John 16

In John 16, Jesus continues His farewell discourse to the disciples, preparing them for the trials they will face after His departure. He warns of persecution, promises the coming of the Holy Spirit as their Comforter and Helper, and speaks of the joy that will follow their sorrow. Jesus also encourages them to have peace in Him, even as they face tribulations in the world. This chapter emphasizes the disciples' need for strength, hope, and faith as they carry on His mission.

John 16:1-4 (NKJV)
1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.
4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

Jesus warns His disciples of the persecution they will face to prevent them from losing faith. He explains that some people will believe they are serving God by persecuting them, showing the depth of misunderstanding about God’s true nature. Jesus mentions these trials now because His physical presence, which previously protected them, is about to end. His forewarning serves to strengthen their faith, reassuring them that He understands what is coming and that they are not alone.

John 16:5-7 (NKJV)
5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure, explaining that it is necessary for Him to go so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, can come. His ascension to the Father allows Him to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit, which He then pours out on His followers (as seen in Acts 2). Through the Spirit, Jesus’ presence and power become omnipresent, no longer limited by physical constraints. The Comforter represents the non-corporeal and personal presence of Jesus and the Father, enabling believers to experience His guidance, teaching, and empowerment wherever they are. This was essential for the disciples to fulfill their mission, as the Spirit would continue Christ’s work, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment while reminding and strengthening the disciples in all truth. Jesus’ departure, therefore, was not a loss but a vital step to expand His presence and ministry globally through the Spirit.

John 16:8-11 (NKJV)
8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

The Holy Spirit’s role includes convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He will reveal the sin of unbelief in Jesus, demonstrate true righteousness through Jesus’ ascension, and confirm that judgment has come upon Satan, the ruler of this world. Through this conviction, the Spirit works to bring people to repentance and faith, helping them recognize their need for salvation and the reality of God’s righteousness and justice.

John 16:12-15 (NKJV)
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will reveal further teachings the disciples are not yet ready to understand. The Spirit will continue Jesus’ work by disclosing divine truth and future events, leading the disciples into a deeper understanding of God’s will. The Spirit’s purpose is to glorify Jesus by conveying His message, and in doing so, the Spirit strengthens the disciples' relationship with both the Son and the Father.

John 16:16-22 (NKJV)
16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”

Jesus speaks of His imminent death and resurrection, which will bring sorrow to the disciples while the world rejoices. However, He assures them that their grief will turn to joy when they see Him again after His resurrection. Using the analogy of a woman in labor, Jesus describes how temporary suffering gives way to lasting joy. This promise of unshakeable joy reassures the disciples of the hope and renewal that will come despite the pain they will soon experience.

John 16:23-28 (NKJV)
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.
26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

Jesus reassures His disciples that after His ascension, they will have direct access to the Father through His name. They will no longer need to ask Jesus to intercede directly, as the Father Himself loves them because they have loved and believed in Jesus. In verse 28, Jesus emphasizes that He came forth from the Father, using the Greek word exēlthon (G1831), meaning "brought forth" or "came out from," signifying that He came out from God's own substance. This aligns with Proverbs 8, which poetically describes Wisdom as being begotten or brought forth from God before creation, pointing to Jesus as the divine Son who shares the essence of the Father. This passage highlights the intimate relationship between the Father, the Son, and believers, where Jesus’ mission allows them to approach God directly with confidence and love.

John 16:29-33 (NKJV)
29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!
30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The disciples express their belief that Jesus has come forth from God, using the Greek word exēlthes (G1831), which signifies being brought forth or proceeding out of God's own substance, as described in Proverbs 8. They acknowledge that Jesus speaks plainly, affirming their faith in His divine origin. Jesus responds by gently questioning the depth of their faith, foretelling their scattering in the face of His arrest, leaving Him alone—yet not truly alone, as the Father is with Him. He assures them that despite the trials they will face, they can have peace in Him. Jesus’ victory over the world gives them courage and hope, demonstrating that His divine mission, rooted in His relationship with the Father, ensures ultimate triumph over sin and its consequences.