In the last hours of Jesus before his trials and crucifixion, the gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke move quickly from the supper (where Judas is exposed as the betrayer and Peter as a future 3 time denier), to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is arrested.
But John, who was there with Jesus, shares four more chapters of additional information. John 14-17 details what happened in the Upper Room after the Supper but before Jesus and the disciples headed down the hill to the garden.
John 14
Jesus lovingly tried to prepare His disciples for His upcoming death. He assured them He would come back for them and they would be with Him forever. John 14:1-3 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."
Jesus reminded the disciples that the only way to eternal life is by believing in Him. John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
And Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to all who believed, loved, and obeyed. John 14:15-17 "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth."
John 15
Jesus used a grapevine to outline how things would work after He left. John 15:5-8 "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father." There would be some painful pruning so believers could produce even more fruit (John 15:2). But the love that flowed between the vine (Jesus) and the branches (believers who obey His commandments) would produce beautiful fruit (new believers).
The disciples were to love each other, and understand that the world would never love them. John 15: 17-25 "This is my command: Love each other. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures. 'They hated me without cause.'"
John 16
Then things started to get real scary. John 16:2-4 "For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I'm telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning." Later in John16:31-33 "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." Only John escaped a violent death. Judas killed himself over his betrayal, and the other 10 were martyrs, killed for spreading their faith in Jesus. John was exiled and died of old age.
But Jesus followed up with two good pieces of news.
1. John 16:12-13 "There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what he has heard (from me)." God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all God, consistent and unchanging in Their truth.
2. John 16:20-22 "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world." The disciples did not know specifics - but things would be very hard, followed by "the best news ever". Jesus would die a horrible death, be placed in a tomb, and be resurrected 3 days later. He would ascend 40 days later to be back in Heaven with God the Father. And 10 days after ascension, as promised, God the Father would send the Holy Spirit because Jesus asked Him to. The Holy Spirit would help all believers know God's truths and what to do with them.
John 17
And then Jesus prayed.
He prayed for Himself. John 17:1 "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so He can give glory back to you."
He prayed for His disciples. John 17:11 "Now I am departing from the world, they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are." John 17:15-17 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth.
And He prayed for all future believers. John 17:20 "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one." John 17:23-24 "I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these who you have given me to be with me where I am." This last line says all you need to know about Jesus' love for us.
Parking in John for these four chapters, we see how Jesus comforted and encouraged His disciples hours before His human body would be whipped, poked with thorns, spat on, screamed at and crucified. His focus was on obeying the Father and protecting His people. “Don't worry, you will see me again", "Always believe in me", "You will have a Helper, called the Holy Spirit", "Love Me", "Love each other", "Tell others about Me even though it will get you in a lot of worldly trouble", "One day we will all be together again with God the Father".
How much He must love us! He thought only to comfort, encourage, and clarify instructions for His people as the hours ticked toward his brutal death for all of our sins. John 17:19 "And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth."
Thank you John for sharing.
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