John 14:29

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) And now I have told you before it come to pass.—Comp. John 13:19. Here, again, He tells them the event before the accomplishment, that it may serve to strengthen their faith. Two interpretations of this verse are possible. (1) That He told them of the coming of the Advocate to teach all truth, and bring all things to their remembrance, in order that in the fulfilment of this they may, with increase of faith, believe in Him. (2) That He told them of His going to the Father, in order that when the hour of departure came they may believe that He had gone to the Father. Upon the whole, and especially considering the close parallel with John 13:19, the first seems the more probable meaning.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:28-31 Christ raises the expectations of his disciples to something beyond what they thought was their greatest happiness. His time was now short, he therefore spake largely to them. When we come to be sick, and to die, we may not be capable of talking much to those about us; such good counsel as we have to give, let us give while in health. Observe the prospect Christ had of an approaching conflict, not only with men, but with the powers of darkness. Satan has something in us to perplex us with, for we have all sinned; but when he would disturb Christ, he found nothing sinful to help him. The best evidence of our love to the Father is, our doing as he has commanded us. Let us rejoice in the Saviour's victories over Satan the prince of this world. Let us copy the example of his love and obedience.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Before it come to pass - Before my death, resurrection, and ascension.

Ye might believe - You might be confirmed or strengthened in faith by the evidence which I gave that I came from God - the power of foretelling future events.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I—These words, which Arians and Socinians perpetually quote as triumphant evidence against the proper Divinity of Christ, really yield no intelligible sense on their principles. Were a holy man on his deathbed, beholding his friends in tears at the prospect of losing him, to say, "Ye ought rather to joy than weep for me, and would if ye really loved me, "the speech would be quite natural. But if they should ask him, why joy at his departure was more suitable than sorrow, would they not start back with astonishment, if not horror, were he to reply, "Because my Father is greater than I?" Does not this strange speech from Christ's lips, then, presuppose such teaching on His part as would make it extremely difficult for them to think He could gain anything by departing to the Father, and make it necessary for Him to say expressly that there was a sense in which He could do so? Thus, this startling explanation seems plainly intended to correct such misapprehensions as might arise from the emphatic and reiterated teaching of His proper equality with the Father—as if so Exalted a Person were incapable of any accession by transition from this dismal scene to a cloudless heaven and the very bosom of the Father—and by assuring them that this was not the case, to make them forget their own sorrow in His approaching joy.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Evils that surprise us are always the most heavy, and load our spirits. Saith our Saviour, Before these things come to pass, I have given you notice of them, that, when you see them come to pass, you might not be overwhelmed with sorrow and trouble, to the hinderance of your faith in me; but understanding that I have told you the truth before the thing come to pass, you may be assured that I am not mere man, but truly God; and receive and embrace me, and rest upon me as your Saviour.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And now I have told you before it came to pass,.... This is a strong proof of his true and proper deity, for none but the omniscient God can tell of things before they come to pass; this is peculiar to him, and distinguishes him from the gods of the Gentiles; see Isaiah 41:22;

that when it is come to pass, ye might believe: that is, that when he was removed from them, and gone to his Father, they might then believe that he was truly God, the Son of God, the promised Messiah; and that he was then in glory, and at the right hand of God.

Geneva Study Bible

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

John 14:29. And now, even now, when my departure is approaching, I have said it to you, namely, ὅτι πορεύομαι πρὸς τ. π., John 14:28, not what was said in John 14:26, as Lücke thinks.

ὅταν γένηται] cum factum fuerit, namely, through my death; comp. John 13:19.

πιστεύσητε] Not absolutely, so that it would express of itself what is more precisely denned in John 13:19 by ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι; but: that you may believe it, namely, that I have gone to the Father. Comp. πιστεύετέ μοι, John 14:11. The point for the departing Lord was, that when His approaching death should take place, the disciples should have the true believing apprehension of it, namely, as His departure to the Father.

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 14:29. καὶ νῦν … πιστεύσητε. “I have told you now before it came to pass,” i.e., He has told them of His departure, that they might not be terrified or depressed by its occurrence, but might recognise it as foretold by Him as the consummation of His work and so might have their faith increased. Cf. John 13:19.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. ye might believe] Better, ye may believe. The brevity of the expression makes it ambiguous. It may mean either, ‘ye may believe that I am He’ (as in John 13:19), in which case ‘I have told you’ probably refers to the sending of the Paraclete; or, ‘ye may believe Me’ (as in John 14:11), in which case ‘I have told you’ probably refers to Christ’s going to the Father. The former seems better.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 14:29. Εἴρηκα, I have told you) as to My departure and return. The word is the seed: faith [with peace and joy.—V. g.] is the fruit.—ἵνα, that) The scope of this discourse. So ch. John 15:11; John 15:17, John 16:1; John 16:4; John 16:33.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 29. - And now I have said it to you before it come to pass - I have told you of my departure and what is involved in it - that when it is come to pass, ye may believe. Christ often appeals to the effect which the fulfillment of his own predictions will produce in the minds of his disciples (John 1:51; John 13:19). They will, when the series of events will unroll themselves, believe that he has gone to the Father, to do all he said he would do, to be all he said he was. This means undoubtedly more than a spiritual consolation whereby they may endure his separation by death from their society. It is the announcement beforehand of the Resurrection and Ascension, by which their faith in his exaltation would be fanned into burning flame and made a revelation of Divine love to the universe. John 14:29