25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
Dig Deeper
I just wanted a day of peace. Was that too much to ask? It sounded so nice to have a day free from work, free from stress, free from noise, just a respite. So I picked the perfect day. I had the day off of work (I was still teaching high school history back then) and my wife was going out of town for a few hours with our boys. This was it this was the day when nothing would bother me and I could just relax for a few hours and do nothing. Just a few minutes into my day of peace, however, the phone rang and a friend needed some help. So, I went over to help that him, but I still had several hours before my wife would return and bring an end to my day of peace. As I got home, I realized that there was a water leak in the basement, so I had to fix that which took awhile. As soon as that was done, I came upstairs, sat down, and just got relaxed as the phone rang. It was another friend who was really having a hard time and needed to talk through some things. By the time I got done with that, my wife had returned and the so-called day of peace was over. I felt very frustrated by the end of that day because I didn’t feel like I got any actual time of peace. I was operating by the world’s standard of peace, though. I wanted a day free from trouble, anxiety, and where everything went my way. That’s not at all what I got, and by the standard of peace that I desired that day, I had nothing but trouble.
Caesar Augustus began a period in Rome of relative peace that would last for over two hundred years. Today that period and that philosophy used to achieve it is called "Pax Romana." Rome’s peace was based on the same kind of thinking that I had that day. It’s the world’s view of peace. It meant freedom from trouble, hardship, danger, or any problems. The problem with Pax Romana and so many other versions of the world’s definition of peace was that it was built on a foundation of fear, war, intimidation, and oppression. Plus, it was a fleeting peace, as that kind of peace always is. Jesus is leaving and he wants to prepare his followers. He has told them that he is going to leave them the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide them into truth. This Spirit is not fleeting, though. He will last the test of time and he will bring them peace. Real peace. Not the world’s peace.
Verse 25 is another example of Jesus telling his followers things before they happen to build up their faith and prepare them for what is to come. Often times as in the case of the Jewish rejection of Jesus or the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, it is so that when things happen in the future, they are not rocked from their faith. In this case, Jesus has spoken of the Spirit while he is still with them so that they are not overly troubled in the moment, knowing that Jesus is about to leave them. The Spirit, as Jesus will go on to say, will testify regarding Jesus (Jn. 15:26), he will convict the world of sin and unrighteousness (Jn. 16:8-11), and will guide Jesus’ disciples into all truth (Jn. 16:13), but here Jesus unveils the truth that the Spirit’s primary role will be that of teacher. He will sustain and prepare Jesus’ disciples after Jesus’ ascension into the Father’s presence by teaching them all things and will remind them of everything that Jesus said to them.
The fact that the role of the Spirit is as a teacher and reminder of what Jesus has already said is important. Throughout the centuries since Christ, many movements have created rather large followings for themselves by claiming that the Spirit has guided them into some sort of new revelation or new truth. It is not uncommon today to hear preachers in certain sects say something like, "you won’t find this in the Bible, but the Spirit has just revealed something new to me." Their followers wait with baited breath for the new revelation of the Spirit and trail along like mindless lemmings. But this sort of thing is in direct opposition to the role of the Spirit. The Spirit has been sent by the Father in the name of Jesus, meaning everything that the Spirit will do will be consistent with the teaching and life of Jesus that has already been revealed in the pages of the Scriptures. The Spirit’s role is not to reveal new teachings or new ideas but to guide believers in their understanding and execution of the Scriptures we have. The Spirit is an educator not a revelator.
The Spirit that Jesus will leave with his new community is the Spirit that brings peace. There is likely two currents of thought that Jesus is playing off of in using that term. "Shalom" or "peace" was a standard greeting by the Jews of Jesus’ day, one that continues into modern times. It referred to wholeness or having everything that one needed to be sustained, especially the aspect of having a right relationship with God. For the Roman world that surrounded them, peace was something that the Roman Empire provided through their power. It referred to the absence of negativity of any kind. This peace was maintained by military power. In fact, biblical scholar Andreas Kostenberger says that "The famous Ara Pacis (‘altar of peace’), erected by Augustus to celebrate his inauguration of the age of peace, still stands in Rome as a testimony to the world’s empty messianic pretensions." The peace of the Spirit to which Jesus refers is not at all the absence of negative things, but the strength to survive and thrive under danger, turmoil , and opposition. They needn’t let their hearts be troubled or give into fear because the Spirit will guide them into a true reality of peace, a peace that does not rely on might or positive circumstances but relies solely on the power of the Spirit of God to give disciples everything they need to overcome whatever circumstances they face. In that sense, the peace that Jesus was leaving with them was much like the Jewish blessing that was wished on one another, but rather than a vague greeting or hope, it would be a community of reality. They would be the people of peace because they had the Spirit of peace.
The disciples have been tempted to look at this whole situation only insomuch as it effects them, but they’ve not stopped to consider things from Jesus’ perspective. If they did love him as they would undoubtedly claim that they believed they did, then they would be full of joy, not only for themselves because they will benefit by the coming of the Spirit, but also because Jesus will be returning to his glory. For now, the Father is greater than Jesus while he is incarnated because he has willing humbled himself to take on human flesh. Returning to the Father will restore Jesus to his rightful place next to the Father. This does not mean that Jesus is not God or less than the Father but that in their eternal relationship, Jesus is subordinate to the authority of the Father. This is part of his eternal sonship. Jesus reiterates that he’s not telling them this to embarrass or shame them but to build up their faith. This is one more thing that he is telling them so that when he is killed and returns to the Father they don’t have to struggle, they will know that the Father was in charge of events all along. If Jesus died, it might be devastating, but if he predicts that he will die and attaches ultimate significance to that death and the subsequent events, then it will build their faith. As we follow the events immediately following Jesus’ death and resurrection, the recognition by the disciples of these things didn’t come immediately. Eventually, however, they would, with the help of the Spirit, be able to understand all that Jesus had told them and see that he was exactly who he said he was.
Jesus could go on and on explaining things to them and building up their faith but the time is short, so the little bit that he is sharing will suffice. He must bring his teaching to a close because the prince of this world is coming. In a very real sense, Jesus could be referring to the power of Caesar and the Jewish leadership that is quickly surrounding him. Surely, the powers that be have encircled Jesus and are about to do their worst. In the fullest sense, though, Jesus refers to the power that stands behind even Caesar. Satan will do his worst but he has no hold over Jesus. The phrase Jesus used here came from the legal world and meant that he had no legal claim on Jesus. The accuser would try to do his worst but the ultimate weapon of Satan is death, and death has no rightful claim to one who is sinless (cf. Jn. 8:46).
Satan might think that he is gaining a victory over the Son of God, but the reality is that God has allowed him to do his worst so that God may be glorified. Just as Joseph remarked that his brothers intended to harm him but God used the situation for good (Gen. 50:20), Jesus applies a similar principle. Satan thinks he has come to do his own will, but the result of that evil will be that the world may learn that Jesus loves the Father and does exactly what his Father has commanded him to do. The contrast is striking. Satan, does his own evil will, but still cannot escape the sovereign power of the Father. On the other hand, Jesus does the Father’s will which calls him to walk directly towards death and the Cross. That will show the world the love and obedience that the Son has for the Father. He will do the Father’s will and will benefit all mankind and bring glory to the Father.
Devotional Thought
Jesus promised that the world would hate his disciples and tend to persecute them in the same way that they treated Jesus. He told this ahead of time so that, just like his first disciples, when it does happen, rather than being discouraged, we can be strengthened in our faith and know that Jesus knew all along that these types of things would happen. It doesn’t mean that God isn’t in control. Quite the opposite, in fact. When the world rejects our faith, it should strengthen our faith, not shake it. Think about it.
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