John 14 28

John 14:28 kjv

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

John 14:28 nkjv

You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

John 14:28 niv

"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

John 14:28 esv

You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

John 14:28 nlt

Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.

John 14 verses

John 14 28 Meaning

Jesus reveals to His troubled disciples the true reason behind His announced departure and return: it is a cause for rejoicing, not sorrow. His departure involves a glorious return to God the Father. This return signifies the successful completion of His mission on earth and His exaltation to the Father, who is inherently superior in position and authority within the divine economy of salvation. If the disciples truly understood and loved Him in this spiritual light, they would find joy in His imminent glorification, which ultimately benefits them through the sending of the Holy Spirit and a deeper communion.

John 14 28 Context

John 14:28 is spoken during Jesus' final discourse to His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion, known as the Farewell Discourse (John 13-17). The disciples are deeply distressed by Jesus' announcement that He is leaving them (Jn 13:33, 14:4), confused about where He is going (Jn 14:5), and feeling a sense of impending abandonment. Jesus, sensing their grief and fear, seeks to comfort them, reassure them of His future return, and explain the profound, positive implications of His departure. This verse specifically addresses their sorrow by providing reasons why His going should be a source of joy: His return to the Father and the Father's superior position.

John 14 28 Word analysis

• You heard (ἠκούσατε - ēkousate): A past perfect knowledge, referencing previous statements Jesus made about His departure and return, highlighting that this information wasn't new.
• that I said (ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον - hoti egō eipon): Emphasizes the personal and direct declaration from Jesus, reinforcing its authority and truth.
• to you (ὑμῖν - hymin): Specific address to the disciples, intended for their comfort and instruction in their moment of distress.
• I am going away (Ὑπάγω - Hypagō): Present active indicative, signifying a present, ongoing process. This "going" refers primarily to His death, resurrection, and ascension back to His pre-incarnate glory with the Father.
• and I am coming (ἔρχομαι - erchomai): Present active indicative, a definite, impending event. This return is multifaceted: through His resurrection appearances, the coming of the Holy Spirit (who represents His presence), and ultimately His Second Coming.
• to you (πρὸς ὑμᾶς - pros hymas): Confirms His return is directly for their benefit and spiritual presence among them.
• If you loved me (Εἰ ἠγαπᾶτέ με - Ei ēgapate me): Second-class conditional ("If you were loving me..."), suggesting a love that was present but, in this specific context, misdirected or incomplete in its understanding. Their grief indicated a failure to fully grasp the spiritual significance of His departure.
• you would have rejoiced (ἐχάρητε ἄν - echarēte an): The implied consequence that would have occurred had their love been perfected in understanding. It underscores the divine perspective of His journey as joyous.
• because (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the primary reason for rejoicing: His destination.
• I am going (Πορεύομαι - Poreuomai): Another term for "going," often implying a journey to a specific destination. Here, the destination is key.
• to the Father (πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα - pros ton Patera): This clarifies the destination: a return to His original, unhindered glory and communion with God the Father. This is the source of divine joy.
• for (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the reason for the Father's "greater" status.
• the Father is greater (ὁ Πατὴρ μείζων μου - ho Pater meizōn mou): Meizōn (greater) is a comparative adjective. This statement indicates a functional, economic, or positional superiority of the Father within the divine economy of redemption, particularly in His role as the unbegotten Origin (the Arche) and Sender, not an inferiority in the Son's essential divine nature.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’": Jesus calls their attention to previous promises (Jn 14:2-3, 14:18-20). He is not retracting; He is explaining the joyful implications. His "going away" is not permanent absence but a transitional phase leading to a new, deeper form of presence through the Holy Spirit.
• "If you loved me, you would have rejoiced": This phrase functions as a gentle rebuke and an invitation to a deeper spiritual understanding. Their love was natural and human but lacked the divine perspective that sees ultimate glory in the Son's return to the Father. True love, here, implies a profound understanding of His redemptive mission.
• "because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.": This forms the crux of the disciples' potential joy. First, His journey is not to oblivion but to glory. Second, the Father's "greater" status, as the one who sent the Son on a mission, means that the Son's return signifies mission accomplished, ultimate vindication, and return to an unparalleled state of honor. This is cause for joy, as the Son, by virtue of His incarnate state and mission, willingly operated within a frame of functional subordination, from which He now triumphantly returns.

John 14 28 Bonus section

The statement "the Father is greater than I" also affirms the distinct persons within the Godhead, even while asserting their essential oneness. The Early Church fathers often interpreted "greater" in terms of origin or "monarchia" (sole-rule, source-headship) within the Trinity – the Father as the ultimate source from whom the Son proceeds eternally, rather than implying any difference in substance or power. This avoids later heretical interpretations, like Arianism, which wrongly claimed the Son was created and thus inferior. It upholds the paradox of Jesus as fully God (ontologically equal with the Father) and fully man (voluntarily taking on a lesser functional position during His incarnate state). Therefore, His return to the Father, whose glory and status He temporarily veiled, is a moment of immense triumph and fulfillment that rightly evokes joy.

John 14 28 Commentary

John 14:28 provides a profound Christological insight, emphasizing both the functional subordination of the Son during His earthly mission and His ultimate return to co-equal glory with the Father. Jesus challenges the disciples' sorrow, explaining that His departure is a necessary step towards glorification, enabling the Comforter's arrival. The phrase "the Father is greater than I" must be understood within its context: Jesus is speaking from His incarnate state as the Son "sent" by the Father, taking on the role of a servant. In this salvific economy, the Father exercises ultimate authority as the source of all being and the sender. This does not imply essential inferiority in divinity, but a willing assumption of a subordinate role for the sake of humanity's redemption (Phil 2:6-8). His return to the Father is His glorification and reinstatement to a state of unrestricted divine power and presence, which for His disciples, through the Spirit, means a more profound communion than His physical presence offered. Their potential joy should stem from celebrating His success, His impending glory, and the spiritual benefits they will receive. For instance, like parents rejoicing at their child's graduation and returning home after a challenging but successful mission, so should the disciples rejoice in Christ's triumphant return to the Father's side, securing their salvation and empowering them for ministry.