John 14

This chapter takes place after Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times. Clearly, this is offputting, so the other disciples are terrified about what will happen next. Jesus tells them not to be troubled and that where He is going, they, too, will be able to go and be with Him. The beautifully comforting metaphor is of a big mansion with many rooms--each person gets their own. Even so, we get disciples asking more questions.

Thomas asks where Jesus is going (they, of course thinking this is a temporal world, do not know the way). Philip tells Jesus to show them the Father. Judas (not Iscariot) asks why Jesus would only show Himself to them and not to the world. Jesus answers all of them by saying that those who know Him know the Father as well--and Jesus Himself is the Way and the Truth and the Life. These terms are not properties; Jesus is a person. We see this when he says:

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:14

This "I will do" resembles how this same power is for the Father and the Son in this intimite unity. It is not only the Father who does but also the Son. As we have seen, the Gospel of John is very much focused on Christ's divinity (at the very least, the author's belief that Jesus is divine). Within this big chunk of text of Jesus' speech, we get some mysterious language about how God loves us and how we are in Christ who is in God the Father (it sounds almost like a nesting-doll, right?).

How does this make you feel? Comfortable? Secure?

Lastly, Jesus tells His disciples that He will give the Holy Spirit who will "teach... all things" and "remind... of everything I have said to you." As we saw in our activity to begin this Bible Study, the Greek word here is παράκλητος (parakletos) which has been translated in other versions as helper or comforter.

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