We are still in the first part of the second main division of the Gospel, the inner Glorification of Christ in His last discourses (13 17). We now enter upon the third division of this first part (see introductory note to chap. 13). The Promise of the Paraclete and of Christ's Return As has been r... [ Continue Reading ]
The World and the Paraclete 1. _These things_ These discourses generally, especially the last section about the world's hatred of Him and them (John 15:18-27). _should not be offended_ Literally, _should not be made to stumble:_comp. John 6:61; 1 John 2:10. The metaphor is frequent in S. Matt. and... [ Continue Reading ]
_out of the synagogues_ Or, _out of the_ SYNAGOGUE, i.e. excommunicate you. Comp. John 9:22; John 12:42. _yea, the time cometh_ Better, NAY, THERE COMETH AN HOUR. Comp. John 16:25. -You might think excommunication an extreme measure; _but_(ἀλλά) they will go far greater lengths than this." _that wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto you_ These words are of doubtful authority. _they have not known_ Better, _they_ DID NOT RECOGNISE. The verb implies that they had the opportunity of knowing; but they had failed to see that God is Love, and that Jesus came not to shut out, but to bring in, not to destroy, but to save. The ve... [ Continue Reading ]
_But_ Making a fresh start; _But, to return_(to John 16:1). _have I told_ See on John 16:6. _when the time_ Rather, _when_ THEIR HOUR, according to the better reading; i.e. the hour appointed for these things (John 16:2). _ye may … of them_ Better, _ye may_ REMEMBER THEM, THAT I TOLD YOU. -I" is... [ Continue Reading ]
_I go my way to_ Or, _I go_ AWAY UNTO; the notion is that of withdrawal (see on John 16:7). Hitherto He has been with them to protect them and to be the main object of attack: soon _they_will have to bear the brunt without Him. This is all that they feel at present, how His departure affects themsel... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have said_ Better, _I have_ SPOKEN AS in John 16:1. A similar correction is needed in John 16:4 for -have I told:" it is the same Greek word in all three cases, and means -to speak," not -to say" or -to tell." _sorrow hath filled_ So that there is no room for thoughts of My glory and your future... [ Continue Reading ]
_I tell you the truth_ -I" is again emphatic; -I who know, and who have never misled you." Comp. John 14:2. _It is expedient_ So Caiaphas had said (John 11:50) with more truth than he knew; so also the taunt at the crucifixion, -Himself He cannot save." -That" here = -in order that" (S. John's favo... [ Continue Reading ]
The threefold office of the Advocate towards those who do not believe but may yet be won over. _And_He when He is come will convict _the world_ CONCERNING _sin, and_ CONCERNING _righteousness, and_ CONCERNING _judgment_. _he will reprove_ -Convince" (as the margin) or CONVICT is to be preferred (see... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of sin_ Or, CONCERNING _sin_. This naturally comes first: the work of the Spirit begins with convincing man that he is a fallen, sinful creature in rebellion against God. _because they believe not on me_ This is the source of sin unbelief; formerly, unbelief in God, now unbelief in His Ambassador.... [ Continue Reading ]
_righteousness_ The word occurs here only in this Gospel; but comp. 1Jn 2:29; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:10; Revelation 19:11. Righteousness is the keeping of the law, and is the natural result of faith; so much so that faith is reckoned as if it were righteousness (Romans 4:3-9), so certain is this resul... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of judgment … judged_ Better, CONCERNING _judgment, because the_ RULER _of this world_ HATH BEEN _judged_(see on John 12:31 and John 14:30). As the world has had its own false views about sin and righteousness, so also it has had its own false standards of judgment. The Advocate convicts the world... [ Continue Reading ]
_many things to say_ They are His friends (John 15:15), and there is nothing which He wishes to keep back from them; He would give them His entire confidence. But it would be useless to tell them what they cannot understand; cruel to impart knowledge which would only crush them. -Now" is emphatic (s... [ Continue Reading ]
The Disciples and the Paraclete The Paraclete not only convicts and convinces the world, He also enlightens the Apostles respecting Christ and thereby glorifies Him, for to make Christ known is to glorify Him. These verses are very important as shewing the authority of the Apostles" teaching: it is... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Spirit of truth_ See on John 14:17. _he will guide you_ -He and no other will be your guide." Christ is the Way and the Truth. The Spirit leads men into the Way and thus to the Truth. But He does no more than guide: He does not compel, He does not carry. They may refuse to follow, and if they... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall glorify me_ Both pronouns are emphatic; -Me shall that Spirit of truth glorify." Just as the Son glorifies the Father by revealing Him (John 1:18; John 17:4) both in word and work, so does the Spirit glorify the Son by revealing Him. In both cases to reveal is necessarily to glorify: the m... [ Continue Reading ]
_All things_ Literally, _All things whatsoever:_comp. John 17:10. _therefore said I_ FOR THIS CAUSE (John 12:18; John 12:27) _said I:_see on John 5:16; John 5:18. _shall take_ Better, TAKETH: the Spirit is already revealing the Truth which is both of the Father and of the Son.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sorrow of Christ's departure turned into joy by His return 16. _ye shall not see me_ Better, _ye_ BEHOLD ME NO MORE (comp. John 16:10): the verb for -see" in the second half of the verse is a more general term. When His bodily presence was withdrawn their view of Him was enlarged; no longer kno... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then … disciples_ Better, _Some of His disciples_ THEREFORE _said_. _among themselves_ Better, as in John 4:33, ONE TO ANOTHER; so also in John 19:24. The Greek for -among themselves" (John 12:19) is different. _ye shall not see_ YE BEHOLD ME NOT. As in the previous verse we have two different ve... [ Continue Reading ]
_we cannot tell what he saith_ More literally, _we_ KNOW NOT _what He_ SPEAKETH.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now Jesus knew_ More literally, _Jesus recognized_or perceived (see on John 8:55). We have here an indication that His supernatural power of reading the thoughts did not supersede His natural powers of observation, and perhaps was not used when the latter were sufficient: comp. John 5:6; John 6:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye shall weep and lament_ In the Greek -ye" comes last in emphatic contrast to the world. The verbs express the outward manifestation of grief. Comp. John 20:11; Luke 23:27. The world rejoiced at being rid of One whose life was a reproach to it and whose teaching condemned it. _and ye shall be sor... [ Continue Reading ]
_A woman_ Or, THE _woman_, like -the servant" (John 15:15): in each case the article is generic, expressing the general law. The figure is frequent in O.T.; Isaiah 66:7; Hosea 13:13; Micah 4:9. See on Mark 13:8. _for joy_ Better, _for_ THE _joy_, the joy peculiar to the case. _a man_ A human being... [ Continue Reading ]
_And ye now therefore_ Or, _Ye_ ALSO _therefore now_. As in the case of childbirth, the suffering of the disciples was the necessary condition of the joy. This suffering was to repeat itself in a new form in the work of converting souls (Galatians 4:19). _I will see you_ In John 16:16_; John 16:19_... [ Continue Reading ]
_in that day_ Not the forty days of His bodily presence between the Resurrection and the Ascension, but the many days of His spiritual presence from Pentecost onwards. Comp. John 16:26 and John 14:20. _ye shall ask me nothing_ The Greek is as ambiguous as the English. It is the same verb (_erôtân_)... [ Continue Reading ]
_nothing in my name_ BECAUSE JESUS WAS NOT YET glorified, was not yet fully known to the Apostles. _ask_ The full meaning of the Greek is _go on asking_; it is the present not aorist imperative. Comp. John 5:14, [John 8:11,] John 20:17, and contrast Matthew 7:7 with Mark 6:22. _may be full_ Or, _ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Summary and conclusion of these discourses 25. _These things_ As in John 16:1 there is some uncertainty as to how much is included. Some refer -these things" to John 16:19; others to John 15:1 to John 16:24. Perhaps even the latter is too narrow a limit. The words can apply to all Christ's teaching... [ Continue Reading ]
_At that day_ As in John 16:23 and John 14:20 from Pentecost onwards. _ye shall ask in my name_ With the perfect knowledge just promised they will discern what may be asked in His name (see on John 14:13): - _cognitio parit orationem_." _I say not unto you_ This does not mean -I need not say unto y... [ Continue Reading ]
_himself_ Without My intercession. _loveth you_ On the difference between the two Greek verbs for -love" see on John 11:5. It is the more emotional word that is used here in both cases. At first sight it appears the less appropriate to express God's love for the disciples: but the point is that it... [ Continue Reading ]
_I came forth from_ Our translators are again right in marking a difference but not quite right in their way of doing so (see on John 16:7). The Greek rendered -I came _forth_from" here differs in the preposition used (_ek_) from that rendered -I came _out_from" in John 16:27 (_para_). It would be b... [ Continue Reading ]
_said_ Rather, SAY. _plainly_ Literally, _in plainness_or _openness_. As in John 7:4, the word here has a preposition (see on John 7:26).... [ Continue Reading ]
_are we sure_ Better, WE KNOW; it is the same verb as -thou knowest," and the capricious change of rendering is regrettable. There is a similarly capricious change 2 Corinthians 12:2-3. Christ had spoken in the future tense (John 16:23); they emphatically speak in the present; - _now_we know." They... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do ye now believe?_ The words are only half a question (comp. John 20:29). The belief of which they are conscious is no illusion, but it is not yet as perfect as they in their momentary enthusiasm suppose. -Now" means -at this stage of your course;" it is not the word used by the Apostles (John 16:... [ Continue Reading ]
_the hour cometh_ Better (as in John 16:25), THERE COMETH AN HOUR. _yea, is now come_ Omit -now;" the expression is not the same as John 4:23. _that ye shall be scattered_ Rather, _that ye_ MAY _be scattered_. -That" = - _in order that_," expressing the Divine purpose (comp. John 16:2). This part... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things_ These farewell discourses. _might have peace_ Better, MAY _have peace_. Christ's ministry ends, as His life began, with a message of peace (Luke 2:14). _ye shall have_ Rather, YE HAVE; the tribulation has already begun. _I have overcome_ The pronoun is very emphatic. At the very mo... [ Continue Reading ]