John 14:18-24 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

I will not leave you comfortless Greek, ορφανους, orphans: a word elegantly applied to those who have lost any dear friend; I will come to you By my spiritual presence. The Greek, ερχομαι, is literally, I come to you; for what was certainly and speedily to be, our Lord speaks of as if it were already. Yet a little while and the world Which only sees by bodily eyes; seeth me no more In the sense it has done for some time past, though it knows me not; but ye see me That is, ye certainly shall see me; for, after I have done conversing with the world, I will appear again to you, and give you distinguishing marks of my regard for you; because I live, ye shall live also Because I am the living One, in my divine nature, and shall rise again in my human nature, and live for ever in heaven; therefore, ye shall live the life of faith and love on earth, and hereafter the life of glory. At that day When I fulfil this promise to you; when ye see me after my resurrection; but more eminently at the day of pentecost, John 14:21. He that hath my commandments Written in his heart; and keepeth them Makes them the continual rule of his conduct; he it is that loveth me And none else have any title to this character, whatever specious pretences they may make to it. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father With a peculiar love, a love of approbation and delight; and I will love him In an especial manner; and will manifest myself to him More abundantly. Judas saith Being much surprised to hear our Lord speak as he had done; not Judas Iscariot For he, as it was said before, was gone out before our Lord began this discourse; but another apostle of that name, who was also called Thaddeus and Lebbeus, the son of Alpheus, and the brother of James the less. This Judas, upon hearing Christ express himself in such a way, said, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, &c. Dost thou not intend to make a public appearance, which will be obvious to the eyes of all? For, according to the notions they had conceived of the Messiah, he was to appear unto all the Jews, nay, to the whole world, and was to take unto himself universal empire. Jesus answered, If a man love me It may be sufficient to tell you, that, as I said before, (John 14:21,) If a man, in deed and in truth, love me, he will keep my words, in an humble, obedient, and conscientious manner; and my Father will love him Will still more approve of, and take complacency in him, for the more any one loves and obeys God, the more God will love him; and we will come unto him By still larger communications of the Spirit of truth wisdom, holiness, and comfort; and make our abode with him Continually. If our Lord had been a mere creature, though of the highest rank, it would have been blasphemy in him to have joined himself in this manner with God. This promise implies such a large manifestation of the divine presence and love as far exceeds the former, given when a person is justified and first obtains peace with God. He that loveth me not Though he may profess to do it; keepeth not my sayings With any constancy and resolution, and thereby shows that his professions of loving me are not sincere; and, therefore, he must expect no such spiritual and eternal blessings, whatever outward privileges he may enjoy. See to it, therefore, that you diligently hearken and attend to what I say; for the word which ye hear me speak is not mine Originally or merely; but the Father's which sent me Who has particularly given it in charge to me, that I should thus insist on practical and universal holiness as one great end of my appearance.