This chapter is a continuation of Christ's
discourse with his disciples after supper. When he had convicted
and discarded Judas, he set himself to comfort the rest, who were
full of sorrow upon what he had said of leaving them, and a great
many good words and comfortable words he here speaks to them. The
discourse in interlocutory; as Peter in the foregoing chapter, so
Thomas, and Philip, and Jude, in this interposed their thoughts
upon what he said, according to the liberty he was pleased to allow
them. Free conferences are as instructive as solemn speeches, and
more so. The general scope of this chapter is in the
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
In these verses we have,
I. A general caution which Christ gives to
his disciples against trouble of heart (
1. How Christ took notice of it. Perhaps it
was apparent in their looks; it was said (
(1.) Christ had just told them of the unkindness he should receive from some of them, and this troubled them all. Peter, no doubt, looked very sorrowful upon what Christ said to him, and all the rest were sorry for him and for themselves too, not knowing whose turn it should be to be told next of some ill thing or other they should do. As to this, Christ comforts them; though a godly jealousy over ourselves is of great use to keep us humble and watchful, yet it must not prevail to the disquieting of our spirits and the damping of our holy joy.
(2.) He had just told them of his own
departure from them, that he should not only go away, but go away
in a cloud of sufferings. They must shortly hear him loaded with
reproaches, and these will be as a sword in their bones;
they must see him barbarously abused and put to death, and this
also will be a sword piercing through their own souls, for
they had loved him, and chosen him, and left all to follow him.
When we now look upon Christ pierced, we cannot but mourn and be
in bitterness, though we see the glorious issue and fruit of
it; much more grievous must the sight be to them, who could then
look no further. If Christ depart from them [1.] They will think
themselves shamefully disappointed; for they looked that this had
been he that should have delivered Israel, and should have set upon
his kingdom in secular power and glory, and, in expectation of
this, had lost all to follow him. Now, if he leave the world in the
same circumstances of meanness and poverty in which he had lived,
and worse, they are quite defeated. [2.] They will think themselves
sadly deserted and exposed. They knew by experience what little
presence of mind they had in difficult emergencies, that they could
count upon nothing but being ruined and run down if they part with
their Master. Now, in reference to all these, Let not your heart
be troubled. Here are three words, upon any of which the
emphasis may significantly be laid. First, Upon the word
troubled, me tarassestho. Be not so troubled
as to be put into a hurry and confusion, like the troubled sea
when it cannot rest. He does not say, "Let not your hearts be
sensible of the griefs, or sad because of them" but, "Be not
ruffled and discomposed, be not cast down and disquieted,"
2. The remedy he prescribes against this trouble of mind, which he saw ready to prevail over them; in general, believe—pisteuete. (1.) Some read it in both parts imperatively, "Believe in God, and his perfections and providence, believe also in me, and my mediation. Build with confidence upon the great acknowledged principles of natural religion: that there is a God, that he is most holy, wise, powerful, and good; that he is the governor of the world, and has the sovereign disposal of all events; and comfort yourselves likewise with the peculiar doctrines of that holy religion which I have taught you." But, (2.) We read the former as an acknowledgment that they did believe in God, for which he commends them: "But, if you would effectually provide against a stormy day, believe also in me." Through Christ we are brought into covenant with God, and become interested in his favour and promise, which otherwise as sinners we must despair of, and the remembrance of God would have been our trouble; but, by believing in Christ as the Mediator between God and man, our belief in God becomes comfortable; and this is the will of God, that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father, by believing in the Son as they believe in the Father. Those that rightly believe in God will believe in Jesus Christ, whom he has made known to them; and believing in God through Jesus Christ is an excellent means of keeping trouble from the heart. The joy of faith is the best remedy against the griefs of sense; it is a remedy with a promise annexed to it; the just shall live by faith; a remedy with a probatum est annexed to it. I had fainted unless I had believed.
II. Here is a particular direction to act
faith upon the promise of eternal life,
1. Believe and consider that really there
is such a happiness: In my Father's house there are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you,
(1.) See under what notion the happiness of
heaven is here represented: as mansions, many mansions in
Christ's Father's house. [1.] Heaven is a house, not a tent or
tabernacle; it is a house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. [2.] It is a Father's house: my Father's house;
and his Father is our Father, to whom he was now ascending; so that
in right of their elder brother all true believers shall be welcome
to that happiness as to their home. It is his house who is King of
kings and Lord of lords, dwells in light, and inhabits eternity.
[3.] There are mansions there; that is, First,
Distinct dwellings, an apartment for each. Perhaps there is an
allusion to the priests' chambers that were about the temple. In
heaven there are accommodations for particular saints; though all
shall be swallowed up in God, yet our individuality shall not be
lost there; every Israelite had his lot in Canaan, and every elder
a seat,
(2.) See what assurance we have of the reality of the happiness itself, and the sincerity of the proposal of it to us: "If it were not so, I would have told you. If you had deceived yourselves, when you quitted your livelihoods, and ventured your lives for me, in prospect of a happiness future and unseen, I would soon have undeceived you." The assurance is built, [1.] Upon the veracity of his word. It is implied, "If there were not such a happiness, valuable and attainable, I would not have told you that there was." [2.] Upon the sincerity of his affection to them. As he is true, and would not impose upon them himself, so he is kind, and would not suffer them to be imposed upon. If either there were no such mansions, or none designed for them, who had left all to follow him, he would have given them timely notice of the mistake, that they might have made an honourable retreat to the world again, and have made the best they could of it. Note, Christ's good-will to us is a great encouragement to our hope in him. He loves us too well, and means us too well, to disappoint the expectations of his own raising, or to leave those to be of all men most miserable who have been of him most observant.
2. Believe and consider that the design of
Christ's going away was to prepare a place in heaven for his
disciples. "You are grieved to think of my going away, whereas I go
on your errand, as the forerunner; I am to enter for you."
He went to prepare a place for us; that is, (1.) To take possession
for us, as our advocate or attorney, and so to secure our title as
indefeasible. Livery of seisin was given to Christ, for the use and
behoof of all that should believe on him. (2.) To make provision
for us as our friend and father. The happiness of heaven, though
prepared before the foundation of the world, yet must be
further fitted up for man in his fallen state. It consisting much
in the presence of Christ there, it was therefore necessary that he
should go before, to enter into that glory which his
disciples were to share in. Heaven would be an unready place
for a Christian if Christ were not there. He went to prepare a
table for them, to prepare thrones for them,
3. Believe and consider that
therefore he would certainly come again in due time, to
fetch them to that blessed place which he was now going to possess
for himself and prepare for them (
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Christ, having set the happiness of heaven
before them as the end, here shows them himself as the way to it,
and tells them that they were better acquainted both with the end
they were to aim at and with the way they were to walk in than they
thought they were: You know, that is, 1. "You may know; it
is none of the secret things which belong not to you, but
one of the things revealed; you need not ascend into
heaven, nor go down into the deep, for the word is
nigh you (
This word of Christ gave occasion to two of his disciples to address themselves to him, and he answers them both.
I. Thomas enquired concerning the way
(
1. He said, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest, to what place or what state, and how can we know the way in which we must follow thee? We can neither guess at it, nor enquire it out, but must still be at a loss." Christ's testimony concerning their knowledge made them more sensible of their ignorance, and more inquisitive after further light. Thomas here shows more modesty than Peter, who thought he could follow Christ now. Peter was the more solicitous to know whither Christ went. Thomas here, though he complains that he did not know this, yet seems more solicitous to know the way. Now, (1.) His confession of his ignorance was commendable enough. If good men be in the dark, and know but in part, yet they are willing to own their defects. But, (2.) The cause of his ignorance was culpable. They knew not whither Christ went, because they dreamed of a temporal kingdom in external pomp and power, and doted upon this, notwithstanding what he had said again and again to the contrary. Hence it was that, when Christ spoke of going away and their following him, their fancy ran upon his going to some remarkable city or other, Bethlehem, or Nazareth, or Capernaum, or some of the cities of the Gentiles, as David to Hebron, there to be anointed king, and to restore the kingdom to Israel; and which way this place lay, where these castles in the air were to be built, east, west, north, or south, they could not tell, and therefore knew not the way. Thus still we think ourselves more in the dark than we need be concerning the future state of the church, because we expect its worldly prosperity, whereas it is spiritual advancement that the promise points at. Had Thomas understood, as he might have done, that Christ was going to the invisible world, the world of spirits, to which spiritual things only have a reference, he would not have said, Lord, we do not know the way.
II. Now to this complaint of their
ignorance, which included a desire to be taught, Christ gives a
full answer,
(1.) He speaks of himself as the way,
[1.] The nature of his mediation: He is the way, the truth, and the life.
First, Let us consider these first
distinctly. 1. Christ is the way, the highway spoken of,
Secondly, Let us consider these
jointly, and with reference to each other. Christ is the way,
the truth, and the life; that is, 1. He is the beginning, the
middle, and the end. In him we must set out, go on, and finish. As
the truth, he is the guide of our way; as the life,
he is the end of it. 2. He is the true and living way
(
[2.] The necessity of his mediation: No man cometh to the Father but by me. Fallen man must come to God as a Judge, but cannot come to him as a Father, otherwise than by Christ as Mediator. We cannot perform the duty of coming to God, by repentance and the acts of worship, without the Spirit and grace of Christ, nor obtain the happiness of coming to God as our Father without his merit and righteousness; he is the high priest of our profession, our advocate.
(2.) He speaks of his Father as the end
(
II. Philip enquired concerning the Father
(
1. Philip's request for some extraordinary
discovery of the Father. He was not so forward to speak as some
others of them were, and yet, from an earnest desire of further
light, he cries out, Show us the Father. Philip listened to
what Christ said to Thomas, and fastened upon the last words,
You have seen him. "Nay," says Philip, "that is what we
want, that is what we would have: Show us the Father and it
sufficeth us." (1.) This supposes an earnest desire of
acquaintance with God as a Father. The petition is, "Show us the
Father; give us to know him in that relation to us;" and this
he begs, not for himself only, but for the rest of the disciples.
The plea is, It sufficeth us. He not only professes it
himself, but will pass his word for his fellow-disciples. Grant us
but one sight of the Father, and we have enough. Jansenius saith,
"Though Philip did not mean it, yet the Holy Ghost, by his mouth,
designed here to teach us that the satisfaction and happiness of a
soul consist in the vision and fruition of God,"
2. Christ's reply, referring him to the
discoveries already made of the Father,
(1.) He refers him to what he had seen,
[1.] He reproves him for two things:
First, For not improving his acquaintance with Christ, as he
might have done, to a clear and distinct knowledge of him: "Hast
thou not known me, Philip, whom thou hast followed so long, and
conversed with so much?" Philip, the first day he came to him,
declared that he knew him to be the Messiah (
[2.] He instructs him, and gives him a
maxim which not only in general magnifies Christ and leads us to
the knowledge of God in him, but justifies what Christ had said
(
(2.) He refers him to what he had reason to
believe (
[1.] See here what it is which we are to
believe: That I am in the Father, and the Father in me; that
is, as he had said (
[2.] See here what inducements we have to
believe this; and they are two:—We must believe it, First,
For his word's sake: The words that I speak to you, I speak not
of myself. See
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
The disciples, as they were full of grief to think of parting with their Master, so they were full of care what would become of themselves when he was gone; while he was with them, he was a support to them, kept them in countenance, kept them in heart; but, if he leave them, they will be as sheep having no shepherd, an easy prey to those who seek to run them down. Now, to silence these fears, Christ here assures them that they should be clothed with powers sufficient to bear them out. As Christ has all power, they, in his name, should have great power, both in heaven and in earth.
I. Great power on earth (
1. Two things he assures them of:—
(1.) That they should be enabled to do such
works as he had done, and that they should have a more ample power
for the doing of them than they had had when he first sent them
forth,
(2.) That they should do greater works
than these. [1.] In the kingdom of nature they should work
greater miracles. No miracle is little, but some to our
apprehension seem greater than others. Christ had healed with the
hem of his garment, but Peter with his shadow (
2. The reason Christ gives for this is,
Because I go unto my Father, (1.) "Because I go, it
will be requisite that you should have such a power, lest the work
suffer damage by my absence." (2.) "Because I go to the
Father, I shall be in a capacity to furnish you with such a
power, for I go to the Father, to send the Comforter, from
whom you shall receive power,"
II. Great power in heaven: "Whatsoever
you shall ask, that will I do (
1. In what way they were to keep up communion with him, and derive power from him, when he was gone to the Father—by prayer. When dear friends are to be removed to a distance from each other, they provide for the settling of a correspondence; thus, when Christ was going to his Father, he tells his disciples how they might write to him upon every occasion, and send their epistles by a safe and ready way of conveyance, without danger of miscarrying, or lying by the way: "Let me hear from you by prayer, the prayer of faith, and you shall hear from me by the Spirit." This was the old way of intercourse with Heaven, ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord; but Christ by his death has laid it more open, and it is still open to us. Here is, (1.) Humility prescribed: You shall ask. Though they had quitted all for Christ, they could demand nothing of him as a debt, but must be humble supplicants, beg or starve, beg or perish. (2.) Liberty allowed: "Ask any thing, any thing that is good and proper for you; any thing, provided you know what you ask, you may ask; you may ask for assistance in your work, for a mouth and wisdom, for preservation out of the hands of your enemies, for power to work miracles when there is occasion, for the success of the ministry in the conversion of souls; ask to be informed, directed, vindicated." Occasions vary, but they shall be welcome to the throne of grace upon every occasion.
2. In what name they were to present their
petitions: Ask in my name. To ask in Christ's name is, (1.)
To plead his merit and intercession, and to depend upon that plea.
The Old-Testament saints had an eye to this when they prayed for
the Lord's sake (
3. What success they should have in their
prayers: "What you ask, that will I do,"
4. For what reason their prayers should speed so well: That the Father may be glorified in the Son. That is, (1.) This they ought to aim at, and have their eye upon, in asking. In this all our desires and prayers should meet as in their centre; to this they must all be directed, that God in Christ may be honoured by our services, and in our salvation. Hallowed be thy name is an answered prayer, and is put first, because, if the heart be sincere in this, it does in a manner consecrate all the other petitions. (2.) This Christ will aim at in granting, and for the sake of this will do what they ask, that hereby the glory of the Father in the Son may be manifested. The wisdom, power, and goodness of God were magnified in the Redeemer when by a power derived from him, and exerted in his name and for his service, his apostles and ministers were enabled to do such great things, both in the proofs of their doctrine and in the successes of it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Christ not only proposes such things to them as were the matter of their comfort, but here promises to send the Spirit, whose office it should be to be their Comforter, to impress these things upon them.
I. He premises to this a memento of duty
(
II. He promises this great and unspeakable
blessing to them,
1. It is promised that they shall have
another comforter. This is the great New-Testament promise
(
(1.) The blessing promised: allon
parakleton. The word is used only here in these discourses
of Christ's, and
(2.) The giver of this blessing: The
Father shall give him, my Father and your Father;
it includes both. The same that gave the Son to be our Saviour will
give his Spirit to be our comforter, pursuant to the same design.
The Son is said to send the Comforter (
(3.) How this blessing is procured—by the
intercession of the Lord Jesus: I will pray the Father. He
said (
(4.) The continuance of this blessing: That he may abide with you for ever. That is, [1.] "With you, as long as you live. You shall never know the want of a comforter, nor lament his departure, as you are now lamenting mine." Note, It should support us under the loss of those comforts which were designed us for a time that there are everlasting consolations provided for us. It was not expedient that Christ should be with them for ever, for they who were designed for public service, must not always live a college-life; they must disperse, and therefore a comforter that would be with them all, in all places alike, wheresoever dispersed and howsoever distressed, was alone fit to be with them for ever. [2.] "With your successors, when you are gone, to the end of time; your successors in Christianity, in the ministry." [3.] If we take for ever in its utmost extent, the promise will be accomplished in those consolations of God which will be the eternal joy of all the saints, pleasures for ever.
2. This comforter is the Spirit of
truth, whom you know,
(1.) The comforter promised is the Spirit, one who should do his work in a spiritual way and manner, inwardly and invisibly, by working on men's spirits.
(2.) "He is the Spirit of truth." He will be true to you, and to his undertaking for you, which he will perform to the utmost. He will teach you the truth, will enlighten your minds with the knowledge of it, will strengthen and confirm your belief of it, and will increase your love to it. The Gentiles by their idolatries, and the Jews by their traditions, were led into gross errors and mistakes; but the Spirit of truth shall not only lead you into all truth, but others by your ministry. Christ is the truth, and he is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit that he was anointed with.
(3.) He is one whom the world cannot
receive; but you know him. Therefore he abideth with
you. [1.] The disciples of Christ are here distinguished from
the world, for they are chosen and called out of the world that
lies in wickedness; they are the children and heirs of another
world, not of this. [2.] It is the misery of those that are
invincibly devoted to the world that they cannot receive the
Spirit of truth. The spirit of the world and of God
are spoken of as directly contrary the one to the other (
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
When friends are parting, it is a common request they make to each other, "Pray let us hear from you as often as you can:" this Christ engaged to his disciples, that out of sight they should not be out of mind.
I. He promises that he would continue his
care of them (
II. He promises that they should continue
their acquaintance with him and interest in him (
1. You see me, and shall continue to
see me, when the world sees me no more. They saw him with
their bodily eyes after his resurrection, for he showed himself to
them by many infallible proofs,
2. Because I live, you shall live
also. That which grieved them was, that their Master was dying,
and they counted upon nothing else but to die with him. No, saith
Christ, (1.) I live; this the great God glories in, I
live, saith the Lord, and Christ saith the same; not only, I
shall live, as he saith of them, but, I do live; for he has life
in himself, and lives for evermore. We are not
comfortless, while we know that our Redeemer lives. (2.)
Therefore you shall live also. Note, The life of Christians
is bound up in the life of Christ; as sure and as long as he lives,
those that by faith are united to him shall live also; they shall
live spiritually, a divine life in communion with God. This life is
hid with Christ; if the head and root live, the members and
branches live also. They shall live eternally; their bodies
shall rise in the virtue of Christ's resurrection; it will be well
with them in the world to come. It cannot but be well with all that
are his,
3. You shall have the assurance of this
(
III. He promises that he would love them,
and manifest himself to them,
1. Who they are whom Christ will look upon, and accept, as lovers of him; those that have his commandments, and keep them. By this Christ shows that the kind things he here said to his disciples were intended not for those only that were now his followers, but for all that should believe in him through their word. Here is, (1.) The duty of those who claim the dignity of being disciples. Having Christ's commandments, we must keep them; as Christians in name and profession we have Christ's commandments, we have them sounding in our ears, written before our eyes, we have the knowledge of them; but this is not enough; would we approve ourselves Christians indeed, we must keep them. Having them in our heads, we must keep them in our hearts and lives. (2.) The dignity of those that do the duty of disciples. They are looked upon by Christ to be such as love him. Not those that have the greatest wit and know how to talk for him, but those that keep his commandments. Note, The surest evidence of our love to Christ is obedience to the laws of Christ. Such is the love of a subject to his sovereign, a dutiful, respectful, obediential love, a conformity to his will, and satisfaction in his wisdom.
2. What returns he will make to them for
their love; rich returns; there is no love lost upon Christ. (1.)
They shall have the Father's love: He that loveth me shall be
loved of my Father. We could not love God if he did not first,
out of his good-will to us, give us his grace to love him; but
there is a love of complacency promised to those that do love God,
3. What occurred upon Christ's making this promise.
(1.) One of the disciples expresses his
wonder and surprise at it,
(2.) Christ, in answer hereto, explains and
confirms what he had said,
[1.] He further explains the condition of
the promise, which was loving him, and keeping his commandments.
And, as to this, he shows what an inseparable connection there is
between love and obedience; love is the root, obedience is the
fruit. First, Where a sincere love to Christ is in the
heart, there will be obedience: "If a man love me indeed,
that love will be such a commanding constraining principle in him,
that, no question, he will keep my words." Where there is
true love to Christ there is a value for his favour, a veneration
for his authority, and an entire surrender of the whole man to his
direction and government. Where love is, duty follows of course, is
easy and natural, and flows from a principle of gratitude.
Secondly, On the other hand, where there is no true love to
Christ there will be no care to obey him: He that loveth me not
keepeth not my sayings,
[2.] He further explains the promise
(
[3.] He gives a good reason both to bind us
to observe the condition and encourage us to depend upon the
promise. The word which you hear is not mine, but his that sent
me,
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Two things Christ here comforts his disciples with:—
I. That they should be under the tuition of
his Spirit,
1. The reflection Christ would have them make upon the instructions he had given them: These things have I spoken unto you (referring to all the good lessons he had taught them, since they entered themselves into his school), being yet present with you. This intimates, (1.) That what he had said he did not retract nor unsay, but ratify it, or stand to it. What he had spoken he had spoken, and would abide by it. (2.) That he had improved the opportunity of his bodily presence with them to the utmost: "As long as I have been yet present with them, you know I have lost no time." Note, When our teachers are about to be removed from us we should call to mind what they have spoken, being yet present with us.
2. The encouragement given them to expect
another teacher, and that Christ would find out a way of speaking
to them after his departure from them,
(1.) On whose account he should be sent: "The Father will send him in my name; that is, for my sake, at my special instance and request:" or, "as my agent and representative." He came in his Father's name, as his ambassador: the Spirit comes in his name, as resident in his absence, to carry on his undertaking, and to ripen things for his second coming. Hence he is called the Spirit of Christ, for he pleads his cause, and does his work.
(2.) On what errand he should be sent; two
things he shall do:—[1.] He shall teach you all things, as
a Spirit of wisdom and revelation Christ was a teacher to his
disciples; if he leave them now that they have made so little
proficiency, what will become of them? Why, the Spirit shall teach
them, shall be their standing tutor. He shall teach them all things
necessary for them either to learn themselves, or to teach others.
For those that would teach the things of God must first themselves
be taught of God; this is the Spirit's work. See
II. That they should be under the influence
of his peace (
1. The legacy that is here bequeathed
Peace, my peace. Peace is put for all good, and Christ has
left us all needful good, all that is really and truly good, as all
the purchased promised good. Peace is put for reconciliation and
love; the peace bequeathed is peace with God, peace with one
another; peace in our own bosoms seems to be especially
meant; a tranquillity of mind arising from a sense of our
justification before God. It is the counterpart of our pardons, and
the composure of our minds. This Christ calls his peace, for
he is himself our peace,
2. To whom this legacy is bequeathed: "To you, my disciples and followers, that will be exposed to trouble, and have need of peace; to you that are the sons of peace, and are qualified to receive it." This legacy was left to them as the representatives of the church, to them and their successors, to them and all true Christians in all ages.
3. In what manner it is left: Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. That is, (1.) "I do not compliment you with Peace be unto you; no, it is not a mere formality, but a real blessing." (2.) "The peace I give is of such a nature that the smiles of the world cannot give it, nor the frowns of the world take it away." Or, (3.) "The gifts I give to you are not such as this world gives to its children and votaries, to whom it is kind." The world's gifts concern only the body and time; Christ's gifts enrich the soul for eternity: the world gives lying vanities, and that which will cheat us; Christ gives substantial blessings, which will never fail us: the world gives and takes; Christ gives a good part that shall never be taken away. (4.) The peace which Christ gives is infinitely more valuable than that which the world gives. The world's peace begins in ignorance, consists with sin, and ends in endless troubles; Christ's peace begins in grace, consists with no allowed sin, and ends at length in everlasting peace. As is the difference between a killing lethargy and a reviving refreshing sleep, such is the difference between Christ's peace and the world's.
4. What use they should make of it: Let
not your heart be troubled, for any evils past or present,
neither let it be afraid of any evil to come. Note, Those
that are interested in the covenant of grace, and entitled to the
peace which Christ gives, ought not to yield to overwhelming griefs
and fears. This comes in here as the conclusion of the whole
matter; he had said (
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Christ here gives his disciples another reason why their hearts should not be troubled for his going away; and that is, because his heart was not. And here he tells them what it was that enabled him to endure the cross and despise the shame, that they might look unto him, and run with patience. He comforted himself,
I. That, though he went away, he should
come again: "You have heard how I have said, and now I say
it again, I go away, and come again." Note, What we have
heard of the doctrine of Christ, especially concerning his second
coming, we have need to be told again and again. When we are under
the power of any transport of passion, grief, or fear, or care, we
forget that Christ will come again. See
II. That he went to his Father: "If you
loved me, as by your sorrow you say you do, you would
rejoice instead of mourning, because, though I leave you, yet I
said, I go unto the Father, not only mine, but yours, which
will be my advancement and your advantage; for my Father is
greater than I." Observe here, 1. It is matter of joy to
Christ's disciples that he is gone to the Father, to take
possession for orphans, and make intercession for transgressors.
His departure had a bright side as well as a dark side. Therefore
he sent this message after his resurrection (
III. That his going away, compared with the
prophecies which went before of it, would be a means of confirming
the faith of his disciples (
IV. That he was sure of a victory over
Satan, with whom he knew he was to have a struggle in his departure
(
V. That his departure was in compliance
with, and obedience to, his Father. Satan could not force his life
from him, and yet he would die: that the world may know that I
love the Father,
1. As confirming what he had often said, that his undertaking, as Mediator, was a demonstration to the world, (1.) Of his compliance with the Father; hereby it appeared that he loved the Father. As it was an evidence of his love to man that he died for his salvation, so it was of his love to God that he died for his glory and the accomplishing of his purposes. Let the world know that between the Father and the Son there is not love lost. As the Father loved the Son, and gave all things into his hands; so the Son loved the Father, and gave his spirit into his hand. (2.) Of his obedience to his Father: "As the Father gave me commandment, even so I did—did the thing commanded me in the manner commanded." Note, The best evidence of our love to the Father is our doing as he hath given us commandment. As Christ loved the Father, and obeyed him, even to the death, so we must love Christ, and obey him. Christ's eye to the Father's commandment, obliging him to suffer and die, bore him up with cheerfulness, and overcame the reluctancies of nature; this took off the offence of the cross, that what he did was by order from the Father. The command of God is sufficient to bear us out in that which is most disputed by others, and therefore should be sufficient to bear us up in that which is most difficult to ourselves: This is the will of him that made me, that sent me.
2. As concluding what he had now said; having brought it to this, here he leaves it: that the world may know that I love the Father. You shall see how cheerfully I can meet the appointed cross: "Arise, let us go hence to the garden;" so some; or, to Jerusalem. When we talk of troubles at a distance, it is easy to say, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest; but when it comes to the pinch, when an unavoidable cross lies in the way of duty, then to say, "Arise, let us go to meet it," instead of going out of our way to miss it, this lets the world know that we love the Father. If this discourse was at the close of the passover-supper, it should seem that at these words he arose from the table, and retired into the drawing-room, where he might the more freely carry on the discourse with his disciples in the following chapters, and pray with them. Dr. Goodwin's remark upon this is, that Christ mentioning the great motive of his sufferings, his Father's commandment, was in all haste to go forth to suffer and die, was afraid of slipping the time of Judas's meeting him: Arise, says he, let us go hence but he looks upon the glass, as it were, sees it not quite out, and therefore sits down again, and preaches another sermon. Now, (1.) In these words he gives his disciples an encouragement to follow him. He does not say, I must go; but, Let us go. He calls them out to no hardships but what he himself goes before them in as their leader. They had promised they would not desert him: "Come," says he, "let us go then; let us see how you will make the words good." (2.) He gives them an example, teaching them at all times, especially in suffering times, to sit loose to all things here below, and often to think and speak of leaving them. Though we sit easy, and in the midst of the delights of an agreeable conversation, yet we must not think of being here always: Arise, let us go hence. If it was at the close of the paschal and eucharistical supper, it teaches us that the solemnities of our communion with God are not to be constant in this world. When we sit down under Christ's shadow with delight, and say, It is good to be here; yet we must think of rising and going hence; going down from the mount.