These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Jesus spoke these teachings while He was still physically present with His disciples before His departure and separation from them, to be remembered when He was no longer with them. They were part of His final farewell instruction given near the close of His earthly ministry when cruel death and suffering lay just before Him. He spoke them for comfort, encouragement and courage to strengthen them to endure coming trial, disappointment and world hatred without failing or losing faith. The words lead into the promise that after His departure the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to teach all things and bring back to remembrance all He had said. Those lessons of love, obedience, peace and the Spirit hold the richest promises for all future generations and need to be studied, believed, committed to memory and lived out to bring strength, assurance and peace in the most trying hour.
Words and Historical Setting
These things were spoken while Jesus was still physically and visibly present with His disciples, before His departure and separation from them, to be remembered when He was no longer present. That instruction given while still with them prepared them for their future work, which required divine power joined with human effort and had to be built on Christ rather than carried out without divine help. The words belong to His final farewell instruction and talk given near the close of His earthly ministry, just before His crucifixion and suffering, when a cruel death lay before Him. That final instruction before He left them made His purposes and plans known so they would not remain ignorant, and taught them to remember His love in their work and counsel.
He spoke in the upper chamber with the eleven disciples after Judas had left, just before telling them of His approaching separation from them. He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission that He kept ever before Him, that His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name and that this was His joy. He spoke in answer to a disciple's question about how He would manifest Himself to His followers and not to the world.
The things spoken while still with them include love, obedience, keeping His words and commandments, being loved by the Father, and the Father and Son making their abode with believers. They include the Comforter, peace, and His going and coming. Together they explain the united work of the Father and Christ, with promises connected with keeping God's commandments and loving God and one another.
They include the lesson of the vine that was to be repeated for the benefit of those who would later hear their words. They include the duties He specified as Substitute and Surety in John 13-17. The verse marks His personal spoken teaching as given before His departure, distinct from the later teaching and reminding work of the Comforter who would teach all things and bring His sayings to remembrance.
Comfort and Purpose Explained
Jesus spoke these words while still present with His disciples because He knew the trials that would come upon His church through unconverted believers, knew the terrible ordeal of betrayal, scourging and death that awaited Himself, and knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried. He knew every phase of experience and conflict they would face, was grieved that they must pass through manifold afflictions from the world, and foresaw the world hatred set against them.
He spoke not of Himself but for their comfort, consolation, encouragement and hope, to strengthen them to endure without failing. His words prepared them for the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit after His departure and formed part of His legacy of peace to His church. That legacy was His own peace, not as the world gives, given so that hearts need not be troubled or afraid, with the comfort in that trying hour that they would be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Spoken near the close of His earthly ministry when a cruel death lay before Him, they were meant to give His followers courage, hope and comfort. They belong to His farewell talk before His suffering and stand under the comfort, Let not your heart be troubled.
That instruction prepared them for their future work and ministry, for which divine power must be joined with human effort and which had to be built on Christ rather than carried out without divine help. It made His purposes and plans known so they would not remain ignorant, taught them to remember His love in their work and counsel, and prepared them for future trials and temptations. It prepared and comforted them for the coming trial and disappointment, introducing the promise that the Comforter would teach them, remind them of His words and bring them peace. In that plain speech about the difficulties they would meet in the world He mingled dark warnings of world hatred with the bright hopeful promise of the Comforter and of their cooperation with the Spirit as His witnesses and faithful representatives to an apostate world, preparing them for trial and great temptation to lose faith so they would not be offended.
The disciples at the time struggled to understand, thinking of an outward visible manifestation and unable to take in that they could have Christ's presence with them while He was unseen by the world, not understanding a spiritual manifestation. They were slow of heart and understood many of those truths only imperfectly, letting much pass from memory and grieving Him by unbelief. His words were so simple that all, even children, may understand them, though the disciples could not then comprehend them. They had yet to learn that the inward spiritual life, all fragrant with the obedience of love, would give them the spiritual power they needed and make that presence real to them.
He longed to give them all encouragement and comfort possible because they were to be sorely tried, though His words were difficult for them to comprehend. The promise of the Comforter assured them that they should not lose their faith under the most trying circumstances.
Promise of the Holy Spirit
These words were spoken while Jesus was still with the disciples, before His departure, and they lead directly into the promise that after He left the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, in Christ's name to teach all things and bring all He had said back to their remembrance. That promise answered their perplexity over how He could continue to be present with His followers while unseen by the world, for the inward spiritual life of loving obedience would make that presence real to them. What He had spoken in their presence called for keeping His words and commandments through love, centering on love, obedience, the Father's love, the Father and Son making their abode with believers, peace, and His going and coming, and it pointed to continued divine presence after His departure through the Comforter abiding forever, dwelling with and in believers.
At the time the disciples did not grasp the meaning, were slow of heart and understood only imperfectly, and let much pass from memory, yet after the ascension the Holy Spirit brought those spoken words back to their remembrance and opened their meaning little by little. Enlightened in this way they saw things altogether differently, knew they had companied with the Commander of the heavenly host, and could speak the name of Jesus with assurance as their Friend at Court pleading their cause before the Father. The same work was carried forward when Christ after His resurrection reminded them of what He had spoken while with them and opened their understanding to understand Scripture, recalling His sayings to their minds as truths they had not before understood.
So many things of such importance to future generations had been said, including the lesson of the vine to be repeated for the benefit of later hearers, that the messengers could not by themselves give an accurate account. Therefore He promised the Comforter to teach all things and bring His words to remembrance, and inspired holy men to write them, and those writings have come down in the New Testament. What He taught in John 14 together with chapters 15-17 shows what God desires to do for humanity, and the Spirit's coming as at Pentecost opens blinded eyes to that teaching with new enlightenment.
The Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Christ, was to be the representative of Christ, the Advocate constantly pleading for the fallen race, pleading that spiritual power may be given so that by the power of One mightier than all the enemies of God and man believers may overcome their spiritual foes. With Christ abiding in the heart through the Spirit, believers are enabled to do His will, to watch, to pray, and to act in harmony with His words in cooperation with divine agencies, while losing dependence on Him and ceasing prayer opens the way for satanic agencies to separate them from the Lord. The promise assured them that the inward spiritual life, all fragrant with the obedience of love, would give them the spiritual power they needed and that they should not lose their faith under the most trying circumstances.
The comfort given to the disciples in that trying hour was that they would be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Christ spoke while still present to leave His peace as His legacy to His church, giving His own peace not as the world gives, so hearts need not be troubled or afraid.
Doctrines the Chapter Teaches
John 14 teaches God's love for the world and shows that when people draw near to God He draws near to them in response. The chapter gives instruction for Christ's followers that only the Son of God could give, spoken while He was still present with them before leaving them. Together with chapters 15-17 it shows what God desires to do for humanity, a teaching that the coming of the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost opens blinded eyes to understand. Those teachings given while still with the disciples explain the united work of the Father and Christ.
The chapter teaches that love to Christ is shown by keeping His commandments, and that obedience is the Bible test for those who have received the light. It teaches that spiritual growth depends on living faith in Christ as personal Saviour, a faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Christ provides grace, yet people must cooperate with God by repenting and coming to Him as they are, trusting Him to make them pure, to keep them holy, and to enable obedience.
His instruction in John 13-17 plainly outlines God's will for His people and especially for those who minister in word and doctrine, a will to be believed in every verse and lived out before fellow ministers as belonging to conversion and to genuine missionary work. That expressed will is meant to guide practical life, calling believers to live in unity and love with one another and with Christ. His precious words spoken while yet present with them give the reason believers are called Adventists and the reason they reverence the Sabbath of the Lord. Preached with freedom, these words awaken deep interest and lead hearers to rest for the first time on the day commanded by God and to go forward in baptism as firstfruits.
Studying Believing and Living
The lessons in John 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are of deep import and hold the richest promises, and Christ intends them for all future generations. They need to be studied and even committed to memory, with study of the meaning of every word. With great light received in this way there will be real, genuine piety and diligent searching of the Word, the mind kept as a storehouse of truth with Thus saith the Lord and It is written ever upon the lips, a word in season for the oppressed, the sorrowful and the afflicted, and the richest consolation imparted to others who are ready to perish. The soul thus furnished becomes like a garden whose waters fail not, refreshing all around.
God's will is plainly outlined in John 13-17 for those who minister in word and doctrine and are acquainted with present truth. The verse means just what it says and is to be believed in every verse and lived out before fellow ministers and others. This believing and living belongs to conversion and to understanding the philosophy of genuine missionary work. The words spoken while still with the disciples about love, obedience, the Comforter, peace, and His going and coming are to be impressed upon the mind and held fast when tempted to doubt. Held in this way they leave no excuse for failing to perfect Christian character.
They are the voice of God to every troubled, perplexed soul, full of comfort, hope and assurance forever, giving light in clear, steady rays and the Light of life to those who hear and comply with the conditions specified in them. They require believing faith that appropriates the promises instead of doubt, anxiety and distrust, keeping Christ's commandments and words and being a doer of them. They leave no excuse for hugging unbelief, complaining to others, or leaving the help God gives to seek refreshment from human sources. These words are not half comprehended by individuals, by families, or by church members, through whom as His family God would represent pure, unadulterated truth and communicate truth. They must be believed and practiced as lessons bought by His blood, belonging to His final instruction just before His crucifixion, and when received and understood, received and properly digested, with the Holy Spirit applying them in the heart, they bring eternal life, light, understanding, peace, hope, encouragement, and a deeper sense of God's love.
As long as time shall last they bring to the true believer who studies them strength, assurance, and courage to stand fast in the most trying hour. Their rich, plainly stated promises can strengthen and comfort believers. They are part of the duties specified by Him as Substitute and Surety in John 13-17, needing careful study and earnest practice, and they cannot be neglected for unimportant matters by those who honor God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Doing them bears divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. With Christ abiding in the heart through the Spirit, believers are enabled to do His will, to watch, to pray, and to act in harmony with His words in cooperation with divine agencies, while losing dependence on Him and ceasing prayer opens the way for satanic agencies to separate them from the Lord. Those words are not being heeded when people engage in unkind, self-assured talk and pass judgment that harms souls and spoils God's work, and the Holy Spirit is needed to cleanse this defilement.
Present Application and Peace
The words spoken while still present are promises to be opened and read when in trouble and difficulty and hardly knowing what to do. They are to be read at family worship so that children comprehend these wonderful truths, to be believed as the Word of God and laid hold of and presented to family members. So received they give peace and hope and rejoicing even when discouraged and disheartened, centered in the promise that He will not leave His people comfortless, a promise proved true by experience. They are to be studied during the week by fathers, mothers, and children to glorify God in every way possible, and this study brings the great peace of God into the mind so that children speak of the kindness and love of Jesus.
John 14 supplies words to speak to people gathered together, words given by the Lord when present with them as heavenly Guest, and the words so given can surprise even the one who speaks them. Its whole teaching carries a call to keep the commandments of God and can be preached with freedom to a large crowded audience. Preached with freedom, these precious words spoken while yet present awaken deep interest and lead hearers to rest for the first time on the day commanded by God and to go forward in baptism as first fruits, giving the reason believers are called Adventists and the reason they reverence the Sabbath of the Lord. The chapter is used to urge faith in God's promises and cheerful gratitude. The verse is connected with a desire to receive the peace of Christ and have the Spirit abide.
These chapters with John 13, 15, 16, and 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. They provide a word in season for the oppressed, the sorrowful, and the afflicted, and the richest consolation to impart to others who are ready to perish.
Jesus spoke these teachings while He was still physically present with His disciples before His departure and separation from them, to be remembered when He was no longer with them. They were part of His final farewell instruction given near the close of His earthly ministry when cruel death and suffering lay just before Him. He spoke them for comfort, encouragement and courage to strengthen them to endure coming trial, disappointment and world hatred without failing or losing faith. The words lead into the promise that after His departure the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to teach all things and bring back to remembrance all He had said. Those lessons of love, obedience, peace and the Spirit hold the richest promises for all future generations and need to be studied, believed, committed to memory and lived out to bring strength, assurance and peace in the most trying hour.
Words and Historical Setting
These things were spoken while Jesus was still physically and visibly present with His disciples, before His departure and separation from them, to be remembered when He was no longer present. That instruction given while still with them prepared them for their future work, which required divine power joined with human effort and had to be built on Christ rather than carried out without divine help. The words belong to His final farewell instruction and talk given near the close of His earthly ministry, just before His crucifixion and suffering, when a cruel death lay before Him. That final instruction before He left them made His purposes and plans known so they would not remain ignorant, and taught them to remember His love in their work and counsel.
He spoke in the upper chamber with the eleven disciples after Judas had left, just before telling them of His approaching separation from them. He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission that He kept ever before Him, that His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name and that this was His joy. He spoke in answer to a disciple's question about how He would manifest Himself to His followers and not to the world.
The things spoken while still with them include love, obedience, keeping His words and commandments, being loved by the Father, and the Father and Son making their abode with believers. They include the Comforter, peace, and His going and coming. Together they explain the united work of the Father and Christ, with promises connected with keeping God's commandments and loving God and one another.
They include the lesson of the vine that was to be repeated for the benefit of those who would later hear their words. They include the duties He specified as Substitute and Surety in John 13-17. The verse marks His personal spoken teaching as given before His departure, distinct from the later teaching and reminding work of the Comforter who would teach all things and bring His sayings to remembrance.
Comfort and Purpose Explained
Jesus spoke these words while still present with His disciples because He knew the trials that would come upon His church through unconverted believers, knew the terrible ordeal of betrayal, scourging and death that awaited Himself, and knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried. He knew every phase of experience and conflict they would face, was grieved that they must pass through manifold afflictions from the world, and foresaw the world hatred set against them.
He spoke not of Himself but for their comfort, consolation, encouragement and hope, to strengthen them to endure without failing. His words prepared them for the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit after His departure and formed part of His legacy of peace to His church. That legacy was His own peace, not as the world gives, given so that hearts need not be troubled or afraid, with the comfort in that trying hour that they would be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Spoken near the close of His earthly ministry when a cruel death lay before Him, they were meant to give His followers courage, hope and comfort. They belong to His farewell talk before His suffering and stand under the comfort, Let not your heart be troubled.
That instruction prepared them for their future work and ministry, for which divine power must be joined with human effort and which had to be built on Christ rather than carried out without divine help. It made His purposes and plans known so they would not remain ignorant, taught them to remember His love in their work and counsel, and prepared them for future trials and temptations. It prepared and comforted them for the coming trial and disappointment, introducing the promise that the Comforter would teach them, remind them of His words and bring them peace. In that plain speech about the difficulties they would meet in the world He mingled dark warnings of world hatred with the bright hopeful promise of the Comforter and of their cooperation with the Spirit as His witnesses and faithful representatives to an apostate world, preparing them for trial and great temptation to lose faith so they would not be offended.
The disciples at the time struggled to understand, thinking of an outward visible manifestation and unable to take in that they could have Christ's presence with them while He was unseen by the world, not understanding a spiritual manifestation. They were slow of heart and understood many of those truths only imperfectly, letting much pass from memory and grieving Him by unbelief. His words were so simple that all, even children, may understand them, though the disciples could not then comprehend them. They had yet to learn that the inward spiritual life, all fragrant with the obedience of love, would give them the spiritual power they needed and make that presence real to them.
He longed to give them all encouragement and comfort possible because they were to be sorely tried, though His words were difficult for them to comprehend. The promise of the Comforter assured them that they should not lose their faith under the most trying circumstances.
Promise of the Holy Spirit
These words were spoken while Jesus was still with the disciples, before His departure, and they lead directly into the promise that after He left the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, in Christ's name to teach all things and bring all He had said back to their remembrance. That promise answered their perplexity over how He could continue to be present with His followers while unseen by the world, for the inward spiritual life of loving obedience would make that presence real to them. What He had spoken in their presence called for keeping His words and commandments through love, centering on love, obedience, the Father's love, the Father and Son making their abode with believers, peace, and His going and coming, and it pointed to continued divine presence after His departure through the Comforter abiding forever, dwelling with and in believers.
At the time the disciples did not grasp the meaning, were slow of heart and understood only imperfectly, and let much pass from memory, yet after the ascension the Holy Spirit brought those spoken words back to their remembrance and opened their meaning little by little. Enlightened in this way they saw things altogether differently, knew they had companied with the Commander of the heavenly host, and could speak the name of Jesus with assurance as their Friend at Court pleading their cause before the Father. The same work was carried forward when Christ after His resurrection reminded them of what He had spoken while with them and opened their understanding to understand Scripture, recalling His sayings to their minds as truths they had not before understood.
So many things of such importance to future generations had been said, including the lesson of the vine to be repeated for the benefit of later hearers, that the messengers could not by themselves give an accurate account. Therefore He promised the Comforter to teach all things and bring His words to remembrance, and inspired holy men to write them, and those writings have come down in the New Testament. What He taught in John 14 together with chapters 15-17 shows what God desires to do for humanity, and the Spirit's coming as at Pentecost opens blinded eyes to that teaching with new enlightenment.
The Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Christ, was to be the representative of Christ, the Advocate constantly pleading for the fallen race, pleading that spiritual power may be given so that by the power of One mightier than all the enemies of God and man believers may overcome their spiritual foes. With Christ abiding in the heart through the Spirit, believers are enabled to do His will, to watch, to pray, and to act in harmony with His words in cooperation with divine agencies, while losing dependence on Him and ceasing prayer opens the way for satanic agencies to separate them from the Lord. The promise assured them that the inward spiritual life, all fragrant with the obedience of love, would give them the spiritual power they needed and that they should not lose their faith under the most trying circumstances.
The comfort given to the disciples in that trying hour was that they would be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Christ spoke while still present to leave His peace as His legacy to His church, giving His own peace not as the world gives, so hearts need not be troubled or afraid.
Doctrines the Chapter Teaches
John 14 teaches God's love for the world and shows that when people draw near to God He draws near to them in response. The chapter gives instruction for Christ's followers that only the Son of God could give, spoken while He was still present with them before leaving them. Together with chapters 15-17 it shows what God desires to do for humanity, a teaching that the coming of the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost opens blinded eyes to understand. Those teachings given while still with the disciples explain the united work of the Father and Christ.
The chapter teaches that love to Christ is shown by keeping His commandments, and that obedience is the Bible test for those who have received the light. It teaches that spiritual growth depends on living faith in Christ as personal Saviour, a faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Christ provides grace, yet people must cooperate with God by repenting and coming to Him as they are, trusting Him to make them pure, to keep them holy, and to enable obedience.
His instruction in John 13-17 plainly outlines God's will for His people and especially for those who minister in word and doctrine, a will to be believed in every verse and lived out before fellow ministers as belonging to conversion and to genuine missionary work. That expressed will is meant to guide practical life, calling believers to live in unity and love with one another and with Christ. His precious words spoken while yet present with them give the reason believers are called Adventists and the reason they reverence the Sabbath of the Lord. Preached with freedom, these words awaken deep interest and lead hearers to rest for the first time on the day commanded by God and to go forward in baptism as firstfruits.
Studying Believing and Living
The lessons in John 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are of deep import and hold the richest promises, and Christ intends them for all future generations. They need to be studied and even committed to memory, with study of the meaning of every word. With great light received in this way there will be real, genuine piety and diligent searching of the Word, the mind kept as a storehouse of truth with Thus saith the Lord and It is written ever upon the lips, a word in season for the oppressed, the sorrowful and the afflicted, and the richest consolation imparted to others who are ready to perish. The soul thus furnished becomes like a garden whose waters fail not, refreshing all around.
God's will is plainly outlined in John 13-17 for those who minister in word and doctrine and are acquainted with present truth. The verse means just what it says and is to be believed in every verse and lived out before fellow ministers and others. This believing and living belongs to conversion and to understanding the philosophy of genuine missionary work. The words spoken while still with the disciples about love, obedience, the Comforter, peace, and His going and coming are to be impressed upon the mind and held fast when tempted to doubt. Held in this way they leave no excuse for failing to perfect Christian character.
They are the voice of God to every troubled, perplexed soul, full of comfort, hope and assurance forever, giving light in clear, steady rays and the Light of life to those who hear and comply with the conditions specified in them. They require believing faith that appropriates the promises instead of doubt, anxiety and distrust, keeping Christ's commandments and words and being a doer of them. They leave no excuse for hugging unbelief, complaining to others, or leaving the help God gives to seek refreshment from human sources. These words are not half comprehended by individuals, by families, or by church members, through whom as His family God would represent pure, unadulterated truth and communicate truth. They must be believed and practiced as lessons bought by His blood, belonging to His final instruction just before His crucifixion, and when received and understood, received and properly digested, with the Holy Spirit applying them in the heart, they bring eternal life, light, understanding, peace, hope, encouragement, and a deeper sense of God's love.
As long as time shall last they bring to the true believer who studies them strength, assurance, and courage to stand fast in the most trying hour. Their rich, plainly stated promises can strengthen and comfort believers. They are part of the duties specified by Him as Substitute and Surety in John 13-17, needing careful study and earnest practice, and they cannot be neglected for unimportant matters by those who honor God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Doing them bears divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. With Christ abiding in the heart through the Spirit, believers are enabled to do His will, to watch, to pray, and to act in harmony with His words in cooperation with divine agencies, while losing dependence on Him and ceasing prayer opens the way for satanic agencies to separate them from the Lord. Those words are not being heeded when people engage in unkind, self-assured talk and pass judgment that harms souls and spoils God's work, and the Holy Spirit is needed to cleanse this defilement.
Present Application and Peace
The words spoken while still present are promises to be opened and read when in trouble and difficulty and hardly knowing what to do. They are to be read at family worship so that children comprehend these wonderful truths, to be believed as the Word of God and laid hold of and presented to family members. So received they give peace and hope and rejoicing even when discouraged and disheartened, centered in the promise that He will not leave His people comfortless, a promise proved true by experience. They are to be studied during the week by fathers, mothers, and children to glorify God in every way possible, and this study brings the great peace of God into the mind so that children speak of the kindness and love of Jesus.
John 14 supplies words to speak to people gathered together, words given by the Lord when present with them as heavenly Guest, and the words so given can surprise even the one who speaks them. Its whole teaching carries a call to keep the commandments of God and can be preached with freedom to a large crowded audience. Preached with freedom, these precious words spoken while yet present awaken deep interest and lead hearers to rest for the first time on the day commanded by God and to go forward in baptism as first fruits, giving the reason believers are called Adventists and the reason they reverence the Sabbath of the Lord. The chapter is used to urge faith in God's promises and cheerful gratitude. The verse is connected with a desire to receive the peace of Christ and have the Spirit abide.
These chapters with John 13, 15, 16, and 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. They provide a word in season for the oppressed, the sorrowful, and the afflicted, and the richest consolation to impart to others who are ready to perish.