This Maundy Thursday (and this is a scheduled post), it would be a good time to reflect on Jesus’ statements after the Last Supper. This time, the reading would be from John 14:1-14, all that before Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells the disciples in John 14:1-4 these words:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house there are many rooms. If it were not so would have I told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.”
The KJV translation uses houses instead of rooms. I think the KJV translators purposely used mansions because it would be a wider translation of God’s glory. The footnote, however, says, dwellings. Jesus was telling His disciples that His departure would be to their future advantage. Most of the disciples died horrible deaths. The Foxe’s Book of Martyrs covers a great deal of martyrdom of the apostles. Jesus contnues by saying that He prepares a place for them. This was the reason for Jesus’ departure. Jesus promised his disciples in the upper room, and Judas Iscariot was no longer there. The 11 faithful ones were told that one day, they would be with Jesus, with Him in Heaven.
Jesus as the Way to the Father
Thomas the doubter mentioned he doesn’t know where Jesus is going. Thomas then asked for the way. Jesus states another hard-to-believe message. John 14:6 says that there’s no other way to the Father but Jesus. People believe that truth is truth except when it comes to religion. Some people even say, “May you burn in Hell for preaching Jesus is the only way to the Father!” I didn’t say it, Jesus said it. They say it’s bigotry. Back when I had my semi-Arminian view, I would try to argue day in and day out that Jesus is the only way to the Father. I got labeled as a terrorist, and fanatic, compared to the late Osama bin Ladin, etc. Why should I be surprised? The world today lives in a very “tolerant” age, where truth matters except when it comes to religion. The result is that we’ve got the “your truth is my truth” or moral relativism or religious relativism going on. Jesus said He’s the only Way.
It’s no wonder why many religions today try to downplay the Deity of Christ. I’ve read how Buddhists view Jesus. Buddhists view Jesus as just another teacher. Islam views Jesus just as another prophet. This is called the deist movement. You also have so-called Christian faiths that deny Jesus’ deity. Downplaying the deity of Christ can add something to salvation. Some affirm the deity of Christ but add human works and human figures. In Roman Catholicism and its offshoots, Mary who was but another human, gets elevated above Jesus. I’d say it’s because John 14:6-7 in all its exclusivity says, there’s only one Way. There’s no added way such as Jesus plus this and Jesus plus that. Manmade religions tend to add Jesus plus this and Jesus plus that. In the Bible, it’s directly to Jesus to go directly to the Father.
We have Philip requesting the Father to be shown to them. However, Jesus then said these words in John 14:9-11 as an answer to the request:
9 “Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip? WHoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 10 Do you not believe Iam in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority, bu tthe Father wo dwells in Me does His works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Fathe rand the Father is Me, or else beleive on account of the works themselves.
Jesus was now again, showing His deity, yet people try to downplay it. Deist groups are still insisting that Jesus was just a man, even if they’ve read John 1. You can read to them John 1 and they’ll try to explain it with the executive power of a minister. The argument of deist groups is pretty much, “Shut up and what we say is right because our council says so.” The council has become the final authority instead of the Word of God. It’s not surprising how such arrogance is very widely displayed. Jesus affirmed what He can do and no man has been given the task to do. Jesus in the Father, the Father is in Jesus, and this proves He is eternal, not just a man as the deists would say. I don’t expect deists just to buy into it because they’ll always try to explain it away.
John 14:12-14 ends the discussion of Jesus as the only way to the Father:
“Truly, truly I say to you; whoever beieves in me will als do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Fateher. 13 Whatever you ask in My Name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in My N1ame, I will do it.
For verse 12, the NIV MacArthur Study Bible gives this insight:
14:12 they will do even greater things than these. Jesus did not mean greater works in power, but in extent. They would become witnesses to the world through the power of the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). and would bring many to salvation because of the Comforter dwelling in them. The focus is on spiritual rather than physical miracles. The Book of Acts constitutes the beginning historical record of the impact that the Spirit-empowered disciples had on the world (cf. Acts 17:6). because I am going to the Father. The only way Jeuss’ disciples would be able to be used to do those greater works was through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He could not be sent as the Comforter, until Jesus returned to the Father (v. 26, 7:39)
The condition of verse 14 is in verse 13. God isn’t a genie-like in Aladdin. God is a King who grants the requests of His servants, to help them to be able to do His will. Anything that doesn’t glorify the Father isn’t part of anything that Jesus promised. 1 John 5:14 says that if believers ask in prayer according to God’s will, it’s what will be granted. If I pray for anything evil, God will not grant it. If I pray to God to help me court an unbeliever, I can only expect Him to harden the heart of the woman instead.
Verses 13-14 give this explanation from the NIV MacArthur Study Bible which will end this section:
In their hour of loss at the departure of Jesus, He comforted them with the means that would provide them with the necessary resoruces to accomplish their task without His immediate presence that they had come to depend upon.To ask in Jesus’ “name” does not mean to tack such an expression on the end of a prayer as a mere formula. It means 1.) the believer’s prayer should be for His purposes and kigndom and not selfish reasons; 2.) the believer’s prayer should be on the basis of His merits and not on any personal merit or worthiness; ad 3.) the believer’s prayer shoudl be in pursuit of His glory alone.
Then Jesus tells them in verse 15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” What’s the true test of a real conversion? It’s a lifestyle that grows in obedience. It seeks to glorify God. As Paul writes in Romans 3:31, faith doesn’t void the Law but fulfills it. If you’re saved, it’s impossible to remain barren for the rest of the earthly life of the believer. A Christian isn’t 100% sinless but there’s a desire to obey and the fruit of obedience.
Jeuss’ promise of the Holy Spirit
In verses 16-17, we can read this:
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of trut whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you.
Now, the affirmation of the deity of the Holy Spirit. Even Genesis 1 shows the Holy Spirit isn’t a force but a Person. The Spirit of the LORD moved across the waters. It’s crazy how deists say that God was talking to the angels. Again, can angels really create? Instead, John 1 gives is the clue that the Word was with God and the Word was God, and that by Him things were made. The Word is Jesus. However, they’ll always try to find some way to explain it away.
To understand verses 16-17, here are some insights from the NIV MacArthur Study Bible:
14:16 ask the Father. The priestly and intercessory work of Christ began with the request that the father send the Holy Spirit to indwell in the people of faith (7:39, 15:26, 16:7, see note on 20:22, cf. Ac. 1:8, 2:4, 33) another. The Greek word specifically means another of the same kind, i.e., someone like Jesus Himself who will take His place and do His work. The Spirit of Christ is the Third Person of the Trinity, having the same essence of deity as Jesus as the perfectly one with Him as He is with the Father. advocate. The Gr. term here lit. means “one called alongside to help” and has the idea of someone who encourages and exhorts (see note on 16:7). “Be with you” has to do with His permanent residence in believers (Ro. 8:9, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 12:13)
14:17 Spirit of truth. He is the Spirit of truth in that He is the source of truth and communicates the truth to His own (v. 26, 16:12-15). Apart from Him, people cannot know God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:12-16, 1 Joyn 2:20, 27). lives with you and will be in you. This indicates some distinction between the ministry of the Holy Spirit to beleivers before and after Pentecost. While clearly the Holy Spirit has been with all who have ever believed throughout redemptive history as the source of truth, faith, and life, Jesus is saying something new is coming in His ministry. John 7:37-39 indicates this uique ministry will be like “rivers of living water.” Acts 19:1-8 introduces some old covenant believers who had not received the Holy Spirit in this unique fullness and intimacy. Cf. Ac. 1:8; 2:1-4; 1 Cor. 12:11-13.
This goes to bridge itself again with obedience. Jesus promises in verse 18 that He will not leave them as orphans. This is the picture of adoption into the family of God. It’s very hard for people to accept people in the family, who are only adopted. However, we must realize that adoption is necessary because the natural person is of his or her father, the Devil (John 8:44). Now, we need to dig into obedience again. This isn’t faith plus works salvation but salvation without works, creates works. Salvation is not by works but it creates works as a result of salvation. Jesus also said in verse 20 about His resurrection.
Now, Jesus further stresses obedience in verse 21:
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he is it who loves Me. An he who loves me will be loved by My Father and I will love Him, and manifiest mylself to Him.
The bridge between faith and obedience is established. I really find it stupid that I was labeled a “Jesuit” for emphasizing this. After I asked the person for any specific verse that suggested it, he called me a snake. Jesus emphasized obedience springs forth from saving faith. Faith produces faithfulness and the good works come after that. Although Christians are saved without good works, they can’t be devoid of good works as the Christian life moves forward. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it becomes 100% impossible for any Christian to be saved and live like the Devil!
Judas (not Iscariot, seldom called Jude) then asked, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us but not to the world?” Jesus then emphasized how true salvation creates obedience. I may believe in once saved-always saved but the true evidence of eternal security is in good works.
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father who sent Me.
Yes, once saved always saved but the Scripture is full of warnings against fake converts. Anybody can claim to be OSAS but they were never saved. How many people get saved and then think they’ve got a license to sin? I’m amazed that the same person who called me a “Jesuit” (and this so-called Jesuit expert has a very abrasive personality) also calls others who exposed the late Jack Hyles, as “Jesuits” too. Now, we need to look further at the finishing chapter. We need to tackle the Holy Spirit’s role before concluding this study.
Verse 26 moves to this truth:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring ot your remembance all that I have said to you.
Since the Holy Spirit is in every believer, can it be possible for a Christian to enjoy sinning? True, Christians can fall into compromise but never live a life of sin. The Holy Spirit is involved in the conversion, sanctification, and the glorification. Not everyone is a temple of the Holy Spirit, only believers. The Holy Spirit would bring into remembrance all that Jesus had said. None of them are lost except Judas Iscariot. The power of the Holy Spirit would be displayed either physically or internally.
Verse 27 then moves forward to Jesus telling them this wonderful promise:
Peace I leave iwth you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
The last verses would focus on the role of Jesus in the Trinity. Some say that Jesus denies His deity in John 14:28. However, this is all about ranking. Jesus is the Son and He is subordinate to the Father. It was time for Jesus to return to the Father. However, Jesus had become subordinate to the Father. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal and they are all One. They are one in essence (God) and three in Persons. There’s no contradiction in saying God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It’s because they have one essence as God Almighty.
Jesus also warns that Satan, who’s referred to as the ruler of this world, is coming. Jesus gives the assurance that Satan has no claim on Him. Jesus is doing as the Father had commanded. Up to this point, Satan can only do what God permits Him to do.
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