The End of Training

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here (John 14:30-31).

There are a couple of reasons why Jesus said, I will no longer talk much with you. (1) They would leave the upper room and walk across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane where He would be arrested. The disciples would flee for their lives. John and Peter would quietly follow Jesus through the remaining events leading up to the crucifixion. So, the conversations with Jesus and the disciples would come to an end until after the resurrection.

(2) Because of the emotional trauma the disciples were experiencing, any further instructions from Jesus would fall on deaf ears. They were already in ‘information overload’ and unable to understand much of what Jesus had been saying. To continue to verbally train the disciples at this point would be frustrating and futile. (3) The ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me, meaning the full assault upon Jesus by Satan would begin and would not let up until He was dead on the cross. The time for continued training of the disciples was over and the full attention of Jesus would be on fulfilling the will of the Father. That he has nothing in Me simply means that the evil of Satan and his assault on Jesus would not be able to stand against the holiness of Jesus Christ and God’s plan for our salvation through Him. “Throw a lighted match into a barrel of gunpowder, and there is a fearful explosion; cast it into a barrel of water and it is quenched” (Arthur Pink).

This saying was also given to the comfort and consolation of the disciples. All that Jesus had predicted would come to pass, and it did. That Satan would not emerge triumphant over Jesus, but would be defeated on the cross, also came to pass. Satan would attack them after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, but he would not conquer Christ in them through the Holy Spirit, nor would he defeat their continued ministry throughout the remainder of their lives.

These last words of Jesus look back to the end of verse 30. The faith and courage of Jesus was such that He was not going to wait around for Satan to come to Him, He would go and confront Satan on His own terms. Such was the love of Jesus for the Father and for the Father’s will. He did not shy away from His ultimate battle but would face it head on because of His love for the Father. He knew the Father’s will for His life from the beginning, even before the beginning of His incarnation. Every word and work of Jesus was another step in fulfilling that will. Jesus was not going to play the victim, but as the Lamb of God, He would willingly offer His life for the cross. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Amen.

Pastor