CHAPTER XVI. _Christ warns his disciples, and foretells the persecutions_ _they should receive from the Jews_, 1-4. _Foretells his death, and promises them the Comforter_, 5-7. _Points out his operations among the Jews, and in the world_, 8-11. _His peculiar influences on the souls of the disc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:2. _THEY SHALL PUT YOU OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUES_] They will _excommunicate_ you, and consider you as execrable, and utterly unworthy to hold any commerce with God by religion; or with man by civil fellowship. John 9:22, John 9:22. In these excommunications they were spoiled of all their s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:3. _BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE FATHER_] John 15:25, John 15:25. _Ignorance_ of the _benevolence_ of GOD, and of the _philanthropy_ of CHRIST, is the grand fountain whence all religious persecution and intolerance proceed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:4. _AT THE BEGINNING_] I would not trouble you by speaking of these things pointedly at first, when I chose you to be my disciples, but have referred them to the present time, lest you should be discouraged; and now only declare them because it is absolutely necessary that you should b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:5. _NONE OF YOU ASKETH ME, WHITHER GOEST THOU?_] In John 13:3, Peter had asked, _Lord, thither goest thou_? - and Thomas much the same in John 14:5, both of whom had received an answer. But now, at the time when Jesus was speaking this, none of them asked this question, because their h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:7. _IT IS EXPEDIENT - THAT I GO AWAY_] In other places he had showed them the absolute necessity of his death for the salvation of men: see Matthew 20:19; Matthew 26:2; Mark 9:31; Mark 10:33, Luke 9:44; Luke 18:32. This he does not repeat here, but shows them that, by the order of God... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:8. _HE WILL REPROVE_] ελεγξει, He will _demonstrate_ these matters so _clearly_ as to leave no doubt on the minds of those who are simple of heart; and so fully as to confound and shut the mouths of those who are gainsayers. See Acts 2:1, c. _THE WORLD_] The Jewish nation first, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:9. _OF SIN_] Of the sin of the Jews in not receiving me as the Messiah, though my mission was accredited by the very miracles which the prophets foretold: see Isaiah 35:3. This was literally fulfilled on the day of pentecost, when the Spirit was given; for multitudes of Jews were then... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:10. _OF RIGHTEOUSNESS_] Of my _innocence_ and _holiness_, because I go away to my Father; of which my resurrection from the dead, and my ascension to heaven, shall be complete proofs. Christ was treated by the Jews as an _impostor_; as a _magician_; as one _possessed by the devil_; as... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:11. _OF JUDGMENT_] Of the false judgment of the Jews in condemning the Lord Jesus, who, as some think, is intended here by _the ruler of this world_: see John 14:30. Others think that _Satan_ is meant whose usurped power over the world was now to be greatly restrained, and by and by t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:12. _YE CANNOT BEAR THEM NOW._] In illustration of these three points, Christ had many things to say; but he found that his disciples could only bear general truths; yet, in saying what he did, he sowed the _seeds_ of the whole system of theological knowledge, and heavenly wisdom, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:13. _HE WILL GUIDE YOU_] He will consider your feeble infant state; and, as a father leads his child by the hand, so will the Holy Spirit lead and guide you. The _Vulgate_, and some copies of the _Itala_, read, _He will TEACH_ _you all truth_; but this and _more_ is implied in the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:15. _ALL THINGS THAT THE FATHER HATH ARE MINE_] If Christ had not been equal to God, could he have said this without blasphemy? _AND SHOW_ IT _UNTO YOU._] As Christ is represented the _Ambassador_ of the Father, so the Holy Spirit is represented the _ambassador_ of the Son, coming ves... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:16. _A LITTLE WHILE_] He had but a few hours to live. _AND YE SHALL NOT SEE ME_] I shall be hidden from your view in the grave. _AGAIN A LITTLE WHILE_] In three days after my death: _YE SHALL SEE ME_] I will rise again, and show myself to you. Or, As I am going by my ascension to th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:18. _WHAT IS THIS THAT HE SAITH_] They knew from what he had said that he was to die, but knew not what he meant by their seeing him again in a little time.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:20. _YE SHALL WEEP AND LAMENT_] To see me crucified and laid in the grave. _BUT THE WORLD SHALL REJOICE_] The chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and persecuting Jews in general, will triumph, hoping that their bad cause is crowned with success. _BUT YOUR SORROW SHALL BE TURNED INTO J... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:21. _FOR JOY THAT A MAN IS BORN_] ανθρωπος is put here for a _human creature_, whether _male_ or _female_; as _homo_ among the Romans denoted either _man_ or _woman_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _YOUR JOY NO MAN TAKETH FROM YOU._] Or, _shall take away_. Some excellent MSS. and versions read the verb in the _future_ tense. Our Lord's meaning appears to have been this: that his resurrection should be so _completely demonstrated_ to them, that they should never have a doubt concernin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _YE SHALL ASK ME NOTHING._] Ye shall then be led, by that Spirit which guides into all truth, to consider _me_ in the character of _Mediator_ in the kingdom of God, and to address your prayers to the Father _in my name _- in the name of _Jesus_ the _Saviour_, because I have died to _redeem... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _HITHERTO HAVE YE ASKED NOTHING IN MY NAME_] Ye have not as yet considered me the great _Mediator_ between God and man; but this is one of the truths which shall be _more fully revealed_ to you by the Holy Spirit. _ASK_] In my name; and _ye shall receive_-all the salvation ye thus request... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _IN PROVERBS_] That is, words which, besides their plain, literal meaning, have another, viz. a spiritual or figurative one. I have represented heavenly things to you through the medium of earthly. _THE TIME COMETH_] viz. the interval from his resurrection to his ascension, which consiste... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _I SAY NOT UNTO YOU THAT I WILL PRAY THE FATHER FOR_ _YOU_] I need not tell you that I will continue your intercessor: I have given you already so many proofs of my love that ye cannot possibly doubt this: besides, the Father himself needs no entreaty to do you good, for he _loves you_, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _I CAME FORTH FROM THE FATHER_] With whom I existed from eternity in glory. _AM COME INTO THE WORLD_] By my incarnation. _I LEAVE THE WORLD_] By my death. _AND GO TO THE FATHER._] By my ascension. These four words contain the whole economy of the Gospel of man's salvation, and a consumm... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _LO, NOW SPEAKEST THOU PLAINLY_] The disciples received more light now, on the nature of Christ's person and office, than they had ever done before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:30. _NOW ARE WE SURE THAT THOU KNOWEST ALL THINGS_] Is not the following the meaning of the disciples? We believe that thou art not only the _Messiah who camest out from God_, but that thou art that _God_ who _searchest_ the _heart_ and _triest_ the _reins_, and _needest not to be aske... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:31. _DO YE NOW BELIEVE?_] And will ye continue to believe? Ye are now fully convinced; and will ye in the hour of trial retain your conviction, and prove faithful and steady?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:32. _THE HOUR COMETH_] Ye shall shortly have need of all the faith ye profess: ye now believe me to be the _Omniscient_; but ye will find difficulty to maintain this faith when ye see me seized, condemned, and crucified as a malefactor. Yea, your faith will be then so shaken that ye sh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 16:33. _THAT IN ME YE MIGHT HAVE PEACE._] I give you this warning as another proof that I know _all things_, and to the end that ye may look to me alone for peace and happiness. The peace of God is ever to be understood as including all possible blessedness - light, strength, comfort, sup... [ Continue Reading ]