The Farewell Discourse Notes
JOHN 13:31 to 17:26
Kellum L. Scott, Preaching the farewell discourse : an expository walk-through of John 13:31-17:26, B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN, 2014
NOTE: Often, the Farewell Discourse is defined as starting with chapter 14. This book determines that the Farewell Discourse starts at John 13:31
WIKIPEDIA: Farewell Discourse (John 14-17)
Wikipedia describes the verses in chapter 13 as follows: “The discourse is preceded by 13:31–38 (just after Judas leaves the last supper), in which Jesus gives the remaining eleven disciples the New Commandment to “love one another” and predicts Peter’s denial of knowing him during his upcoming crucifixion.”
RECAP OF THE FAREWELL DISCOURSE
Judas leaves Jesus and the disciples:
- After Judas Iscariot, son of Simon received the bread from Jesus, he went out. (John 13:21-30)
Jesus speaks to the eleven disciples:
- Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John
13:31-35) - Jesus tells Peter he will deny him three times. (John 13:36-38)
- Jesus comforts his disciples (John 14:1-4)
- Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:5-14)
- Jesus promises the Holy Spirit (Comforter) (John 14:15-31)
- Jesus is the “true vine” and the disciples are the “branches” (John 15:1-8)
- Jesus said to love one another as I have loved you (John 15:9-17)
- The world hated me before you (John 15:18-25)
- The Comforter will testify about Jesus and the disciples should also testify about Jesus (John 15:26-27)
- Jesus said he would go away and the Comforter will come and guide the disciples in all truth (John 16:1-15)
- Jesus said he would go away and the disciples will grieve. But Jesus said he would return and they will rejoice (John 16:16-33)
Jesus’ Farewell Prayer to the eleven disciples:
- Jesus asked God to glorify him (John 17:1-5)
- Jesus prayed for his disciples. Jesus said he was sent by God, and Jesus protected his followers. Now, Jesus asked God to protect them. (John 17:6-19)
- Jesus prayed for the disciples and all who believe in him. Jesus prayed that all may be one (John 17:20-26)
Oneness From Collected Writings by Bicknell Young
The Book of John is conceded to be the book of great spiritual meaning, especially the thirteenth to seventeenth chapters, which are devoted to one subject: THE LAST SUPPER. These chapters are of great importance to the students of Christian Science.
It is recorded by John, that Jesus was teaching his disciples, by example and statement, the Science of God and man. It impresses you with the import of one outstanding idea: the oneness of God and man. He did not speak to his disciples from the standpoint of spiritual man, but from the standpoint of Principle and idea, God and man.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions.” “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman,” etc. The seventeenth chapter seems to be the climax of his teaching of the Oneness of being. (Vine and husbandman: fruition; Father’s house and mansions: oneness.)
He thought of himself always as one with the Father, and so he spoke. The basis of Being is not just Principle, but Principle and idea. The appeal of Jesus on the cross was not made to God alone, but to himself. In the ceremony of washing the disciples’ feet, he said, “If I wash them not, thou hast no part in me.” He washed away the belief that they were human beings. We must do this with our friends. In answer to Philip’s inquiry, “Show me the Father,” he replied, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” The Father expressed as me, is what he meant. The oneness of Being leaves nothing outside of itself.
PlainfieldCS Bulletin Board: Thomas – The Believer
I’d prefer to see Thomas go down in history as ‘Thomas – The
Believer’, rather than ‘Thomas – The Doubter’, as he is too often called.
It seems to me that Thomas left his duplicity…. twin-ness… and gained a sense of Oneness.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)
Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Let not your heart be troubled – The disciples had been greatly distressed at what Jesus had said about leaving them. Compare John 16:6, John 16:22. Perhaps they had indicated their distress to him in some manner by their countenance or their expressions, and he proceeds new to administer to them such consolations as their circumstances made proper. The discourse in this chapter was delivered, doubtless, while they were sitting at the table partaking of the Lord’s Supper (see John 14:31); that in John 15-16, and the prayer in John 17, were while they were on their way to the Mount of Olives. There is nowhere to be found a discourse so beautiful, so tender, so full of weighty thoughts, and so adapted to produce comfort, as that which occurs in these three chapters of John. It is the consolatory part of our religion, where Christ brings to bear on the mind full of anxiety, and perplexity, and care, the tender and inimitably beautiful truths of his gospel – truths fitted to allay every fear, silence every complaint, and give every needed consolation to the soul. In the case of the disciples there was much to trouble them. They were about to part with their beloved, tender friend. They were to be left alone to meet persecutions and trials. They were without wealth, without friends, without honors. And it is not improbable that they felt that his death would demolish all their schemes, for they had not yet fully learned the doctrine that the Messiah must suffer and die, Luke 24:21.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
John 14:1-31. Discourse at the Table, after Supper.
We now come to that portion of the evangelical history which we may with propriety call its Holy of Holies. Our Evangelist, like a consecrated priest, alone opens up to us the view into this sanctuary. It is the record of the last moments spent by the Lord in the midst of His disciples before His passion, when words full of heavenly thought flowed from His sacred lips. All that His heart, glowing with love, had still to say to His friends, was compressed into this short season. At first (from Joh 13:31) the intercourse took the form of conversation; sitting at table, they talked familiarly together. But when (Joh 14:31) the repast was finished, the language of Christ assumed a loftier strain; the disciples, assembled around their Master, listened to the words of life, and seldom spoke a word (only Joh 16:17, 29). “At length, in the Redeemer’s sublime intercessory prayer, His full soul was poured forth in express petitions to His heavenly Father on behalf of those who were His own. It is a peculiarity of these last chapters, that they treat almost exclusively of the most profound relations—as that of the Son to the Father, and of both to the Spirit, that of Christ to the Church, of the Church to the world, and so forth.
COMFORTER (John 14:16)
◄ 3870. parakaleó ►
Strong’s Lexicon
parakaleó: To call to one’s side, to exhort, to encourage, to comfort, to urge
Original Word: παρακαλέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: parakaleó
Pronunciation: pah-rah-kah-LEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ak-al-eh’-o)
Definition: To call to one’s side, to exhort, to encourage, to comfort, to urge
Meaning: (a) I send for, summon, invite, (b) I beseech, entreat, beg, (c) I exhort, admonish, (d) I comfort, encourage, console.
Word Origin: From παρά (para, “beside”) and καλέω (kaleo, “to call”)
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – H5162 (נָחַם, nacham): To comfort, console
– H7121 (קָרָא, qara): To call, proclaim
Usage: The verb “parakaleó” is used in the New Testament to convey a range of meanings centered around the idea of calling someone to one’s side for the purpose of exhortation, encouragement, comfort, or urging. It is often used in contexts where believers are encouraged to live out their faith, comfort one another in times of distress, or be urged to adhere to the teachings of Christ. The term reflects both a personal and communal aspect of the Christian life, emphasizing the importance of mutual support and encouragement within the body of Christ.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of “parakaleó” would have been understood in various contexts, such as legal, military, and personal relationships. In a legal sense, it could refer to calling someone to testify or advocate on one’s behalf. In a military context, it might involve rallying troops or encouraging them before battle. Within the early Christian communities, “parakaleó” took on a distinctly spiritual dimension, reflecting the role of the Holy Spirit as the “Paraclete” or “Comforter” (John 14:16), who comes alongside believers to guide and support them.