13. THE PLACE IN THE FATHER’S HOUSE, AND PROVISION FOR THE WAY THERE.
(John 14)
AT the close of the previous chapter Peter, the pattern of an impulsive, independent spirit, had raised the question, Lord, where goest Thou? and eagerly espousing his Master’s cause, with thoughts limited entirely to this world, he insists. Why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thee. The Lord in reply foretells his fall, but immediately proceeds (ch. 14) to guard against a repetition of it, and to make every provision for His own in this world between the time of His departure and His return.
The character which the Lord here portrays for His disciples is the converse of Peter’s strong self-confidence. It is that of the little child, distressed at losing the fostering care of its protector, feeling and fearing orphan hood. To such the Lord addresses His comforts and instruction, called forth by the gentle, doubting Thomas, and Philip, versed in Moses and the prophets, but slow to apprehend the Father.
In spite of His absence they were not to be troubled, but to believe on Him unseen, as they did on God. An unseen, heavenly, and exalted Christ should distinguish Christianity. Moreover, there was a place prepared for them in His Father’s house by His own presence there in manhood; for they were not to remain always in this world of trial. Nor need they doubt at all of reaching there. He would Himself come again to receive them, so that where He was they might also be — a place and path well known to them.
This calls forth the inquiry of Thomas — Lord, we know not where Thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus was the way, and the truth, and the life, as they should have known.
But in their faith there was a still more serious defect. They had not known the Father, because they had not properly known Jesus; for no one comes to the Father except by Him. Yet they had truly believed on Him; and, anticipating the gracious enlightenment of the Spirit, Jesus could say they knew the Father henceforth and had seen Him, though not yet at home in the Father’s house.
But if Peter’s vigor, and the reasoning, inquiring mind of Thomas are alike worthless in the things of Christ, so also is the Jewish materialism of Philip. He says, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. But had they not known Jesus, who had been so long with them, and was one in nature with the Father in the unity of the divine Being, and had in person, as the Son, perfectly declared Him? His words were not from Himself, and His works were done by the Father who dwelt in Him — evidence sufficient in themselves for faith of the oneness in nature and communion of the Father and the Son. Believing thus on Him they would not have need of human will, nor to seek power elsewhere, nor find it in the law; the name of Jesus would be all sufficient for greater works than even He had done, because He was going to the Father. No longer humbled, man in His person would be in the highest place; and according to the place of the Son should be the glory of the Father. He would do whatever they asked in His name.
The name of Jesus should be the source of these greater works, not their holiness or piety; and the Spirit of truth, whom the Father would send in His name, would undertake for them in their desolate condition, and be the divine Source abiding in and with them, of every comfort and support. No longer would their resource be the spirit of man energizing the will of the flesh, for this would not be the Spirit of truth, but of error.
But if they loved Him, as no doubt they did, they must show it by obedience. It is the condition in which all this blessing is enjoyed. And Jesus, though no longer able to remain with them on earth, as the Spirit was, would nevertheless come spiritually to them, and shed the sense of His protecting, considerate love abroad in their hearts. He would not leave them orphans, sad and bereaved, which otherwise must have been their state.
Spiritually they should see Him, though gone out of the world; for He was the supreme Source of their life, which was a derived and dependent one. But living thus in Him, and He in them, they should participate in His relationship and communion with the Father, not merely as here on earth, but also as gone up on high.
Obedience and love were the moral characteristics of this life in them; and obedience to Jesus is the proof of loving Him. The Father loves, and the Son would also love and manifest Himself to him who obeys. It is the path in which this blessed intercourse of love is known — not power in man to deserve love, but submission to the control of the One who is loved.
But Judas — not the traitor — has another difficulty. Accustomed to an outward manifestation, blessed and perfect as that was, he had no apprehension of that which was inward, apart from the things of time and sense, proceeding purely from a divine source, and having in view things absolutely divine. He asks, How could He manifest Himself to the disciples and not to the world?
Obedience is still the key which unlocks the difficulty. To obey is the practical effect of love; but here it is the “word,” not merely the “commandments” of Jesus. Love consults the inclinations, thoughts, perhaps unexpressed, anticipates the desires of its object; it pays attention to, and seeks acquaintance with, His mind and will, and thus keeps His word. Such the Father will love, and both Father and Son will dwell with him.
Instead, therefore, of being governed by natural relationships and the thoughts and presence of men, the soul lives in the sense of the Father’s love and the Son’s. This, graciously and permanently given, forms the character and influences the thoughts. One is governed by the “word” of Jesus, who dwells in the Father and the Father in Him, and whose mind is understood and consulted. This is practically the presence of the Father and the Son, which the soul spiritually enjoys through the Spirit.
On the other hand, disobedience to Christ proves that there is no love to Him in the soul, and deprives it of all true Christian blessing; for the word of Jesus was that of the Father who sent Him.
But in His absence the Father would send the Holy Spirit in His name, so that the disciples should not be left to their own memories in testifying to the sayings of Jesus. Thus the power of the world and man as such is entirely set aside in Christian things, and the practical life of the believer proceeds morally from grace received from the Father and the Son, and as energized by the Spirit, whom the world can neither receive, nor know, nor see. To the apostles, as vessels of inspiration, the Spirit would teach all things, and bring to their remembrance what Jesus had said to them.
Though Jesus was going away, He would leave peace with them — the abiding result of His accomplished work and service here below for His Father’s glory — an inestimable treasure in a world of sin and trouble, away from God. No uncertainty, no more conflict with flesh and blood, as Peter thought — the believer in Jesus already belongs to another scene, where no sin, nor evil, nor enemy can ever come.
But more, His own peace He gave to them. This sorrowful world He had traversed, feeling as no other did its state, not occupied with its glory, or seeking to possess it, but ever meeting its woes with mercy and doing good, delivering all that were under the power of the devil. Weeping over its calamities, and the helpless ruin of sin, He groaned, was troubled, sighed, and wept; but never was His peace disturbed. He felt everything as it affected God and man, for He was God and man in one person, but ever unmoved as to His path and purpose, and His powers to accomplish it. Even in view of the cross, where He endured every sorrow that the Son in manhood could sustain, His one thought was, “Father, glorify Thy name.” His peace was perfect and unruffled. This He now gives to them.
Providing these for them in the meanwhile, the heart of the Saviour did not rest there. He was indeed going away, but was coming again; and in the intervening time they should rejoice that He at least, who had suffered so much for them and done so much, was gone to the Father. There all was the repose of eternal love, according to the infinite joy and perfection of the relationships of the Deity itself. There He was with the One who was greater than Himself; for never had the Father left the form of essential Deity, whereas the Son had become man. The glory of the eternal counsels shone there — the thoughts that ever filled the bosom of the Father and the Son. It was not like this poor world, the place of the creature’s failure, of the enemy’s power, and of the ways and judgment and work of God. The disciples were, however, still left here for a time; and all He had said was to confirm and give occasion to their faith. The world would remain unchanged; the ruler of it was coming, but would find in Jesus, the dependent, obedient One, no foot-hold for the exercise of his power, nor response to his wiles. All would furnish opportunity only to manifest the Son’s love and obedience to the Father.