John Calvin Commentary John 14:19

"Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me: because I live, ye shall live also." — John 14:19 (ASV)

Yet a little while. He continues the commendation of special grace, which should have been sufficient for alleviating, and even for removing the grief of the disciples. He says, When I have withdrawn from the view of the world, I will still be present with you. So that we may enjoy this secret seeing of Christ, we must not judge his presence or his absence according to carnal perception, but we must earnestly use the eyes of faith to contemplate his power. Thus believers always have Christ present by his Spirit and see him, even though they are distant from him in body.

Because I live. This statement may be explained in two ways. It may either be viewed as a confirmation of the former clause, because I live, and you will live; or, it may be read separately, because I live, you also will live. Then the meaning will be that believers will live, because Christ liveth. I willingly embrace the first opinion, and yet we may also draw from it the other doctrine, that the life of Christ is the cause of our life.

He begins by pointing out the cause of the difference, why he will be seen by his disciples and not by the world. It is not because Christ cannot be seen but is according to the spiritual life, of which the world is deprived. The world seeth not Christ; this is not surprising, for their blindness, which is spiritual death, is the cause. But as soon as anyone begins to live by the Spirit, he is immediately given eyes to see Christ.

Now, the reason for this is that our life is closely connected with the life of Christ and proceeds from it as from its source. For we are dead in ourselves, and the life with which we flatter ourselves is a dreadful death. Accordingly, when the question is how we are to obtain life, our eyes must be directed to Christ, and his life must be conveyed to us by faith, so that our consciences may be fully convinced that as long as Christ lives, we are free from all danger of destruction. For it is an undoubted truth that his life would be nothing if his members were dead.