John 14:22-27

In the gospel of John, Jesus says: "Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

The fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John is one of the most beautiful and well-known parts of the Christian Bible. In this chapter Jesus is questioned by three of his disciples (Thomas, Philip and Judas) who never speak in the other three gospel accounts. Jesus answers their questions with statements that appear nowhere else in the New Testament.

Jesus speaks of "the Father who dwells in" him (v. 10) He tells his disciples he will pray the Father to give them "another Counselor" to be with them forever, "even the Spirit of truth." (verses 16-17) Jesus comforts his disciples about his coming departure by saying, "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." (v. 20) He names the Counselor as "the Holy Spirit" who will teach the disciples all that they need to know. (v. 26) And he gives them his peace.

Christians have long wondered how the Jesus who proclaimed the kingdom of heaven (God) in parables, as the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke report, could also have spoken like this to his disciples? It might be that the author of the fourth gospel simply had material from the life of Jesus that was not available to the other gospel writers. But Christian scholars in the first centuries of the church, who included the "fourth" gospel in the New Testament, were well aware that it expresses a theology that differs with the witness of the other three gospels.

Grace and peace...Bob