And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
In the upper room with the eleven alone after Judas had gone out, as He faced separation and a cruel death, Jesus told them beforehand that He was going away to the Father who is greater than He to prepare a place for them, and that He would come again to receive them to Himself, giving them His own peace and charging them not to let the heart be troubled or afraid but to rejoice. He also told them beforehand of betrayal and scourging and death and resurrection, of the prince of this world coming against Him and seeming to prevail, and of the opposition and trials they would meet in their work, so that nothing would take them by surprise. He told it beforehand for this plain reason, that when it came to pass they would recognize the fulfillment and believe, with faith strengthened rather than weakened by what happened. That remembering was to hold them through the darkness and grief of His crucifixion and through every trying hour after, and the Holy Spirit would bring His words back to their minds with new light to give comfort and courage and assurance as long as time shall last. These promises in John 14, one connected subject with John 15, 16 and 17, are plainly given to be believed and lived now with cheerful trust in Christ as the only Saviour, understood as the will receives them under the Holy Spirit, transforming character and fitting workers to labor in partnership with God in genuine missionary work.
Setting and Foretelling
The saying was given in the upper chamber to the eleven alone after Judas had left, as the approaching separation began to be opened to them. It belongs to the farewell comfort summed up in letting not the heart be troubled, standing with John 13:31-38 and John 14-17, and was spoken near the close of the earthly ministry with a cruel death just before Him. It was part of the instruction before the visible departure and suffering, given before leading them out through the city toward the Mount of Olives where the teaching of the true vine followed. The disciples would need divine power in partnership with God for their future work, and these last words were to be kept in mind and impressed upon the heart. Their thoughts were first directed to the great object of the mission kept ever before Him as His joy, that all humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, and the lessons of the chapter offer hope and comfort to believers.
What was told beforehand was going away to the Father, who is greater, and coming again to them. This included going to prepare mansions and promising to come again and receive His people to Himself that where He is they may be also, calling them to expect the soon coming of the Lord and Saviour. With that He gave His own peace not as the world gives, charging them not to let the heart be troubled or afraid but to rejoice because He goes to the Father. The words would be brought back to their minds by the Holy Spirit, preserved in their hearts, and later shared with all nations, revealing the love of God which passes knowledge. The advance telling of the departure to the Father and the events surrounding it was so that when it came to pass they might believe.
He also told beforehand of suffering, death, and resurrection, knowing the terrible ordeal awaiting Him in betrayal, scourging, and death. He told that the prince of this world was coming against Him and would apparently gain the best. He warned that opposition would arise and told beforehand about the trials the disciples would face in their evangelistic work and the trials that would come to the church through unconverted believers. In this He made His purposes and plans known and explained that the Father and the Son work in partnership, so they would not be left ignorant but would be fully prepared to meet what came.
Strengthening Faith Through Fulfillment
Jesus told His disciples what would happen before it happened so that when it happened they would recognize the fulfillment, have His words confirmed, and believe. The advance warning about His going to the Father and His departure and what was coming was meant to strengthen their faith and belief in Him through fulfillment rather than weaken it. The promises of the chapter are plainly and positively given to bring assurance and help in times of need.
Remembering what He had said was meant to sustain their faith after His crucifixion and to help them find light amid grief and avoid hopeless discouragement in a dark and troubled time. He knew the terrible ordeal awaiting Him in betrayal, scourging, and death, and He knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried, as well as the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers and the trials they would face in their evangelistic work. He therefore told them beforehand about His suffering, death, and resurrection and about the trials they would face so that when those trials came they would stand fast, remember what He had said, know how to meet what they encountered, and have their faith strengthened rather than shaken.
The words in John 14 with John 15 and 16 were spoken near the close of His earthly ministry, when a cruel death was just before Him, not for Himself but for comfort, consolation, encouragement, hope, and courage. They impart to true believers courage to stand in the most trying hour and strength and assurance as long as time shall last, and they are so simple that even children may understand them, though the disciples could not then comprehend them because they were contrary to their wishes and desires. The Holy Spirit would bring the words back to their minds and apply them to the heart with new light, preserve them in their hearts to be shared with all nations, and lead them to remember His love in their work and councils. He told them about the future and made His purposes and plans known so they would not be left ignorant, and the meaning is understood as the Spirit applies the Word to the heart and the will receives it, so that divine power works with human effort to transform character.
Call to Believe Today
This verse stands among the promises of God in John 14 that call for present faith, with cheerfulness and gratitude. Faith here means trusting God's promises in Christ and believing that Christ is the only Saviour. The promises of the chapter are plainly and positively given to bring assurance and help in times of need, and the advance telling was given so that when the foretold events happened the disciples could recognize their fulfillment and believe. The instruction of John 14-17 is one the Spirit enables believers to understand with new light, calling them to believe Christ's promises.
John 14 forms one connected subject with John 15, 16, and 17, calling for deep interest and extended study, and with John 6 and John 13-17 it is a plain expression of the will of God concerning His people. God means just what He says, and every verse is to be believed, kept in mind, impressed upon the heart, and lived out, with this last word spoken before suffering to be kept in mind and impressed upon the heart so that belief would follow when what was foretold came to pass. Its meaning is understood not by reading the words alone but as the Holy Spirit applies the Word to the heart, and as the will receives it divine power works with human effort to transform character, deepening Christ's lessons for all generations with hope and encouragement. It contains the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world, carrying on the great process by which believers are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him throughout all eternity. What is required is living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour, a faith that works through love and purifies the soul, with cooperation with God, repentance, and coming to Him as they are for pardon and grace, trusting Him to make and keep them pure, holy, and obedient.
Believing this verse belongs to the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth. The ministry succeeds only as workers labor in partnership with God for their future work after Christ's visible departure. Those who minister in word and doctrine are to believe it and live it out before fellow ministers, since it plainly outlines God's will for them. The first portion of John 14 is both a warning that opposition would arise and a call to be fully prepared to meet it. The duties set forth by the Substitute and Surety in John 13-17 must be carefully studied and earnestly practiced and must not be neglected in living, for their keeping bears the 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, and those who do not understand this need to be converted.
In the upper room with the eleven alone after Judas had gone out, as He faced separation and a cruel death, Jesus told them beforehand that He was going away to the Father who is greater than He to prepare a place for them, and that He would come again to receive them to Himself, giving them His own peace and charging them not to let the heart be troubled or afraid but to rejoice.
He also told them beforehand of betrayal and scourging and death and resurrection, of the prince of this world coming against Him and seeming to prevail, and of the opposition and trials they would meet in their work, so that nothing would take them by surprise.
He told it beforehand for this plain reason, that when it came to pass they would recognize the fulfillment and believe, with faith strengthened rather than weakened by what happened.
That remembering was to hold them through the darkness and grief of His crucifixion and through every trying hour after, and the Holy Spirit would bring His words back to their minds with new light to give comfort and courage and assurance as long as time shall last.
These promises in John 14, one connected subject with John 15, 16 and 17, are plainly given to be believed and lived now with cheerful trust in Christ as the only Saviour, understood as the will receives them under the Holy Spirit, transforming character and fitting workers to labor in partnership with God in genuine missionary work.
Setting and Foretelling
The saying was given in the upper chamber to the eleven alone after Judas had left, as the approaching separation began to be opened to them. It belongs to the farewell comfort summed up in letting not the heart be troubled, standing with John 13:31-38 and John 14-17, and was spoken near the close of the earthly ministry with a cruel death just before Him. It was part of the instruction before the visible departure and suffering, given before leading them out through the city toward the Mount of Olives where the teaching of the true vine followed. The disciples would need divine power in partnership with God for their future work, and these last words were to be kept in mind and impressed upon the heart. Their thoughts were first directed to the great object of the mission kept ever before Him as His joy, that all humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, and the lessons of the chapter offer hope and comfort to believers.
What was told beforehand was going away to the Father, who is greater, and coming again to them. This included going to prepare mansions and promising to come again and receive His people to Himself that where He is they may be also, calling them to expect the soon coming of the Lord and Saviour. With that He gave His own peace not as the world gives, charging them not to let the heart be troubled or afraid but to rejoice because He goes to the Father. The words would be brought back to their minds by the Holy Spirit, preserved in their hearts, and later shared with all nations, revealing the love of God which passes knowledge. The advance telling of the departure to the Father and the events surrounding it was so that when it came to pass they might believe.
He also told beforehand of suffering, death, and resurrection, knowing the terrible ordeal awaiting Him in betrayal, scourging, and death. He told that the prince of this world was coming against Him and would apparently gain the best. He warned that opposition would arise and told beforehand about the trials the disciples would face in their evangelistic work and the trials that would come to the church through unconverted believers. In this He made His purposes and plans known and explained that the Father and the Son work in partnership, so they would not be left ignorant but would be fully prepared to meet what came.
Strengthening Faith Through Fulfillment
Jesus told His disciples what would happen before it happened so that when it happened they would recognize the fulfillment, have His words confirmed, and believe. The advance warning about His going to the Father and His departure and what was coming was meant to strengthen their faith and belief in Him through fulfillment rather than weaken it. The promises of the chapter are plainly and positively given to bring assurance and help in times of need.
Remembering what He had said was meant to sustain their faith after His crucifixion and to help them find light amid grief and avoid hopeless discouragement in a dark and troubled time. He knew the terrible ordeal awaiting Him in betrayal, scourging, and death, and He knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried, as well as the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers and the trials they would face in their evangelistic work. He therefore told them beforehand about His suffering, death, and resurrection and about the trials they would face so that when those trials came they would stand fast, remember what He had said, know how to meet what they encountered, and have their faith strengthened rather than shaken.
The words in John 14 with John 15 and 16 were spoken near the close of His earthly ministry, when a cruel death was just before Him, not for Himself but for comfort, consolation, encouragement, hope, and courage. They impart to true believers courage to stand in the most trying hour and strength and assurance as long as time shall last, and they are so simple that even children may understand them, though the disciples could not then comprehend them because they were contrary to their wishes and desires. The Holy Spirit would bring the words back to their minds and apply them to the heart with new light, preserve them in their hearts to be shared with all nations, and lead them to remember His love in their work and councils. He told them about the future and made His purposes and plans known so they would not be left ignorant, and the meaning is understood as the Spirit applies the Word to the heart and the will receives it, so that divine power works with human effort to transform character.
Call to Believe Today
This verse stands among the promises of God in John 14 that call for present faith, with cheerfulness and gratitude. Faith here means trusting God's promises in Christ and believing that Christ is the only Saviour. The promises of the chapter are plainly and positively given to bring assurance and help in times of need, and the advance telling was given so that when the foretold events happened the disciples could recognize their fulfillment and believe. The instruction of John 14-17 is one the Spirit enables believers to understand with new light, calling them to believe Christ's promises.
John 14 forms one connected subject with John 15, 16, and 17, calling for deep interest and extended study, and with John 6 and John 13-17 it is a plain expression of the will of God concerning His people. God means just what He says, and every verse is to be believed, kept in mind, impressed upon the heart, and lived out, with this last word spoken before suffering to be kept in mind and impressed upon the heart so that belief would follow when what was foretold came to pass. Its meaning is understood not by reading the words alone but as the Holy Spirit applies the Word to the heart, and as the will receives it divine power works with human effort to transform character, deepening Christ's lessons for all generations with hope and encouragement. It contains the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world, carrying on the great process by which believers are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him throughout all eternity. What is required is living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour, a faith that works through love and purifies the soul, with cooperation with God, repentance, and coming to Him as they are for pardon and grace, trusting Him to make and keep them pure, holy, and obedient.
Believing this verse belongs to the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth. The ministry succeeds only as workers labor in partnership with God for their future work after Christ's visible departure. Those who minister in word and doctrine are to believe it and live it out before fellow ministers, since it plainly outlines God's will for them. The first portion of John 14 is both a warning that opposition would arise and a call to be fully prepared to meet it. The duties set forth by the Substitute and Surety in John 13-17 must be carefully studied and earnestly practiced and must not be neglected in living, for their keeping bears the 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, and those who do not understand this need to be converted.