“Peace” refers to the Hebrew greeting shalom and for Jesus refers to the aim of his work on earth: to restore the equilibrium and richness of humanity’s relationship with God (Rom. 5:1). Nothing in the world can offer such a gift. Jesus’ shalom not only brings an end to the brokenness caused by sin, but it will be the fruit of the Spirit given when he departs. Thus when Jesus meets the disciples following his resurrection and gives them the Spirit, shalom is what he brings (20:19, 21, 26).

As in 14:1, Jesus mentions again that his disciples are troubled (14:27). Thus far his encouragement has described the benefits that his departure will bring: a new intimacy with God (and himself) wrought through the eschatological gift of the Spirit. Within the promise “I am going away and I am coming back to you” (14:28), the latter phrase is all that concerned the disciples. Now Jesus points to himself. Their love for him should lead to celebration because he is returning to where he began, to the Father. It is the Father who sent him, who gave him his words, and whose love for the world initiated Jesus’ mission and the planned indwelling of the Spirit. To receive the Father’s gifts is blessed; to return to live with the Giver is beyond comprehension.

Few verses have caused more controversy than 14:28b, “I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Controversy centers on the many places in this Gospel where the equality and oneness of Jesus and the Father (e.g., 1:1–18; 5:16–18; 10:30; 20:28) are juxtaposed to affirmations describing the dependence of the Son on the Father (4:34; 5:19–30; 8:29; 12:48–49). Theologians have often pointed to one set of verses at the expense of the other. The phrase “is greater than” suggests (in some views) that Jesus simply cannot be God in the fullest sense, so that this verse has been used to deny the divinity of Christ.

Taken in isolation, this may appear to be the meaning of 14:28b; but if so, this verse jars the overwhelmingly divine portrait we have of Jesus in this Gospel. Making Jesus a lesser divinity or a lesser God would offend the solid Jewish monotheism of the Gospel. Making Jesus merely a human being loses the plain sense of his origin and unity with the Father in places such as the prologue, where incarnational Christology seems clear.

Classic exegesis has taken one of two paths out of this interpretative forest. Some interpreters have sought to make this “lesser” status refer to Jesus’ humanity limited in the Incarnation (Augustine, Ambrose). Others have pointed to eternal distinctions between the Father and Son that do not compromise the Son’s divinity. To use the language of another century, the Son is subordinate in person but not in essence (Tertullian, Athanasius). But these views owe more to later theological Trinitarian debates than the Gospel itself. Arguments about ontology are likely far from John’s mind. There is no thought of the creation or subordination of the Son (despite Arian uses of the verse). The Father’s greatness springs from his role as the origin and sender of Jesus, just as a ray of light might refer to the sun from which it came.

The word picture Jesus often uses to describe his life is the agent sent on a mission (17:4–5) and completing the assignments of his Sender (4:34; 5:30; 6:38–39; 9:4; 10:32, 37; 17:4). Within this agent/sender relationship, the originator of the mission has greater authority. In 13:16, Jesus cites the proverbial saying: “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” Later he repeats it for his disciples, who will be his agents in the world (15:20). As courier of God’s message, as the agent devoted to divine service, Jesus is acknowledging the relationship, the source, of what has brought that message to life (14:24b, 31a).

Not only should the disciples take comfort and rejoice because Jesus is returning to his origin (and then sending gifts), but they should realize that the events unfolding in Jerusalem for him are not controlled by Satan (14:30). In fact, his specific description of these matters (14:29) should prove to encourage their faith because when they occur, the disciples will recall his words and see his predictions fulfilled (cf. Mark 14:41–42). Moreover, Jesus’ obedience to God’s plan (14:31a) within these events should be seen as an example of his love for the Father (a love, hopefully, every disciple will imitate, 14:21).