John 14:27, commentary and pictures

Christ leaves and gives His own peace as His parting legacy, a gift of incalculable and eternal value that passes understanding. It is not given as the world gives, not outward quiet gained by conformity or compromise, nor peace sought in excitement, possessions, talent, prosperity or favor. It is the same peace that sustained Him through poverty, mistreatment, Gethsemane and the cross in communion with the Father, inward, lasting and independent of circumstances, which the world can neither give nor take away. It is implanted and kept by the Holy Spirit in every heart that welcomes Christ by faith, surrender, and opening the soul to His keeping rather than trusting feeling or self. It belongs to doing God's will and keeping His commandments in love, and is enjoyed amid opposition, tribulation and persecution, bringing rest, courage and freedom from troubled fear.

Setting and Wording

The words were spoken as a farewell in the upper chamber to the eleven alone after Judas had left, shortly before humiliation, suffering, death and crucifixion. They were given as comfort teaching before leading them out through the city toward the Mount of Olives, belonging to John 13-17 and to John 13:31-38 and 14-17. They were spoken while still present with them, to be kept in mind and impressed on the heart, in the setting of departure to the Father and the coming trial, resting on trust in Him and His words. Spoken to comfort before humiliation and death, after triumph over death and receiving His reward the peace was bestowed more fully and emphatically, fitting them for the work begun. When received and properly understood and digested by individuals, families and church members, they belong to pure unadulterated truth through which eternal life is given, yet they are not half comprehended.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you means He leaves and bequeaths His own peace as legacy and parting gift. It is a lasting gift richer than earthly wealth or any ruler's gift, of incalculable and eternal value and richest import to be echoed to earth's remotest bounds, a peace that passes understanding and is a mystery to the world. Unlike many gifts of friends that do not work for good, His gift works for good and is altogether to be distinguished in value from anything the world offers. He brought that peace with Him to the world and carried it through His earthly life, and came to impart it so all who believe might have it abiding in the heart by faith.

Not as the world giveth contrasts His gift with the customary greeting of peace and the Eastern house greeting. It contrasts it with the busy activity of the world with its alluring cry of peace and safety on which no dependence can be placed. It is not outward peace gained by conforming to the world or compromising with evil to secure favor. It is not peace sought in excitement, indulgence and worldly pleasures, nor in earthly possessions, fulfilled desires, money, brilliant talent, intellect, worldly prosperity and favor, for lasting peace and true rest of spirit come from Himself alone and earthly wealth and fulfilled desires cannot bring lasting rest.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid is joined to His going away to the Father who is greater than He and His coming again to them, a going love would meet with joy. It was foretold beforehand so that when it comes to pass they will believe. Though the ruler of this world is coming he has nothing in Him and no claim on Him, who obeys the Father and shows love for Him. The apparent advantage of the prince of this world in the coming suffering and death would look like his victory. Because He goes to the Father and will come again, followers need not be troubled or afraid but can rejoice, and this assurance is given to all who believe throughout earth's history.

The peace promise belongs with the promise of the Comforter, the Holy Ghost sent by the Father in His name, the Spirit of truth to abide forever and remain with them. The Comforter teaches all things and brings His words to remembrance, and to that guidance all may implicitly trust. With it belongs His pleading as Advocate before the Father and placing His virtues to their account, and answering prayer asked in His name. After the ascension the Spirit brings the promise home to entrance in the heart with assurance of pardon and of Jesus as Friend at court pleading at the Father's throne, with comfort that past unbelief and grief caused to Him are forgiven, moving to bold confession before the world. The comfort given in the trying hour was that they would be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so those who accept by living faith need not be troubled or anxious, because He will fulfill His promises, and though absent they retain a close child-to-parent relation to Him with assurance of eternal life.

Nature of Christ's Peace

The peace is Christ's own possession, the same peace that sustained Him through poverty, mistreatment and persecution and remained with Him in Gethsemane and on the cross because He lived in communion with the Father. It was the consciousness of doing His Father's will, uninterrupted and independent of the world, the result of perfect obedience and rightness, which no one could give or take away. In His followers it is likewise the consciousness of doing God's will and reflecting His character through good works, implanted and maintained in all hearts that welcome it by faith. He gives it to those who trust Him and surrender their lives to His keeping and direction, and those who receive Him as an abiding guest and learn His meekness find quietness of soul and freedom from anxious striving for status, with a peaceful, restful character able to speak peace to others in sorrow. His presence brings peace even amid trouble and conflict, for it is grounded in communion with God and not dependent on outward circumstances.

It is inward, lasting, constant and abiding, not peace gained by conforming to the world or compromising with evil and not dependent on outward conditions, worldly goods or earthly friends. Unlike happiness drawn from earthly sources that changes with circumstances, it remains within His witnesses through strife and contention, conflict and hostility, and the world can neither give nor take it away. Given shortly before His crucifixion as a legacy, it does not remove conflict or prevent division, hatred, cruelty, opposition and persecution, for people respond differently to His teaching. Wars, hostility from declared enemies, and coldness and suspicion from supposed friends may continue, yet the faithful have peace in Him while the world brings tribulation, with assurance of doing God's will and reflecting His glory through good works even when circumstances remain hostile.

It is secured by His giving His life, for He brought that peace with Him to the world and carried it through His earthly life to impart to all who believe a peace that passes understanding abiding in the heart by faith. The reconciliation provided in His atonement is the foundation of peace, and through His saving sacrifice and merits those He came to save may be blameless, pure and holy. God loves believers as He loves His Son, links their hearts with His heart of infinite love, and restores human nature by making them partakers of divine nature, a larger and fuller gift than imagined received when Christ is believed in as personal Saviour. Altogether different from the Eastern house greeting and from the peace the world tries to give in its busy activity with its alluring cry of peace and safety on which no dependence can be placed, it is of incalculable and eternal value to be echoed to earth's remotest bounds, which the wicked do not have. Given through His own self-sacrifice and God's gift of His only Son, it is left with His disciples and implanted and maintained in all hearts that welcome it, and those who remain in His love and receive the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit experience the joys of salvation and grow in character.

It is a present possession meaning rest of heart and mind, true joy, happiness, contentment and wisdom, with no sorrow in it, for God wills His sons and daughters to be happy, peaceful and obedient. Religion was never designed to make life gloomy, unattractive, tasteless, unenjoyable or pleasureless, but those who really enjoy the love of God have joy and peace as the bright sunshine of His presence, and while faith is in Jesus Christ darkness, discontentment and dark despair cannot surround the soul. His own peace and glory dwelling within the heart brings rest and happiness and makes religion a reality and desirable, not cold and unsympathetic but living love showing in the face and in words of thankfulness and praise. He offers peace and happiness, relief and comfort to the disappointed, afflicted, burdened by grief, weak, pained and afflicted who trust in Him, though people may reject His sympathy and keep their cares and shut their hearts against it. That peace is dwelling on the goodness of God and the great love shown in redemption, committing soul and body to God as a faithful Creator without doubting His love, resting like a tired child in its mother's arms with His everlasting arms beneath and finding refuge in Jesus who is afflicted in all affliction, so that the troubled one is not to be troubled or afraid because Jesus loves, cares, blesses and fights the aggressive battle the sufferer can no longer fight.

Giver and Means of Peace

Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace, and true peace comes from Him alone. God is the true source of peace and joy, and lasting peace and true rest of spirit come from Christ Himself, not from the world. It can be received only by receiving Him as an abiding guest, not from excitement, indulgence, or other worldly pleasures. Unlike the customary greeting and the Eastern house greeting and the world's busy activity with its alluring cry of peace and safety on which no dependence can be placed, His farewell peace is a lasting gift of greater value than anything the world offers, of incalculable and eternal value, to be echoed to earth's remotest bounds. The wicked do not have it, for the world can neither give it nor take it away, and it is a peace that passes understanding abiding in the heart by faith, secured by His giving His life.

He implants and maintains that peace in all hearts that welcome it by faith. The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul, just as near to believers in one place as in another, working in and through everyone who receives Christ. After triumphing over death He bestowed that peace more fully, and the Spirit's first gift to the disciples was a foretaste, a few drops before the plentiful shower at Pentecost, which equipped them for their work and gave peace beyond human understanding. That assurance that after His ascension they would not be left orphans but would have His presence and His peace with hearts freed from trouble and fear was given to the first disciples to be given to all who believe to the close of this earth's history. The Spirit teaches and reminds them of Christ's words and comforts their hearts, so that those whose minds are controlled by the Holy Spirit can have peace and rest in Christ rather than being ruled by fretfulness, impulse, and passion.

The peace is received by faith and trust, by surrendering life to His keeping and direction. It belongs to those who believe in Him as personal Saviour, love Him and keep His words, and it is received by opening the door of the heart wide to let Him into the soul temple and treating Him as an honored guest, who then fills the soul with His great love. Instead of looking within or trusting feelings, self, or limited human strength, the troubled heart must look to Christ and enter into communion with the Saviour, which is entering the region of peace. Nighttime darkness and desponding, gloomy feelings are no evidence that God has forsaken anyone or that His promises have failed. Faith and hope must be cultivated until believing the promises is second nature, with faith put into constant exercise and God trusted whatever feelings may be, moving forward rather than sinking into discouragement.

The verse is part of God's will plainly outlined in John 13-17 and John 14-17 for those who minister in word and doctrine. God means just what He says in it. It is the privilege and duty of ministers acquainted with present truth and of all who honor God to believe every verse in those chapters, to study them with open hearts receiving divine guidance and looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher of faith, and to live them out before fellow ministers. They are to heed these words instead of engaging in unkind talk and passing judgment, and to show them in practical life, which belongs to genuine missionary work and requires conversion. So understood and done, with keeping of the commandments given special emphasis, it cures dissension and produces unity.

Peace Amid Trial and Conflict

The peace Christ leaves does not prevent division, hatred, persecution, tribulation, wars, hostility from declared enemies, or coldness and suspicion from supposed friends, but is enjoyed amid opposition, discouragement, strife and contention as a shelter of the heart in God. It is an inward and lasting gift of greater value than anything the world offers, more than the customary greeting of peace, and it is not the outward peace gained by conforming to the world, compromising with evil, withholding present truth, or laying aside the cross to secure favor. His followers may face hatred, cruelty and opposition while the world brings tribulation, yet have peace in Him, for when opposition and rebuffs come God uses them to draw them under His protection and Christ's peace reassures them in the midst of trouble. This peace comes from Christ alone, who implants and maintains it in all hearts that welcome it by faith, and it remains with His witnesses through conflict.

Christ spoke the farewell peace because He knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried by His coming suffering and death, and because He knew the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers. Though the terrible ordeal awaited Him His thoughts were not of Himself, and His words of comfort and consolation were spoken for His disciples to strengthen them to endure without failing and to keep faith from failing at the cross. His words are so simple that all, even children, may understand them, telling of His death and resurrection, His return to the Father and His coming again, so that by reviewing what He had told them they could find light amid sorrow instead of hopeless discouragement. They belong to the encouragement and hope of John 14-16 and to His instruction before He left them, given to prepare and strengthen them for future trials and temptations, to make His purposes and plans known and show His love so they could remember His love in all their work and counsel. They give the bright, hopeful side of His plain foretelling of difficulties, hatred and manifold afflictions from the world, for Jesus knew every phase of experience and conflict His disciples would meet in a dark, troubled future and was grieved for them, so He mingled changeless consolation, hope and courage with the dark forecast that through faith in Him God has made every provision that they should not fail, be discouraged, lose faith or be offended, but maintain an untarnished Christlike reputation while in the world and not of it.

He spoke these words to comfort them before His humiliation and death, and after triumphing over death and receiving His reward He bestowed that peace on them more fully and more emphatically, giving peace beyond human understanding. That fuller gift equipped them and fitted them for the work He had begun, and was joined to the spiritual life of the Holy Spirit, whose first gift to the disciples was a foretaste of the fuller outpouring at Pentecost and whose voice of peace is heard amid opposition and discouragement sheltering the heart in God.

Those who abide in Christ receive His peace and show it by living as peacemakers, looking to Jesus and following His example. It calls them to meet injustice with meekness and submission rather than retaliation, and to cultivate Christ's kindness, tenderness, meekness and lowliness. It is received by trusting Him and remaining calm, steadies the troubled heart against fear and disturbance, and calls His followers to quiet self-control so they can recognize His presence, speak calmly, guard words, treat the erring mildly and thoughtfully, bear trials loyally and not be easily provoked. Strength in self-control through His meekness keeps the peace, benefits health, makes little disturbing things lose power over the mind and greatly increases influence, while hurry, pressure of cares, harsh judging, wounding words, envy and strife break up the soul's peace and leave a person agitated, unbalanced, irritated and troubled, opposed to the wisdom and peace from above.

Obedience and Character Conditions

In followers the peace is the consciousness of doing God's will and reflecting His character through good works, as Christ's own peace was the consciousness of doing His Father's will, and it is a lasting gift of greater value than anything the world offers, more than the customary greeting of peace. It belongs to keeping His commandments, which is the Bible test of love and the condition of acceptance, and the teaching gives special emphasis to keeping the commandments of God. It belongs to a call to be doers of God's word and to live in the spirit of love, cherishing love while keeping God's commandments.

The peace comes as people put away self, receive Christ's Spirit, and learn His meekness and lowliness, patience and forbearance, and love for one another, taking up His yoke of service for God's glory and human good. With Christ's meekness comes quietness of soul and freedom from anxious striving for status, found only in Christ by possessing His meekness of spirit and learning of Him, bringing peace and joy in Him. It is more precious than gold, a gift of God that money cannot buy, brilliant talent cannot command, and intellect cannot secure, more precious than anything genius can create or wealth can buy. It belongs to the religion of Christ carried in its holy principles into daily life, and to fail of it is great loss, for in God's sight nothing sought, cherished, and cultivated is so valuable as a pure heart with thankfulness and peace. It is given to the earnest seeker who cheerfully does God's will, a peace the pleasures of the world cannot offer, so that youth must choose between them now while there is opportunity to secure the love and favor of God. God's free, infinite gift of His Son to humiliation, self-denial, poverty, toil, reproach, and crucifixion without reprieve claims in return complete submission proportionate to the gift, prompt and willing obedience, the whole heart and wealth of the affections, with nothing wanting.

The peace is happiness that comes as the result of obedience to God and righteousness or right acting in this life, peace and happiness from obedience and right conduct. It is claimed when the will harmonizes with the will of God and a person acts as is right toward God and fellow men, with the heart in harmony with God, having the love of God in the heart and love for fellow men, perfect love united to a perfect life constituting true happiness. It depends on righteousness of life and purity of character and true benevolence of heart and love for God and fellow people. It is quenched, banished, and destroyed in the soul by a single unrighteous act of will, bitterness, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, hatred, ill will, revenge, or an evil act or word toward one whom Christ calls the least of His brethren, which gives Satan the advantage and makes a transgressor of God's law, injuring the soul and destroying its peace.

The peace promised is from above, attached to the cross, and safe only with the presence and abiding Spirit of Christ, coming only with the abiding Spirit and only through the cross. It is not worldly prosperity, favor, or quiet gained by uniting interests with the world, by withholding and failing to vindicate present truth appropriate for the time, by laying aside the cross to sway minds and secure favor, or by seeking the favor of the world and ceasing to vindicate God's ways for this time. That compromise gains a peace after Satan's order, a deceiving peace that passes into the slumber of death, as when impenitence, self-confidence, self-righteousness, and unwillingness to submit to the light of truth close the door to peace and to the only hope. True peace belongs to the church still militant and not yet triumphant, requiring deeper spirituality, distrust of self and human wisdom, leaning heavily on God rather than self-confidence, and putting on every piece of the armor for wrestling against spiritual wickedness. Christ as the truth must be enthroned in mind and heart before He takes His place as Prince of Peace in the life, and duty is to be done faithfully, but without this abiding peace no move should be made until it has been sought and received.

The peace, contentment, and wisdom the world can neither give nor take away is not enjoyed without meeting the conditions on which God's favor is bestowed, but is given upon conditions that must be met and gained only by complying with the conditions upon which it and the home of everlasting happiness are promised. Those conditions are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and making God first and last and best in every thought, plan, and work, for obedience to God is the first duty of the Christian and obedience brings peace and consolation, not a life of fretting and complaint. God never compels any man to serve Him but directs the aspirations so the soul may be ennobled and sanctified, while the Bible as guidebook tries every motive and action by its moral principles, warns and reproves those who deviate from the path of right, and points out the right course so men may become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. A divided, half-hearted life brings doubt and darkness and does not enjoy religion's consolations or the peace given, whereas a humble mind and grateful heart receiving this peace are lifted above petty trials and real difficulties, while lack of earnestness, energy, and vigilance in the Master's service leaves the mind dwelling on self and magnifying molehills into mountains. All heaven will unite with man in his efforts to gain true happiness, the Bible presenting the unsearchable riches and immortal treasures of heaven and describing a home of everlasting happiness and sunshine where no tears nor want shall ever be known.

Comfort for Daily Living

The promised peace brings comfort and hope that drive out pain, disappointment, discouragement, sorrow, grievance, weakness and distress. It is Christ's own peace, unlike anything the world gives, received by coming to Him moment by moment in sweet communion as the tried foundation who bore the sins of the world, by bringing trials to His sympathy, sorrows to His love, wounds to His healing, weakness to His strength and emptiness to His fullness, with no soul ever disappointed who does so. In long trial of suffering, unrelieved pain, sleepless nights and physical weakness it gives rest from burdens, courage and confidence before a demanding task, lifts the heart above pain when overwhelmed, makes heaven seem near and fills the heart with joy even in a difficult place, for God's promises do not fail and Christ strengthens those who trust them. It reveals the preciousness of the Saviour, His atoning blood and His justifying righteousness, and means rest of heart and mind for the weak, pained and afflicted as a present possession, not trying to think when clouded by pain but committing soul and body to God as a faithful Creator without doubting His love and trusting Him to keep what is committed to Him. That peace is dwelling on the goodness of God and the great love shown in redemption, resting like a tired child in its mother's arms with His everlasting arms beneath, finding refuge in Jesus who is afflicted in all affliction, Himself the armor to hide in so the wicked one cannot harass or confuse faith, with His grace, blood and promises as manna, cleansing, life, sweetness and spiritual sustenance linking the believer's life with His life; therefore the troubled one need not be troubled or afraid, because Jesus loves, cares and blesses and fights the aggressive battle the sufferer can no longer fight when the case is given entirely into His hands.

The same peace steadies believers amid the pressures, perplexities, difficulties and daily troubles of business while choosing truth over wealth and following Christ rather than serving mammon. They can bear the cross in His spirit without making wealth their god, give God glory in whatever success they have, continually have the heart filled and kept calm, and be strengthened and refreshed by God's promises to rejoice and trust in Jesus' guidance. Their hearts need not be ruled by fear or attachment to earthly treasure that will soon pass away, for the peace given is unlike the peace the world offers.

The promise is to be opened and read when in trouble and difficulty and hardly knowing what to do, to be read at family worship and presented so that young minds comprehend, and to be studied through the week by fathers, mothers and children. When believed and laid hold of and presented to the family it gives peace and hope and rejoicing even when discouraged and disheartened, because God will not leave His people comfortless, and when received it leads them to glorify God in every way possible and enables children to speak of the kindness and love of Jesus. Parents are to lead children to God as the true source of peace and joy by consecrating their own hearts to God and connecting their children with Him through living faith, and a home shaped by Christ's meekness and simplicity and marked by cheerfulness, sympathy, love, contentment and gratitude rather than display reflects that peace and restfulness to visitors. Christ's peace can fill a home when differences are confessed and forgiven as a precious sign of God's love calling for continual gratitude, and it brings quietude and rest to the heart even in a humble abode.

The peace is to be carried to others, for followers are to bring His comfort to the sick, the unfortunate and those oppressed by evil spirits, speaking His words to troubled and fearful people to inspire hope in the despairing and giving courage and comfort amid distress. This Christ-given peace and influence, unlike what the world gives, quiets troubled hearts and removes fear, and it is needed by those carrying the gospel into neglected fields. Those who abide in Christ receive His peace and show it by living as peacemakers and by peace between believers and their brethren, with calm holy trust in God in which peace abides and joy is present; fixing the eyes on Jesus the compassionate Redeemer brings light and keeps Christians from appearing gloomy and unhappy, while envy, strife, falsehood, criticism, and kindred evils oppose the wisdom and peace from above and leave no room for it.

In daily experience the peace gives rest, trust, confidence and courage, and believers are urged to exercise faith in the promise, receive its comforting words, trust them, move forward in faith rather than sink into discouragement, and respond with cheerfulness and gratitude in life as well as words. Resting in Jesus and trusting God brings the comfort and rest needed in life and renews strength lost through overwork and anxiety, in contrast to a restless confused spirit. It comforts those who commit their lives to God as they work, pray and wait for His salvation, assuring them their hearts need not be troubled or afraid, bringing a sense of safety in God's keeping care, quieting worry and fear with assurance that He is God and will help in every emergency, and taking away fear of death so believers can die in perfect peace.

At communion, when self-examination, confession of sin and reconciling of differences are finished, believers meet Christ about His table and are not to make it a season of sorrowing, lamenting shortcomings, dwelling on past religious experience whether elevating or depressing, or recalling differences with brethren, nor to stand in the shadow of the cross but in its saving light. With hearts cleansed by His blood, conscious of His unseen presence and open to Him as the Sun of Righteousness, they hear Him give His own peace, different from the world's giving, to untroubled and unafraid hearts. That peace means under conviction of sin to remember He died for them, when oppressed and persecuted and afflicted for Him and the gospel to remember His great love in giving His life, when duties appear stern and burdens too heavy to remember He endured the cross despising shame for their sake, and when the heart shrinks from trial to remember their Redeemer lives to make intercession for them.

The chapter shows God's love for all the world, that when people draw near to God He draws near to them and as a person takes a step toward Jesus, Jesus advances toward that person, softening hearts through the Holy Spirit with subduing influence. It calls parents and children to give themselves to the Lord without reserve rather than serve halfheartedly, and calls those seeking the Lord to come forward, pray solemnly and testify, deciding to serve the Lord and no longer stand under Satan's sway, casting all upon God even when obedience such as keeping the Sabbath brings risk. It warns that Satan's temptations can make the world all-absorbing so that when they prevail love for God is driven out and love for the world takes its place, while God's love working with human effort brings God's power into the heart and dislodges worldly love by keeping heaven in view. The teaching impresses the necessity of living faith that works by love and purifies the soul, connected with believing Christ as personal Saviour and coming to Him as a sinner for pardon and grace, trusting Him to make and keep the believer pure, holy and obedient. Christ leaves heavenly peace as a gift for those who accept it, not the kind the world gives, as a remedy for discouragement and temptation, received by following Jesus and seeking the Lord in prayer during trouble and perplexity with the Holy Spirit as Counsellor and guide; trusting God with a child's simplicity brings this peace even when this life withholds what is hoped for, for worry and fretting dishonor Jesus by showing reliance on limited human strength rather than on Him who showed His love by dying, and His grace, comfort, encouragement and support are provided for every circumstance with promise sufficient for each day's trials.