These chapters comprise: first, Jesus' exemplary act of humility, love and kindness in washing his disciples' feet - this is the standard of love they must adopt among themselves and with others (13:2-30); second, His long conversation with them as He prepares His disciples for His departure, outlining the necessity, the consequences and consolation of His 'going' (13:31-16:33); and third, Jesus' intercessory prayer before moving out to Gethsemane, not just for his remaining 11 disciples but for all who will come to trust in Him as Saviour, which includes us (17:1-26, especially v20).
Now, to prepare us for the sublime nature of these chapters and indeed the rest of the Gospel, John inserts an introductory heading to explain to us what is taking place (13:1): Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to His Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, Jesus now showed them the full extent of His love. All that Jesus now says and does, John attributes to Jesus' love, His pure, unmingled, inexhaustible, motivating love.
Jesus washes His disciples' feet - an act considered so humbling and debased that no domestic servant could be compelled to do it. But such is the standard of loving service that Jesus sets for His followers, for in such lowly, selfless humility true blessing is found (13:14-17). Such love is so distinctive that it will characterise true Christian discipleship and point outsiders to Jesus (v34-35).
It is the ultimate proof that the Gospel is true for it results in lives that are radically transformed by its power. And yet, despite the selflessness of Jesus blazing brightly, the natural self-centredness of the disciples is never far away in both betrayal (v21,30) and denial (v37-38). True humility guards the heart against undue self-confidence and arrogant self-reliance.
The disciples want to go where Jesus is going, but they cannot come, at least not for a while (v3b-4). Where is Jesus going (v2-3)? Jesus says the disciples know already (v4), for He has already told them (12:23-28). Most readers of 14:2-3 understand Jesus to mean that He is going to His Father's house to prepare (decorate?) a room or place for the disciples to stay when He returns to bring them back home to be with Himself and His Father. But that is not really what He is saying. Please take note, this is important: in John 14v2, in the original Greek version there is no word 'there' (the NIV wrongly inserted it in); the verse actually reads: I am going to prepare a place for you. Yes, the place that the disciples will eventually dwell is heaven, with God; but their place 'there' is 'prepared' (not by Jesus painting the walls and ceiling but) by Jesus going to the place where the disciples cannot come, to the Cross. Our place is heaven is secured by Jesus' death on Calvary's cross for us. That's why no-one can come to the Father except through Him (v6): His death alone makes ready our eternal place with the Father.
But we do not need to wait until our own deaths and we 'go home' to enjoy true and intimate fellowship with God. Jesus makes an amazing promise - that in response to our loving obedience of the Lord (the mark of true discipleship and of true, life-changing Gospel faith), the Father and Son will come to us and make Their home with us (14:21,23). Think on that…
Such sustained, love-fuelled obedience (v23-24) is, I take it, in essence what it means for us to abide (or remain) in Christ (15:4-17), although there is so much in these verses we must in haste bypass.
To truly become a loving, selfless community centred upon Christ (15:17), is to invite and expect both curiosity (see again 13:34-35) and hostility (15:18-19). Since the world does not love Jesus we can be assured it will not love His disciples (v20). But the disciples must not retreat into some secluded ghetto to hide away from the world that hates them. They must take their stand and shine out as lights of Christ - for they have not been abandoned by Jesus; they will know the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit (14:16-20; 15:26-27) enabling them to live faithfully and testify boldly for Jesus. As will we - if - we take the call to obedience and evangelism seriously...
Now, to prepare us for the sublime nature of these chapters and indeed the rest of the Gospel, John inserts an introductory heading to explain to us what is taking place (13:1): Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to His Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, Jesus now showed them the full extent of His love. All that Jesus now says and does, John attributes to Jesus' love, His pure, unmingled, inexhaustible, motivating love.
Jesus washes His disciples' feet - an act considered so humbling and debased that no domestic servant could be compelled to do it. But such is the standard of loving service that Jesus sets for His followers, for in such lowly, selfless humility true blessing is found (13:14-17). Such love is so distinctive that it will characterise true Christian discipleship and point outsiders to Jesus (v34-35).It is the ultimate proof that the Gospel is true for it results in lives that are radically transformed by its power. And yet, despite the selflessness of Jesus blazing brightly, the natural self-centredness of the disciples is never far away in both betrayal (v21,30) and denial (v37-38). True humility guards the heart against undue self-confidence and arrogant self-reliance.
The disciples want to go where Jesus is going, but they cannot come, at least not for a while (v3b-4). Where is Jesus going (v2-3)? Jesus says the disciples know already (v4), for He has already told them (12:23-28). Most readers of 14:2-3 understand Jesus to mean that He is going to His Father's house to prepare (decorate?) a room or place for the disciples to stay when He returns to bring them back home to be with Himself and His Father. But that is not really what He is saying. Please take note, this is important: in John 14v2, in the original Greek version there is no word 'there' (the NIV wrongly inserted it in); the verse actually reads: I am going to prepare a place for you. Yes, the place that the disciples will eventually dwell is heaven, with God; but their place 'there' is 'prepared' (not by Jesus painting the walls and ceiling but) by Jesus going to the place where the disciples cannot come, to the Cross. Our place is heaven is secured by Jesus' death on Calvary's cross for us. That's why no-one can come to the Father except through Him (v6): His death alone makes ready our eternal place with the Father.
Such sustained, love-fuelled obedience (v23-24) is, I take it, in essence what it means for us to abide (or remain) in Christ (15:4-17), although there is so much in these verses we must in haste bypass.
To truly become a loving, selfless community centred upon Christ (15:17), is to invite and expect both curiosity (see again 13:34-35) and hostility (15:18-19). Since the world does not love Jesus we can be assured it will not love His disciples (v20). But the disciples must not retreat into some secluded ghetto to hide away from the world that hates them. They must take their stand and shine out as lights of Christ - for they have not been abandoned by Jesus; they will know the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit (14:16-20; 15:26-27) enabling them to live faithfully and testify boldly for Jesus. As will we - if - we take the call to obedience and evangelism seriously...
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