Juan 14

1 Jesús, el camino al Padre

2 En el hogar de mi Padre, hay lugar más que suficiente.
Si no fuera así, ¿acaso les habría dicho que voy a prepararles un lugar?

3 Cuando todo esté listo, volveré para llevarlos, para que siempre estén conmigo donde yo estoy.

4 Y ustedes conocen el camino que lleva adonde voy.

5 —No, Señor, no lo conocemos —dijo Tomás—. No tenemos ni idea de adónde vas, ¿cómo vamos a conocer el camino?

6 Jesús le contestó:

7 Si ustedes realmente me conocieran, también sabrían quién es mi Padre.
De ahora en adelante, ya lo conocen y lo han visto.

8 Felipe le dijo:
—Señor, muéstranos al Padre y quedaremos conformes.

9 Jesús respondió:

10 ¿Acaso no crees que yo estoy en el Padre y el Padre está en mí? Las palabras que yo digo no son mías, sino que mi Padre, quien vive en mí, hace su obra por medio de mí.

11 Solo crean que yo estoy en el Padre y el Padre está en mí; o al menos crean por las obras que me han visto hacer.

12 »Les digo la verdad, todo el que crea en mí hará las mismas obras que yo he hecho y aún mayores, porque voy a estar con el Padre.

13 Pueden pedir cualquier cosa en mi nombre, y yo la haré, para que el Hijo le dé gloria al Padre.

14 Es cierto, pídanme cualquier cosa en mi nombre, ¡y yo la haré!

15 Jesús promete el Espíritu Santo

16 Y yo le pediré al Padre, y él les dará otro Abogado Defensor,
quien estará con ustedes para siempre.

17 Me refiero al Espíritu Santo, quien guía a toda la verdad. El mundo no puede recibirlo porque no lo busca ni lo reconoce; pero ustedes sí lo conocen, porque ahora él vive con ustedes y después estará en ustedes.

18 No los abandonaré como a huérfanos; vendré a ustedes.

19 Dentro de poco, el mundo no me verá más, pero ustedes sí me verán. Dado que yo vivo, ustedes también vivirán.

20 Cuando yo vuelva a la vida, ustedes sabrán que estoy en mi Padre y que ustedes están en mí, y yo, en ustedes.

21 Los que aceptan mis mandamientos y los obedecen son los que me aman. Y, porque me aman a mí, mi Padre los amará a ellos. Y yo los amaré y me daré a conocer a cada uno de ellos.

22 Judas (no Judas Iscariote, sino el otro discípulo con el mismo nombre) le dijo:
—Señor, ¿por qué te darás a conocer solo a nosotros y no al mundo en general?

23 Jesús contestó:

24 El que no me ama no me obedece. Y recuerden, mis palabras no son mías, lo que les hablo proviene del Padre, quien me envió.

25 Les digo estas cosas ahora, mientras todavía estoy con ustedes.

26 Sin embargo, cuando el Padre envíe al Abogado Defensor como mi representante —es decir, al Espíritu Santo—, él les enseñará todo y les recordará cada cosa que les he dicho.

27 »Les dejo un regalo: paz en la mente y en el corazón. Y la paz que yo doy es un regalo que el mundo no puede dar. Así que no se angustien ni tengan miedo.

28 Recuerden lo que les dije: me voy, pero volveré a ustedes. Si de veras me amaran, se alegrarían de que voy al Padre, quien es más importante que yo.

29 Les he dicho estas cosas antes de que sucedan para que, cuando sucedan, ustedes crean.

30 »No me queda mucho tiempo para hablar con ustedes, porque se acerca el que gobierna este mundo. Él no tiene ningún poder sobre mí,

31 pero haré lo que el Padre me manda, para que el mundo sepa que amo al Padre. Vamos, salgamos de aquí.

Juan 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Christ comforts his disciples. (1-11) He further comforts his disciples. (12-17) He still further comforts his disciples. (18-31)

Verses 1-11 Here are three words, upon any of which stress may be laid. Upon the word troubled. Be not cast down and disquieted. The word heart. Let your heart be kept with full trust in God. The word your. However others are overwhelmed with the sorrows of this present time, be not you so. Christ's disciples, more than others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet. Here is the remedy against this trouble of mind, "Believe." By believing in Christ as the Mediator between God and man, we gain comfort. The happiness of heaven is spoken of as in a father's house. There are many mansions, for there are many sons to be brought to glory. Mansions are lasting dwellings. Christ will be the Finisher of that of which he is the Author or Beginner; if he have prepared the place for us, he will prepare us for it. Christ is the sinner's Way to the Father and to heaven, in his person as God manifest in the flesh, in his atoning sacrifice, and as our Advocate. He is the Truth, as fulfilling all the prophecies of a Saviour; believing which, sinners come by him the Way. He is the Life, by whose life-giving Spirit the dead in sin are quickened. Nor can any man draw nigh God as a Father, who is not quickened by Him as the Life, and taught by Him as the Truth, to come by Him as the Way. By Christ, as the Way, our prayers go to God, and his blessings come to us; this is the Way that leads to rest, the good old Way. He is the Resurrection and the Life. All that saw Christ by faith, saw the Father in Him. In the light of Christ's doctrine, they saw God as the Father of lights; and in Christ's miracles, they saw God as the God of power. The holiness of God shone in the spotless purity of Christ's life. We are to believe the revelation of God to man in Christ; for the works of the Redeemer show forth his own glory, and God in him.

Verses 12-17 Whatever we ask in Christ's name, that shall be for our good, and suitable to our state, he shall give it to us. To ask in Christ's name, is to plead his merit and intercession, and to depend upon that plea. The gift of the Spirit is a fruit of Christ's mediation, bought by his merit, and received by his intercession. The word used here, signifies an advocate, counsellor, monitor, and comforter. He would abide with the disciples to the end of time; his gifts and graces would encourage their hearts. The expressions used here and elsewhere, plainly denote a person, and the office itself includes all the Divine perfections. The gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed upon the disciples of Christ, and not on the world. This is the favour God bears to his chosen. As the source of holiness and happiness, the Holy Spirit will abide with every believer for ever.

Verses 18-24 Christ promises that he would continue his care of his disciples. I will not leave you orphans, or fatherless, for though I leave you, yet I leave you this comfort, I will come to you. I will come speedily to you at my resurrection. I will come daily to you in my Spirit; in the tokens of his love, and visits of his grace. I will come certainly at the end of time. Those only that see Christ with an eye of faith, shall see him for ever: the world sees him no more till his second coming; but his disciples have communion with him in his absence. These mysteries will be fully known in heaven. It is a further act of grace, that they should know it, and have the comfort of it. Having Christ's commands, we must keep them. And having them in our heads, we must keep them in our hearts and lives. The surest evidence of our love to Christ is, obedience to the laws of Christ. There are spiritual tokens of Christ and his love given to all believers. Where sincere love to Christ is in the heart, there will be obedience. Love will be a commanding, constraining principle; and where love is, duty follows from a principle of gratitude. God will not only love obedient believers, but he will take pleasure in loving them, will rest in love to them. He will be with them as his home. These privileges are confined to those whose faith worketh by love, and whose love to Jesus leads them to keep his commandments. Such are partakers of the Holy Spirit's new-creating grace.

Verses 25-27 Would we know these things for our good, we must pray for, and depend on the teaching of the Holy Ghost; thus the words of Jesus will be brought to our remembrance, and many difficulties be cleared up which are not plain to others. To all the saints, the Spirit of grace is given to be a remembrancer, and to him, by faith and prayer, we should commit the keeping of what we hear and know. Peace is put for all good, and Christ has left us all that is really and truly good, all the promised good; peace of mind from our justification before God. This Christ calls his peace, for he is himself our Peace. The peace of God widely differs from that of Pharisees or hypocrites, as is shown by its humbling and holy effects.

Verses 28-31 Christ raises the expectations of his disciples to something beyond what they thought was their greatest happiness. His time was now short, he therefore spake largely to them. When we come to be sick, and to die, we may not be capable of talking much to those about us; such good counsel as we have to give, let us give while in health. Observe the prospect Christ had of an approaching conflict, not only with men, but with the powers of darkness. Satan has something in us to perplex us with, for we have all sinned; but when he would disturb Christ, he found nothing sinful to help him. The best evidence of our love to the Father is, our doing as he has commanded us. Let us rejoice in the Saviour's victories over Satan the prince of this world. Let us copy the example of his love and obedience.