Jesus once again reminds his disciples of what he told them earlier (see John 14:3). He is leaving and will return again. Apparently, this message just does not seem to get through to them. How can this be: Jesus out of their sight and later near again? They fail to grasp it. That is how we are. Jesus' words often have such a hard time resonating with us. Yet, Jesus persists. He wants us to take him at his word. That is why he repeats it again. In doing so, he strikes a chord. Listen: If you loved me, you would rejoice because I am going to my Father.
He is appealing to our love here. It exists, doesn't it? He longs so much for us to discover that his journey to the Father was necessary and that it means gain for him and for us.
To make this clear to us, Jesus adds a justification: For the Father is greater than I.
What does this mean? Does it mean that Jesus is less than the Father? That he is, at most, a perfect human being? Yes, but didn't the evangelist John start his book with: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
(John 1:1)? This undoubtedly refers to Jesus. And Jesus said of himself, I and the Father are one
(John 10:30). And when the disciple Thomas meets Jesus after his resurrection from the grave and confesses, My Lord and my God
(John 20:28), there is no correction from Jesus. On the contrary, because Jesus responds, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed
(John 20:29). And yet, on that late Thursday night, we hear from Jesus' lips, The Father is greater than I.
What is the meaning of this? Is Jesus, the Son, less than the Father? No, not that, but at the moment he says these words, he does not share in the same glory as the Father. That will only change when he returns to the Father. His going to the Father means gain for him and for us. He himself desires this too. This is given impressive voice in the prayer that Jesus addresses to the Father shortly thereafter, which the disciples are privileged to hear and which we read in John 17:1–26. It contains the words: Father, you have given them to me; may they be where I am, that they may see my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world
(John 17:24).
28 Vous avez entendu que je vous ai dit: Je m'en vais, et je reviens vers vous. Si vous m'aimiez, vous vous réjouiriez de ce que je vais au Père; car le Père est plus grand que moi.