The Word Made Fresh
1“Don’t be troubled in heart; you believe in God, believe in me also. 2There are many rooms in my Father’s house. Would I have told you that I’m going there to prepare a place for you if it weren’t true? 3And if I go there and prepare a place for you I will return and bring you to be with me so that you will be there also. 4You know the way to the place I’m going.”
5Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going; how can we know the way there?”
6Jesus answered, “I am the way, and I am the truth, and I am the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will come to know my Father as well and from then on you will know him and you will have seen him.”
8Then Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
9Jesus said, “You still don’t know me after I have been with you all this time, Philip? Whoever sees me sees the Father, so how can you ask me to show you the Father? 10Don’t you realize that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? I’m not speaking for myself, but for the Father who lives and works in me. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe in me because of my works. 12The truth is that whoever believes in me will do the things that I do, and even greater things, because I am going to the Father. 13Then I’ll do whatever you ask so that the Father may be magnified in the Son. 14I’ll do anything you ask in my name.
15“If you love me, keep my commandments, 16and I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper, who will remain with you forever. 17You will be given the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive it because the world can’t see him or know him. You’ll know him, though, because he will live within you.
18“I’m not going to leave you orphaned. I’ll come to you. 19In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will. Because I live, you will live as well. 20Then you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Those who love me will know my commandments and obey them, and my Father will love them, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
22Then Judas (not the one called Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what do you mean, that you will show yourself to us, but not to the world?”
23“Those who love me,” Jesus replied, “will embrace my teaching, and my Father will love them, and we will abide with them. 24But those who don’t love me won’t obey my teaching. What I teach is not my teaching, but comes from the Father who sent me.
25“I tell you these things while I’m still with you, 26but God will send in my name the Holy Spirit as an advocate, and he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I’ve told you. 27I leave my peace with you; I give it to you, but not as the world gives. So, don’t be troubled in heart and don’t be afraid. 28You heard me say that I’m going away, and I am coming back to you. If you love me you should rejoice that I’m going to the Father; after all, the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you all of this before it takes place, so that when it happens, you will believe. 30I won’t speak to you much longer; the ruler of this world is coming for me. He has no power over me, 31but I do what the Father has told me to do, so that the world will know that I love the Father.
“Arise now, and let’s go.”
Commentary
1-7: Jesus begins at this point to focus on preparing his disciples for the crucifixion. He wants them to understand that his leaving will not end their relationship, and the words he speaks in verses 1-3 are among the most quoted from the Bible. When Thomas, interpreting his words literally, asks about his mysterious destination Jesus reminds them that, spiritually speaking, he is their destination.
8-14: Philip says they’ll be satisfied if Jesus will only show them the Father. Jesus’ reply forms a strong basis for the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, with the first two persons, Father and Son, presented as one. Yet, I am struck by Jesus’ gentleness at this juncture; he is not insisting that they understand or that they believe in that oneness. Instead, he simply assures them that the connection he has with them is not going to be severed by events to come.
15-17: To the Father and Son, Jesus now adds the Spirit, who will serve as the link between Jesus and his followers. This becomes the basis for our understanding of “God in three persons, blessed Trinity” – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
18-24: He assures them again that their connection will not be severed by his leaving. Judas (son of James — see Luke 6:16) wants to know how Jesus can stay in touch with them without being in the world, and his reply is that the connection between them is love; the kind of love that results in their wanting to be faithful to his words, his teaching.
25-31: Again he assures them that the Holy Spirit will be sent to them and all their questions will be answered in due course; but now the time is short and they must go.
Takeaway
God’s love for us is demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ.