John 16

1 haec locutus sum vobis ut non scandalizemini

2 absque synagogis facient vos sed venit hora ut omnis qui interficit vos arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo

3 et haec facient quia non noverunt Patrem neque me

4 sed haec locutus sum vobis ut cum venerit hora eorum reminiscamini quia ego dixi vobis

5 haec autem vobis ab initio non dixi quia vobiscum eram at nunc vado ad eum qui me misit et nemo ex vobis interrogat me quo vadis

6 sed quia haec locutus sum vobis tristitia implevit cor vestrum

7 sed ego veritatem dico vobis expedit vobis ut ego vadam si enim non abiero paracletus non veniet ad vos si autem abiero mittam eum ad vos

8 et cum venerit ille arguet mundum de peccato et de iustitia et de iudicio

9 de peccato quidem quia non credunt in me

10 de iustitia vero quia ad Patrem vado et iam non videbitis me

11 de iudicio autem quia princeps mundi huius iudicatus est

12 adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere sed non potestis portare modo

13 cum autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis docebit vos in omnem veritatem non enim loquetur a semet ipso sed quaecumque audiet loquetur et quae ventura sunt adnuntiabit vobis

14 ille me clarificabit quia de meo accipiet et adnuntiabit vobis

15 omnia quaecumque habet Pater mea sunt propterea dixi quia de meo accipit et adnuntiabit vobis

16 modicum et iam non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me quia vado ad Patrem

17 dixerunt ergo ex discipulis eius ad invicem quid est hoc quod dicit nobis modicum et non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me et quia vado ad Patrem

18 dicebant ergo quid est hoc quod dicit modicum nescimus quid loquitur

19 cognovit autem Iesus quia volebant eum interrogare et dixit eis de hoc quaeritis inter vos quia dixi modicum et non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me

20 amen amen dico vobis quia plorabitis et flebitis vos mundus autem gaudebit vos autem contristabimini sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium

21 mulier cum parit tristitiam habet quia venit hora eius cum autem pepererit puerum iam non meminit pressurae propter gaudium quia natus est homo in mundum

22 et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam habetis iterum autem videbo vos et gaudebit cor vestrum et gaudium vestrum nemo tollit a vobis

23 et in illo die me non rogabitis quicquam amen amen dico vobis si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis

24 usque modo non petistis quicquam in nomine meo petite et accipietis ut gaudium vestrum sit plenum

25 haec in proverbiis locutus sum vobis venit hora cum iam non in proverbiis loquar vobis sed palam de Patre adnuntiabo vobis

26 illo die in nomine meo petetis et non dico vobis quia ego rogabo Patrem de vobis

27 ipse enim Pater amat vos quia vos me amastis et credidistis quia ego a Deo exivi

28 exivi a Patre et veni in mundum iterum relinquo mundum et vado ad Patrem

29 dicunt ei discipuli eius ecce nunc palam loqueris et proverbium nullum dicis

30 nunc scimus quia scis omnia et non opus est tibi ut quis te interroget in hoc credimus quia a Deo existi

31 respondit eis Iesus modo creditis

32 ecce venit hora et iam venit ut dispergamini unusquisque in propria et me solum relinquatis et non sum solus quia Pater mecum est

33 haec locutus sum vobis ut in me pacem habeatis in mundo pressuram habetis sed confidite ego vici mundum

John 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.