HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 484
14.3 Where I am, there you may be also. See also 12.26; 13.36.
14.4–11 The disciples’ failure to know Jesus.
14.5 Thomas. See 11.16; 20.24–29; 21.2.
14.6 Truth. See also 6.55;8.31–32; 17.17; 18.37. Life. See 6.35, 48; 11.25.
14.7 If you know me, you will know. The reading found in other manuscripts, If you had known me, you would have known (see text note d), may correspond better to the disciples’ lack of understanding (vv. 5, 8–11), which can only now, at Jesus’ glorification, be cleared up. See also 7.28–29; 8.19; 15.21; 16.3.
14.9 Whoever…the Father. See 1.18; 6.46; 8.19; 12.44–45.
14.10 I am in the Father and the Father is in me (also v. 20;10.30, 38; 17.11, 21–23), I do not speak on my own but speak the Father’s words (also v. 24; 5.19–23, 30; 6.38;7.16–18; 8.15–16, 28–29, 38; 12.49; 15.15; 17.7–8), two of Jesus’ most characteristic claims in John.
14.11 Believe…works themselves. See 5.36; 10.37–38.
14.12–14 Believers are Jesus’ successors and Jesus “returns” through their work (see note on 14.1–3).
14.13 Whatever you ask in my name. See 15.7–8, 16;16.23–24; see also Mt 7.7–11; 18.19; 21.21–22; 1 Jn 3.22; 5.14–15.
14.15–17 The Holy Spirit is also Jesus’ successor and in a sense represents his “return” (see note on 14.1–3).
14.15 Keep my commandments. See 15.9–15.
14.16 Advocate (Greek paraclete, also “Helper” or “Comforter”), i.e., the equivalent of a defense lawyer. Only John uses this term to speak of the Holy Spirit (see v. 26; 15.26; 16.7; cf. 1 Jn 2.1).
14.17 Spirit of truth, another term for the Holy Spirit unique to John in the NT (see 15.26; 16.13), though it is used in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The world cannot receive or know the Spirit of truth because the Spirit is associated with Jesus (who is the truth; v. 6), whom the world also does not receive (1.11–12) or know (7.28;8.19; 16.3).
14.18–24 Jesus’ return as his abiding presence in the believers (see note on 14.1–3). For similar statements made about the Spirit, see vv. 15–17.
14.19 Or “In a little while the world will no longer see me; but you will see me, because I live and you will live.” See also 6.57. In a little while…see me. See 7.33;16.10, 16–22; cf. 14.17.
14.20 I am in my Father. See note on 14.10. You in me, and I in you. See 6.56; 14.23;15.4–7; 17.21–23, 26; note on 1 Jn 2.6.
14.22 Judas (not Iscariot), probably Judas son of James mentioned in Lk 6.16; Acts 1.13.
14.23 Keep my word. See 8.31, 43, 51, 55; 12.47; 15.7, 20; 17.6.
14.24 The word…not mine. See note on 14.10.
14.25–26 The work of the Holy Spirit, implying, as in 16.12–15, that the Spirit will lead the Christian community beyond Jesus’ own teaching (see also note on 12.16; Introduction).
14.27–31 Conclusion. This rounds off the discourse in ch. 14 by echoing the words of vv. 1–3 and points forward to Jesus’ arrest.
14.27 Peace. See 16.33; 20.19–21.
14.28 The Father is greater than I. See 20.17; also cf. 1.1; 10.30.
14.29 See 13.19; 16.4, 33.
14.30 Ruler of this world, i.e., the devil (see 12.31; 16.11; see also 13.2, 26–27).
14.31 Or “but this is so that the world may know that I love the Father, and do as the Father has commanded me. Rise…way.” I do as the Father has commanded me. See also 8.29; 10.17–18; 12.49–50; 15.10.
John 15
Jesus the True Vine
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunesa to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansedb by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and becomec my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servantsd any longer, because the servante does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
The World’s Hatred
18“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. 19If you belonged to the world,f the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servantsg are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26“When the Advocateh comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
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a The same Greek root refers to pruning and cleansing
b The same Greek root refers to pruning and cleansing
c Or be
d Gk slaves
e Gk slave
f Gk were of the world
g Gk Slaves
h Or Helper
15.1–17.26 The command Rise, let us be on our way in 14.31 and the statement that Jesus will no longer talk much in 14.30 lead most scholars to conclude that ch. 18 directly followed ch. 14 in the original edition of John and that chs. 15–17 were added later, either by the same author or by an editor from the same community. These chapters often take up themes from chs. 13–14 and develop them further.
15.1–6 In the OT the grapevine is a metaphor for Israel; God is the vinegrower, who tends it carefully but burns and destroys it if it is unfaithful. See Ps 80.8–16; Isa 5.1–7; 27.2–6; Jer 2.21; Ezek 15.1–6; 17.5–10; 19.10–14.
15.2–3 Pruning (the Greek root basically means cleanse) vine branches involves cutting back to the bare stem. You have already been cleansed. See also 13.10.
15.4–6 Abide in me. See note on 14.20.
15.7–17 Abiding in Jesus is discussed in relation to two themes, bearing fruit (vv. 7–8) and abiding in his love by keeping his commandments (vv. 9–15), which are summed up in vv. 16–17.
15.7–8 See note on 14.12–14.
15.7 My words abide in you. Cf. 5.38; 8.31, 51; 14.23–24.
15.8 Become my disciples. See 13.35.
15.9 As the Father…loved you. See note on 13.20.
15.10 Keep my commandments. See v. 14; see also 14.15, 21–24. Kept my Father’s commandments. See note on 14.31.
15.11 That your joy may be co
mplete. See 3.29; 16.24; 17.13; 1 Jn 1.4; 2 Jn 12.
15.12 See 13.34.
15.13 Lay down one’s life, an expression found only in the Gospel and Letters of John in the NT (see Jn 10.11, 15, 17; 13.37–38; 1 Jn 3.16). On the meaning of this expression within the Christian community, see 16.2.
15.15 Everything…my Father. See note on 14.10.
15.16 See vv. 7–8; note on 14.12–14.
15.17 Or “I am giving you this command, that you love one another” see v. 12; see also 13.34.
15.18–16.4a This section on persecution is closely connected to the conflict between the synagogue authorities and the Christian community for which John was written (see Introduction). It is also similar at a number of points to sayings found in Mt 10; Mk 13.
15.18 See Mt 10.22; Mk 13.13.
15.19 Not belong to the world. See note on 17.14–16.
15.20 Servants…master. See 13.16; cf. Mt 10.24–25. Kept my word. See note on 14.23.
15.21 Do not know him who sent me. See 7.28–29; 8.19, 54–55; 16.3; note on 13.20.
15.22–24 Cf. 9.39–41.
15.23 See note on 13.20; see esp. Lk 10.16. Hates me. See also 3.20; 7.7.
15.24 They have seen…my Father. See note on 14.9.
15.25 Jesus quotes from Pss 35.19; 69.4. Law. See note on 10.34.
15.26–27 Cf. 16.7–11.
15.26 Advocate. See note on 14.16. Spirit of truth. See note on 14.17. Testifying under persecution is also mentioned in relation to the Spirit in Mt 10.17–20; Mk 13.9–11.
15.27 Cf. Acts 1.21–22.
John 16
1“I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.
The Work of the Spirit
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocatea will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong aboutb sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16“A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? 20Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. 21When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. 22So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23On that day you will ask nothing of me.c Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.d 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Peace for the Disciples
25“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.e 28I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”
29His disciples said, “Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! 30Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.” 31Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”
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a Or Helper
b Or convict the world of
c Or will ask me no question
d Other ancient authorities read Father, he will give it to you in my name
e Other ancient authorities read the Father
16.1 Stumbling, or “falling away” cf. Mt 24.9–10.
16.2 Put you out of the synagogues. See 9.22; 12.42; see also Mt 10.17; Mk 13.9. An hour is coming. See note on 16.25. Kill you. See Mt 10.21; Mk 13.12. See also Jn 15.13.
16.3 See 7.28–29; 8.19, 54–55; 14.9; 15.21.
16.4a I have said these things to you. See 13.19; 14.29;16.33.
16.4b–15 Further reflections on the work of the Spirit after Jesus’ departure; cf. 14.16–17, 25–26; 15.26; see note on 15.1–17.26.
16.5 None of you asks me. Cf. 13.36; 14.5.
16.7 Advocate. See note on 14.16.
16.9 See 8.24; 15.22.
16.10 Righteousness, possibly that of Jesus, proven by his going to the Father. See me no longer. See vv. 16–22; see also 14.19.
16.11 Judgment and condemned come from the same Greek root (cf. 3.17–18 with 5.24; 12.47–48). Ruler of this world, i.e., the devil. See 12.31; 14.30.
16.12–15 See note on 14.25–26.
16.13 Will speak whatever he hears, just as Jesus spoke only what he had heard from the Father (see 8.26–28; 12.49; 14.10; 15.15; 17.7–8).
16.15 All that…mine. See also 17.10.
16.16–33 The disciples’ pain and confusion at Jesus’ departure are contrasted with the joy and clarity of the Christian community at his return. The disciples speak here for the first time since ch. 14, in which these themes are also addressed.
16.16–17 See vv. 5, 10; see also 7.33; 13.33; 14.19.
16.18 The question about the meaning of a little while may indicate debates within the Johannine community about Jesus’ eschatological promises.
16.20 Cf. Mt 5.4; Lk 6.21.
16.21 Women’s labor pains are frequently used by the OT prophets as a metaphor for times of crisis and trouble (Isa 13.7–8; 21.3; 26.17–18; Hos 13.13; Mic 4.9–10) and by the NT writers as a metaphor for the crisis of the end time (Mk 13.8; 1 Thess 5.3; Rev 12.1–6; cf. Rom 8.18–25). Here the metaphor applies to the experience of persecution by the community.
16.22 I will see you again, perhaps at both Jesus’ resurrection and his second coming; see note on 14.1–3.
16.23–27 On that day, here apparently Jesus’ resurrection (see 14.20), though elsewhere in the NT it refers to his second coming on the last day (Mt 7.22; Lk 10.12;17.
31; 2 Thess 1.10; 2 Tim 1.18; 4.8). After Jesus’ resurrection, God answers prayers in Jesus’ name (see 15.16; cf. 14.13–14).
16.24 Ask and you will receive. See Mt 7.7–8; Lk 11.9–10; note on 14.12–14. Joy may be complete. See note on 15.11.
16.25 John often speaks of an hour that is coming and has already come (see v. 32; notes on 4.23; 7.30; 12.23). Only here and in vv. 2–4 is there mention of an hour that is coming, but has not yet come. These passages therefore must be referring to a different “hour,” the time of the Christian community after Jesus’ death and resurrection. On the relation of speaking plainly to the coming of the Spirit, see vv. 12–15; see also 14.25–26.
16.27–28 I came from God. See 3.2; 8.42; 13.3; 17.8.
16.29–30 The disciples are overconfident (as in 13.36–38), thinking mistakenly that now is the hour when Jesus will speak plainly (see note on 16.25) and they will believe.
16.32 Scattered, each one to his home. See also Zech 13.7; Mk 14.27, 50. I am not alone. See 8.29.
16.33 I have said this to you. See also 13.19; 14.29; 16.4. Peace. See 14.27. In the world you face persecution. See 15.18–16.4a. I have conquered the world. See 1 Jn 5.4–5.
John 17
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
1After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people,a to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.