John 14 Bible Study

Why would their "hearts be troubled" (John 14:1) ?
Jesus had just told them of His impending departure: "I shall be with you a little while longer. Where I am going, you cannot come" (John 13:33); Peter will deny Him: "Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times" (John 13:38); and that one of them will betray Him: “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (John 13:21).

Why does Jesus say, "You believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1) ? Is He different from God?
As used above, kai, the Greek word translated "also" expresses emphasis. Jesus isn’t saying that He is apart from God, but telling them to focus their belief in God on Him.

Why does Jesus say that He will "go to prepare a place" (John 14:2) for us at His "Father's house"?
He is comforting them with a portrayal whose love, commitment and hope they would have immediately understood - a bridegroom going away after the betrothal ceremony to prepare at his father's house the room for his bride. He is leaving them for a time but with the promise that a bridegroom would give to his bride: "I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:3)

Did Jesus say that He is the only way to heaven?
Yes, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

What does this mean for all of the beliefs in the world that say there are other ways?
The above statement by Jesus is clear. Either Jesus is lying and the world's religions are right, or Jesus is right and all other religions are lying.

Why would so many religions lie?
If Satan exists and is focused on drawing people away from "the way", it would make sense for him to put up as many fake ways as possible.

Whom do we have to go through to get to Jesus in the first place?
Nobody, and anybody who tells you that you need to go through them to get to Jesus contradicts Jesus as well. Anyone who believes in Jesus as per the Bible has direct, personal access to Him, as a bride has to her bridegroom.


What is Jesus' answer to Philip's question: "Show us the Father"?
"Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me." (John 14:9)

What else does He say about His relationship with the Father?
"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father." (John 14:7)
"He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)
"I am in the Father, and the Father in Me." (John 14:10)
"The Father who dwells in Me does the works." (John 14:10)
"I am in the Father and the Father in Me." (John 14:11)

What is Jesus claiming?
His deity and complete oneness with God the Father.

Are we sure He isn’t claiming to be a prophet?
His claims go clearly beyond being God’s mouthpiece or spokesperson. He is claiming to be God.

Is He God by virtue of His claims?
Not necessarily, but it does narrow down the theoretical possibilities what He could be.

Which are?
If His claims are true, He is God who deserves our obedience and worship. If His claims are false but sincere, he is a madman who deserves medical attention. If His claims are false and insincere, he is a liar who deserves scorn.

Can you think of a fourth possibility?


Did Jesus really tell the disciples that they will do "greater" works than what He had done?
That's what He seems to have said.

Did Jesus raise the dead?
Yes, He raised Lazarus.

Did the disciples raise the dead?
Yes, Peter raised Tabitha: "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord." (Acts 9:36-42)

Did Jesus heal?
Yes, He healed the blind man.

Did the disciples heal?
"Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them." (Acts 19:11-12)

How many disciples did Jesus leave in Jerusalem after 3 years of ministry?
120: "And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty)." (Acts 1:15)

How many people became disciples after Peter's first sermon in Jerusalem?
3000: "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." (Acts 2:41)

What is the difference between Jesus' "works" (John 14:12) and the disciples'?
Jesus did them on His authority. The disciples healed, preached and raised the dead in Jesus' name.

So who really did all of the works?
Jesus.

Then why did Jesus say the disciples will do "greater" works?
Megas, the Greek word translated "greater" in John 14:12 means more in quantity, which they were to do "because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) In other words, after demonstration and instructions, Jesus was leaving them and the Christians to come the rest of His works to finish through Him.


Does John 14:14 mean that Jesus will do "anything" we ask as long as we pray it in His name?
John 14:14 is often taken out of context and abused to justify asking for earthly riches and other selfish gains.

What is its proper context?
Just before it. Whatever we ask for should be such "that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13), and Jesus decides what glorifies the Father in Him.


How does Jesus want us to express our "love" (John 14:15) for Him?
By obeying what He commanded.

Who is the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17)?
Jesus said, "I am... the truth" (John 14:6), so the "Spirit of truth" is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. He is also called the Holy Spirit, or simply "Spirit". Jesus also called Him "Helper" above.

Where is the Holy Spirit?
He is "in" and "dwells with" (John 14:17) every Christian.

What three occasions could Jesus have meant in John 14:18?
His resurrection, coming of His Spirit at Pentecost, and/or His second coming at the end of time.


What is Jesus describing in this passage?
The incredibly intimate, boundary-less relationship between God the Father, Jesus and Christians: "I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you... he who loves Me will be loved by My Father... My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:19, 21 & 23)

How serious is Jesus about Christians keeping His "words" (John 14:24) and "commandments" (John 14:21)?
Very, since He repeats and emphasizes it three times in this passage alone.

Is keeping His words and commandment what enables our salvation?
No, it’s an expression of our love for Him for our salvation, which is a free gift from Him.

Why must we study the Bible?
Without studying it, we won’t know what Jesus said or commanded, which means that we can't express our love for Jesus as He wants us to. In addition, we leave ourselves open to distortions and lies that Satan tries to peddle as Jesus' words and commands.


What will the Holy Spirit do for the disciples?
"Teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)

What does that mean for the books of the Bible that they penned?
It's written by the Holy Spirit.

What will the Holy Spirit do for Christians today?
The same: "Teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Where are the things that He said to us?
In the Bible.

But don't Christians today need to attend seminaries or learn from those who attended?
They can help but unfortunately often hinder today. To be taught "all things" that Jesus wants you to know, there are two imperatives: (1) Bible and (2) Holy Spirit. If you're missing one or both, no amount of academic training or human assistance will help.

Don't some people claim to have the sole authority to interpret the Bible?
Anyone who makes that claim is trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit, which means He is not in them. Given the present realities, it is especially important to sieve through the Bible everything anyone says about it. The destiny of your soul is too important to be outsourced to another fallible human being.


What is Jesus doing in John 14:27?
Encouraging them.

What is He saying in John 14:28?
For them to "rejoice" for Him that He is returning to the Father.

Who is the “ruler of this world” (John 14:30)?
Satan.

Why did Jesus say that Satan "has" (John 14:30) nothing in Him?
Echo, the translated Greek verb, means to "possess" or to "hold on to". He is saying that there is no sin in Him and that Satan has no hold on Him because of it.

How then does Satan have or retain a hold on us?
Through sin. Whatever sins are in our lives are of Satan and serve as handles for him to use to hold on to us.