D. A. Carson - Coming Home: Essays on the New Heaven and New Earth

Genesis

book of

1:1

2:10

2:23

3:8

6:5

Exodus

15:16

33:18

33:1920

34:67

Deuteronomy

book of

8:3

8:15

2728

30:1

30:16

30:120

30:25

30:6

30:1115

30:18

2 Samuel

2 Kings

Ezra

Job

19:26

Psalms

63:1

Proverbs

3:5

Ecclesiastes

book of

Isaiah

book of

1:1

10:5

10:12

10:13

10:15

10:3334

10:3411:1

11:1

11:12

11:15

11:2

11:3

11:34

11:3b5

11:4

11:5

11:6

11:69

11:9

11:10

11:11

11:1116

11:12

11:1516

11:16

2427

34:13

37:29

54:5

65:17

65:1725

65:20

65:25

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

book of

1:28

8:5

8:6

8:6b12

8:13

8:1415

8:15

1011

11:1415

11:16

37:2428

4048

40:14

40:547

40:48

40:4841:20

43:1327

4546

45:8

45:9

45:910

45:17

45:21

47:112

47:8

47:13

47:1348:35a

Daniel

book of

Amos

book of

Zechariah

8:5

Malachi

2:15

Matthew

1:1

6:21

22:45

23:37

25:34

Luke

1:32

4:18

7:1117

10:27

John

1:14

2:19

4:10

7:24

7:38

8:58

11:21

11:25

11:35

12:1219

12:2026

12:27

12:2750

13:120

13:2130

13:3435

13:3638

14:1

14:114

14:2

14:23

14:3

14:46

14:47

14:5

14:6

14:7

14:711

14:811

14:9

14:10

14:11

14:12

14:1214

14:1314

Acts

book of

1:1

7:56

Romans

book of

1:18

2:29

3:2126

5:1821

6:14

8:14

8:511

8:1217

8:16

8:1617

8:1625

8:17

8:18

8:1825

8:19

8:1921

8:22

8:23

8:2325

8:2425

8:2627

8:2830

8:3132

8:3334

8:3539

10:4

10:69

15:89

15:12

1 Corinthians

book of

15:4

15:511

15:1419

15:2122

15:26

15:3134

15:35

15:3558

15:36

15:39

15:3941

15:42

15:4244

15:4549

15:54

15:5455

15:56

15:5758

2 Corinthians

12:56

Ephesians

6:14

Philippians

1:29

3:3

Colossians

2:11

1 Thessalonians

book of

4:13

4:1318

4:135:11

4:14

4:15

4:16

4:17

5:18

5:111

5:3

5:48

5:6

5:7

5:9

5:911

5:10

2 Thessalonians

2:8

Hebrews

book of

4:3

5:8

8:13

9:27

James

1 Peter

1:1011

1 John

2:17

3:2

Revelation

book of

2122

21:1

21:122:5

21:2

21:3

21:4

21:5

21:6

21:8

21:22

21:27

21:23

22:1

22:14

22:3

22:4

22:5

22:16

22:20

22:21

John 14:114

Augustus Nicodemus Lopes

Jesus speaks the words of John 14:114 to his disciples in the upper room on the night he is betrayed. Earlier, Jesus entered Jerusalem as the long - awaited King of the Jews, riding a donkey, for the Feast of Passover (12:1219). Some Greeks came to see him during the feast. Jesus knows now that the time has come for him to suffer and die for his peopleboth Jews and Gentiles (12:2026). At the same time, the Jews, under the Pharisees, scribes, and the high priest, increase their opposition to Jesus , refusing to believe in him as the Messiah, the Son of Goddespite the many signs he has done ( 12:2750 ).

He then turns his attention to his disciples, those who have believed and followed him. He brings them to the upper room, where he begins to prepare them for his passion and departure to the Father. Jesus washes their feet, pointing to their spiritual cleansing by his blood (13:120). He separates the traitor from among them, and Judas goes away after Satan enters him ( 13:2130 ).

Then Jesus begins to instruct his disciples as to what is about to happen and the things that are to come, and he starts by telling them he is about to depart from them and go where they cannot follow him, although they will follow latter. He gives them a new commandment: to love one another (13:3435). Peter, then, becomes very disturbed by Jesus s words about his going away from them. And Peter grows even more anxious when Jesus says that Peter will deny him no fewer than three times that very night ( 13:3638 ).

These events set the stage for Jesus s well - known farewell discourse. His practical purpose on that night, at that moment, is to calm the disciples anxiety. In doing that, he teaches them about the Fathers house and the way there.

Five - Part Division

John 14:114 can be divided into five parts. First, Jesus tells his disciples to not be troubled (14:1). Second, he gives them three reasons for not being troubled: there are many rooms in his Fathers house (14:2); he is going there to prepare a place for them (14:2b3a); and he will come back and get them to be with him forever (14:3). Third, he teaches them the way to the Fathers house (14:46). Fourth, he tells them they can enjoy the Father, here and now, before going to the Fathers house, by faith in him, Jesus (14:711). And, finally, in addition to knowing the Father, here and now, they will be able to continue Jesus s ministry by faith in him ( 14:1214 ).

Ill try to unpack each of these parts.

Part 1: Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled

Jesus says in verse 1, Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. Even though Jesus himself is troubled, as we read in 12:27, he is still concerned to help his friends. This shows the heart of our Savior; even in the midst of his trials, he is attentive, caring for those who are his.

As already mentioned, the disciples are troubled with two things Jesus has just said. The first is that he will soon leave them and go to a place where they cannot find him. Jesus is referring to his imminent death. They do not understand that yet. Still, they feel sad that Jesus is going to leave them and that they will not be able to find him. They are not only sad but also confused and perplexed. How does Jesus s departure fit within the expectation they have that he is the one who will bring about the long - awaited kingdom of God?

The second cause of their unrest is Jesus s affirmation that Peter will deny him no fewer than three times that night. Its not difficult to imagine the turmoil in their hearts, the shame, the fear. That is why Jesus says at first: Let not your hearts be troubled. Then, he tells them, Believe in God; believe also in me (14:1).

The meaning of what Jesus is saying here appears to be this: to believe in God and believe in Jesus Christ would free the disciples from the unrest they feel when thinking about Jesus s imminent parting and Peters denial. They should believe Jesus just as they should believe in God, because Jesus and the Father are one. As God, Jesus would never leave them alone, nor would he abandon Peter after his fall. Jesus s claim of being God is the very foundation of their hope and comfort.

Part 2: Three Reasons Why You Should Not Be Troubled

Jesus continues: In my Fathers house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:23). Jesus gives three reasons here for the disciples to have peace in the midst of perplexity.