We should observe firstly, in this passage, Christ’s last legacy to His people. We find Him saying, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you”.
Peace is Christ’s special gift to His people: not money, not worldly ease, not temporal prosperity. He seldom gives them money, or worldly ease, or temporal prosperity. These are at best very questionable possessions. They often do more harm than good to the soul. They act as weights to spiritual life. Inward peace of conscience, arising from a sense of pardoned sin and reconciliation with God, is a far greater blessing. This peace is the property of all believers, whether high or low, rich or poor.
The peace which Christ gives He calls, “My peace”. It is specially His to give, because He bought it by His own blood, purchased it by His own substitution, and is appointed by the Father to dispense it to a perishing world. Just as Joseph was commissioned to give corn to the starving Egyptians, so is Christ specially commissioned, in the counsels of the eternal Trinity, to give peace to mankind.
The peace that Christ gives is not given as the world gives. What He gives the world cannot give at all, and what He gives is not given unwillingly or sparingly, or for a little time. Christ is far more willing to give than man is to receive. What He gives He gives to all eternity and never takes away. He is ready to give “abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph 3:20). “Open thy mouth wide,” He says, “and I will fill it” (Ps 81:10).
Who can wonder that a legacy like this should be backed by the renewed emphatic charge, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”? There is nothing lacking on Christ’s part for our comfort if we will only come to Him, believe and receive. The chief of sinners has no cause to be afraid. If we will only look by faith to the one true Saviour, there is medicine for every trouble of heart. Half our doubts and fears arise from dim perceptions of the real nature of Christ’s gospel.
We should observe secondly in this passage, Christ’s perfect holiness. We find Him saying, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me”. These remarkable words can have only one interpretation. The Lord would have His disciples know that Satan, “the prince of this world”, was about to make his last and most violent attack on Him. He was mustering all his strength for one more tremendous onset. He was coming with his utmost malice to try the second Adam in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary. But the blessed Master declares, “He hath nothing in Me” – There is nothing he can lay hold on. There is no weak and defective point in Me. I have kept My Father’s commandment and finished the work He gave Me to do. Satan therefore cannot overthrow Me. He can lay nothing to My charge. He cannot condemn Me. I shall come forth from the trial more than conqueror.”
Let us mark the difference between Christ and all others who have been born of woman. He is the only one in whom Satan has found “nothing”. He came to Adam and Eve and found weakness. He came to Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and all the saints and found imperfection. He came to Christ and found “nothing” at all. He was a Lamb “without blemish and without spot”, a suitable Sacrifice for a world of sinners, a suitable Head for a redeemed race.
Let us thank God that we have such a perfect, sinless Saviour; that His righteousness is a perfect righteousness, and His life is a blameless life. In ourselves and our doings we shall find everything imperfect; and if we had no other hope than our own goodness, we might well despair. But in Christ there is a perfect, sinless Representative and Substitute. Well may God’s people say, with the triumphant Apostle, Who shall lay anything to our charge? (Rom 8:33). Christ has died for them, and suffered in their stead. In Him Satan can find nothing. They are hidden in Him. The Father sees them in Him, unworthy as they are, and for His sake is well pleased (Mt 3:17).
1Taken, with editing, from Expository Thoughts on John, vol 3. Here are some of Ryle’s comments on John 14:27-31.