" to abide with them " until Christ comes the second time. He is meant to supply all the needs of believers, and to -fill up all that is wanting while Christ's visible presence is removed. He is sent to abide with and help them until Christ returns.
These are truths of vast importance. Let us take care that we grasp them firmly, and never let them go. Next to the whole truth about Christ, it concerns our safety and peace to see the whole truth about the Holy Ghost. Any doctrine about the Church, the ministry, or the Sacraments, which obscures the Spirit's inward work, or turns it into mere form, is to be avoided as deadly error. Let us never rest till we feel and know that He dwells in us. " If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. viii. 9.)
Notes. John xiv. 12 — 17.
12. — [Verily. ..works. ..shall Tie do also.'] Here we have another comforting word addressed to the disciples. They must not suppose there would be an end of miraculous works when their Master went away, and that they would be left weak and help- less, and unable to do any thing to arrest the attention of an unbelieving world. On the contrary, our Lord assures them, with two emphatic " verilys," that miracles would not cease with His departure. He would take care that believers should have power to do works like His own, and to confirm their word by signs following.
I cannot doubt that this promise refers to the miraculous gifts which the first generation of Christians had power to exercise, as we read everywhere in the Acts of the Apostles. That the sick were healed, the dead raised, and devils cast out by disciples after the Lord ascended, is quite plain, and this fulfilled the words now before us.
I can see no reason to suppose that our Lord meant the prom- ise to be fulfilled after the generation He left on earth was dead. If miracles were continually in the Church, they would cease to be miracles. We never see them in the Bible except at some great crisis in the Church's history. The Irvingite theory, tliat the Church would always have miraculous gifts if men only had faith seems to me a violent straining of this text.
\^And greater ioorks...do.'\ The meaning of these words must
JOHN, CHAP. XIV. Yl
be sought in tlie moral and spiritual miracles wliicli followed the preaching of the Apostles after the day of Pentecost. It could not be truly said that the physical miracles worked by the Apostles in the Acts were greater than those worked by Christ. But it is equally certain that after the day of Pente- cost they did far more wonderful works in converting souls than our Lord did. On no occasion did Jesus convert 8,000 at one time, and a "great company of priests."
\Because I go... Father.'] These words must point to the great outpouring of the Holy Grliost which took place after our Lord's ascension into heaven, whereby the miracles of conversion were wrought. There was an immediate and mysterious connection, we must remember, between our Lord ascending up on high and " receiving gifts for men." If He had not gone to the Father the Spirit would not have been sent forth. (Ephes. iv. 8.)
Melancthon thinks the promise of this text is clearly bound up with the following verse, "He shall do greater works be- cause I go to the Father, and because then whatsoever ye shall ask I will do."
13. — [And w7iatsoever...ask...will 1 do.] Here comes another great piece of comfort for the troubled disciples : viz., a promise that Christ will do everything for them which they pray for in His name and for His sake. Whatever help, or strength, or sup- port, or guiding they need, if they ask God for it in Christ's name, Christ will give it.
This is one of those texts which authorizes all prayers being made through Christ's mediation, as in Prayer-book collects.
The " whatsoever " must of course be taken with the quali- fying condition, " whatsoever really good thing ye ask."
The connection with the end of the preceding verse should not be overlooked, " When I go to the Father I will do what- soever ye ask."
{^That... Father... glorified... Son.] This is a difficult sentence The meaning probably is, " I will do whatsoever ye ask, that my Father may be glorified by my mediation, by sending into the world a Son through whom sinners can obtain such bless- ings." Christ's power to do anything that He is asked, brings glory to Him who sent Him.
14. — [lf...asJc anything. ..will do it.] This verse is a repetition of the preceding, to give emphasis and assurance to the promise. It is as if our Lord saw how slow the disciples would be to be- lieve the efficacy of prayer in His name, " Once more I tell you most emphatically, that if you ask anything in my name, I will do it."
We should notice both in this verse and the preceding one.