If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” 22 Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, 24 “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
25 “I have told you this while I am with you. 26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. 30 I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.
Jesus told his disciples that there was a direct connection between loving him and obeying his commandments. If they demonstrate their love through obedience to his teachings and his commandments, he will petition the Father to send the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The world does not accept the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, because the Holy Spirit enables those who believe in Christ to discern spiritual realities that are beyond worldly comprehension. The disciples know the Holy Spirit who will be with them always and will remain in them to provide them with every grace needed to sustain them spiritually.
Jesus assures his disciples that they will not be left alone when he physically leaves this world. They will continue to experience his presence through the new life that he offers them. Jesus again spoke about the intimate relationship between himself, the Father, and his disciples which the disciples will experience through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments out of love for him will be loved by both the Father and the Son who will reveal himself to them and they will experience the indwelling of both the Father and the Son. Judas (not Iscariot) asks Jesus how he will reveal himself to them but not to the world. Jesus explains that those who love Him will keep His word because the teachings that he gives the world are from the Father. Those who reject his word reject the Father’s word which prevents them from experiencing the indwelling of the Son and the Father.
The Holy Spirit that God will send in Jesus' name will teach them all things and help them remember everything Jesus told them. Jesus imparts the gift of peace upon the disciples, a peace that transcends worldly circumstances and is rooted in the presence of God. He encourages them not to be troubled or afraid by worldly challenges but to trust in him. If they love him, they should not be sad but should rejoice that he will be returning to the Father because the work of redemption must be accomplished. Jesus told the disciples about his departure so that when it came to pass, they would continue to believe. Jesus warned them of the coming conflict with Satan and that Satan’s time on Earth was almost at an end because he would be victorious over the power of darkness. Satan has no power over him, but he loves the Father and does as the Father commands.
Almighty God, teach us to love you as Jesus taught the disciples to love him. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who comforts us, guides us, and reminds us of your truth. May your peace, which surpasses all understanding, dwell within us, and may we trust in your presence even in times of trouble. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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