AM April 30th John 14

April 30th  

John,  14

6 “I am the way, the truth & the life”

1: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2: 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. 3: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4: And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5: Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7: If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8: Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9: Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10: Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11: Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

(The Witness to the Witnesses)

The Lord’s private last words

15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18: I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19: Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20: At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22: Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24: He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25: These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28: Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29: And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30: Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31: But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

All of the teaching of the following chapters was missed by Judas. Christ is giving his last words to the disciples before his betrayal and trials. In the previous chapter Christ has said, that he was going away for a little while and you will seek me but you will no find me. This had raised the boast of Peter that he would follow the Lord to the end but Christ had revealed to Peter his weakness, telling him that he would deny him three times before the night was over. Then Christ says, Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Now believe also in me. Christ says, you believe in God now believe also in me. Christ is calling on the disciples to become believers in him. Previously they had been believers in God but now they are to become believers in Christ. And what are they to believe about Christ? That he was going away but that he was going away to prepare a place for them and that he was coming back to take them to the place that he will prepare. Christ was not speaking about the resurrection he was talking about his return in Glory at the end of the age. His ultimate purpose is that they might be with him where he is. Then he said where l am going you know and the way to that place you know. Thomas spoke for the rest. He said, Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered in the famous words; I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, except by me. If you had known me, then you should have known my Father also and from now onward you will know him, and you will have seen him. Philip answered, Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied. Jesus answered to Thomas, Have I been with you so long and yet you do not know me, Philip? Then he said, He that has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? And the words that I speak to you do not come from me but from my father who lives in me, he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me because of my works. Then Jesus said, truly, truly, I am telling you the ultimate truth. He that believes on me, will do the works that l do and he will do greater works than l have done, because I go am going to my Father. And whatsoever you will ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, one who will abide with you for ever; He will be the Spirit of truth; who the world cannot receive, because it does not see him or know him. but you will know him because he will live with  you and he will be in you. I am not going to leave you without a protector. For a little while the world will see me no more but you will see me (in the resurrection) and because l live, you will live also. On that day (the day of resurrection) you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you. And He that has my commandments, and keepeth them, he is the one who loves me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  Judas (the other Judas not Judas Iscariot) said, Lord, how is it that thou wilt reveal yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus said to him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him. He that loves me not does not keep my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything, and help you to remember everything that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not like the peace of the world. Do not let not your heart be troubled, do let it be afraid. You have heard that l said, I am going away and will come again to you. If you did love me you would rejoice, because I said, I am going to go to the Father: because my Father is greater than I. So Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe in me. From now on l will not talk much about this with you because Satan has come and yet he has found nothing in me. (That is he has found no means whereby he can tempt me to sin) I am doing the commandments of my Father that the world will know that l love my Father. Now let us get up and go on further. This long involved conversation was a preparation by Christ for his disciples for the days ahead. Christ was concerned for them that they do not allow themselves to become too downcast when the cross comes. They are to realise that Christ’s going will be so that the Holy Spirit might be given and that Christ’s return will be glorious. Christ says; if you love me keep my commandments. Christ also encourages the disciples to pray in faith and to go on from faith in God to faith in himself.   

Steve