“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

1) What is the context of this passage?
Here in chapter 14 we are entering midway into the most intimate conversation recorded in Scripture between Jesus and His disciples. The scene is recorded as having taken place in the Upper Room where they had the Last Supper together. Jesus’s time was very short, the moments were thick with emotion and deep-seated in truth, the most important truths Christ wanted his disciples to know and understand. The 12 knew that Jesus death was impending, and they were deeply grieved over “losing” Jesus.

2) On what basis does Jesus tell His disciples to not be afraid?
Jesus tells His disciples not to be afraid in regard to His death and separation from them. He wants them to know, as deeply as He does, that though the world will have all kinds of trouble for them, they will posses something the world cannot have: the peace of God through the gift of the coming Holy Spirit. Jesus was leaving them physically, but he was leaving the person of God the Spirit to dwell right inside of them. He is the source of their peace and comfort; He would be their teacher of truth until that glorious day when the Church will be gathered together in the very presence of the godhead!

3) How does the “world give” in contrast to Jesus in this context?
The world and its offerings of peace and satisfaction are fleeting, temporal, and leave us ultimately feeling empty because the world is ruled by the Enemy, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. The peace Jesus offers through the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is eternal, life-giving, and incorruptible!

4) Does verse 28 teach that God the Father has more power than God the Son?
Often we miss the true meaning of a passage because of our own biases or western thinking and assumptions, which could easily happen in this case. When interpreting Scripture, always let Scripture interpret Scripture, meaning let other, clear parts of the Bible help fill in our understanding of less clear portions. Here, we must keep in mind that the context is comforting the disciples as they feel they are losing the best One they’ve ever known, the person of Jesus Christ in physical form. But Jesus points them to the godhead by first promising the Holy Spirit to dwell inside them, and then He points them to an even “greater” reward found in dwelling with the Father. It isn’t that the Father Himself is more powerful or more important, but rather that being in His presence is better and greater and more fulfilling than being separated by living on earth. Jesus is telling them that where He is going is better because He will be restored to His rightful place at the throne of God, while at the same time encouraging them that there is a place there for them also! This concept is very similar to Paul’s teaching about being at home with the Lord (in Heaven) or at home in the body (on earth). 2 Corinthians 5:6-9

1) What is the context of this passage?
We often don’t think of God as being emotional, but we forget that He created our emotions and we see through studying Jesus’ life and teaching, that He embraces His emotions and uses them to continue building the Kingdom. I challenge you to read through John’s record of the entire conversation happening here from chapter 13 all the way through the end of 17. Read it as one dramatic play unfolding before you. Ignore chapters and verses and everything you thought you knew. See the Christ. See His love for His disciples. See His passion for our hearts and His love for the godhead!

2) On what basis does Jesus tell His disciples to not be afraid?
That gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was waiting to pour out on His disciples? If you’re a Christ-follower, you are indwelt with that Spirit! God’s power, His peace, His comfort, His guidance into truth is living and breathing inside of you. The same peace offered to His disciples the night before He would be crucified is held out for you. But diving into that relationship is up to you. His comfort is available, but just like open arms, waiting for an embrace, we have to choose to run into them. Are you seeking to build into your relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit that you might know God better? Peace awaits!

3) How does the “world give” in contrast to Jesus in this context?
Jesus’s reminder of the incorruptibility of His gift as opposed to how the world gives should comfort our hearts, remind us of our eternal future hope, and bring us peace like nothing else. Where are you desperate for peace and comfort? What broken places has the Enemy taken over in your life? Bring them to the Father! He longs to wrap us in the peace He offers!

4) Does verse 28 teach that God the Father has more power than God the Son?
So much of what we focus on and get stuck worrying about or being afraid of is whisked away when we shift our perspective to God’s eternal lens instead of our narrow, temporal one. Yes, there are most definitely trials and struggles on earth, but we have been given so much in Jesus. In fact, Scripture teaches us that through the divine power of the Holy Spirit and a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we have access to everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Take some time today to re-adjust your focus to the eternal and soak in some study of God’s character. Be comforted in knowing that we are never alone and our future as believers in Jesus is eternally secure!

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Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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