By Will Kynes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
A Life of Trust
John 13:36–14:6
One of the more humbling aspects of the life of faith is that its best exemplars are children. They demonstrate the devoted love, complete trust and utter dependence faith demands (Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14–15; Luke 18:16–17). As Jesus prepares the disciples for His departure, we see their faith challenged and Jesus’ patient compassion for them, as He both challenges and comforts them like loving parents treat their children.
We are to trust God rather than our own abilities. (13:36–14:1)
With his characteristic ignorant and even childlike enthusiasm, Peter responds to Jesus’ cryptic comment that He is going somewhere His disciples cannot come (13:33), with a question of where this place could possibly be and a commitment to lay down his life in order to follow Jesus there. Peter’s heart is in the right place because he echoes Jesus’ repeated refrain in the other Gospels that His disciples must take up their cross and follow Him (Matt. 10:38, 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23, 14:27). Jesus’ question in reply to Peter, “Will you really lay down your life for me?” is one we all must answer (13:38, click here for further reading on this topic).
Jesus uses the question to quickly call out Peter’s self-confidence, adding that rather than lay down his life, Peter will disown him three times before the night is over. But as with his earlier interaction with Peter that night over foot washing (13:6–10), Jesus corrects Peter but also encourages him. Drawing Peter into the community of the disciples immediately after foreshadowing the faith-challenging night ahead of them, Jesus declares, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
Jesus made it possible for us to be with God the Father. (2–3)
To reassure the disciples, Jesus tells them the purpose of His departure: to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. Whether the Father’s “house” is understood to include many “rooms” (NIV, CSB) or “mansions” (KJV), Jesus’ point is that it is spacious enough to include all who will follow Him.
This scene is reminiscent of a father speaking comforting words to a toddler he is leaving in the nursery. With a final hug, he says, “Don’t worry; I’m coming back.”
Trusting Jesus is the only way to God the Father. (4–6)
Like that toddler, the disciples don’t quite understand what is going on. A father may reassure his clinging child with “I’m just going to the sanctuary.” Jesus also attempts to comfort His disciples by telling them that they know the way to the place He’s going.
Thomas replies, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” But they do know the way, because they know Jesus (14:7), and Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life.” We can then read Jesus’ claim that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” as another way He attempts to console the disciples about His impending departure.
He has to go, because there is no other way to bring them and “all the peoples on earth,” whom the Father long ago determined to bless (Gen. 12:3), if He does not go.
This text forces us to ask ourselves some important questions. Do you love Jesus enough to lay down your life for Him? Do you love Him enough to cling to Him like a toddler clings to his father? Do you trust Him enough to let Him do His work? Will you follow the way, trust in the truth and embrace the life that comes through knowing Jesus?
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