IV. THE DISCIPLES’ PREPARATION BY THE SON OF GOD (13:1 – 16:33) A. THE DISCOURSE IN THE UPPER ROOM (Jn 13:1 – 14:31) 5. The Promise of Residence (14:1-3) 6. The Way to the Father (14:4-6) 7. The Oneness with the Father (14:7-11) 8. The Performance of Greater Works (14:12-15)

9. The Sending of the Holy Spirit (14:16-17) 10. The Pledge of Love (14:18-26) 11. The Bestowment of Peace (14:27-31) a. A Different Peace (v. 27) b. A Different Rejoicing (vv )  Read Jn 14:28.  One of those verses that have been made controversial because of both historic and modern Arians.

 Challenge: reconcile Christ on a level with God vs. Christ’s obedience to the Father and dependence upon the Father ~ Arianism uses the latter truth to deny the former: Jesus is less than fully God. ~ Gnostics use the former truth to devalue the latter: Jesus may in some sense be divine, but He is not fully human.

 There is a tone of a mild reproof. ~ No doubt the disciples “loved” Christ, but not as they ought to have loved Him. ~ But if they had “loved” Him in a deeper, more spiritual sense, they would have desired nothing more deeply than His return to the Father.  Why? “For the Father is greater than I.”

 Jesus was asserting His role as the Father’s servant, for the Son was the one sent to do the Father’s will. ~ This does not deny His equality with God (see Jn 10:30); rather, it affirms Christ’s humble attitude about His relationship with the Father. ~ C.K. Barrett: “The Father is God sending and commanding, the Son is God sent and obedient.”

 Jesus was comparing His present state with the heavenly glory to which He was soon returning. ~ Cf. Jn 17:4-5 (Cf. also 2Cor 8:9; Phil 2:8-11; Heb 12:2.) ~ This was like a reward!  If the disciples truly loved Jesus, they would understand this and rejoice with him – instead of feeling sorry for themselves.

~ As it is, their grief is an indication of their self-centeredness. ~ Had they loved Him sufficiently, they would have realized that this departure would bring glory to their Lord!  Sadly, this is still repeated in the life of the church, where believers often have been far more attentive and sensitive to their own griefs and sorrows than to the things that bring their Lord joy.

 Read Jn 14:29.  Jesus told the disciples about His imminent departure and return so that when these finally happen, they would recognize these events, realize that Jesus knew about them, and believe that Jesus is true to His claims. ~ Cf. Jn 13:19