52. CHRIST'S DISCOURSE AFTER HIS LAST SUPPER

"Christ's Discourse After His Last Supper"
John 14 

After the last supper, the apostles started to feel troubled in their hearts. Not only they were puzzled but they were also seemingly getting lost of what is going to happen to them when the Lord Jesus leaves soon.

Jesus re-assured everyone

JOHN 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.”

He gave them assurance that for us long as they believe in God, they should believe in everything he says to them too. There is no room for doubts. Doubters’ beliefs are not strong but likened to Castles made of sand than rock. 

Jesus described that in his Father’s house there are many mansions and that he has prepared a place for his apostles and believers with a promise he will come again and take them to himself that wherever Jesus will be and so they also will be.

Just as a doubter, he has been all the time, Thomas made a remark in JOHN 14:5 “Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

For three years the apostles have been with Jesus during his ministry, still, there are uncertainties in their minds. They have not fully grasp what Jesus had been teachings them in words and in actions. Many at times they are bewildered and awed at when he heals the sick, preach but most of all hearing his parables.

“Lord why do you speak in parables?

When Jesus taught again in parables, one of the apostles asked him why he would speak in parables, which was too difficult for many to understand. In other words, why not teach in plain and simple language that everyone would easily understand.

Then Jesus explained why he speaks mostly in parables to multitude of people.

He said: MATTHEW 13:11-17 ""Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given. For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath. Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive. For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life

JOHN 14:6 “Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.”

James, a Korean Baptist friend asked me one time when we were on our way back to my office in California to help him out understand why his church friends told him he is going to hell. I asked him why they told him that. He explained that he told his church friends how Jesus became unfair when he said he is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can go to the Father except thru him.

He asked me how I feel about what he said and believed.

I paused for a second and prayed silently to the Holy Spirit to help me out, as I have no answer for him at all. Then I started to tell James that I respect everyone’s views but I cannot judge who is right or who is wrong. I told him only God can. Then I continued by saying, “What do you think Jesus really meant when he said He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can go to the father except thru him?”

Did Jesus really mean exactly as in the literal sense of his words? I said that Jesus did not mean literally for how can one go through him when he lived 2000 years ago. We cannot interpret this one with 'only in the bible' way of thinking, whenever Jesus speaks he speaks of spirituality. 

Then I told him Jesus said, ISAIAH 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts."

What does Jesus really symbolizes? Jesus is about love, forgiveness, charity, compassion, understand, humility, and many more good traits but he does not profess hatred, pride, ego, vanity, and many more of the devil. Therefore, when one is loving, forgiving, charitable, compassionate, understanding, humble and many more good traits of a God-loving and fearing Christians, one can go to the Father. If one is hateful, unforgiving, uncharitable, proud, enjoys insulting and calling other person with names, gossiper, liar, etc... he surely will have no chance to go to heaven and meet the Father if he dies with all these devil's way of life.

James replied "you make sense"... and we parted. He said he wanted to talk to me more about God. That was the last time I have seen him.    

Jesus tells the Apostles, if they known him, they should also know the Father and since they have seen Jesus Christ, they have already seen the Father

Some religions do not believe that Jesus is as God as the Father. They are not different from the Scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees.  Luke 5:21-26  "And the scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering, he said to them: What is it you think in your hearts? Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished; and they glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful things today.

The Scribes and the Pharisees have seen with their own eyes and have heard what Jesus said and yet it is hard for them to believe. Just as many people of this world finds it hard to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior and God. 

And so they are condemned: Matthew 23:13 "But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter."

Thus Jesus continued to assure the Apostles, "If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him." 

But Philip saith to him: "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, show us the Father? Do you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abideth in me, he doth the works. (Matthew 14:8-10)

Is it not enough that Jesus said, "that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" Or is it better for us to hear him say: John 10:30 "I and the Father are one." 

Does Peter need to confirm that the Alpha and Omega who is to come and is the author of life whom the Antichrists wanted to kill for all of us to believe in Jesus Christ's divinity? Revelation) 1:8 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."  Acts Of Apostles 3:15 "But the author of life you killed, whom God hath raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses."

Jesus continued in his discourse, "Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Otherwise believe for the very works' sake. Amen, amen I say to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he also shall do; and greater than these shall he do."

"Because I go to the Father: and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do: that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask me any thing in my name, that I will do. If you love me, keep my commandments."

And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever

And Jesus promised to send the Apostles the Holy Spirit after he ascends into heaven, "And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever. The spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nor knoweth him: but you shall know him; because he shall abide with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. Yet a little while: and the world seeth me no more. But you see me: because I live, and you shall live. In that day you shall know, that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." 

The Holy Spirit, the comforter and the Spirit of Truth is also an advocate and intercessor who hears our prayers and lays them down to the Father, "Paraclete: That is, a comforter: or also an advocate; inasmuch as by inspiring prayer, he prays, as it were, in us, and pleads for us. For ever: Hence it is evident that this Spirit of Truth was not only promised to the persons of the apostles, but also to their successors through all generations.

Jesus assures anyone who keeps his commandments and loves him shall also be loved by the Father. This also means that anyone who does not obey Jesus' teachings and gospels but instead treat him like just a man and not divine likewise will not be loved by the Father and therefore will not be known by the Father. 

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." 

"Judas saith to him, not the Iscariot: Lord, how is it, that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world? Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And the word which you have heard, is not mine; but the Father's who sent me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you."

Jesus once more promised to provide divine guidance to all the Apostles, their successors and the whole church herself from then and through eternity. 

"But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard that I said to you: I go away, and I come unto you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes to pass: that when it shall come to pass, you may believe. I will not now speak many things with you. For the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not any thing."

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will guide the Apostles and their successors and preserve them from any errors.

  

"Teach you all things: Here the Holy Ghost is promised to the apostles and their successors, particularly, in order to teach them all truth, and to preserve them from error. For the Father is greater than I: It is evident, that Christ our Lord speaks here of himself as he is made man: for as God he is equal to the Father." 

(See Phil. 2.) Any difficulty of understanding the meaning of these words will vanish, when the relative circumstances of the text here are considered: for Christ being at this time shortly to suffer death, signified to his apostles his human nature by these very words: for as God he could not die. And therefore as he was both God and man, it must follow that according to his humanity he was to die, which the apostles were soon to see and believe, as he expresses, verse 29. 

"And now I have told you before it come to pass: that when it shall come to pass, you may believe. But that the world may know, that I love the Father: and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I: Arise, let us go hence."

God Bless!

Silent Crusader