Chapter 73—“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
This chapter is based on
John 13:31-38
;
John 14
;
John 15
;
John 16
;
John 17
.
Looking upon His disciples with divine love and with the tenderest
sympathy, Christ said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is
glorified in Him.” Judas had left the upper chamber, and Christ was
alone with the eleven. He was about to speak of His approaching
separation from them; but before doing this He pointed to the great
object of His mission. It was this that He kept ever before Him. It
was His joy that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the
Father’s name. To this He first directs the thoughts of His disciples.
Then addressing them by the endearing term, “Little children,” He
said, “Yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me: and as I said
unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.”
The disciples could not rejoice when they heard this. Fear fell upon
them. They pressed close about the Saviour. Their Master and Lord,
their beloved Teacher and Friend, He was dearer to them than life.
To Him they had looked for help in all their difficulties, for comfort
in their sorrows and disappointments. Now He was to leave them, a
lonely, dependent company. Dark were the forebodings that filled their
hearts.
But the Saviour’s words to them were full of hope. He knew that
they were to be assailed by the enemy, and that Satan’s craft is most
successful against those who are depressed by difficulties. Therefore
He pointed them away from “the things which are seen,” to “the things
which are not seen.”
2 Corinthians 4:18
. From earthly exile He turned
their thoughts to the heavenly home.
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“Let not your heart be troubled,” He said; “ye believe in God,
believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither
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