John 14.1-31 will tell us how Yeshua attempts to calm their fearful hearts by describing the glorious future that awaits them; that he is the only way to the Father; to know Yeshua is to know the Father; how the work that has been started will continue even after Yeshua has gone to the Father through the Ruach Ha Kodesh; how Ha Satan was coming for Yeshua, but he will not get a foothold or be victorious; their departure for the Garden of Gethsemane.
v 1… “Let not your heart be troubled (emotionally tossed, be at ease; Yeshua continues with what he has been saying in Chapter 13. They were not to be discouraged, however, over things concerning his going away or his betrayal); believe in God, believe also in me (a sure proof of his deity because he places himself as equal to God as a foundation of faith).
v 2… In my Father’s house (an idiom for the Kingdom of God-2 Cor 5.1-8 and the Olam Haba) are many dwelling places (this refers to the permanent relationship we have with the Lord, a resting place for the adopted son in Messiah who remains in the household forever-John 8.35); if it were not so, I would have told you (disclosed it to you), for I go to prepare a place for you (in the kingdom, starting at the cross where he will go and ratify the new covenant with his own blood and bring in the redemption).
v 3…And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again (and not abandon you), and receive you to myself; that where I am you may be also (be united and exist together).
v 4… And you know the way where I am going (the cross, death).”
v 5… Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how do we know the way (but he has repeatedly told them)?”
v 6… Yeshua said to him, “I am the way (the door to salvation, the way into the kingdom of God-John 10.7-9), and the truth (the truth itself-John 8.31-32), and the life (the source of eternal life-John 11.25. All of these terms are terms for the Torah as well), no one comes to the Father but through me (the only way of access).
v 7… If you had known me (fully, as you should have by now), you would have known the Father also (the knowledge of both go together), from now on you know him, and have seen him (in me).”
v 8… Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father (give us a manifestation, cause him to appear), and it is enough for us (as Moses desired-Exo 33.17-23; just do it our way and it will set all our fears aside).”
v 9… Yeshua said to him, “Have I been so long with you (existing and near you), and yet you have not come to know me, Phillip (he had been with Philip so long and yet he still did not understand that Yeshua was the son of God and the Godhead dwelt in him bodily-Col 1.15, 2.9), he that has seen me has seen the Father (the image of him, his attributes can be seen in me); how do you say, ‘Show us the Father (since I am his image)?’
v 10… Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me (as one divinity, one unity-John 10.38, 17.11)? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father abiding in me does his works (through me; both reveal who he is-John 4.42). (11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; otherwise (if not) believe on account of the works themselves (these works have more confirmatory power).
v 12… Truly, truly (amen, amen are words related to the word “Emunah” which is the word for “faith, confidence, action”), I say to you, he who believes in me, the works (miraculous works) that I do shall he do also (raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out devils, etc), and greater works than these shall he do (not in nature or power, but more in number because they will be ministering for many years, preaching the gospel to the known world, not just in Israel) because I go to the Father (and the Holy Spirit, the power, will be given to you in my absence-Luke 24.49; Acts 1.8).
v 13… And whatever you ask in my name (meaning authority and harmony with his will), that I will do (not acting as a mediator between the Father and them, but that he will do it himself because he is God), that the Father (who sent him) may be glorified in the son (in whose name the request was made).
v 14… If you ask me anything in my name (as one who represents me, that which is authorized and in line with his will, proper and morally), I will do it.
v 15… If you love me, you will keep (guard) my commandments (to love God means you will show action in line with the Torah-Deut 30.20. When a first century Jew heard a phrase like this, it meant the Torah, and Yeshua was the living, breathing, walking Torah of God because he was the word of God-John 1.1).
v 16… And I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper (comforter, the Holy Spirit) that he may be with you forever (here is a proof of the Trinity. Yeshua, who is God, prays to the Father, who is God, who will send the Holy Spirit who is God-Acts 5.3-4 calls the Holy Spirit “God”);
v 17… even the Spirit of truth (the inspiration behind the Scriptures, which is truth) whom the world (the carnal, natural man) cannot receive because it does not behold him (the Holy Spirit, because they have no spiritual discernment) or know him, but you know him because he abides (lives, is present) with you and will be in you (after the resurrection-John 7.39; John 20.22; Acts 1.8, 2.1-4).
v 18… I will not leave you as orphans (desolate, never seeing the parents again, comfortless); I will come to you (after the resurrection to let you see I am alive).
v 19… After a little while the world will behold me no more (to scrutinize and observe), but you behold me (in a few days); because I live, you shall live also (eternally because he is the fountain of life-John 4.13-14, 10.27-28).
v 20… In that day (when you see me alive, and this term is an idiom for “when Messiah comes” in the Scripture) you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.
v 21… He who has my commandments and keeps them (in his heart, Yeshua is the living Torah, he is the word of God and can call the commandments “mine”), he it is who loves me; and he who loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will disclose myself to him.”
v 22… Judas, not Iscariot (Jude the apostle, also called Thaddeus) said to him, “Lord, what then has happened that you are going to disclose yourself to us (they assumed he was going to reveal himself as the earthly Messiah/King), and not to the world (order; they had the concept that the Messiah would reveal himself to the world and set up his kingdom, not to just a few people)?”
v 23… Yeshua answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word (the Torah commandments) and my Father will love him, and we (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) will come to him and make our (plural, like in Gen 1.26; Job 35.10 where “maker” is plural= “makers”; and Ecc 12.1 where “creator” is plural= “creators”) abode with him (a habitation).
v 24… He who does not love me does not keep my words (the Torah, the Scriptures; love is not an emotion but an action) and the word which you hear is not mine (personally as a man, not a scheme of mine), but the Father’s who sent me (from heaven, he has a concern to pay attention to his words which are already written in the Torah).
v 25… These things I have spoken to you, while abiding (living, present)) with you.
v 26… But the Helper (the comforter), the Holy Spirit (Ruach ha Kodesh), whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you (when you go as witnesses, or teach true doctrine).
v 27…Peace (with God) I leave with you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives (which is a false, empty peace, given by fallen men, short-lived) do I give it to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (emotionally tossed).
v 28… You heard that I said to you, ‘I Go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me (as you should), you would have rejoiced (because the redemption so longed for has been accomplished), because I go to the Father (because the redemption has been accomplished); for the Father is greater than I (not in regards to the divine nature, being equal in that regard, but in regards to his human nature and how he gave up the glory he had with the Father in order to come and redeem mankind and the creation. He is subordinate to the Father only in his role as the Messiah and made a little lower than the angels, so consequently, he is “inferior” in his office as mediator. Similar to Joseph’s role with Pharaoh. This is not referring to his place in the “Godhead”).
v 29… And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe (as you should and be aware of it).
v 30… I will not speak much more with you (before his death), for the ruler of the world is coming (against me; Ha Satan, the devil, personally; he appeared in the garden and intends to take full opportunity) and he has nothing in me (is not in harmony with me and I will find no condemnation in him, no sin, he is not successful);
v 31… but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do (to give his life). Arise, let us go from here (not from the Passover, because he didn’t eat that with them, he was already dead, but from Bethany where they were-Matt 26.6. They left there and went to Jerusalem where the next few chapters take place).”
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