The Gospel of John

Chapter 14

Part XII

 

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.

Concerning “bring all things to your rememebrance,”

“Here is a clear promise to the apostles, and their successors in the faith, that the Holy Ghost will teach them all that truth which is needful for their salvation” [Wesley].

“Here Christ promises them that inspiration of the Holy Spirit which enabled them not only to give a true history of his life and death, but also gave them the most perfect recollection of all the words which he had spoken to them, so that they have been able to transmit to posterity the identical words which Jesus uttered in his sermons, and in his different discourses with them, the Jews, and others” [Clarke].

“This was a full promise that they would be inspired, and that in organizing the church, and in recording the truths necessary for its edification, they would be under the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit” [Barnes].

“After pentecost the disciples will be able better to recall and to understand what Jesus had said (how dull they had been at times) and to be open to new revelations from God” [Robertson].

“A special promise to the apostles, which fitted them to preach the Gospel authoritatively and leave behind them the records of the New Testament” [PNT].

“This accounts for it, how the evangelists some years after the death of Christ; at different times and places, and without consulting each other, could commit to writing the life, actions, sayings, and sermons of Christ, with all the minute circumstances attending them” [Gill].

“On this rests the credibility and ultimate divine authority of THE GOSPEL HISTORY” [JFB].

John 16:13-15) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.

15) All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.

John 16:7-12) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

 

I Covered Verses 27-28 Last Week:

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.

(CEV)  I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.

(GW)  I’m leaving you peace. I’m giving you my peace. I don’t give you the kind of peace that the world gives. So don’t be troubled or cowardly.

(MSG)  I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left–feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

Concerning this peace,

“A person who is about to die usually writes a last will and testament in which he leaves his possessions to his loved ones. Here the Lord Jesus was doing that very thing. However, He did not bequeath material things but something that money could not buy—peace, inward peace of conscience that arises from a sense of pardoned sin and of reconciliation with God” [BBC].

QUESTION: What 2 things did the Lord Jesus leave His disciples, if we are to look at this area of Scripture as a will? The 2 things are: 1) The Holy Spirit; 2) Spiritual peace.

 

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.

QUESTION: Why should the disciples rejoice that Jesus was going away?

ANSWER: They should rejoice because, 1) in Heaven, Jesus would be free of the persecution that He faced while with them, and 2) His leaving would initiate the coming of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 11:3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman [is] the man; and the head of Christ [is] God.

Philippians 2:5-6) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Verse 6 In Other Translations:

(CEV)  Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God.

(GW)  Although he was in the form of God and equal with God, he did not take advantage of this equality.

(MSG)  He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.

QUESTION: Which is it, is God greater than Jesus, or is Jesus equal with God?

“The Father is greater than the Son in position (particularly regarding the incarnation), not in essence or being” [Guzik].

“Now, as the sender is greater than the sent, Joh_13:16, so in this sense is the Father greater than the Son” [Clarke].

“But when we think of the lowly place which Jesus took as a Man here on earth, we realize that in that sense, God the Father was greater than He. He was greater as to His position but not His Person” [BBC].

“1. Either as to the order amongst the Divine Persons; 2. As Mediator sent from the Father, so he is greater than I. Or: 3. In respect of my present state, while I am here in the form of a servant; and in my state of humiliation:” [Poole].

NOTE: Jesus often said He spoke His Father’s words, and the works He did were the works of His Father. Jesus came to do His Father’s will; in that sense His Father was greater than Him.

ANOTHER NOTE: In perfect harmony, which we cannot relate to, there is no need for “ranks.” I’m convinced that when we read “the head of Christ is God,” that the idea of a headship among the Godhead is for our benefit. In our reality someone is always in charge. However, in the reality of perfect love, which is God, disharmony is non-existent, so there is no need for authority.

 

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.

(GW)  The ruler of this world has no power over me. But he’s coming, so I won’t talk with you much longer.

Regarding “hath nothing in me,”

“No right, no claim, or power. There is no guilt in me, to give him power over me; no corruption to take part with his temptation” [Wesley].

“And he hath nothing in me that he can justly fault, and take advantage against me, for he findeth no guilt in me to give him any advantage against me;” [Poole].

“As one would say, ‘Satan will eventually set upon me with all the might he can, but he has no power over me, neither will he find any such thing in me as he thinks he will’” [Geneva].

“There is in me no principle or feeling that accords with his, and nothing, therefore, by which he can prevail.” And, “Temptation has only power because there are some principles in us which accord with the designs of the tempter, and which may be excited by presenting corresponding objects until our virtue be overcome” [Barnes].

NOTE: Jesus, the last Adam [I Corinthians 15:45], because His biological Father is God, never partook of the fallen nature of Adam.

NEXT WEEK I’LL TEACH ON ROMANS 5:12-21.

 

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.

NOTE: This chapter concludes with Jesus demonstrating His obedience to His Father.