But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
In the upper room alone with the eleven faithful disciples after Judas withdrew, just before betrayal, trial and crucifixion, Jesus told them He was leaving them to return to the Father who sent Him. None of them asked Him where He was going because they were absorbed with sorrow at separation, though Peter had asked Him about it earlier. Though He knew the betrayal, scourging and death awaiting Him, His thought was not for Himself but to comfort, counsel and strengthen them so they would endure without failing in their coming disappointment and trial. He plainly told them beforehand of the hatred and afflictions they would meet, because He knew every conflict ahead, so that when trial came they would remember and not be offended or discouraged. His going away would not leave them helpless, for it was necessary to make way for the Comforter to come to convict the world, guide them into truth, and give power for victory over sin.
Going to the Father
The saying was spoken alone with the eleven faithful disciples in the upper chamber after Judas had withdrawn, just before betrayal, trial and crucifixion, when Jesus told them He was leaving them and returning to the Father who sent Him. It belongs to the burden of comfort, counsel and prayer in John 15, 16 and 17, given to draw their minds from perplexity and stay them in coming disappointment and trial. His departure would not leave them helpless, for it would make way for the Comforter to come.
None of them asked Him where He was going, because they were absorbed with sorrow at the thought of separation and so filled with sorrow at His words about leaving. Peter had asked about it earlier, yet in this setting Peter asks where He is going and is told he cannot follow then but will follow later, while the disciples remain troubled and unclear what He means. Before telling them of that separation He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission, which He kept ever before Him, with joy that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name.
His departure followed a brief ministry marked by opposition and danger, as His enemies sought to deprive Him of liberty or take His life. These were simple words that even children may understand, yet the disciples could not comprehend them because they were contrary to their wishes and desires. They did not value the privilege of having Him with them until He was gone, and only after His blessing was removed did they recognize what He had been to them. Only after the resurrection did they fully understand and value His words.
Comfort and Lasting Instruction
Facing betrayal, scourging and death, His thoughts were not of Himself but of comforting His disciples and strengthening them to endure without failing and to stand fast in the most trying hour, which showed His love for them. These were words of encouragement and hope in John 14-16, spoken because He knew the trials His church would face through unconverted believers and the severe testing of His disciples' faith and courage. Spoken with only the faithful disciples present after Judas withdrew, they formed a burden of comfort, counsel and prayer in John 15, 16 and 17, to draw their minds from perplexity and to stay them in coming disappointment and trial. He plainly told them beforehand of the difficulties, hatred and manifold afflictions they would meet in the world, because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict ahead. He had not told them these things in the beginning because He was with them, but now He warned them so that when the time of trial and great temptation to lose faith came they would remember He had told them and would not be offended, fail nor be discouraged. That plain teaching was meant to keep them from being offended, as others had been offended before at His words about eating the living bread, which are spirit and life, and He mingled the dark news with the bright, hopeful lines of the future.
His departure would not leave them helpless, for it was necessary to make way for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to come. The Spirit would come to work for their salvation and victory over sin, to convict the world and to guide His followers into truth. Because they would no longer have Him as their visible counselor, He gave them clear teaching about the future and His purposes, with words to use after He was taken away, so they would not remain ignorant and would be strengthened for trials and temptations. Their future work would require divine power and partnership with God, fulfilled when the Holy Spirit comes upon believers as upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, opening eyes now blinded and causing scales to fall from them. That preparation followed a brief ministry marked by opposition and danger, as His enemies sought to deprive Him of liberty or take His life.
The instruction is part of God's plain will and what God desires to do for the human race, given as true education to be obeyed. It is a message for every home about how to receive His grace, whose conditions must be followed, or people will be found unworthy to belong to His people when He comes in glory and unable to look upon His face. Its words are so simple that even children may understand them, yet they are to be understood with new enlightenment through the influence of the Spirit, and they bring strength and assurance to true believers as long as time lasts. Afterward the disciples repeated these sacred truths again and again, and through their testimony the truths have spread over all lands through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope. Living them out in practical life cures dissension and produces unity with one another and with Christ and love that withstands Satan's assaults, and only those who work them out will stand the shaking test.
In the upper room alone with the eleven faithful disciples after Judas withdrew, just before betrayal, trial and crucifixion, Jesus told them He was leaving them to return to the Father who sent Him. None of them asked Him where He was going because they were absorbed with sorrow at separation, though Peter had asked Him about it earlier. Though He knew the betrayal, scourging and death awaiting Him, His thought was not for Himself but to comfort, counsel and strengthen them so they would endure without failing in their coming disappointment and trial. He plainly told them beforehand of the hatred and afflictions they would meet, because He knew every conflict ahead, so that when trial came they would remember and not be offended or discouraged. His going away would not leave them helpless, for it was necessary to make way for the Comforter to come to convict the world, guide them into truth, and give power for victory over sin.
Going to the Father
The saying was spoken alone with the eleven faithful disciples in the upper chamber after Judas had withdrawn, just before betrayal, trial and crucifixion, when Jesus told them He was leaving them and returning to the Father who sent Him. It belongs to the burden of comfort, counsel and prayer in John 15, 16 and 17, given to draw their minds from perplexity and stay them in coming disappointment and trial. His departure would not leave them helpless, for it would make way for the Comforter to come.
None of them asked Him where He was going, because they were absorbed with sorrow at the thought of separation and so filled with sorrow at His words about leaving. Peter had asked about it earlier, yet in this setting Peter asks where He is going and is told he cannot follow then but will follow later, while the disciples remain troubled and unclear what He means. Before telling them of that separation He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission, which He kept ever before Him, with joy that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name.
His departure followed a brief ministry marked by opposition and danger, as His enemies sought to deprive Him of liberty or take His life. These were simple words that even children may understand, yet the disciples could not comprehend them because they were contrary to their wishes and desires. They did not value the privilege of having Him with them until He was gone, and only after His blessing was removed did they recognize what He had been to them. Only after the resurrection did they fully understand and value His words.
Comfort and Lasting Instruction
Facing betrayal, scourging and death, His thoughts were not of Himself but of comforting His disciples and strengthening them to endure without failing and to stand fast in the most trying hour, which showed His love for them. These were words of encouragement and hope in John 14-16, spoken because He knew the trials His church would face through unconverted believers and the severe testing of His disciples' faith and courage. Spoken with only the faithful disciples present after Judas withdrew, they formed a burden of comfort, counsel and prayer in John 15, 16 and 17, to draw their minds from perplexity and to stay them in coming disappointment and trial. He plainly told them beforehand of the difficulties, hatred and manifold afflictions they would meet in the world, because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict ahead. He had not told them these things in the beginning because He was with them, but now He warned them so that when the time of trial and great temptation to lose faith came they would remember He had told them and would not be offended, fail nor be discouraged. That plain teaching was meant to keep them from being offended, as others had been offended before at His words about eating the living bread, which are spirit and life, and He mingled the dark news with the bright, hopeful lines of the future.
His departure would not leave them helpless, for it was necessary to make way for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to come. The Spirit would come to work for their salvation and victory over sin, to convict the world and to guide His followers into truth. Because they would no longer have Him as their visible counselor, He gave them clear teaching about the future and His purposes, with words to use after He was taken away, so they would not remain ignorant and would be strengthened for trials and temptations. Their future work would require divine power and partnership with God, fulfilled when the Holy Spirit comes upon believers as upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, opening eyes now blinded and causing scales to fall from them. That preparation followed a brief ministry marked by opposition and danger, as His enemies sought to deprive Him of liberty or take His life.
The instruction is part of God's plain will and what God desires to do for the human race, given as true education to be obeyed. It is a message for every home about how to receive His grace, whose conditions must be followed, or people will be found unworthy to belong to His people when He comes in glory and unable to look upon His face. Its words are so simple that even children may understand them, yet they are to be understood with new enlightenment through the influence of the Spirit, and they bring strength and assurance to true believers as long as time lasts. Afterward the disciples repeated these sacred truths again and again, and through their testimony the truths have spread over all lands through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope. Living them out in practical life cures dissension and produces unity with one another and with Christ and love that withstands Satan's assaults, and only those who work them out will stand the shaking test.