Lesson for October 5, 2025
The Book of John
Lesson 35
Chapter 14:1-31
Verses 1-6
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?’ 6 Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’”
Jesus continued the Upper Room Discourse with a number of statements meant to comfort His disciples, knowing that He would return to Heaven very soon. What greater comfort could Jesus have given His disciples than to know that Jesus was going to prepare a place for them in Heaven and return to take them there for all eternity.
Though His disciples were not unintelligent, sometimes they forgot what Jesus had taught them. We’ve seen this in the case of Philip (John 6:5), Thomas (John 11:16), and Peter (John 13:8), in previous passages. We see it once again with Thomas in verse 4. Jesus said, ‘And you know the way where I am going.’ Yet, Thomas contradicted Jesus, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?’ Jesus saw that Thomas had not yet learned enough doctrine to realize that Jesus and the Father were one, ‘If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Eventually, Thomas would believe this truth!
Jesus reminded His disciples that He was the only way for a person to go Heaven and enter the plan of God. (I am the way). He reminded them that He is the embodiment of absolute truth, since God’s Word is the mind of Christ. (I am the truth). Jesus also said He is the life, meaning, as God, He is eternal life, one of His attributes. (I am the life). And the Christian life that believers enjoy is based on living our lives the way Jesus lived His life.
Verses 8-15
“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ 9 Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.’”
Philip had a slightly different problem than Thomas. He wanted visual proof that Jesus and the Father are one (show us the Father). Jesus rebuked Philip because he had not yet come to the realization that Jesus and the Father were one. What followed is clear, unmistakeable proof that Jesus was God in the flesh, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. For three years, Jesus had been demonstrating His deity and the fact that He and the Father were one. Yet, some of the disciples had not understood it. Jesus reminded them of the miracles He had performed and challenged them to believe He was God on that basis, if nothing else.
I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. Once Jesus was seated at the right hand of the Father and glorified, as per John 7:39, the Holy Spirit would provide greater power to meet the intensified stage of the Angelic Conflict, by permanently indwelling believers. The greater works are not miracles, but divine production by believers.
If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. Jesus Christ is now absent from the earth, but He is at the right hand of the Father making intersession for believers. So, believers pray to the Father in the name of Christ, our High Priest.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Capacity to love Jesus Christ is based on the knowledge of accurate Bible doctrine. If you are not taking in Bible doctrine on a consistent basis, you have no capacity to love Jesus Christ.
Verses 16-21
“ I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 ‘I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. 21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.’ “
This is a prophecy of the coming Holy Spirit, which happened on the Day of Pentecost. The permanent indwelling of God the Holy Spirit begins immediately at salvation, as does the indwelling of God the Father and God the Son. This ministry is unique to the Church Age. It is this ministry that assures our royal status, since all believers, regardless of their spiritual health, are equally indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This ministry also creates a temple in the body of each believer for the indwelling of Christ, the Shekinah Glory.
The Greek word for helper is “parakletos,” and means to call to one’s aid. It is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit to bring comfort to believers, in time of distress. Originally a legal term for an advocate or defense attorney, the word for helper came to mean more. Its meaning was expanded to include consolation, encouragement, alleviation of grief, or giving comfort; things perhaps an advocate would do for a client. It is this word that the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture to use to describe His ministry to believers. (John 14:16,26, 15:26; 16:7; Philippians 2:1-2; II Thessalonians 2:15-16; I John 2:1)
How does the Holy Spirit comfort believers? Since God does not speak directly to human beings any longer, there must be a way in which He communicates this comfort. It is very clear from Scripture that God the Holy Spirit uses the Bible doctrine that we have stored in our souls to bring comfort, encouragement, and alleviation of grief. The Holy Spirit guides us to the truth that we need at a particular moment, to accomplish His ministry of comfort. The key, of course, is to have this information stored in our souls so that we have a frame of reference for the purpose of using Faith-Rest. (John 14:26, 16:12-13; Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 1:1-2)
Verses 22-26
“Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?’ 23 Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and remind you of all that I said to you.”
The Judas here is Judas Labbaeus, also called Thaddeus. (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13) Not to the world means to be made known to believers, and not to those who are unbelievers. Unbelievers cannot understand revelation from God. If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word. Jesus answered Judas by saying that a believer’s attitude toward doctrine demonstrates their love toward God. Therefore, if a believer does not follow the Word of God, they do not love God.
We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him is a reference to the fact that the Trinity is going to permanently indwell them. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. The Holy Spirit will come and indwell them, as their teacher. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit sets up potential for believers to understand spiritual truth. Since God does not force truth upon us, we must make our own choice to learn, believe, and apply spiritual truth. Under the filling of the Holy Spirit, believers are able to convert academic understanding of God’s Word into spiritual understanding. (I Corinthians 2:10-16: II Peter 1:20-21)
Verses 27-31
27 Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful. 28 You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me, 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.’
Peace is the Greek word “eirene,” meaning tranquillity, benefit, or happiness. Peace is having a stable mental attitude, knowing that you have peace with God through faith in Christ and the peace of God through the knowledge, belief, and application of God’s Word and by staying in fellowship with Him. Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful means not to be worried or be in a state of anxiety. Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Application of Bible doctrine removes fear, according to II Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”The doctrine that removes fear is the Faith-Rest Technique, according to Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust and faith in You.”
I am going away, and I am coming to you. If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. This was a declaration from the humanity of Christ. The deity of God the Father was greater than the humanity of Christ, Who was obedient to the plan of the Father. His plan called for Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension, session, and glorification.
In the Church Age, the Royal Family of God is being formed. Therefore, the Church will share the glory of Christ, forever. That is why He said to the disciples that they ought to be very happy about the fact that He was going to go. He was going to sit down at the right hand of the Father and be glorified.
I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me, but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here. The ruler of this world is Satan, and he was indwelling Judas Iscariot, so he could betray Jesus. Within hours after dinner, Satan used Judas Iscariot, the Temple police, some Roman soldiers, and some of the members of the Sanhedrin to capture and crucify Jesus. Satan had nothing he could accuse Jesus of and had no power over Him, because Jesus was sinless. Jesus gave up His life freely, in order to fulfill the plan of God the Father!!!