Barton's Bible Study Notes

Life of Christ: Unit 49 - Section 169

Read John chapter 14. This is a very needed address by our Lord to His disciples. He, of course, knows that He is going to die and that this is the last time He will speak to them before that happens. His disciples have begun to think He will be arrested or, at the least, will be leaving them. They do not understand the why or how at this point. They are troubled and worried. Some are beginning to have their doubts about the Kingdom they believed would be soon set up. They know one of their group is about to betray Jesus. Peter has just been told that he will deny Him. To be sure, they were not in the best frame of mind and spirit at this point.

The first verse could be translated, “You believe in God (a statement), believe also in Me." (a command) The King James translators so took it this way, and it is most likely what our Lord said to His disciples at this point. There is little doubt these disciples did believe in God. However, they were having real problems reconciling their idea of the Messiah with what was apparently was going to happen now, that is, our Lord leaving them!

1. In verse one, what is Jesus telling these men they need to do?

2. The idea of someone preparing a dwelling place in the house of their father was common in this culture. What would have come to the disciples’ minds at these words?

3. When Thomas says they do not know where Jesus is going and cannot, therefore, know the road to take to get there, he is, without a doubt, thinking Jesus may be leaving to a new physical location on the earth. How does our Lord correct this view by His answer in verse 6?

4. Why do you suppose Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us”?

5. How does our Lord’s answer to Philip relate to Genesis 1:26-27 and Hebrews 1:1-3?

6. What did Judas (not Iscariot) mean by the question, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”

7. What did Jesus tell His disciples in answer to the question asked by Judas?

Read John 15:1-16:5. Jesus and His disciples had stopped on their way out to the Mount of Olives. Now they start back on the way, and our Lord continues His good-bye address. In these verses, He developed three main ideas: They needed to abide in Him and bear fruit (15:1-8), they must love one another (15:9-17), and they would be hated and persecuted by the world (15:18-16:5).

8. What does the Word of God mean when it commands a person to abide in Christ?

9. What should be the motive for obedience?

10. Jesus, prior to this point, had not really told them they would be hated and persecuted by the world (16:4). Why do you think it was important to wait until now to convey this to them?

Read John 16:5-33. He is trying to give them some comfort now, for they are upset and saddened by the fact that Jesus had told them He was leaving them. This part of our Lord’s farewell is His explaining to them that it is to their advantage that He leaves them.

11. In verses 8-14, what are three things the Spirit of truth will do?

12. What did our Lord mean by the statement, “A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me”?

13. Why would they have peace in our Lord when they would be having tribulation in the world (verse 16:33)?

The Applications:

What are the applications of these passages to our lives today? Identify as many as you are able.