John 16:32

32 Behold, an hour is coming--and has come--that you will be scattered each one to his own [home], and you will leave me alone. And I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 16:32 Meaning and Commentary

John 16:32

Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come
The time is at hand, yea, it may, in a sense, be said to be already come, it was within an hour: and indeed the following prayer might be delivered in less than an hour's time; when he went immediately into the garden, and was apprehended; or at least in a very little while it would come to pass,

that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own;
to his own friends, relations, and acquaintance; to his own house and home; to his own country, Galilee, whither they all went, and to their trade of fishing again; see ( John 21:3 ) ; and so was fulfilled the prophecy in ( Zechariah 13:7 ) ;

and shall leave me alone;
as they did in the hands of his enemies; for they all forsook him and fled, some one way, some another; though one or two of them, Peter and John, followed him at a distance; and all came together again, but not to Christ, until his resurrection from the dead.

And yet I am, not alone;
he was not alone at this time; and his meaning is, that he should not be alone then when they should be scattered from him:

because the Father is with me;
not only as the Son of God, by virtue of union to him, and as one with him; but as Mediator, in consequence of his promise to uphold him, and assist him in his human nature; and though he withdrew his gracious and comforting presence from him, he bearing the sins, and standing in the room and stead of his people, yet not his powerful and supporting presence.

John 16:32 In-Context

30 Now we know that you know everything and do not {need for} anyone to ask you [questions]. By this we believe that you have come from God."
31 Jesus replied to them, "Now do you believe?
32 Behold, an hour is coming--and has come--that you will be scattered each one to his own [home], and you will leave me alone. And I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33 I have said these [things] to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "to his own things"; or "to his own people" (i.e., family); the Greek text is somewhat ambiguous here
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.