“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. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. HE HAS NO HOLD OVER ME, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.“ (John 14:28-31)
Jesus is declaring boldly that He isn’t going to die because of sin, or the power of Satan. He isn’t under the control of Satan, rather, HE (Jesus) IS THE ONE IN CONTROL! ABSOLUTE CONTROL. Jesus is making His way sovereignly (with supreme power) to the cross. And He wants the disciples (and us) to fully and clearly understand that all that comes to pass does so because Jesus has sovereignly ordained it.
Jesus makes the statement, “the prince of this world is coming”. This means that the devil is now on a new mission since Jesus will be physically gone. Jesus taught us that, “The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10). Jesus is declaring that now He will no longer physically be with us, so, the devil will be busy about tempting us to stop trusting in Jesus because He is gone! But Jesus said: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and WE WILL COME TO THEM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH THEM.” (John 14:23)
JESUS PROMISED US THAT HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE US…
-Bill Stockham