Jesus and his disciples were about to leave the upper room at this point (cp. John 14:31). However, before doing so Jesus had a few concluding remarks. He told his disciples that he had told them these things being yet with them. If we begin “these things” with the exit of Judas (John 13:30), then the things Jesus had in mind begin with the New Commandment he had given his disciples to love one another (John 13:31). These things would also include Jesus’ going away to the Father, but they weren’t able to go with him, but they would follow later (John 13:36). The things Jesus referred to also consisted of their being the new abiding place of God, vis-à-vis the Temple or House of God (cp. John 14:2, 23). They were its rooms!
Jesus also announced that they knew the way to the Father, because they knew him (Jesus) as the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Moreover, because they know Jesus, they also know the Father (John 14:7), which means, therefore, Jesus is God in the flesh (John 14:10-11). Jesus also mentioned the greater works his disciples would do, which involved the miracle of the believer being born again and being given the Spirit of God (John 14:12, 16-17), so that he could understand the things of God, something Jesus’ disciples in the upper room were struggling with, but couldn’t receive at that time. So, although his disciples were fearful of Jesus’ going away, they would be comforted with the Spirit of God, which would indwell them (John 14:18, 26), and although he would depart (die), they would rejoice in his resurrection and be given eternal life (John 14:19-23). These things Jesus spoke, while he was yet with them (John 14:25), that is as opposed to being within them (John 14:23; cp. Colossians 1:27).
We need to keep in mind that Jesus tells us that he has come out from the Father (John 16:27, 30). He had been the Word (John 1:1) who was God, and dwelt in God, vis-à-vis Light (1Timothy 6:14-16; cp. 1John 1:5). He came forth from God and became flesh (John 1:14). Once Jesus had returned to the Father, he was no longer limited by the flesh (cp. John 16:7). Therefore, Jesus has once again come forth from God as the Spirit, and, while he was once with men, he now indwells them (John 14:17; cp. Colossians 1:27). Such are these things, which the Lord told his disciples in the upper room, while he was still with them (John 14:25), vis-à-vis alongside them, and in the flesh. Nevertheless, when the Comforter would come from the Father, he would be in them (John 14:17), teaching them all things pertaining to the Spirit and recalling to their memory the things Jesus had told them, while he was yet with them (John 14:26; cp. 1Corinthians 2:9-13).
Finally, Jesus said he was leaving them his peace. Peace, shalom, was a Jewish greeting and farewell. What Jesus meant was, although they had been troubled by many of the things he told them, he wanted them to be content in knowing all would end well, and they would be satisfied with the outcome. The world doesn’t have this peace, but Jesus wanted his disciples to know and understand. Because they “believed in God and believed in Jesus” (John 14:1) as the Messiah, all would end well, for the Messiah would see to it. That is what he was sent by God to do. Therefore, don’t allow your heart to be fearful (John 14:27).
There is no fear in love (1John 4:18), therefore cast it out, put it away, because, if they truly loved their Messiah, they would rejoice in his going to the Father, because the Father is greater than the Messiah! So, if the Messiah is Savior of the world (John 4:42; 1John 4:14) and he goes to the Father, how much more can he do after he is with the One greater than he (John 14:28)? Therefore, when these things come to pass, the disciples should remember that they were told beforehand, so that they would believe Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in him (John 14:29).
Jesus told his disciples that he wouldn’t speak with them much longer, because the prince of this world, vis-à-vis the human ruler of that world in the first century AD, would come (John 14:30), but he had nothing in him. In other words, he had no relationship with or hold on Jesus through which he could make any demands of him. This is whom Paul spoke of as the prince of the power of the air in Ephesians 2:2. The air which was controlled by this prince was the spirit that worked in the children of disobedience. Scholars mistakenly point to a sentient spirit (Satan), but this isn’t so. We feel this phenomenon nearly every day ourselves, and is what we call peer pressure or accepted behavior forced upon an individual by a group of folks who are suspicious of anyone acting differently than they do. It is an air that is felt when one walks into a room etc. The individual who controlled this air or spirit was the high priest of the first century AD. The high priest was able to cause the very people who hailed Jesus with hosanna’s earlier in the week to shout out “Crucify him!” early the next day. This is who Jesus referred to as the prince of this world.
Nevertheless, this very prince who molded himself into the enemy of Christ, was used by God to show the world that Jesus loved the Father, and yielded to his, the Father’s, will, even to the point of death (John 14:31). With this said, Jesus and his disciples prepared to leave the upper room for Gethsemane.
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3 responses to “My Peace I Give You”
During Jesus’ 40 days of fasting, who is the Satan who attempts to use temptation against him, reference Matt 4?
Greetings Dave, and thank you for reading and for your question. It is tough to buck against tradition, especially accepted tradition. I don’t like to be in this place, because of the discomfort, for I’ve lost friends over this very subject. Who is or was Satan?
In a sense Satan has always been Adam. He tempted Eve, because he was a coward and wanted to make certain that she wouldn’t (apparently) die before he ate of the fruit. He’d been lying to his wife before they both rebelled (sin and rebellion are different). This is why she thought, if she touched the “tree,” she’d die. It was such an easy matter to refute. All Adam had to do to prove the statement false was to touch the “tree” himself. Thus, apparently, proving God was a liar, but God never said such a thing, according to Genesis 2. That’s the lie that got Eve to eat of the fruit.
But, what about the Satan/Devil of Matthew 4 and Luke 4? It was ‘Adam’ in the persons of the Jewish authorities and the zealots. How do I know? It is the only possible conclusion, if I stick to the text, adding nothing and taking nothing away (cp. John 10:35). Compare the Synoptics and John. John simply does not permit enough time for Matthew 4 or Luke 4 to occur, if we take them literally. Read my earlier study: When and Where Was Jesus’ Temptation? Only three days after Jesus’ baptism we find him near Bethsaidia, where Philip lived, and three days after that he is in Cana at a marriage feast. Where and when was Jesus tempted, and by whom? Read my earlier study, please, because, in it, I have sought to answer that question.
I forgot that study. Modern theology falls apart at the seams when you stop defying Israel!