The Glory of His Walk to Gethsemane

The Promises of Christ · AD 30

If it were not so, would I have told you …?

John 14:2

On His final walk from the upper room to the garden of Gethsemane, late in the evening of April 6, AD 30, Christ preached what may be the greatest sermon ever given (John 14–17). Knowing He would be dead within a day, He comforted His disciples with a chain of glorious promises — of His Spirit, His peace, His life, His joy, His love, and His victory — and sealed them with His High Priestly Prayer that we would share in the fellowship of the triune God.

Read: John 14:1–31; John 15:1–27; John 16:1–33; John 17:1–26

Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled

As they left the house of the upper room, the disciples sensed that something terrible was near. Though Christ Himself would soon sweat drops of blood, He used His last hours to comfort His friends, opening His sermon with an appeal to trust Him: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

His first promise was participation in His eternal reward. He was leaving, but not forsaking them — going ahead as their Mediator to prepare a place, and He promised to come again and take them to Himself. Like Moses ascending Sinai alone, Christ had to enter the Holy of Holies alone, carrying their sins before God and offering His own blood, so that they could one day ascend Mount Zion without fear.

When Thomas asked how they could know the way, Christ answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And when Philip asked to see the Father, Christ said that whoever had seen Him had seen the Father. From this He gave a second promise: those who believe in Him would do the works He did, and even greater works, because He was going to the Father and would send His Spirit.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

John 14:2

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

The Promise of His Spirit and His Peace

Christ promised not to leave them as orphans. As He was about to depart the world, He would send His Spirit into the world — the Helper and Spirit of truth, who would dwell in His own forever, teach them all things, and bring to remembrance everything He had taught. Though the world could not know the Spirit, His disciples would know Him, for He would dwell in them.

Then He left them a great gift: His peace. This is not a peace the world can give or money can buy; it surpasses understanding and cannot be taken away, even under harsh persecution. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” He said, urging them again not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid.

Before they set out for Gethsemane, Christ said He would no longer talk much with them, “for the ruler of this world is coming.” Satan had long sought to crush Him, but this time the angels would be withheld and Christ would submit to the divine plan. Yet Satan had no claim on Him; it was the anticipation of His Father's wrath, not Satan, that He dreaded. With that, He said, “Rise, let us go from here.”

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.

John 14:27

The Vine, the World's Hatred, and His Victory

Walking the streets of Jerusalem, Christ continued His teaching on divine participation. He compared Himself to a vine and His disciples to branches: apart from Him they could do nothing, but abiding in Him they would bear much fruit and their prayers would be answered. As the Father loved the Son, so the Son loved them, and they were to love one another — for there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends, which He was on His way to do.

Yet participation in His life meant participation in His persecution. As the world hated Him, it would hate them; a servant is not greater than his master. But He would send the Spirit of truth so they could bear faithful witness, and He warned them of these things beforehand to keep them from falling away. He promised, too, participation in His truth, His joy, and His love — that their sorrow would turn to joy no one could take from them, and that the Father Himself loved them because they loved the Son.

Finally He promised participation in His victory. Though their faith would fail and they would be scattered, His triumph did not depend on them; the Father was with Him, and He alone would secure the victory. He ended as He began — calling them to peace and courage.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

His High Priestly Prayer

As they neared Gethsemane, Christ closed with the greatest of prayers, lifting His eyes to heaven. In it He asked the Father to fulfill on our behalf the very promises He had just made — asking for us something far greater than health, wealth, or earthly blessing: that we would enter into the love and joy of His own fellowship with the Father and the Spirit.

He prayed that we would share in the Trinity's glory, unity, joy, and love. He had manifested the Father's name to us and would be glorified in us. He asked that we be kept as one, even as the Father and Son are one, that His joy might be full in us, and that we would carry on His mission in the world rather than be taken out of it.

His greatest request was that we would participate in God's own love — that the love with which the Father loved the Son would be in us. He desired that we be with Him where He is, to behold His glory, for the glory of heaven is not streets of gold but the eternal beholding of the glory of Christ.

Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.

John 17:1

For Reflection

Down, down, down our Lord traveled as He promised us the greatest gifts imaginable. What an excellent sermon, full of amazing promises; what a wonderful prayer, full of amazing requests. In His final sermon and High Priestly Prayer we find the grand purpose for which the Father sent the Son and the Son sent His Spirit. Through His humble life and sacrificial death, we have been brought into the fellowship, unity, joy, peace, love, and glory eternally shared among the blessed Trinity.