John 16:16-33

November 30, 2014

Jesus prepares his disciples for the crucifixion and persecution, and promises to send the
Spirit who will teach and testify about what he has said:
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. 17Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is
this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little
while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18They said therefore, What
is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
They expected him to overthrow Rome and bring back the rule of David, so it doesnt add
up when he says they wont see him. Is he leaving? What about his mission? What about the
prophecies? How can he go to the Father? It just doesnt make sense, so they wonder aloud
to each other without making it known to him.
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? 20Verily, 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. 21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because
her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more
the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22And ye now therefore have
sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man
taketh from you.
Jesus knows what theyre thinking, so he gives them an answer without being asked. Keep
that in mind because its significance comes up in verse 30. What he means is that hes
leaving the earth in a way that will make them mourn, and there will be a brief period in
which they wont be able to see him and theyll think he is dead and gone.
However, a little while later (the Greek word is , mikron) theyll see him again and
rejoice. Of course, we know now that hes talking about the crucifixion and resurrection,
and weve read about their reactions when they realized what was going on. The
illustration he gives is that of a woman in childbirth. She groans from the suffering of
delivery, but as soon as the baby is born she rejoices and forgets the pain. They too will
have their share of sorrow, but it will turn into a joy that no man can take away.
We see this in action later when Peter and some others were flogged for preaching in his
name, and they went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for him
(Acts 5:41). No matter what anyone did to them after that point, the disciples were only
more pleased and more emboldened to share in his sufferings at the hands of the world.

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. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in
my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
This verse might be a little confusing at first, but look at the contrast: while hes alive they
ask him personally face-to-face, but in that day theyll ask him nothing because he wont
be around. Again, they havent yet asked for anything in his name, but the time comes when
thats how theyll approach the Father for themselves. Christ will live inside of them and
mediate for them! This so impresses the writer of Hebrews that he says, Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need (Heb. 4:16).
Praying in Jesus name is more than just a way to close our prayers; when we say, in Jesus
name, what we mean is that were coming into the presence of God by the authority of
Christ who made a way into the most holy place as our forerunner (Heb. 6:20). We expect
to be accepted, heard, and answered because of our union with him as a Vine and its
branches, and this results in complete joy.
25

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no
more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
Up to now hes been their Rabbi, and hes had to teach them in parables that theyve had
difficulty understanding. That time is coming to an end, however, and now he and the
Comforter will abide inside of them and show them plainly of the Father. Look at verses
13-15 again to fully appreciate what this means: 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. 14He shall glorify me: for he
shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15All things that the Father hath are mine:
therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
In other words, the disciples will see the Father and the things the Father has planned, but
not as students with earthly ears; God will live inside of them and speak directly to their
hearts. This is why its expedient for them if he leaves: its the beginning of the New
Covenant. Theyre about to understand the spiritual meaning of all the Old Testament types
and shadows, and Christs ministry of atonement. Theyll go on from here to write letters
explaining the purposes and kingdom of the Godhead, and theyll understand what the
Father has in store for his special people (both Jew and Gentile) and how he intends to deal
with the world in the last times.
26

At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the
Father for you: 27For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have
believed that I came out from God.
First, lets get an idea of Gods throne: And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a
throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3And he that sat was to look upon like a

jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto
an emerald. 4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I
saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads
crowns of gold. 5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and
there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the
throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7And the
first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a
man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8And the four beasts had each of them six
wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying,
Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9And when those beasts
give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him
that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and
for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:2-11).
Now look ahead a couple chapters and see how people respond when standing before this
throne: And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain
and island were moved out of their places. 15And the kings of the earth, and the great men,
and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every
free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the
mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be
able to stand? (Rev. 6:14-17).
Now picture yourself walking up to that throne. Who shall be able to stand? How can we
have any confidence at all? The answer is found here in our verse. Hes not saying that he
wont pray for them anymore, and we know from the rest of the New Testament that he
intercedes for us even now (Heb. 7:25; 9:24, etc.). What he is saying builds on verse 24:
you havent asked for anything in my name yet. In the day of their joy theyll approach the
throne of grace for themselves because of Christs name. We have access to the Father
personally because he loves us!
He loves us because we love his Son and believe him. Of course, we know from the rest of
the New Testament that we love him because he first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19), and we believe
him because he gave us ears to hear, so we see this relationship that lets us approach the
throne confidently.
28

I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world,
and go to the Father.
Remember they didnt understand what he meant in verse 16, and now hes explained it
without being asked. He came into the world to complete a mission, and as soon as its
finished hes going back to the Father. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and

died for us, and anyone who believes on him and loves him will one day join him in the
place hes prepared.
29

His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
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.
30

Theyre amazed and say that he must be from God because he knows all things and
answered their question without being asked. We saw a similar story earlier in John when
the woman at the well said, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not
this the Christ? (Jn. 4:29). They confess their belief in him, and it looks like verse 25 is
fulfilled, but its not quite time yet:
31

Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now
come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and
yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
The New Covenant hasnt quite yet started, and the disciples arent as sure as they think.
Within a few hours theyll all scatter and even deny knowing him. No man will stand with
him when he suffers at the hands of the world, but he wont be alone either because the
Father is with him. This sounds like an indictment against them, but note the next words
carefully:
33

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

Hes brought them to this upper room and explained all these things so that they can have
peace and be comforted when hes gone: in me ye might have peace. Theyll bear the fruit
of love because theyre in the Vine. Theyll endure persecution because theyre in the Light.
Theyll be purged of guilt and loved of God because theyre in the Son. They will have peace
in him, and thats been the whole point of this one conversation.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
What peace we have in Christ! Tribulation is guaranteed, but so is victory! Be of good
cheer because he has overcome the world. So, when this life is hard, we know we have a
promise to give us hope:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall
lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that

condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep
for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
(Rom 8:28-39).
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at
the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Rev. 3:19-22).
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