John 14:27-31 (ESVST)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Peace be with you was a common way of greeting among the Jews. However, Jesus here implies that the type of peace that he gives, is different from the normal earthly peace. Jesus then gives them a commandment not to be troubled and not to be afraid. This alone should bring peace in one’s life.
28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you. ’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
Jesus here indicates that if the disciples loved him, they would rejoice in the fact that he is going to God who is greater than he is. Now, this is a problematic verse. Here it might be understood to mean two things. One that the disciples did not love Jesus and two, that God is greater than Jesus.
On the first one of love, Jesus could simply be indicating their faith is not yet at a stage that ensures their complete and uncompromising love towards him. It simply means that Jesus knew that their love was full of doubts. If they did not have doubts, then they would have rejoiced because, he told them that he is going to prepare a place for them and also that it is in their advantage that he goes away because if he does not, the Holy Spirit will not come. So, instead of being troubled and afraid, they should actually rejoice and have peace.
On the second one, we know this:
Philippians 2:6 (NLTse)
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
John 1:1 (ESVST)
Chapter 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
So, we know from scripture that Jesus is God. Even the Jews understood him to mean that he is God and hence they wanted to stone him.
John 10:33 (ESVST)
The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
John 5:18 (ESVST)
18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
So, clearly Jesus is God and was God while he was in this world and has never stopped being God. The statement should be understood in light of what Paul says to the Philippians, that although he was equal with God, he did not see that as something to cling to. It was only for the sake of the world that he was speaking this way.
29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
Jesus then finally tells them that he has told them all these things, so that when they take place, they might believe. Jesus then told them that he can no longer talk much with them since the devil who is the ruler of this world, is coming. He meant that Judas who was being controlled by the devil was on his way with the Jewish solders. Jesus makes it very clear that the devil has absolutely no claim on him, meaning the devil has no control over him but, he will allow him to have his way because he does what God wants him to do. The only reason why the devil will have his way with Jesus is because, it is the will of God and Jesus obeys God. Jesus obeys God so that the world may know that he loves God.
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