John 14

1 And he sayd vnto his disciples: Let not youre hertes be troubled. Beleve in god and beleve in me.

2 In my fathers housse are many mansions. If it were not so I wolde have tolde you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And yf I go to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receave you eve vnto my selfe yt where I am there maye ye be also.

4 And whither I go ye knowe and ye waye ye knowe.

5 Thomas sayde vnto him: Lorde we knowe not whyther thou goest. Also how is it possible for vs to knowe the waye?

6 Iesus sayd vnto him: I am ye waye ye truthe and ye life. And no man cometh vnto the father but by me.

7 Yf ye had knowe me ye had knowe my father also. And now ye knowe him and have sene him.

8 Philip sayd vnto him: Lorde shew vs the father and it suffiseth vs.

9 Iesus sayde vnto him: have I bene so longe tyme wt you: and yet hast thou not knowen me? Philip he yt hath sene me hath sene ye father. And how sayest thou then: shew vs the father?

10 Belevest thou not that I am in ye father and the father in me? The wordes that I speake vnto you I speakee not of my selfe: but ye father that dwelleth in me is he that doeth ye workes.

11 Beleve me that I am the father and ye father in me. At the leest beleve me for the very workes sake.

12 Verely verely I saye vnto you: he that beleveth on me the workes that I doo the same shall he do and greater workes then these shall he do because I go vnto my father.

13 And what soever ye axe in my name yt will I do yt the father might be glorified by the sonne.

14 Yf ye shall axe eny thige in my name I will do it

15 If ye love me kepe my comaundementes

16 and I will praye the father and he shall geve you a nother comforter yt he maye byde with you ever

17 which is the sprete of truthe whome the worlde canot receave because the worlde seyth him not nether knoweth him. But ye knowe him. For he dwelleth with you and shalbe in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortlesse: but will come vnto you.

19 Yet a litell whyle and the worlde seith me no moare: but ye shall se me. For I live and ye shall live.

20 That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you

21 He that hath my comaundemetes and kepeth them the same is he that loveth me. And he yt loveth me shall be loved of my father: and I will love him and will shewe myne awne selfe vnto him.

22 Iudas sayde vnto him (not Iudas Iscarioth) Lorde what is the cause that thou wilt shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde?

23 Iesus answered and sayde vnto him: yf a man love me and wyll kepe my sayinges my father also will love him and we will come vnto him and will dwelle with him.

24 He that loveth me not kepeth not my sayinges. And the wordes which ye heare are not myne but the fathers which sent me.

25 This have I spoken vnto you beynge yet present with you.

26 But that coforter which is the holy gost (whom my father will sende in my name) he shall teache you all thinges and bringe all thinges to youre remembraunce whatsoever I have tolde you.

27 Peace I leve with you my peace I geve vnto you. Not as the worlde geveth geve I vnto you. Let not youre hertes be greved nether feare ye.

28 Ye have hearde how I sayde vnto you: I go and come agayne vnto you. If ye loved me ye wolde verely reioyce because I sayde I go vnto ye father. For ye father is greater then I

29 And now have I shewed you before it come yt whe it is come to passe ye might beleve.

30 Here after will I not talke many mordes vnto you. For the rular of this worlde commeth and hath nought in me.

31 But that the worlde maye knowe that I love the father: therfore as the father gave me comaundment even so do I. Ryse let vs go hence.

John 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.