| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
John Chapter
Sixteen
John 16
In chapter 16 a further step is taken in the revelation
of this grace. The Holy Ghost is looked upon as already here below.
In this chapter the Lord declares that He has set forth all His
instruction with regard to His departure; their sufferings in the world as
holding His place; their joy, as being in the same relationship to Him as that
in which He had been while on earth to His Father; their knowledge of the fact
that He was in the Father and they in Him, and He Himself in them; the gift of
the Holy Ghost, in order to prepare them for all that would happen when He was
gone, that they might not be offended. For they should be cast out of the
synagogues, and he who should kill them would think that he was serving God.
This would be the case with those who, resting in their old doctrines as a
form, and rejecting the light, would only use the form of truth by which they
accredited the flesh as orthodox to resist the light which, according to the
Spirit, would judge the flesh. This would they do, because they knew neither
the Father nor Jesus, the Son of the Father. It is fresh truth which tests the
soul, and faith. Old truth, generally received and by which a body of people
are distinguished from those around them, may be a subject of pride to the
flesh, even where it is the truth, as was the case with the Jews. But fresh
truth is a question of faith in its source: there is not the support of a body
accredited by it, but the cross of hostility and isolation. They thought they served
God. They knew not the Father and the Son.
Nature is occupied with that which it loses. Faith looks
at the future into which God leads. Precious thought! Nature acted in the
disciples: they loved Jesus; they grieved at His going away. We can understand
this. But faith would not have stopped there. If they had apprehended the
necessary glory of the Person of Jesus; if their affection, animated by faith,
had thought of Him and not of themselves, they would have asked, "Whither
goest thou?" Nevertheless He who thought of them assures them that it
would be gain to them even to lose Him. Glorious fruit of the ways of God!
Their gain would be in this, that the Comforter should be here on earth with
them and in them. Here, observe, Jesus does not speak of the Father. It was the
Comforter here below in His stead, to maintain the testimony of His love for
the disciples, and His relationship to them. Christ was going away: for if He
went not away, the Comforter would not come; but if He departed, He would send
Him. When He was come, He would act in demonstration of the truth with regard
to the world that rejected Christ and persecuted His disciples; and He would
act for blessing in the disciples themselves.
With regard to the world, the Comforter had one only
subject of testimony, in order to demonstrate the sin of the world. It has not
believed in Jesus-in the Son. Doubtless there was sin of every kind, and, to
speak truth, nothing but sin-sin that deserved judgment; and in the work of
conversion, He brings these sins home to the soul. But the rejection of Christ
put the whole world under one common judgment. No doubt every one shall answer
for his sins; and the Holy Ghost makes me feel them. But, as a system
responsible to God, the world had rejected His Son. This was the ground on
which God dealt with the world now; this it was which made manifest the heart
of man. It was the demonstration that, God being fully revealed in love such as
He was, man would not receive Him. He came, not imputing their trespasses unto
them; but they rejected Him. The presence of Jesus was not the Son of God
Himself manifested in His glory, from which man might shrink with fear, though
he could not escape; it was what He was morally, in His nature, in His
character. Man hated Him: all testimony to bring man to God was unavailing. The
plainer the testimony, the more he turned from it and opposed it. The
demonstration of the sin of the world was its having rejected Christ. Terrible
testimony, that God in goodness should excite detestation because He was
perfect, and perfectly good! Such is man. The testimony of the Holy Ghost to
the world, as God's to Cain of old, would be, Where is my Son? It was not that
man was guilty; that he was when Christ came; but he was lost, the tree was
bad. [1]
But this was God's path to something altogether
different-the demonstration of righteousness, in that Christ went to His
Father, and the world saw Him no more. It was the result of Christ's rejection.
Human righteousness there was none. Man's sin was proved by the rejection of
Christ. The cross was indeed judgment executed upon sin. And in that sense it
was righteousness; but in this world it was the only righteous One condemned by
man and forsaken by God; it was not the manifestation of righteousness. It was
a final judicial separation between man and God (see chapters 11 and 12:31). If
Christ had been delivered there, and had become the King of Israel, this would
not have been an adequate consequence of His having glorified God. Having
glorified God His Father, He was going to sit at His right hand, at the right
hand of the Majesty on high, to be glorified in God Himself, to sit on the
Father's throne. To set Him there was divine righteousness (see chapter 13:31,
32, and 17:1, 4, 5). This same righteousness deprived the world, as it is, of
Jesus for ever. Man saw Him no more. Righteousness in favour of men was in
Christ at God's right hand-in judgment as to the world, in that it had lost Him
hopelessly and for ever.
Moreover Satan had been proved to be the prince of this world by
leading all men against the Lord Jesus. To accomplish the purposes of God in
grace, Jesus does not resist. He gives Himself up to death. He who has the
power of death committed himself thoroughly. In his desire to ruin man he had
to hazard everything in his enterprise against the Prince of Life. He was able
to associate the whole world with himself in this, Jew and Gentile, priest and
people, governor, soldier, and subject. The world was there, headed by its
prince, on that solemn day. The enemy had everything at stake, and the world
was with him. But Christ has risen, He has ascended to His Father, and has sent
down the Holy Ghost. All the motives that govern the world, and the power by
which Satan held men captive, are shewn to be of him; he is judged. The power
of the Holy Ghost is the testimony of this, and surmounts all the powers of the
enemy. The world is not yet judged, that is, the judgment executed-it will be
in another manner; but it is morally, its prince is judged. All its motives,
religious and irreligious, have led it to reject Christ, placing it under
Satan's power. It is in that character that he has been judged; for he led the
world against Him who is manifested to be the Son of God by the presence of the
Holy Ghost consequent on His breaking the power of Satan in death.
All this took place through the presence on earth of the
Holy Ghost, sent down by Christ. His presence in itself was the demonstration
of these three things. For, if the Holy Ghost was here, it was because the
world had rejected the Son of God. Righteousness was evidenced by Jesus being
at the right hand of God, of which the presence of the Holy Ghost was the
proof, as well as in the fact that the world had lost Him. Now the world which
rejected Him was not outwardly judged, but, Satan having led it to reject the
Son, the presence of the Holy Ghost proved that Jesus had destroyed the power
of death; that he who had possessed that power was thus judged; that he had
shewn himself to be the enemy of Him whom the Father owned; that his power was
gone, and victory belonged to the Second Adam, when Satan's whole power had
been arrayed against the human weakness of Him who in love had yielded to it.
But Satan, thus judged, was the prince of this world.
The presence of the Holy Ghost should be the
demonstration not of Christ's rights as Messiah, true as they were, but of
those truths that related to man-to the world, in which Israel was now lost,
having rejected the promises, although God would preserve the nation for
Himself. But the Holy Ghost was doing something more than demonstrating the
condition of the world. He would accomplish a work in the disciples; He would
lead them into all truth, and He would shew them things to come; for Jesus had
many things to tell them which they were not yet able to bear. When the Holy
Ghost should be in them, He should be their strength in them as well as their
teacher; and it would be a wholly different state of things for the disciples.
Here He is considered as present on the earth in place of Jesus, and dwelling
in the disciples, not as an individual spirit speaking from Himself, but even
as Jesus said, "As I hear I judge," with a judgment perfectly divine
and heavenly: so the Holy Ghost, acting in the disciples, would speak that
which came from above, and of the future, according to divine knowledge. It
should be heaven and the future of which He would speak, communicating what was
heavenly from above, and revealing events to come upon the earth, the one and
the other being witnesses that it was a knowledge which belonged to God. How
blessed to have that which He has to give!
But, further, He takes here the place of Christ. Jesus
had glorified the Father on earth. The Holy Ghost would glorify Jesus, with
reference to the glory that belonged to His Person and to His position. He does
not here speak directly of the glory of the Father. The disciples had seen the
glory of the life of Christ on earth; the Holy Ghost would unfold to them His
glory in that which belonged to Him as glorified with the Father-that which was
His own.
They would learn "in part." This is man's
measure when the things of God are in question, but its extent is declared by
the Lord Himself: "He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you. An that the Father hath is mine: therefore, said I, He
shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
Thus we have the gift of the Holy Ghost variously
presented in connection with Christ. In dependence on His Father, and
representing His disciples as gone up from among them, on their behalf, He
addresses Himself to the Father; He asks the Father to send the Holy Ghost
(chap. 14:16). Afterwards we find that His own name is all powerful. All
blessing from the Father comes in His name. It is on His account, and according
to the efficacy of His name, of all that in Him is acceptable to the Father,
that good comes to us. Thus the Father will send the Holy Ghost in His name
(chap. 14:26). And Christ being glorified on high, and having taken His place
with His Father, He Himself sends the Holy Ghost (chap. 15:26) from the Father,
as proceeding from Him. Finally, the Holy Ghost is present here in this world,
in and with the disciples, and He glorifies Jesus, and takes of His and reveals
it to His own (chap. 16:13-15). Here all the glory of the Person of Christ is
set forth, as well as the rights belonging to the position He has taken.
"All things that the Father hath" are His. He has taken His position
according to the eternal counsels of God, in virtue of His work as Son of man.
But if He has entered into possession in this character, all that He possesses
in it is His, as a Son to whom (being one with the Father) all that the Father
has belongs.
There He should be hidden for a while: the disciples
should afterwards see Him, for it was only the accomplishment of the ways of
God; it was no question of being, as it were, lost by death. He was going to
His Father. On this point the disciples understood nothing. The Lord develops
the fact and its consequences, without yet shewing them the whole import of
what He said. He takes it up on the human and historical side. The world would
rejoice at having got rid of Him. Miserable joy! The disciples would lament,
although it was the true source of joy for them; but their sorrow should be
turned into joy. As testimony, this took place when He shewed Himself to them
after His resurrection; it will be fully accomplished when He shall return to
receive them unto Himself. But when they had seen Him again, they should
understand the relationship in which He has placed them with His Father, they
should enjoy it by the Holy Ghost. It should not be as though they could not
themselves draw nigh to the Father, while Christ could do so (as Martha said,
"I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, he willgive it thee").
They might themselves go directly to the Father, who loved them, because they
had believed in Jesus, and had received Him when He had humbled Himself in this
world of sin (in principle it is always thus); and asking what they would in
His name they should receive it, so that their joy might be full in the
consciousness of the blessed position of unfailing favour into which they were
brought, and of the value of all that they possessed in Christ.
Nevertheless the Lord already declares to them the basis
of the truth-He came from the Father, He was going away to the Father. The
disciples think they understand that which He had thus spoken without a
parable. They felt that He had divined their thought, for they had not
expressed it to Him. Yet they did not rise really to the height of what He
said. He had told them that they had believed in His having come "from
God." This they understood; and that which had taken place had confirmed
them in this faith, and they declare their conviction with regard to this
truth; but they do not enter into the thought of coming "from the
Father," and going away "to the Father." They fancied themselves
quite in the light; but they had apprehended nothing that raised them above the
effect of Christ's rejection, which the belief that He came from the Father and
was going to the Father would have done. Jesus therefore declares to them, that
His death would scatter them, and that they would forsake Him. His Father would
be with Him; He should not be alone. Nevertheless He had explained all these
things to them, in order that they should have peace in Him. In the world that
rejected Him they should have tribulation; but He had overcome the world, they
might be of good cheer.
This ends the conversation of Jesus with His disciples on
earth. In the following chapter He addresses His Father as taking His own place
in departing, and giving His disciples theirs (that is, His own), with regard
to the Father and to the world, after He had gone away to be glorified with the
Father. The whole chapter is essentially putting the disciples in His own
place, after laying the ground for it in His own glorifying and work. It is,
save the last verses, His place on earth. As He was divinely in heaven, and so
shewed a divine heavenly character on earth, so (He being glorified as man in
heaven) they, united with Him, were in turn to display the same. Hence we have
first the place He personally takes, and the work which entitles them to be in
it.
[1] Man
is judged for what he has done; he is lost by what he is.
── John Darby《Synopsis of John》
John 16
Chapter Contents
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)
Commentary on John 16:1-6
(Read John 16:1-6)
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.
Commentary on John 16:7-15
(Read John 16:7-15)
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.
Commentary on John 16:16-22
(Read John 16:16-22)
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?
Commentary on John 16:23-27
(Read John 16:23-27)
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.
Commentary on John 16:28-33
(Read John 16:28-33)
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.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on John》
John 16
Verse 3
[3] And
these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor
me.
They have not known the Father nor me — This is the true root of persecution in all its forms.
Verse 4
[4] But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may
remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the
beginning, because I was with you.
I did not tell you these things at the
beginning, because I was with you — To bear the chief
shock in my own person, and to screen you from it.
Verse 5
[5] But
now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest
thou?
None of you asketh me — Now when it is most seasonable. Peter did ask this before, John 13:36.
Verse 7
[7]
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for
if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send him unto you.
It is expedient for you — In respect of the Comforter, John 16:7, etc., and of me, John 16:16, etc., and of the Father, John 16:23, etc.
Verse 8
[8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
He — Observe his twofold
office; toward the world, John 16:8, etc.; toward believers, John 16:12, etc.: will convince - All of the
world - Who do not obstinately resist, by your preaching and miracles, of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment - He who is convinced of sin either
accepts the righteousness of Christ, or is judged with Satan. An abundant
accomplishment of this we find in the Acts of the Apostles.
Verse 9
[9] Of
sin, because they believe not on me;
Of sin —
Particularly of unbelief, which is the confluence of all sins, and binds them
all down upon us.
Verse 10
[10] Of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father — Which the Spirit will testify, though ye do not then see me. But I could
not go to him if I were not righteous.
Verse 11
[11] Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
The prince of this world is judged — And in consequence thereof dethroned, deprived of the power he had so
long usurped over men. Yet those who reject the deliverance offered them will
remain slaves of Satan still.
Verse 12
[12] I
have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
I have yet many things to say — Concerning my passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it.
These things we have, not in uncertain traditions, but in the Acts, the
Epistles, and the Revelation.
But ye cannot bear them now — Both because of your littleness of faith, and your immoderate sorrow.
Verse 13
[13]
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all
truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
When he is come — It
is universally allowed that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost dwell in all
believers. And the internal agency of the Holy Ghost is generally admitted.
That of the Father and the Son, as represented in this Gospel, deserves our deepest
consideration.
Verse 15
[15] All
things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of
mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine — Could any creature say this?
Verse 16
[16] A
little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall
see me, because I go to the Father.
A little while and ye shall not see me — When I am buried: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me - When
I am risen: because I go to my Father - I die and rise again, in order to
ascend to my Father.
Verse 19
[19] Now
Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye
enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see
me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
Jesus said to them —
Preventing their question.
Verse 20
[20]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world
shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into
joy.
Ye will weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but your sorrow will be turned into joy - When ye
see me risen.
Verse 22
[22] And
ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
Ye now therefore have sorrow — This gives us no manner of authority to assert all believers must come
into a state of darkness. They never need lose either their peace, or love, or
the witness that they are the children of God. They never can lose these, but
either through sin, or ignorance, or vehement temptation, or bodily disorder.
Verse 23
[23] And
in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Ye shall not question me about any thing — Which you do not now understand. You will not need to inquire of me; for
you will know all things clearly.
Whatsoever ye shall ask — Knowledge, love, or any thing else, he will give it - Our Lord here
gives us a charte blanche. Believer, write down what thou wilt. He had said, John 14:13, I will do it, where the discourse
was of glorifying the Father through the Son. Here, speaking of the love of the
Father to believers, he saith, He will give it.
Verse 24
[24]
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your
joy may be full.
Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name — For they had asked him directly for all they wanted.
Verse 26
[26] At
that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the
Father for you:
At that day ye shall ask — For true knowledge begets prayer.
And I say not that I will pray — This in nowise implies that he will not: it means only, The Father
himself now loves you, not only because of my intercession, but also because of
the faith and love which he hath wrought in you.
Verse 30
[30] Now
are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should
ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Thou knowest all things — Even our hearts. Although no question is asked thee, yet thou answerest
the thoughts of every one.
By this we believe that thou camest forth
from God — They, as it were, echo back the words
which he had spoken in John 16:27, implying, We believe in God; we
believe also in thee.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on John》
Chapter 16. The Spirit of Truth
The Biggest
Warning
The Greatest Comfort
I. The Work of
the Holy Spirit
II. Sorrow Will
Turn into Joy
III. Jesus Has
Overcome the World
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》