John 13:36-14:14 July 6, 2014

We’re studying through the book of John, and we’ve made it to the upper room. Jesus is having the last supper with his disciples, and he’s washed their feet to set an example of love. He has to do this because he’s getting ready to be crucified, and he wants his disciples to be ready for his absence. This statement that he’s leaving now becomes the main topic:

Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

They don’t understand where he plans to go, and he doesn’t say plainly. Earlier he had told them they can’t follow, but now he adds a little more; they can’t follow now, but they will when their time on earth is done. But first, the time has to be right:

37Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

I’ve often wondered what Jesus means when he says this. What’s the point? Certainly it’s not to make him feel grief; his next words are “let not your heart be troubled.” One possible reason is to show that he’s in control, but I think there’s more than that. When we take the conversation as a whole we find this struggle between Jesus and the disciples: he has to leave, but they want him to stay. The first issue he deals with is Peter’s claim that he’s ready to go with him even now. “No, Peter. You’re not ready to go now. You will be when the time is right, but first you’re going to deny me.” I suppose they had doubts when he said this, and I can picture the stormy, troubled look on Peter’s face. He usually thinks he understands his master; he’s ready to follow him to the death, but this conversation is giving him a hard time. Jesus knows this and responds accordingly:

14:1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. They heard God’s claim that Jesus is his Son, and they believed it. They know Jesus is the king and messiah, but his talk isn’t lining up with their expectations. How can he leave when he’s supposed to set up a throne? Isn’t he supposed to be ruling and making peace?

2In 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.

This is the reason he has to leave. “Mansions” is a poor translation that’s led to some people thinking we’re all going to get a golden palace when we get to heaven. The truth is that the Greek word means “rooms” or “apartments.” So, what he’s really saying is, “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” Not only is this more fitting to New Testament theology (which says we shouldn’t strive for silver and gold), but it’s so much richer because we see all the saints of God dwelling in one house with the Father. We really are one big family. Jesus leaves the earth to go and prepare this place. Now, that’s another interesting thing because he should be able to just speak it into existence, right? I mean, if he could make the earth and the heavens in only six days, then surely he should have this mansion finished in 2,000 years. But don’t think of him walking around heaven with blueprints and a hammer. Remember what Peter said: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pt. 3:8-9). When Jesus goes to prepare a place, he goes into heaven and sits down until his enemies are made his footstool. Time marches on until all of God’s elect repent and confess, and then he will return to rule in the way the Jews first expected.

3And 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.

This is a source of comfort for them. He goes away so that he can prepare their place. Think of the high priest going into the Most Holy Place every year. He went through the veil where no other man could follow, but when Jesus died, he tore the veil into: signifying that the way into the holiest of all was now made manifest (Heb. 9:8). And so, after leaving, he will return again at the right time to get them and take them to the Father. But there’s even more comfort for them:

4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. They’re worried because he’s leaving and because he says they can’t go with him, but there’s no reason to be troubled. They already know where he’s going and they know how to get there. When the time is right. they’ll follow. But they don’t quite get it just yet:

5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

You can just picture the look on Thomas’ face when Jesus says, “You know where I’m going and how to get there.” He says, “But wait! We actually don’t know where you’re going. How can you say we know how to get there if we don’t even know where it is?” But look at how Jesus answers him: “I am the way.” Now, here’s something that they do know. They can’t follow him to heaven from earth, and they have no clue where it is within creation, but they do know him. They believe in him, and they’ve left everything to follow. “This,” he says, “is all it takes.” He is the way because he is the truth and the life. These two things are what all of spiritual warfare is about, and they’re the very reason he came in the first place. The serpent deceived Eve and then death came. The way to God was shut and unknown after that. Mankind needed a redeemer to rescue them from error and death, and that’s why God promised a redeemer. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. This is enough to get a man to the Father, and there’s nothing else in existence that can do it. Christ alone is our hope and stay! The reason why is found in what he says next:

7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

It sort of sounds like Jesus might be suggesting that Thomas didn’t know him, but don’t miss the end of the sentence: “from now on you do know him, and have seen him.” Jesus told them many times that he is the logo of God. No man has ever known the Father (Mt. 11:27) or even laid eyes on him (Jn. 6:46), but if you’ve seen God’s logo, then you’ve seen God. This is the whole reason for his coming, and it takes us back to the first few verses of this gospel. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (1:14). If a man sees Jesus, then he sees God because they are one and the same.

8Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9Jesus 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? 10Believest 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. 11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Philip believes in Christ, but he hasn’t put it all together yet. He doesn’t understand the union between Father and Son, but Jesus gently corrects him saying, “If you can’t recognize it by just looking at me, then think about all the miracles I’ve done. Put it all together; no mere man could do this on his own.”

12Verily, 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.

This might seem a little out of place, but consider the verse before it: works prove union. This is meant to be another source of comfort for these “little children.” They too will have great works, but it won’t be from their own power; it will be the power of God in them. Anyone who believes in Christ will do these works because Christ has gone to heaven and prepared a place for us there. Now, there are a couple couple questions here. First, how does anyone do greater works than Christ, and second, what about today’s disciples? I doubt any of us have ever done even a minor miracle, let alone something greater than what Christ did. How do we explain that? Well, it’s certainly debatable, but I think that conversion and salvation are bigger works than the temporary miracles. Bearing the spiritual fruit of the Holy Spirit and walking in a manner worthy of our calling is something that all Christians everywhere have in common. Victory over death and sin and Satan are greater miracles, and this, I think, is what Jesus means. Don’t miss the fact that it’s all because he goes to his father. These great works aren’t because of our own personal holiness or because of our great faith. These great works are done simply because he is the way, truth, and life and he has prepared a place for us and guaranteed it by his sacrifice.

13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Here’s another verse that gives people a hard time because they take it by itself and use it for their own purposes. But just keep it in context to determine what it means. He’s leaving, and they’re afraid they won’t know how to find him. His promise is that he’s coming back for them, and they can trust him because of all he’s already shown. If they have any doubts, they can just watch and see what God will do through them in working great miracles, and they can be further comforted in the way he grants them what they ask for. Now, keep in mind that it’s according to things asked for in his name. These aren’t the greedy demands that some people have made them out to be. When Christ came he put the kingdom as his first priority. He did the things the Father wanted, and he did great

works in the Father’s name. When he was in the garden he prayed for the Father’s will to be done before his own. When we ask for things in Jesus’ name we’re talking about things related to the kingdom and according to God’s will. This isn’t a blank check to get whatever we want; it’s a source of comfort showing that God is for us and we’re not left alone in this earth just because Jesus isn’t with us bodily. So, the disciples will be left behind but it’s only for a short time and then they’ll be with him permanently. When we come back next time we’ll see that they won’t spend the interim alone. Until then we join with the rest of the saints in saying, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!” newgracebaptistchurch.wordpress.com