John 14:27-31

We are finishing our last section of John 14, which has been a study of the post-Jesus Christian life. This chapter addresses the concerns of the 12 disciples, who are facing the death of their Teacher. These concerns sound a lot like our common worries about faith today, considering that no human alive today has interacted with the physical Jesus. To solve this lack of communication, God gave believers a special gift, called the Holy Spirit, to be our Advocate, Comforter, and Connector until Jesus comes back. Before we look at our last passage in this chapter, I encourage you to reread the whole chapter, absorbing the message in its entirety, so that we might understand the fullness of these closing remarks. Open your Bibles to John 14:27-31 and your copy of Take Every Passage to Prayer, Volume 2- The Gospels by Charles Wagner, pages 642-647, for a deeper study of this passage.

Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” which would have been a common farewell message in the first century (John 14:27 ESV). It would be equivalent to our English expressions “Goodbye” or “God Be With Ye.” However, Jesus flips this common saying on its head, saying He will not bring peace in the way the world understands it. In the context of the rest of the passage, I am inclined to believe He is talking about the paradoxical nature of His sacrifice. Jesus’ death will be bloody, gruesome, vile, and humiliating, not only for Himself, but for each one of His devoted followers. However, Jesus takes this heinous act and flips the script. Jesus establishes an eternally-reigning kingdom of peace through His disturbing crucifixion. 

Staring this reality in the face, Jesus tells the disciples to not be afraid of this new era of belief. Jesus is still with them. Frankly, the disciples will know Jesus even more intimately, through the Holy Spirit. Not only will His death and resurrection bring cosmic and moral peace to the universe, His death will usher in a newfound, personal connection that brings peace. This is the purpose of the Holy Spirit! Jesus’ sacrifice is two-sided: redeeming creation on a cosmic scale, and redeeming YOU on a personal scale. Jesus is not some distant, dualistic god that has no interest in His creation’s wellbeing. Jesus is a personal God, a loving God, and a connecting God.

If the disciples cannot rejoice on account of their own faith, Jesus tells them to rejoice on account of Him! Jesus finally is going to be with the Father, who He says “is greater than I” (John 14:28 ESV). This verse can often confuse readers, and is used as a talking point by Jehovah’s Witnesses to counter against Trinitarian doctrine. Readers, I encourage you to observe that during the incarnation, or Jesus’ inhabitation of a physical body, he was subordinate in position to the Father. This is the essence of Jesus’ sacrifice, as Jesus would not have been able to experience temptation or suffering in order to be our sacrificial lamb. Jesus gave up a portion of His divinity, not His authority, so that He might be able to relate to us. Verse 28 is spoken as a response to worries about death and suffering, which is only achievable through giving up divinity. He does this by His own free will, and is not forced into subordination. Thus, this relinquishment of divinity is not a threat to Trinitarian doctrine. 

Jesus closes by telling the disciples that the “ruler of this world,” Satan, is coming, and He cannot stay to talk long (John 14:30 ESV). However, He assures the disciples that Satan has no hold on Him. That means Jesus is not being forced or coerced, and is choosing to suffer for the redemption of creation. As Wagner says on page 647, Jesus’ anxiety, which is definitely present, does not derail His mission. This act of love is done for the good of creation, and for the good of the Father. Modern readers can look at this passage, and be reminded of how serious Jesus was about wanting to connect. He put on flesh, was discriminated against, and knew he would be beaten and tortured, yet went into the days leading up to His crucifixion with rejoicing and faith! His confidence assures us of His love. Let us pray and thank Jesus for His sacrifice.

“O Jesus!

Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins.

Amen.”

From “Prayer 4,” 15 Prayers to Christ Crucified by Saint Bridget of Sweden