John 14:1-14 Lesson 200

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Chapter 14 has been called the most cherished in the Bible.

We are still in the Upper Room where The Last Supper was held.
The First Farewell Discourse, also called the Upper Room Discourse.

Jesus discusses heaven.

Also;
Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in Jesus.
The disciples are comforted.

An early Byzantine painting of Jesus.

Study Tip:

To apply a passage to your life, ask yourself three questions.
Does it warn me of something to avoid?
Does it have instructions for me to follow?
What difference would it make in my life?

The Gospel According to St. John

The King James Bible

John 14:1-14
"I go to prepare a place for you."

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Margin notes:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God." (14:1) - These words comforted Peter, who Jesus had just admonished in verse 13:38 (lesson 199). This is an excellent passage to meditate on when feeling down, sorrowful, or troubled.

"I go to prepare a place for you." (14:2) - Jesus was only a few hours away from being crucified. By dying on the cross, He prepared a place in heaven for believers.

"I will come again, and receive you unto myself." (14:3) - Means, "I will return and take you with me." Jesus wants us to be with Him. See also John 14:18-20 and 16:16.

"Where I am, there ye may be also." (14:3) - Jesus reinforces this message in John 12:26. See also 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

"Whither I go ye know." (14:4) - "You know where I go."

"The way ye know." (14:4) - Means you know the way to heaven, it's through Jesus.

"We know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way." (14:5) - In saying He is going, Jesus is referring to His pending death. But Thomas thought Jesus was simply leaving Jerusalem.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life." (14:6) - This is the sixth of seven times in John that Jesus proclaimed His Deity.  The first was when He said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35) followed by "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), "I am the door" (John 10:7), "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), and "I am the resurrection" (John 11:25). Look for the last one in lesson 202.

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also." (14:7) - Jesus and God are one (John 10:30).

"It sufficeth us." (14:8) - "It will satisfy us."

"He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." (14:9) - Jesus is the physical image of God (Colossians 1:15-19).  The road to God leads to Jesus. To know Jesus is to know God. See also Hebrews 1:1-4.

"I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me." (14:10) - Jesus is repeating the message that He speaks and acts on God's behalf from John 5:19, 5:30, and 8:38. Remember, when Jesus repeats Himself, it is a clue that it is important.

"Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." (14:11) - Means either trust Jesus' word that He is God or believe because of the miracles He performed. It doesn't matter why you believe; just believe.

"Whatsoever ye shall ask." (14:13) - Turn to God when in crisis or in need of spiritual guidance.  God will answer your prayers. But even if God's answer isn't the one you prayed for, it will always be in your best interest. Jesus re-emphasizes this teaching in Matthew 7:7-8, Mark 11:24, John 15:7, 16:24, and 1 John 3:22.

"That the Father may be glorified." (14:13) - "That God may be honored."

"In my name." (14:14) - Means prayer must come from faith in Christ.

New Living Translation

John 14:1-14
Jesus, the Way to the Father

1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 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? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going."

5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!"

8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."

9 Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. Is faith in Jesus the only way to heaven? (14:6)

"Prayer is not merely an occasional impulse to which we respond when we are in trouble: prayer is a life attitude."
Walter A. Mueller

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Yes, it is! Our money can't buy our way into paradise, nor can any amount of charity work, good behavior, acts of kindness, trendy doctrine, or false gods. But the good news is that Christ has done the hard work for us by dying on the cross. All we have to do is believe in Him and ask forgiveness for our sins. Verse 14:6 is one of the most important in Scripture. It tells us everything we need to know. Jesus died for our salvation, His death is the greatest gift ever given to mankind. If you accept this gift by trusting in Jesus, your life will change, and you'll be assured a place in heaven.

Application thought for the day:

Do you believe in God (14:1)?
Do you show it every day?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.

©2022 evolke

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Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

The Gospel According to St. John

The King James Bible ​

The King James Bible