This last week of our Lord’s life was truly packed with depth as Jesus prepared His disciples for what was immediately ahead and what was yet to come in their future ministries. And as the apostle John focused chapters 13-14 on their last meal with Jesus, the Passover meal, and their walk across the city of Jerusalem down into the Kidron Valley that brought them to the Garden of Gethsemane in chapters 15-17 we are exposed, I think, to some of the most iconic messages in the New Testament.
Look again at another list, one John reveals:
- John 14:1-12 The “I Am the Way, the Truth, The Life” passage.
- John 14:15-31 The Promise of the Holy Spirit.
- John 15:1-11 Jesus is the Vine.
- John 15:12-17 I Call You Friends.
- John 16:5-15 The Work of the Holy Spirit.
- John 15:16-24 Sorrow Turned to Joy.
- John 16 25-29 I Have Overcome the World.
- John 17 The High Priestly Prayer.
Every single one of these intimate messages to His disciples is important. They were needed. And the best that they could, the disciples tried to absorb them. These words from Jesus were chosen carefully, lovingly, even in the midst of what He knew, in just a few hours would be horrific beyond imagination. But each word, each teaching, each moment of comfort was an absolute for them.
This is a section of Scripture that could be mined for months, even years, and still be seen as fresh and vital to anyone who loves the Lord Jesus Christ. But there are four iconic passages that stand out, that every believer has read, studied, meditated upon and heard preached. You may disagree with my selection, but ask yourself, are they not familiar?
I Am The Way the Truth the Life
John 14:1-12 is wrapped around our Lord’s answer to Philip’s two questions, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (vs.5) and “show us the father and that will be enough for us” (vs.8). In our Lord’s answer to the first question (vs.6) Jesus reveals that He is not only “the way the truth the life,” but that it is exclusively found in Him; “no one comes to the Father except through me“( vs.6). He then answers the second question to Philip with, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (vs.9). Jesus then ties His authority to the Father (vs.10) and belief in Him with belief in the Father (vv.10-11) and the Father is glorified when we believe in Christ (vs.13).
While on a number of scores this passage stands out as it teaches the deity of Christ and His trinitarian relationship with the Father, we must conclude that this passage stands out in iconic fashion because of verse 6.
John 14:6 (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I know of no other verse, other than John 3:16, that is as familiar and also raises the hackles on the necks of unbelievers as this one. There can be no escaping the exclusivity of Christ here.
The Promise and Work of the Holy Spirit
This really encompasses two passages, John 14:15-31 and John 16:5-15. When we want to formulate a solid theology of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, it behooves us to start here. It is here, as our Lord ministers and comforts, for what lies ahead, that He opens up to these disciples that they will not be left comfortless (John 14:15-18, 25-26; John 16:7).
It is to their advantage (John 16:7) that He goes, that the Comforter, the Helper, would come and indwell them (John 14:17) and lead them into all truth (John 14:17,26; John 16:13-14).
Their whole ministry, yet to come, relies on the work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11).
These two passages are foundational to our understanding of the “meat and potatoes” work of the Holy Spirit in this present age. This makes these two passage iconic passages.
I Am the Vine, You are the Branches
John 15:1-11 are surely iconic. Who hasn’t read this portion about the “Vine and the Branches”? This parable of Jesus’ is vital to our understanding of our relationship with Him, as is the illustration in John 10:1-18 of “The Good Shepherd.” But here in John 15, we have our Lord speaking about our abiding relationship with Him and His care of tending and pruning. It is a powerful parable that speaks to our sharing in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). It is because of our unity with Him, and His care and pruning that we are able to bear fruit that brings glory to God (vs.8).
But the key to all of this is found in verses 4-5;
John 15:4-5 (ESV) 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
It is our abiding in Christ that bears fruit and that without Him we can do nothing.
The High Priestly Prayer
Again we happen upon another iconic passage in John 17. This is truly “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is here, that Christ our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 5:5) interceeds first, for Himself (vv.1-5), then, His disciples (vv.6-19), and lastly, for us (vv.20-26).
Quoting from “The Gospel of John Vol. 4 by John Boice:[1]
“Luther said of this prayer, ‘This is truly, beyond measure a warm and hearty prayer. He opens the depths of His heart, both in reference to us and to His Father, and He pours them all out. It sounds so honest, so simple; it is so deep, so rich, so wide, no one can fathom it.’ Melanchthon, Luther’s friend and colleague, wrote, ‘There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than the prayer offered up by the Son of God Himself.’ The Scottish Reformer John Knox, had this prayer read to him every day during his final sickness, and in the closing moments of his life he testified that these verses continued to be a great comfort and a source of strength for his conflict.”[2]
-Michael Holtzinger
Some helpful resources:
Jesus’ high-priestly prayer: Study notes, John 17, By John MacArthur
Assurance of Our Salvation: Studies in John 17, By Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Abiding In Christ, By Andrew Murray
[1] James Montgomery Boice, “The Gospel of John, Volume 4,” BakerBooks, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2nd prt., 2007, pg. 1246-47
[2] The quotations and other information in this paragraph are from Pink, “Exposition of the Gospel of John, Vol. 3, 90