What Does John 14:28 Mean in the King James?
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The departure that feels like loss is also movement toward the Father who is greater, and love can recognize that as joy.
THE MEANING
Jesus’ leaving is real, and the Father he goes toward is greater than he is; the verse names this movement as a reason for joy. Love here can feel the separation and still recognize the good of where the beloved is going.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It loosens the belief that love proves itself by wanting the beloved to stay: departure toward the Father can be cause for joy.
THE ROOT
ἐχάρητε
echarēte
GROWS FROM
χαίρω (chairō), χαρ- (char-)
to rejoice, be glad; the χαρ- word family carries joy and is related to favor
The English “rejoice” can sound like an inner mood; the Greek word family brings it alongside χαρά (chara, joy) and χάρις (charis, favor). Here joy answers the direction of Jesus’ going, so love can recognize his movement toward the Father as good while the separation remains real.
ALSO GROWS
chara: joy, gladness
χαρά
This related word names the joy that the verse says fits Jesus’ movement toward the Father.
charis: favor
χάρις
Its place in the related word family links rejoicing with favor, giving the joy in this verse a sense of recognizing good.
THE PATTERN
Love can hold separation and joy together when it recognizes the beloved’s movement toward God as good.
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.THE THREAD
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.John 16:22 uses the same Greek joy-family as “rejoice” here, and places that joy after sorrow. It opens John 14:28 further: the joy does not deny that Jesus is leaving, but holds the separation within the promise of what comes next.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us