, Gary M. “John 14:1 – 31” In The NIV Application Commentary: John. By Gary M. Burge, 388-414. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 2000.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
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