What does John 14:29 mean?

Explanation

John 14:29 is a verse from the Christian New Testament, in which Jesus is speaking to His disciples during the Last Supper.

In this verse, Jesus tells His disciples that He is informing them of future events before they happen so that when they do come to pass, their faith in Him might be strengthened.

The "it" Jesus refers to could be the promise of the Holy Spirit, His death and resurrection, or the establishment of the church – events He had been speaking about prior to this verse.

Jesus emphasizes the predictive nature of His message as a basis for belief, intending to bolster the disciples' faith and trust in Him as the Messiah who has divine foreknowledge.

Historical Context

The book of John was written at a time when the early Christian community was dealing with both internal and external challenges.

The verse is part of Jesus's farewell discourse (John chapters 14 to 17), which is an extensive final teaching given by Jesus to His disciples after the Last Supper and before His arrest.

The Gospel of John is traditionally dated to the late first century AD, and it is believed to be written by the Apostle John, an eyewitness of Jesus's ministry.

The author wrote at a time when the Christian church was distinguishing itself from Judaism and facing Roman persecution.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, John 14:29 contains several key insights:

1. Foreknowledge: This verse reflects the Christian doctrine that Jesus, being divine, has foreknowledge of events – specifically His own death, resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
2. Faith and Prophecy: It highlights the idea that fulfilled prophecy serves as a foundation for faith, suggesting that accurate predictions verify Jesus's claims about His identity and mission.
3. Divine Revelation: The verse serves to reinforce the belief in Jesus as a source of divine revelation, affirming His special role in God's plan for salvation.

Different Christian denominations may have distinct interpretations, but they generally agree on the importance of Jesus's predictive words for the faith of believers.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse encourages believers to:

1. Trust in the words and promises of Jesus, even when current circumstances might make them seem doubtful.
2. Strengthen faith by reflecting on the fulfilled prophecies and promises in scripture.
3. Seek understanding of biblical prophecies and examine how they have been or might be fulfilled.

The verse can thus serve as a source of hope and reassurance in uncertain times, providing a rationale to trust in a plan that surpasses human understanding.

Cross-References

• John 13:19: "Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he."
• John 16:4: "But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them..."
• John 14:26: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things..."
• John 16:33: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace..."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of John 14:29 include:

• "Told" (εἴρηκα, eirēka): a perfect active indicative form of the verb "to say" or "to tell," indicating an action that has been completed but has ongoing results.
• "Come to pass" (γένηται, genētai): aorist middle subjunctive of "γίνομαι" (ginomai), which means "to become" or "to happen." It is used here to refer to an event occurring in the future.

Understanding the grammatical context of these words emphasizes the certainty and significance of the things Jesus is predicting.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of prophecy and divine foreknowledge is common in many ancient religions and cultures.

For example, in ancient Mesopotamia, there were extensive texts and rituals concerning prophecy.

In the Greco-Roman world, oracles were sought for divine guidance.

Compared to these systems, the biblical concept of prophecy is unique in its focus on a single, monotheistic God who reveals specific, detailed plans for the future, often with moral and redemptive implications.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives generally do not engage with prophetic claims as they are not empirically testable.

Predictive statements within a scientific framework are based on observable and repeatable data.

Prophetic statements, such as those found in John 14:29, typically fall under the purview of faith and belief systems rather than scientific scrutiny.

However, the psychological impact of prophecy on belief and behavior is a subject of interest in fields like psychology and sociology.

Commentaries

• Matthew Henry's Commentary: Henry emphasizes that Jesus provides this information for the comfort of the disciples, to prepare them for what is coming and to bolster their faith when it happens.
• Benson Commentary: Joseph Benson notes the purpose of this prediction is to confirm the disciples' faith, highlighting that the foretelling of future events which could not be known by natural means, verifies Jesus's divine mission.
• John Gill's Exposition of the Bible: Gill highlights that the things Jesus referred to had been mentioned before, including His departure and sending the Comforter, thus giving his disciples assurance and evidence of his omniscience and deity when they came to pass.