John 14:20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 1. The importance of a definite knowledge and firm belief of the more recondite doctrines of Christianity is greatly underrated. By the infidel they are considered as mystical dreams, scholastic abstractions, characterized by self-contradiction and absurdity. The rationalistic Christian for the same reason explains away the passages that teach them. But there are also men — loud in proclaiming their belief of all these doctrines — whose belief of them is little more than a belief that the propositions in which they are stated, and who plainly consider them as having little connection with the formation of character and guidance of conduct. But I do not worship the Christian God if I do not worship God in Christ; and as Christian worship is rational worship, I cannot worship God in Christ, without knowing what is meant by God being in Christ, and believing it. All Christian motive and comfort flow from Christian doctrine understood and believed. 2. The phrase, "that day," does not seem here to refer to some short fixed period — as the time when our Lord returned to the disciples after His resurrection — or, the time of the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, — or, the time of the second coming; but to the whole period from our Lord's coming after the Resurrection, to His coming the second time for complete salvation. The phrase is very often so used in the Old Testament (Isaiah 12:1; Zechariah 13:1; Zechariah 14:9). I. THE DOCTRINES. 1. Christ is in the Father. The sentiment is more fully expressed in vers. 10, 11. Note — (1) The relation between our Lord and the Father as Divine persons? They are, with the Holy Spirit, possessors of the one Divine essence, are of the same perfections and prerogatives. It is the most intimate relation in the universe. The Father and the Son are one. This is a union with the Father common to the Son and to the Spirit; but there is a union with the Father peculiar to the Son. He is the Son of the Father, the Father is His Father. (2) The relation between our Lord as the man Christ Jesus, and the Father? (a) The man Christ Jesus is in personal unity with the Divinity. He is related to God as no man ever was, ever will be, ever can be. He was "God manifest in flesh."(b) The man Christ Jesus was, from the very moment of His beginning to exist as a man, brought entirely under the influence of the Holy Spirit, through whom the one Divinity does all things. In other relations the Son stands alone. Here He stands, at the head of an innumerable multitude of brethren. (3) The relation between our Lord as God-man, Mediator and the Father. It belonged to the Father, as sustaining the majesty of Godhead, to appoint the Mediator. Our Lord took not this honour on Himself. He was in the Father, as the ambassador is in his prince or sovereign; and the Father was in Him, as the prince or sovereign is in his ambassador. His doctrine was the doctrine of God; His works were the works of God. 2. Christ's people are in Him. (1) By the Divine constitution, every believer is brought into such an intimacy of relation with Jesus Christ, as that he is treated as if he had done what Christ has done. So that in him he is justified, sanctified, and redeemed (1 Corinthians 1:30), absolutely secured of a complete salvation, from His connection with Him. (2) Besides, Christ's people are in Him, as the branch in the vine, as the members in the head. As new creatures, in Him "they live, and move, and have their being" (John 6:57). 3. Christ is in His people. They are animated by His Spirit. But that Spirit, enabling them to understand and believe His word, makes them think, will, choose along with Him, walk as He also walked; so that they are His animated images, His living epistles. II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOCTRINES. The apostles had heard them again and again, and they had some misty general conception of them; but they had no clear apprehension. But the time was approaching when their views should be enlarged, and their faith confirmed, and experience called in to the aid of faith. 1. The Resurrection, to some extent, cleared their minds. They saw that their Master was in the Father. He was thereby powerfully declared to be the Son of God (John 20:28). 2. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit went still farther in extending their views and confirming their faith (see Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost). 3. And all the true followers of our Lord, in every age and country, are all made to know these doctrines by the teaching of His Spirit through the word, and the working of the Spirit in their hearts. They lie at the very foundation of all their hopes, and all their holiness. 4. And at the great day of doom, they shall know more clearly still, and as eternity rolls on, new depths of meaning are found in these unfathomable words. (J. Brown, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.WEB: In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. |
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