The cross, where Jesus will be glorified, is what's in view. The Son of Man will be glorified at the cross because he will demonstrate his infinite worth through the complete satisfaction of sin that he achieves. At the cross, God will demonstrate both his justice and mercy. By punishing sin, he upholds his unyielding justice and commitment to righteousness. At the same time, he shows his incomparable mercy by allowing Jesus to make a propitiation for sin. God's matchless love for his people is demonstrated as he fully commits to saving them. Jesus is not spared because of God's love for his people.

Jesus introduces a "new commandment." This commandment serves as the fulfillment of the commandment that was based on loving God and loving one's neighbor. Jesus' followers are supposed to love each other with the same love that he showed them. This love should define them and make it clear to everyone that they are his disciples (v. 35).

Jesus tells his disciples they cannot follow him, which prompts Peter to ask where Jesus is going. Jesus replies that Peter will follow him later but not now. Peter then asks why he cannot follow now and insists that he would even lay down his life for Jesus out of love. However, Jesus announces that Peter will deny him three times before the rooster crows.

The disciples are troubled. To comfort them, Jesus explains where he is going, what he will do, and how they can reunite with him while encouraging them to trust him. The message advises the disciples to trust and believe that Jesus is leaving for a good reason—to prepare a place for them. They should trust that he will return to take them with him and that this will bring them peace, despite not being able to follow him. Jesus prepares two places—a temporary place and an eternal place. The temporary place is the church, where Jesus' death sanctifies believers and makes them living stones that will be used to build God's new temple. Jesus will ascend to the Father's right hand. This prepares for the eternal place - God's new temple in the new Jerusalem, located in the new heavens and earth.

Thomas believes that Jesus was referring to a physical location and argues that he and his fellow disciples are unaware of Jesus' destination, making it impossible to navigate there. Jesus' response ties everything together and reveals that Thomas has not understood the spiritual significance of his words. Jesus is the only path to the Father, and the death of Jesus on the cross is the sole means by which humanity can be reconciled to God. When Jesus talked about how the disciples have seen and known the Father through him, Philip responded by asking Jesus to show them the Father, thinking it would be sufficient. Jesus tells Philip he has been with him for a long time and should understand that seeing Jesus is the same as seeing the Father. Jesus then questions why Philip asks for clarification and if he does not believe what he has already been taught. If the disciples struggle to comprehend or have doubts, Jesus suggests that they believe based on the miracles he performs. Jesus guides those who seek understanding by encouraging them to reflect on how the Father, the Son, and the Spirit all accomplish what only God can do.

According to Jesus in verse, those who believe in him will perform similar actions. Believing in Jesus involves more than just intellectual agreement. It entails becoming like him. Failure to resemble Jesus implies a lack of belief in him. By dying on the cross, Jesus will go to the Father. The reason the works of his disciples will be greater is that Christ will have completed the much-awaited salvation on the cross, making even the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11). As a result of Jesus going to the Father, those who believe in him will receive the complete and ultimate revelation of God's victorious salvation, and the pouring out of his Spirit. According to Jesus, he will fulfill any requests made by his disciples as long as they are made in his name, resulting in the Father being glorified in the Son. "In the name of Jesus" means the request should align with Jesus' character and mission to glorify the Father. Jesus will not grant requests that do not align with his purpose of magnifying the glory of the Father.