John 14:28

“Ye have heard how I said unto you, etc.] Christ had not only told his disciples that he should depart from them in a little time, but also that he should return again to them, and comfort them with his presence, and receive them to himself, to be with him in his Father’s house for ever: and this he again suggests, I go away, and come again unto you; so that they had not so much reason to be troubled and afraid, as they were: had he only said to them that he should go away, without giving any hint of his coming again, they might well have been uneasy; what made the friends of the Apostle Paul so sorrowful at his departure, was most of all, because he had signified to them they should see his…”

“If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I--These words, which Arians and Socinians perpetually quote as triumphant evidence against the proper Divinity of Christ, really yield no intelligible sense on their principles. Were a holy man on his deathbed, beholding his friends in tears at the prospect of losing him, to say, "Ye ought rather to joy than weep for me, and would if ye really loved me, "the speech would be quite natural. But if they should ask him, why joy at his departure was more suitable than sorrow, would they not start back with astonishment, if not horror, were he to reply, "Because my Father is greater than I?" Does…”

“Ye have heard ... - John 14:2-3. If ye loved me - The expression is not to be construed as if they had then no love to him, for they evidently had; but they had also low views of him as the Messiah; they had many Jewish prejudices, and they were slow to believe his plain and positive declarations. This is the slight and tender reproof of a friend, meaning manifestly if you had proper love for me; if you had the highest views of my character and work; if you would lay aside your Jewish prejudices, and put entire, implicit confidence in what I say. Ye would rejoice - Instead of grieving, you would rejoice in the completion of the plan which requires me to return to heaven, that greater…”

“God the Father is greater than I - As he was man. As God, neither is greater nor less than the other. John 14:29”

“14:28 the Father, who is greater than I am: See also 5:19-20. Jesus is submissive to the Father but is also one with the Father (10:30).”

“heard: Joh 14:3, Joh 14:18, Joh 16:16-22 If: Joh 16:7; Psa 47:5-7, Psa 68:18, Psa 68:9; Luk 24:51-53; Pe1 1:8 I go: Joh 14:12, Joh 16:16, Joh 20:17 Father: Joh 5:18, Joh 10:30, Joh 10:38, Joh 13:16, Joh 20:21; Isa 42:1, Isa 49:5-7, Isa 53:11; Mat 12:18; Co1 11:3, Co1 15:24-28; Phi 2:6-11; Heb 1:2, Heb 1:3, Heb 2:9-15, Heb 3:1-4; Rev 1:11, Rev 1:17; Rev 1:18 John 14:29”