116. Live
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The “world” in this context includes the people who do not believe in Christ, while “ye” includes all the believers in Christ. “See” bears the simple meaning of understand; we understand because we believe Him. If the world does not see, or understand who Jesus is and what He is doing, it is because they do not believe. Without the eyes of faith it is not possible to believe. When Jesus leaves the earth no one sees Him any longer in the physical sense. But those who understand and believe “see” Him even when He is no longer physically visible.
Believers see and understand and believe the Resurrection and the Life. Then Jesus can promise thet will live because He lives. Jesus said, “Because I live,” before He had yet died and rose, meaning that He lives now and ever. Believers in Christ are related to the Life that is Jesus; thus they are connected to the Life that is always life and it never ends.
Not in the immediate context, but by logical extension, Jesus is alluding to His own resurrection. The disciples will know this allusion to resurrection when they later remember Jesus’ word and promise. Therefore, it is not a jump to apply the words, “ye shall live also,” to the guarantee of their own resurrection of the body. The believer is connected to Christ, connected to Life, and united to His bodily resurrection. Because He is risen, you will rise also.
“Live also” applies both to the present day while we are alive on earth and also to the later life after death. To confess by faith, “He is risen; He’s alive!,” is to say and confess: “I will rise; I am alive!”