John 14:1. Let not your heart be troubled:— Jesus not only forewarned his disciples of the great trial that was coming upon them, and commanded them to arm themselves against it, (see Luke 22:35-38.) but he spoke a long discourse, wherein he animated them to sustain that trial manfully, and comforted them under the dismal apprehensions which it might raise in them. They were to see Him crucified whom they had acknowledged as the Messiah; wherefore having been always accustomed to consider temporal dominion as the characteristic of their deliverer, and great worldly prosperity as the privilege of his subjects; the death of their Master, and the persecutions befalling themselves, could not fail to give a violent shock to their faith. But, that the force of these blows might be weakened, our Lord foretold his own sufferings, and thereby made it evident, that he voluntarily submitted to them. Withal, to reconcile their minds to the thoughts of his sufferings, he distinctly explained the end of them in this discourse. Let not your heart be troubled, &c. "Be not discomposed with the thoughts of those temptations which are to come upon you. As you believe in God, in a general point of view, as the almighty preserver and governor of the world, who is able to deliver you out of all your distresses; believe also in me; who am not only sent by God, and appointed governor and judge of the world, but am myself God over all, blessed for ever; and therefore can both protect you from evil, and reward you plentifully, for whatever losses you may sustain on my account." The Greek of the last clause may be rendered, Believe in God, and believe also in me; and it appears most natural to render the word πιστευετε, alike in both places; and it is certain that an exhortation to faith upon God in Christ, would be very seasonable, considering how weak and defective their faith was. See John 14:9.

John 14:2. In my Father's house, &c.— Our Lord here has been thought by some to allude to the various apartments in the temple, and the vast numbers of people lodged there. Perhaps the allusion may be more general to the palaces of kings, and the various apartments there. The word μοναι signifies quiet and continued abodes, and therefore seems happily expressed by our English word mansion, the etymology and import of which is just the same. Our Saviour here intends the encouragement and comfort of his disciples, by assuring them, that in the place whereto he was going before them, there was ample room to receive them, and every thing to accommodate them in the most delightful manner. When the glory of heaven is spoken of as prepared before the foundation of the world, (Matthew 25:34.) this only refers to the divine purpose; but as that was founded in Christ's mediatorial undertaking, (Ephesians 1:4-6.) it might properly be said, that when Christ went into heaven, as our high-priest, to present, as it were, his own blood before the Father on our account, and as our fore-runner to take possession of it, he did thereby, prepare a place for us: which the apostle to the Heb 9:23-24 expresses by his purifying or consecrating the heavenly places,in which the faithful are to dwell; as the tabernacle of Moses, when new made; on which account an atonement for the altar itself, which was considered as most holy, was the first act performed in it when it was opened. (Exodus 29:36-37.) It may not be improper to observe, that the word τοπος is often translated room, as in Luke 2:7; Luke 14:10; Luk 14:22. 1 Corinthians 14:16. And thus the signification here may be, that Christ went to heaven to make room for them, or to remove those things out of the way which obstructed their entrance. This may at least be included; though the word ετοιμασαι may express still more. It is the same term which is used of John the Baptist, the fore-runner of our Lord. See Matthew 3:3; Matthew 3:17.

John 14:3. I will come again, and receive you— The idea of a fore-runner is preserved, who, after he had prepared for the entertainment of a guest, used to return, in order to introduce him into the house where the preparations were made for him. This coming ultimately refers to Christ's solemn appearance at the last day, to receive at his servants to glory; yet it is a beautiful circumstance, that the death of every particular believer, considering the universal power and providence of Christ, may be regarded as Christ's coming to fetch him home. See the note on Luke 12:37 -

John 14:5. Lord, we know not whither thou goest;— "We know not where thy Father's house stands, and consequently cannot know the way to it." It is probable that Thomas might think that Christ intended to remove to some splendid palace on earth, to set up his court there for a while, before he received his people to the celestial glory: for it is certain that his thoughts, as well as those of the rest of the disciples, principally turned upon a temporal kingdom.

John 14:6. I am the way, and the truth, and the life:— Our Lord, most probably, had here in view the metaphors which he formerly used, I am the door of the sheep, Ch. John 10:7. I am the bread of life, Ch. John 6:35. And therefore, it might well have been expected, that, having so lately delivered the same sentiments, the disciples would have understood him now. Some have supposed the form of expression before us to be a Hebraism, whose meaning is, I am the true and living way; as Daniel 3:7 all the people, the nations, and the languages, signifies, people of all nations and languages. But in whatever manner we resolve the sentence, its meaning is the same; namely, "faith in me, and obedience to my commandments, will lead you to my Father's house, where I am going. They are the only true road to the mansions of felicity." See Ch. John 1:4; John 1:14; Joh 1:17 John 5:33.

John 14:7. If ye had known me, ye should have known, &c.— If "you had an adequate idea of my character, from the miracles that I have performed, and from the marks of goodness, justice, and wisdom, which manifest themselves in mylife and doctrines, you could not have been ignorant of my Father, because his attributes are the same; and he being in his nature invisible, by seeing me, and the manifestation of the divine perfections in me, you have as true a sight of him as possible here below."

John 14:8. Lord, shew us the Father,— Philip, hearing our Lord's words, says to him with a pious ardour becoming his character, "Lord, do but shew us the Father, and bring us to the sight and enjoyment of him, and it is happiness enough for us. We desire no more, and resign every other hope, in comparison of this." This seems a very probable sense of this passage. One cannot apprehend that Philip, or any other of the Apostles, thought the Father visible, and therefore asked for a vision of the Father in a corporeal form. If Philip desired any thing more than what is asserted in the paraphrase above given, it could have been only to see, like Moses, the inaccessible light wherein God dwells, the acknowledged symbol of his presence in heaven.

John 14:12. He that believeth on me, &c.— It is evident in fact, that though this promise be expressed in indefinite language, it must be limited in some such manner as follows: "He that believes in me, that is, many of my disciples in these early ages, and each of you in particular, shall receive such an abundant communication of the Spirit, that the miraculous works which I perform, he shall perform also; yea, works, in some respect, greater than these shall he perform, because I go to my Father, who has thought fit to reserve the most stupendous gifts of the Spirit to honour the entrance of my glorified humanity into the heaven of heavens." How fully Jesus performed this promise, is plain from the history of the Acts throughout, particularly ch. Joh 5:15-16 where we find that the very shadow of Peter passing by, cured the sick on whom it fell, and who were laid in the streets for that purpose: as also, Ch. Joh 19:12 which informs us, that handkerchiefs and aprons, which had touched the body of Paul, being applied to the sick and possessed, banished both the diseases and the devils. Nor should we, on this occasion, forget the gift of languages bestowed on the apostles, and which they were enabled to communicate to others. Yet, if these miracles are not thought, to shew greater power than Christ exhibited, we may refer the greatness whereof he speaks, to the effects which they were to produce on the minds of men, through divine grace accompanying them. For, in that respect the miracles of the apostles were vastly superior to those of Christ, converting through grace more people in one day, than was done by all the miracles that Jesus performed during the course of his ministry. Under the divine blessing they converted thousands at once, made the gospel to fly like lightning through the world, and beat down every thing that stood in opposition to the faith of their Master.

John 14:13. And whatsoever ye shall ask, &c.— "And whatsoever ye shall ask on the ground of my warrant and promise, with humble dependance on my wisdom and power, faithfulness and grace, and on my merit and advocacy, that ye may honour me; I will certainly perform it in answer to your prayers, that the Father himself may therebymanifesthisgloriousperfections,inmygracious and almighty operations, and through my obedience to the death of the cross, who am his own Son."

John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.— The term of loving God, is frequently taken from that expression of love which consists in doing such things as are esteemed grateful or beneficial to the object beloved: but as our endeavours cannot advance either the benefit or happiness of God, and our doing things that are grateful to him consists in performing whathe commands; therefore our obedience to the will and commands of God, is frequently stiled loving him; because the best, if not the only way of demonstrating our love to God is, to endeavour to please him; and we cannot please him, but by obeying him. Hence the love of God is used, in some places, as synonimous to keeping his commandments, as will appear from comparing Exodus 20:6. Deuteronomy 5:10. Our blessed Lord, therefore, perceiving that his disciples' hearts were melted with the prediction of his departure, nobly comforts them, by telling them, that their obedience would be a far more grateful sign of their affection to him, than any sorrow which they could shew.

John 14:18. I will not leave you comfortless:— 'Ορφανους, orphans, He had called them his dear children,— τεκνια,— Joh 13:33 of the last chapter. "Encourage yourselves therefore with the pleasing expectation of the promised Comforter, who will be as a Father to you, and fully supply my place; and I myself will be with you in my Godhead, to strengthen and console you, and visit you with the most valuable tokens of my constant care."

John 14:19. Yet a little while,— A little while indeed, for he was crucified the next day: and he more particularly declares, that he would not appear to the Jewish nation in general after his resurrection, but only to his disciples. He adds, "Because I live, by rising from the dead, ye shall live also,—by rising from the dead; and also now by means of those divine influences which you shall derive from me, to cherish the workings of grace in your hearts, and to train you up to a growing meetness for sharing with me in eternal life." Comp. 2 Corinthians 4:10-11.

John 14:20. At that day ye shall know, &c.— The words rendered and I have a peculiar elegance, which cannot be easily understood without adding the word so in the translation; accordingly the verse would run thus: At that day ye shall know, that as I am in the Father, and you in me, so also I am in you. The verse consists of two parts, as the effects of Christ's resurrection. First, they shall know that Christ is in his Father, that he has eternally dwelt in the Father—that he is one with him by the completest union of essence and councils. Secondly, they shall know that Christ continues in them, communicates his power to them, and has not forsaken them, as by his death they might suspect: they would be convinced to the contrary by his resurrection, by his abiding and conversing with them for forty days after, by his going to heaven to prepare a place for them, by his sending his Spirit to them, and by his indwelling presence, to administer every degree of comfort, light, and power, which would be requisite to render their afflictions supportable, their own souls holy and happy, and their ministry successful. After his resurrection and mission of the Holy Spirit, the disciples could no longer doubt that Christ came from the Father, and dwelt eternally with him; and of course they must have possessed the clearest conviction of that most perfect intercourse which eternally and constantly subsisted between him and his Father: and when they saw the success of their ministry, the Spirit himself bearing them witness by signs and wonders, and enabling them to undertake the arduous, the glorious task, by the gift of tongues, they could not question their apostolic call, nor could they doubt whether Christ was present to them in his divinity, and co-operating with them by his Spirit and power. Thus were they experimentally taught to understand somewhat of that union which is between the Father and the Son, and likewise between Him and the church, or society of Christian believe

John 14:27. Peace I leave with you:— "Peace be to you" was the common salutation and compliment mutually given by the Jews to each other at meeting and parting. But although this compliment implied a wish of every thing thatcould make one happy, it was often used without any meaning. At best, it was but a wish, however sincere, and had no real efficacy in making him to whom it was given happy. But in the mouth of Jesus, by whose wisdom and power the affairs of the world are governed, a farewel wish was a matter of a very different kind: His peace, his parting blessing could draw down all manner of felicity upon those who were the objects of it. Accordingly, he encouraged his disciples from that consideration, under the prospect of his departure; desiring them not to be in the least anxious about what was to befal them after he was gone. See the note on Matthew 10:13.

John 14:28. For my Father is greater than I.— That is, "than I am, considered in my mediatorial capacity."Thesewords afforded a strong argument for the proper Divinity of our Lord; for had he been a mere man, or even a creature of the highest order, the comparison would have been foolish and impertinent.

John 14:29. I have told you before it come to pass,— "I have foretold my removal hence, my return to the Father, and the descent of the Spirit, in order that when these things happen, your faith, instead of being shaken, may be confirmed." It is very judiciously observed by Dr. Jenkins, in his excellent Defence of Christianity, that "when miraculous events are also the accomplishment of prophesies, the degree of evidence arising from them is the greatest that can possibly be conceived."