Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Ver. 1. _Let not your heart, &c._] Our Saviour sweetly proceeds in his swan-like song. Aelian tells us that he once heard a dying swan sing most heavenly and harmoniously, ευφωνοτατον και ωδικωτατον. (Hist. Var. lib. i.) The poe... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _I would have told you_] And not have fed you with false hopes of a Utopian happiness, as the devil deals by his, whom he brings into a fool's paradise; as Mahomet by his,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _I will come again, &c._] Oh, look up and long for this "consolation of Israel;" say as Sisera's mother, "Why are his chariots" (those clouds) "so long in coming... [ Continue Reading ]
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Ver. 4. _And whither I go ye know_] Some little knowledge they had, such as Thomas in the next verse denies to be any at all; yet Christ acknowledgeth it. The tenor of the new covenant requires no set measures of grace. The first springings in the womb... [ Continue Reading ]
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Ver. 5. _Lord, we know not whither thou goest, &c._] No, Thomas? what, are ye also ignorant? They knew, but knew not that they knew: their knowledge was yet but confused and indistinct; they saw men, but as it... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Ver. 6. _I am the way, and the truth, &c._] As if he should say, Thou hast no whither to go but to me, nor which way to go but by me, that thou mayest attain eternal life. Which made Bernard say,... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Ver. 7. _And from henceforth ye know him_] Or else the more shame for you, having had me (his express image) so long among you. Christians have a privilege above the Church of the Old Testam... [ Continue Reading ]
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Ver. 8. _Lord, show us the Father_] They would have seen the Father face to face with their bodily eyes, as they saw the Son. But that no man can do and live,Exodus 33:20. We cannot see the sun _in rota, _ in its orbit, as the sc... [ Continue Reading ]
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_, Shew us the Father? Ver. 9. _Have I been so long, &c._] May not Christ justly shame and shent us all for knowing no more of him all... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _The words that I speak_] Our Saviour allegeth for himself the Divinity both of his word and works. He was mighty... [ Continue Reading ]
Believe me that I _am_ in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Ver. 11. _Believe me that I am, &c._] Take my bare word without any further pawn or proof. This is an honour due to Christ only, that he is αυτοπιστος, He is Amen, "the faithful and true witness... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _And greater works than these_] Greater in regard of the matter, as converting 3000 souls at a sermon, reducing a great pa... [ Continue Reading ]
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Ver. 13. _That I will do_] An undoubted argument of Christ's Divinity, that he hears and grants prayers. When the people, in Ahab's time, saw God answering Elijah by fire from heaven, they cried out... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do _it_. Ver. 14. _If ye shall ask anything, &c._] This is not a vain repetition. _Nunquam satis dicitur, quod nunquam satis discitur._ (Seneca.) When God spake but once, David heard it twice. Oh that we would once hear and believe, what Christ for our c... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye love me, keep my commandments. Ver. 15. _If ye love me, keep my commandments_] No better way to seal up love than by being obedient. "How canst thou love me," said she, "when thy heart is not with me?"Judges 16:15. Hushai, to show his love to David, set upon that difficult and dangerous servi... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Ver. 16. _And he shall give you another Comforter_] Or, pleader, deprecator, advocate, παρακλητον. Properly it signifies such a one as we send for, when we are in any danger, to advise and coun... [ Continue Reading ]
_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. Ver. 17. _For he dwelleth with you_] Next to the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature, we may wonder at the love of the Holy... [ Continue Reading ]
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Ver. 18. _I will not leave you comfortless_] Orphans, or darkling, ορφανους _ab_ ορφνη, _tenebrae._ I your Lord am taken indeed from your head for a while, but you shall have the supply of my Spirit, Philippians 1:19. And I, even I, will come ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. Ver. 19. _But ye see me_] The spiritual man hath "the mind of Christ," 1 Corinthians 2:16, and those things revealed unto him that natural eye never saw, carnal ear never heard, neither hath it en... [ Continue Reading ]
At that day ye shall know that I _am_ in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. Ver. 20. _That I am in my Father and you in me_] Oh happy union, the ground of communion! interest! the ground of influence! Hence we have communication of Christ's secrets,1 Corinthians 2:6; the testimony of Jesus, 1 C... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 21. _And I will love him, and manifest, &c._] Increase of the saving knowledge of Christ is promised as a singular r... [ Continue Reading ]
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Ver. 22. _How is it that thou wilt manifest, &c._] Many a wise question the disciples ask him in this chapter; and yet our Saviour bears with their rudeness, and gently instructs the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _Jesus answered and said unto him_] Our Saviour, passing by that frivolous question, proceedeth in his discourse. Some follies are... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 24. _But the Father's_] Therefore to be obeyed, because of divine authority. God's impress makes authentic, and binds every good heart to obedience. _Veniat, veniat verbum Domi... [ Continue Reading ]
These things have I spoken unto you, being _yet_ present with you. Ver. 25. _These things have I spoken unto you_] And truly I may seem to have spoken to small purpose (_verba quid incassum non proficientia perdo?_) by anything that you have yet profited. But cast not away your confidence that hath... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 26. _But the Comforter, &c._] The Spirit teacheth only things consonant to Scripture, and is thereby dis... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 27. _Peace I leave with you_] As a farewell or legacy; _Sacrosancta_ ειρηνη _nobis committitur, non_ ερυννις, _aut_ ερις : Christ is the Prince... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _My Father is greater than I_] To wit, as I have voluntarily submitted myself to the office of a mediator. Lo, h... [ Continue Reading ]
And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Ver. 29. _And now I have told you before_] Which none beside God himself could do, but by divine revelation. The knowledge of future contingents is of God only, and of such as to whom he is pleased to c... [ Continue Reading ]
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Ver. 30. _Hereafter I will not, &c._] Make we the best of our Christian friends while we have them; as we would do of a borrowed book or tool, that we know not how soon they may be sent for by the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 31. _But that the world may know_] Not you only, but all must take notice of my ready obedience to the will of my heavenly Father, even to the suffering of death. Ch... [ Continue Reading ]