14.02.19 Jn. 14:25-31
JESUS PREDICTS HIS RETURN
25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit — the Father will send Him in My name — will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful. 28 You have heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens so that when it does happen you may believe. 30 I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over Me. 31 On the contrary, I am going away so that the world may know that I love the Father. Just as the Father commanded Me, so I do.
“Get up; let’s leave this place.
The disciples, in effect, attended the best Bible college that ever existed. Yet there would be times when they did not have the appropriate answers when confronted with questions of faith. To this, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach them.
“But the Counselor … will teach you all things.” This passage has at times been taken to mean that those entering the ministry need not study. This is hardly the case. Those who argue this point forget the length of time the disciples spent with Jesus. Today, some may think they have no need for further training, yet the Apostle Paul was a scholar of Hebrew studies and told Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). The phrase, “handling accurately the word of truth” is a Hebraic idiom for “study.”
The most significant feature of this passage is the promise of the Holy Spirit for the believer. Even though Jesus had given them the apocalyptic forecast of horrendous events that were to come, yet He said that He will be with each of His followers regardless of the hostility or situation that should arise. Through Him there is victory for every believer.
“Peace I leave with you.” The Hebrew word shalom meaning peace may be one of the most difficult words to translate. It includes an understanding of wholeness, completeness, and soundness.[1] While it certainly contains all of the definitions of Western understanding, it also encompasses a sense of comfort and even salvation. It was and still is used as a common greeting and farewell, but for first century Jews, it had messianic overtones because of the words of Isaiah.
For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
This sense of shalom peace was emphasized again when the Apostle Paul spoke of the peace that transcends all understanding – a shalom of God in Philippians 4:7.
14.02.19.Q1 Was Jesus equal or less than the Father in heaven (Jn. 14:28)?
The question is, of course, centered on this statement: “ “The Father is greater than I.” This phrase reveals the fact that Jesus functioned in a subordinate role to the Father during His limited capacity as a human being. It is difficult to understand this in light of the number of times He said He was equal to the Father (Jn.1:1, 18; 5:16-18; 10:30; 20:28). This matter is compounded by the fact that Jesus clearly stated His dependence upon the Father (Jn. 4:34; 5:19-30; 8:29; 12:48-49). Since these two themes are presented a number of times by the same gospel writer, it can be safely assumed that John not only understood them, but by repetition he emphasized their importance. The parallel themes are dependence and equality.
It should be noted that John 14:28 is not to be interpreted that Jesus was/is a lesser God. Two thousand years of church history has not only rejected this concept, but the doctrine was at one time known as Arian heresy. For Jesus to hold this “lesser God” position would contradict all other biblical concepts of God and, most notably, introduce polytheism.
The dependency of Jesus upon the Father was only while He was in human form. In that sense and time frame, God the Father was greater than He, as Jesus left His glory and some of His divine attributes to live among men. However, in the broad space of eternity, He and the Father are one and the same, being equal in all things. Finally, it is impossible for mortal men to understand an immortal God and even more so, to understand the Holy Trinity.
14.02.19.Q2 Why was the omniscience of Jesus sometimes clearly noticeable and other times it wasn’t?
Prior to answering this question, it is important to examine the theological term “omniscience.” It means to have full knowledge or to be “all knowing;” to have infinite awareness. Jesus was 100% human and 100% man. That is known as the hypostatic union, and is a concept that is impossible for any mere human to understand. Jesus took on a human nature and submitted the use of His divine attributes to the will of His Father. Therefore, there are times when His “full knowledge” or “omniscience” is clearly recognizable.[2] However, there were other times when it was hidden or veiled by His humanity (Mk. 13:32).
[1]. Pilch, The Cultural Dictionary of the Bible. 3.
[2]. Mt. 9:4; Jn. 2:24-25; 4:17-18; 11:11-14; 16:30.