Ep. 118: Jesus comforts his disciples

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JOHN 14

The establishment of the Lord’s Supper was not the final act at that Passover table. According to the Jewish ritual, the cup is filled a fourth time and the remaining part of the Hallel is repeated. Then follows Psalm 86 and several prayers and hymns. The Institution of the Holy Supper was probably followed by the teaching recorded in John 14. Then the concluding Psalms of the Hallel were sung, after which the Master left the Upper Chamber. The teachings in John 16 and his prayer were certainly uttered after they had risen from the Supper and before they crossed the Kidron brook. In all probability, they were, however, spoken before they left the house.

We can scarcely imagine such a teaching and still less such a prayer to have been uttered while traversing the narrow streets of Jerusalem on the way to Kidron. In any case, there cannot be a doubt that this was spoken while still at the Supper table. It connects itself closely with that statement which had caused them so much sorrow and perplexity, that where he was going, they could not come.

Firstly, we remember the very common Jewish idea that those in glory occupied different abodes, corresponding to their ranks. If the words of Jesus about the place where they could not follow him had awakened any such thoughts, the explanation which he now gave must effectually have dispelled them. Let not their hearts be troubled at the prospect. As they believed in God, so let them also have trust in him. It was his Father’s House of which they were thinking and although there were many mansions in it - and the choice of this word may teach us something - yet they were all in that one House. The object of his going was the opposite of what they feared; it was to prepare by his death and resurrection a place for them. His present going away meant the ultimate gathering to himself, not final separation.

Jesus was the way to the Father; the full manifestation of all spiritual truth and the spring of the true inner life were equally in him. Other than through him, no man could consciously come to the Father. Thomas had asked what was the goal and what was the way to it? In his answer, Jesus significantly reversed this order and told them first what was the way - himself; and then what was the goal. If they had spiritually known him as the Way, they would also have known the goal, the Father.

Working by faith and praying in faith is in obedience to his commandments. And for such faith, there will be a need of Divine Presence ever with them. Now that his outward presence was to be withdrawn from earth and he was to be their Paraclete or Advocate in heaven with the Father, God would send them another Paraclete, or Advocate, who would continue with them forever. To the guidance and pleadings of that Advocate, they could implicitly trust themselves, for he was ‘the Spirit of Truth.’

The World would not listen to his pleadings, nor accept him as their guide, for the only evidence by which they judged was that of outward sight and material results. But they would know the reality of his existence and the truth of his pleadings by the continual presence with them as a body of this Paraclete and by his dwelling in them individually.

Here begins the essential difference between believers and the World. The Son was sent into the World; not so the Holy Spirit. Again, the World receives not the Holy Spirit, because it knows him not; the disciples know him because they possess him. Because of this promised advent of the other Advocate, Christ could tell the disciples that he would not leave them ‘orphans’ in this World.

One outstanding fact here attracted the attention of the disciples. It was contrary to all their Jewish ideas about the future manifestation of the Messiah, and it led to the question, ‘Lord, what has happened, that to us you will manifest Yourself and not to the world?’ Again, they thought of an outward manifestation, while he spoke of a spiritual and inward manifestation.

As he had explained it, his departure to the Father was the necessary condition of his coming to them in the permanent presence of the other Paraclete, the Holy Spirit. That Paraclete, however, would, in the economy of grace, be sent by the Father alone.

This is an extract from the book, Jesus : Life and Times, available for £10 here (Finalist for Academic Book of the year at 2023 CRT awards)