Yochanan 16

1 6 I have spoken these things to you that no cause of michshol (stumbling, falling) may trip you up.

2 They will put you under the cherem ban in the shuls. A sha’ah (hour, time) is coming when everyone who kills you will suppose they are offering avodas kodesh to Hashem. [YESHAYAH 66:5]

3 And these things they will do because they did not have da’as of HaAv or of me.

4 But these things I have spoken to you, that, when the sha’ah of these things comes, you might have zikaron (remembrance) of these things, that I told you. But I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

5 But now I am going to the One who sent me. And none of you asks me, Where are you going?

6 But because I have spoken these things to you, agmat nefesh (grief) has filled your levavot (heart).

7 But I tell HaEmes (the truth), it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Melitz Yosher (Praklit, Advocate, Counselor, Helper in Court) will not come to you. But if go, I will send Him (the Ruach Hakodesh) to you.

8 And having come, that one will expose and convict the Olam Hazeh concerning Chet and concerning Tzedek and concerning Mishpat:

9 Concerning Chet (Sin), because they do not have emunah in me;

10 Concerning Tzedek [DANIEL 9:24] because I go to HaAv and no longer do you see me;

11 And concerning Mishpat (Judgment) because the Sar HaOlam Hazeh has been judged.

12 Yet many things I have to tell you, but you are not able to bear them now.

13 But when that One has come, the Ruach Hakodesh, the Ruach HaEmes, He will guide you in all truth. [TEHILLIM 25:5] For He will not speak on His own authority, but what things He will hear, He will speak, and the things that are to come He will announce to you.

14 That One will give kavod to me, because He will receive of what is mine, and will announce it to you.

15 All things which HaAv has are mine; therefore, I said that of mine He receives and will announce it to you.

16 A little time and you no longer see me. And again a little time, and you will see me.

17 Therefore, some of the talmidim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to one another, What is this which he says to us? A little time and you do not see me. And, again, A little time and you will see me? And, Because I go to HaAv ?

18 Therefore, they were saying, What is this, which he says, A little time? We do not have da’as of what he says.

19 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach knew that they were wanting to ask him. And he said to them, About this you inquire of one another that I said, A little time and you do not see me. And, again, a little time and you will see me?

20 Omein, omein, I say to you, that there will be bechi (weeping) and avelut (mourning), but the Olam Hazeh will have simcha. You will have agmat nefesh, but your agmat nefesh (grief) will become simcha [TEHILLIM 30:6 (5)]

21 The isha (woman) when she gives birth, has agmat nefesh (grief), [YESHAYAH 13:8; 21:3; 26:17; MICHOH 4:9; HOSHEA 13:13] because the sha’ah (hour, time) of her has come. But when she gives birth to the yeled, she no longer has zikaron of the Tribulation because of the naches that an ish was born into the Olam Hazeh.

22 Therefore, you have agmat nefesh (grief) now, [YIRMEYAH 31:12] but again I will see you, and your levavot will have rejoicing [YESHAYAH 66:14 TARGUM HASHIVIM] and the simcha of you no one takes from you.

23 And on that day you will not ask me anything. Omein, omein, I say to you, whatever you ask HaAv b’Shem of me, He will give it to you.

24 Until now you did not ask anything b’Shem of me. Ask and you will receive that the simcha of you may be shleimah.

25 Regarding these things I have spoken figuratively. [TEHILLIM 78:2; YECHEZKEL 20:49] A sha’ah comes when no longer I will speak figuratively to you, but will announce plainly to you concerning HaAv.

26 On that day b’Shem of me you will ask, and I do not say to you that I will ask HaAv concerning you.

27 For HaAv Himself has ahavah for you, because you have ahavah for me and have emunah that I came forth from HaAv.

28 I came from HaAv and I have come into the Olam Hazeh. Again I leave the Olam Hazeh and go to HaAv.

29 The talmidim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach say, Hinei, see now you speak plainly and no longer figuratively do you speak.

30 Now we know that you have da’as of all things, and you have no need that any test you with any she’elah (question). By this we have emunah that you came forth from Hashem. [1Kg 17:24]

31 He answered them, Do you have emunah?

32 Hinei a sha’ah (hour, time) is coming and has come, that you are SCATTERED [ZECHARYAH 13:7] each one to his own home, and you leave me alone, but I am not alone, because HaAv is with me.

33 These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have shalom. In the Olam Hazeh you have tribulation; but have lev same’ach. I have conquered the Olam Hazeh.

Yochanan 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

Persecution foretold. (1-6) The promise of the Holy Spirit, and his office. (7-15) Christ's departure and return. (16-22) Encouragement to prayer. (23-27) Christ's discoveries of himself. (28-33)

Verses 1-6 Our Lord Jesus, by giving his disciples notice of trouble, designed that the terror might not be a surprise to them. It is possible for those who are real enemies to God's service, to pretend zeal for it. This does not lessen the sin of the persecutors; villanies will never be changed by putting the name of God to them. As Jesus in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs, should look to the fulfilling of Scripture. He did not tell them sooner, because he was with them to teach, guide, and comfort them; they needed not then this promise of the Holy Spirit's presence. It will silence us to ask, Whence troubles come? It will satisfy us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they work for good. It is the common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, was too great affection for this present life. Nothing more hinders our joy in God, than the love of the world, and the sorrow of the world which comes from it.

Verses 7-15 Christ's departure was necessary to the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's death, which was his going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at all times, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name. See here the office of the Spirit, first to reprove, or to convince. Convincing work is the Spirit's work; he can do it effectually, and none but he. It is the method the Holy Spirit takes, first to convince, and then to comfort. The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin; of the fault of sin; of the folly of sin; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become hateful to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Holy Spirit proves that all the world is guilty before God. He convinces the world of righteousness; that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ the righteous. Also, of Christ's righteousness, imparted to us for justification and salvation. He will show them where it is to be had, and how they may be accepted as righteous in God's sight. Christ's ascension proves the ransom was accepted, and the righteousness finished, through which believers were to be justified. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. All will be well, when his power is broken, who made all the mischief. As Satan is subdued by Christ, this gives us confidence, for no other power can stand before him. And of the day of judgment. The coming of the Spirit would be of unspeakable advantage to the disciples. The Holy Spirit is our Guide, not only to show us the way, but to go with us by continued aids and influences. To be led into a truth is more than barely to know it; it is not only to have the notion of it in our heads, but the relish, and savour, and power of it in our hearts. He shall teach all truth, and keep back nothing profitable, for he will show things to come. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit, all the preaching, and all the writing of the apostles, under the influence of the Spirit, all the tongues, and miracles, were to glorify Christ. It behoves every one to ask, whether the Holy Spirit has begun a good work in his heart? Without clear discovery of our guilt and danger, we never shall understand the value of Christ's salvation; but when brought to know ourselves aright, we begin to see the value of the Redeemer. We should have fuller views of the Redeemer, and more lively affections to him, if we more prayed for, and depended on the Holy Spirit.

Verses 16-22 It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end, that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, and neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, would ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, according to their sight of Christ, and the tokens of his presence. Sorrow is coming on the ungodly, which nothing can lessen; the believer is an heir to joy which no one can take away. Where now is the joy of the murderers of our Lord, and the sorrow of his friends?

Verses 23-27 Asking of the Father shows a sense of spiritual wants, and a desire of spiritual blessings, with conviction that they are to be had from God only. Asking in Christ's name, is acknowledging our unworthiness to receive any favours from God, and shows full dependence upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness. Our Lord had hitherto spoken in short and weighty sentences, or in parables, the import of which the disciples did not fully understand, but after his resurrection he intended plainly to teach them such things as related to the Father and the way to him, through his intercession. And the frequency with which our Lord enforces offering up petitions in his name, shows that the great end of the mediation of Christ is to impress us with a deep sense of our sinfulness, and of the merit and power of his death, whereby we have access to God. And let us ever remember, that to address the Father in the name of Christ, or to address the Son as God dwelling in human nature, and reconciling the world to himself, are the same, as the Father and Son are one.

Verses 28-33 Here is a plain declaration of Christ's coming from the Father, and his return to him. The Redeemer, in his entrance, was God manifest in the flesh, and in his departure was received up into glory. By this saying the disciples improved in knowledge. Also in faith; "Now are we sure." Alas! they knew not their own weakness. The Divine nature did not desert the human nature, but supported it, and put comfort and value into Christ's sufferings. And while we have God's favourable presence, we are happy, and ought to be easy, though all the world forsake us. Peace in Christ is the only true peace, in him alone believers have it. Through him we have peace with God, and so in him we have peace in our own minds. We ought to be encouraged, because Christ has overcome the world before us. But while we think we stand, let us take heed lest we fall. We know not how we should act if brought into temptation; let us watch and pray without ceasing, that we may not be left to ourselves.