the
Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
John 14:17-21
John 14 [9.] Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
John 14 [15.] If you love me, keep my commandments. I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,— the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
John 14 [22.] Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?”
Meaning:
Jesus had promised that the Father would give the disciples “another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,— the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16). These verses describe how the Spirit would be known by the disciples, and how Jesus himself would come to them, live in them and reveal himself to them.
- “Whom the world can’t receive”
“The world” in John often means humanity organised in rebellion against God. It cannot receive the Spirit because it does not see or know him. Paul writes, “the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The disciples, however, already knew the Spirit, because he was at work in Jesus who lived among them. Soon he would be “in” them, dwelling within each believer.
- “I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you”
Jesus had just called them “little children” (John 13:33), and his departure could leave them feeling like orphans. He promises they will not be left alone. His coming has several layers: he came to them after the resurrection, when “The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20); he comes by his Spirit to live in them; and he will come again at the end of the age. Through the Spirit believers become God’s children, receiving “the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry” to God as Father (Romans 8:15).
- “Because I live, you will live also”
The world would see Jesus die and be buried, and then see him no more. But the disciples would see him alive. His resurrection is the guarantee of theirs. The life he shares is not merely survival after death but eternal life, beginning now. Paul expressed this personally: “it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me” (Galatians 2:20).
- “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you”
“In that day,” after the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit, the disciples would understand the mutual indwelling Jesus had spoken of: the Son in the Father (John 14:10), and now believers in the Son and the Son in them. Christian life is not only following an example but sharing a life.
- “One who has my commandments, and keeps them... loves me”
Jesus returns to the theme he began with: “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). To “have” his commandments is to know them; to “keep” them is to live them. Those who love Jesus in this way are loved by the Father, and Jesus promises to “reveal myself to him,” a personal, growing knowledge of the risen Lord.
The Significance of John 14:17-21
- Never alone
Jesus’ promise not to leave his disciples orphans speaks to every believer who feels alone. Through the Spirit, Christ is present with his people in every circumstance.
- Life that death cannot end
Because Jesus lives, those who belong to him share his life. This gives hope at the grave and courage in daily trials.
- Love that leads to deeper knowing
Obedient love opens the way to knowing Jesus more deeply. He reveals himself to those who love him and keep his word.
Cross-References:
1 Corinthians 2:14: "the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him," Why the world cannot receive the Spirit.
Romans 8:15: "you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry," Not orphans but children.
Galatians 2:20: "it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me." Christ's life in the believer.
John 20:20: "The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord." The disciples see Jesus alive.
Conclusion: Jesus promised that the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, would live in his disciples, and that he himself would not leave them as orphans but would come to them. Because he lives, they will live also, and they will know their union with him and the Father. Those who love him and keep his commandments are loved by the Father and receive a deeper revelation of Jesus.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible