part 4 of “The Last Night with Jesus”
As we continue on in this series, looking at the last conversation Jesus had with His disciples, we are getting the end of the conversation that happens in the Upper Room where the dinner took place. In this next part of the conversation, Jesus talks about the complete Trinity when He tells the disciples about the Father (God) and the Holy Spirit. The conversation about the Father comes about when Jesus says this:
“If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” - John 14:7 NLT
This had to confuse the disciples even more. They had not seen God with their physical eyes. So they didn’t understand how they had seen the Father. So Philip speaks up for them and says:
“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’”- John 14:8 NLT
In response to this, Jesus tells them that they have seen the Father because they have seen Jesus. Jesus even asks them how they could be with Him for all this time and still not know who He is (John 14:9). Jesus tells them that the Father is in Him and that He is in the Father.
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.” - John 14:10 NLT
Jesus was a perfect representation of God. Jesus didn’t do or say anything without the help of God. The disciples had spent three years with Jesus and had seen God revealed through Jesus [1].
Jesus is also calling back to what He had just told the disciples moments earlier. Jesus had told them that people will know who He was because of how they loved each other (John 13:35). The actions of Jesus during His ministry on Earth revealed God to everyone. Everything Jesus did was because of God!
Jesus said the same thing about us and the disciples. Jesus says that our actions will show Jesus to others. He says specifically that the way we love others will show it in the best way.
The disciples are then encouraged that the work of Jesus is not done. Jesus tells them that they will do even greater works than He did. This isn’t meaning that the works of the disciples would be better than those of Jesus. But they would be greater in importance [2]. Jesus was more than likely referring to the events that would happen in the book of Acts after Jesus told Peter to take care of His sheep (John 21). The greater works that Jesus was saying would be done by the disciples was the start and growth of the church. These greater works are still being done by us today. Also, these greater works would bring glory to God and Jesus (John 14:13) [3].
Also, one final thing that Jesus says:
“Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” - John 14:14 NLT
Jesus wants to help them. Jesus wants them to know that He would still be there for them and there to help them when they ask. But the key here is that they need to ask. Jesus would do anything for them when they ask for it in His name and according to His character [4].
The same is true for us as well. But asking Jesus to do anything for us has limitations. Jesus will be there for us and help us. But He’s going to do within the will He has for our lives.
The next topic of conversation is about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus briefly reminds them to keep His commandments which He gave them just a few moments ago. The first commandment of serving others (John 13:1-17) which He displayed to them by washing their feet. Jesus was showing that serving others is a form of love. The second commandment is to put their faith and trust in God and Himself (John 14:1-2). The third commandment is to show love to each other (John 13:34) which Jesus also showed them when He washed their feet. The love they show for each other will help other people see Jesus (John 13:35). These are the commandments that Jesus is asking the disciples to keep. We can find out a little bit more as to why in Matthew. In Matthew’s gospel, we also see these commandments. Jesus says that loving God and others are the two greatest commandments and that everything is based on them (Matthew 22:37-40)[5].
Jesus tells them again that He is going away and will soon no longer be seen on Earth by the people of the world, but that they would see Him again (John 14:19). This no doubt caused the disciples to fear that Jesus was just abandoning them and that they would have no clue what to do without Jesus. But Jesus tells them:
“No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” - John 14:18 NLT
Jesus is promising three things in the statement “I will come to you.” The first promise is His resurrection. Jesus mentions His coming resurrection when He says “when I am raised to life again” (John 14:20). After the resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room (John 20:19-23). Jesus also appears to them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 21). The second promise is that He going to send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit would lead never leave them, lead them to all truth, and remind them of all the things that Jesus had taught and told them (John 14:16-17, 26) [6]. Basically, Jesus was going to be with them in spirit as He is with us.
The third promise that Jesus is making here is not only for the disciples but for us as well. Jesus is promising His return to Earth in the Second Coming. Jesus told us earlier to trust in Him, that He was going to prepare for a place for us, and that when it was ready He would come and get us (John 14:3). Jesus was never going to leave us behind. He is preparing a place for us and He will come to get us [6].
This part of the conversation has taken place at the table where they had dinner. Dinner had been over for some time now but the conversation with Jesus was just getting started. But before they left the table Jesus had one more thing to say to them:
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.” - John 14:27-29 NLT
In this final moment at the table, Jesus briefly reviews with them what He has said to them earlier in the conversation. He reminds them to not be troubled or afraid (John 14:1). He also tells them again that He is going away and will come back to them (John 14:3,18-19). He also encourages them that Him going to Father is a good thing and they should be happy. He tells them to receive His gift of peace. The peace that Jesus gives is better than any peace the world could give them. Jesus offers real and true peace. This is also not the last time Jesus is going to reference this idea of peace either.
What I love about all of the words that Jesus said to His disciples is that they are for us as well. I know that I have said that a lot and by now it should be understood. But when we are looking at a conversation in the Bible that is for a group of people we can sometimes forget that the words we are reading are not just for them they are for us too! I know it happens to me. I can read some of the words of Jesus and think “well, that’s nice of Jesus to say that to His disciples”. Jesus isn’t just talking to them. He’s talking to us too! Jesus wants us to accept His gift of real peace.
Jesus closes this part of the conversation with an urgent remark to once again indicate the importance of this conversation He is having with His disciples. Jesus says:
“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.” - John 14:30-31 NLT
This tells us two final things from John 14. The first is the conversation is going to get even more personal and intentional. Jesus’ time with His disciples is coming to end and there’s not much time left. The second thing we can see here is that the conversation has now left the dinner table and turned into a walk to the Garden of Gethsemane [7].
So, to close out this post, I want to leave you with these words of Jesus and I hope you’ll come back and check out the rest of the series:
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. - John 14:27-28a NLT
-----------------
[1] a. Jesus explained why He was the only way to God; because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God.
b. The disciples certainly had learned and known much about God in their three years of apprenticeship under Jesus. Yet Jesus understood that since they had not yet seen the full revelation of God’s love at the cross and His power at the resurrection, there was a sense in which they would only now know and see God.
c. Philip had seen and experienced much in following Jesus, but had not yet seen God the Father with his physical eyes. Perhaps he thought that such an experience would bring life-changing assurance and courage. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[2] Jesus did not mean greater in the sense of more sensational, but greater in magnitude. Jesus would leave behind a victorious, working family of followers who would spread His kingdom to more people and places than Jesus ever did in His life and ministry. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[3] These greater works Jesus promised would bring glory to both the Father and the Son. Prayers prayed with a passion for the glory of Jesus and God the Father will truly be in the name of Jesus and be the kind of prayer God will answer. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[4] Jesus further explained how greater works would be possible for His followers. It would be possible because Jesus would do His work through His prayerful people, who asked and acted in His name. He promised to do anything that His trusting followers asked for in His name; that is, according to His character and authority. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[5] Jesus had just demonstrated His remarkable love to the disciples by washing their feet (John 13:1-5). He told them what their loving response should be; to keep His commandments.
· He commanded them to wash one another’s feet, after the example He just displayed (John 13:14-15).
· He commanded them to love one another after the pattern of His love to them (John 13:34).
· He commanded them to put their faith in God the Father and in Jesus Himself (John 14:1). - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[6] Jesus began His third assurance. The disciples feared, “When Jesus leaves, then our discipleship program is over and it has barely started.” Their discipleship program wasn’t finished; it was only just beginning. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[6] Jesus again promised to come to the disciples (previously in John 14: 3). This was a broad promise fulfilled by His resurrection, by the sending of the Spirit, and by the promise of His bodily return to this earth. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
[7] At this point, Jesus and His disciples left the table and slowly made their way toward the Garden of Gethsemane. - Enduring Word - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-14/amp/
Comments