John 13:31-14:15 – Representing God’s Love to the World

      13: 31Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; 32if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. 33“Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
      36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” 37Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” 38Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
      14: 1“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4“And you know the way where I am going.” 5Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
      7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
      15“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Interesting Words
glorify

(δοξάζω – Greek) – doxazó to render or esteem glorious, glorify, honor, bestow glory on – John 17:1, 4-5, 10;

love

(ἀγαπάω – Greek) – agapaó love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem – John 14:21, 23, 15:13, 17:23;

dwelling places

(μονή – Greek) – moné  an abiding, lodging, dwelling place, room, abode, mansion – John 14:23;

receive

(παραλαμβάνω – Greek) – paralambanó  take from, receive from, or: I take to, receive (apparently not used of money), admit, acknowledge; I take with me, (from pará, “from close-alongside” and lambánō, “aggressively take”) – to take (receive) by showing strong personal initiative – Col 2:6-7; 1Cor 15:1, 3; Gal 1:9, 12; Phil 4:9; 1Thes 4:1;

Myself

(ἐμαυτοῦ – Greek) – emautou  pertaining to myself, the reflexive form (first person) which emphatically brings the action back to “myself.” – John 12:32, 14:21, 17:19; Gal 2:18;

Cross References

▪︎ John 11:16 – Let us go die with Him.
▪︎ Matt 5:16 – Our works are to glorify God
▪︎ John 12:27-28 – God calls out from heaven.
▪︎ John 13:21 – Jesus was troubled in spirit.
▪︎ Matt 1:23 – Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.

Discussion Questions
Download questions to Word document (click here). Enter your answers, then meet with some friends to discuss. You can also compare your answers to mine for a virtual discussion… to return… John 13:31-14:15 – Representing God’s Love to the World – Answers

1. What is the relationship between Jesus and the Father as shown in John 13:31-32?

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2. How do John 13:34-35 and Matt 5:16 contribute to God’s overall plan?

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3. In John 13:36-37, Peter seems to have missed the new commandment about love, why was that? What was Jesus’ initial response?

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4. What was causing all the angst in the disciples?

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5. How did Jesus try to comfort His disciples?

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6. In John 14:2 Jesus prepares a “dwelling place” for us and then receives us to Himself in John 14:3. The “receive” in v.3 has a preface “para” translated “from close beside”. Describe how this would be comforting to the disciples.

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7. In John 14:5 Thomas shows the continued confusion the disciples were feeling. How does Jesus continue to comfort the disciples from this point?

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