Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (5.2)

The Gospel Of John

John 16:1-33 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Jesus’ Warnings

v.1 In chapter 14 Jesus comforted His disciples, in chapter 15 He admonished them, and in this chapter He predicts what would happen to them. Jesus warns them about persecution and rejection so that when it happened they would not be stumbled, or scandalised (i.e. offended). Today’s preachers often tell their followers that they will have nice easy lives after they become Christians.

v.2 For a Jew to be excommunicated from the synagogue was to be an outcast from Jewish society. He would have no friends, jobs, worship, and burial. It was the worst punishment, aside from the death sentence. Their persecutors would sincerely think that they were doing God service by killing Jesus’ disciples. It is possible to be sincere, and yet be sincerely wrong. [1]

v.3 Though these men serve in God’s house and claim to serve God, they have not known the Father, nor Jesus. [2]

v.4 Jesus did not tell them these things in such details at the beginning when their faith was weak and when they would not yet experience these things. As long as Jesus was with them, he would be the target of persecution rather than His disciples. Jesus warns them now because the time of their persecution was coming shortly, and the shock of persecution would be greatly lessened if they anticipated it. [3]

The Holy Spirit Promised

v.5 The disciples were so depressed by these teachings and how it would affect them (v.6), that they did not care to find out where Jesus was going. Jesus was going back to the Father that sent Him.

v.6 Man is so self-centred that, when sorrow fills his heart, he does not care about others at all.

v.7 Jesus had already told His disciples that they would be better off when He left them. He promised them that He would build them a home (14:2), and they would do greater works (14:12). Now He tells them an important truth, namely, that He will not send the Comforter until He departs. [4]

It was beneficial (i.e. expedient) for them to have the Holy Spirit with them, rather than Jesus’ physical presence because the Holy Spirit could be with each of them all the time, unlike Jesus who could not be with each of them all the time.

v.8 “Reprove” means to convince by arguments and proofs, the way an lawyer does. The Spirit’s mighty works convinces the world of their own sin, of Jesus’ righteousness and of His judgement over Satan. [5]

v.9 The mighty works of the Holy Spirit through Jesus’ disciples after Pentecost convinced men of their sin of not believing on Jesus. The greatest sin that man can commit is to reject Jesus in unbelief.

v.10 The Jews had condemned Jesus as an unrighteous false Messiah, but the fact that He rose from the dead proved that He is the righteous Son of God, who rose from the dead to go to His Father.

v.11 Jesus’ disciples, through the Spirit [6], exorcised demons and preached mightily against the false doctrines of Satan (i.e. the prince of this world). The world was convinced that Jesus, through His Spirit, had judged Satan to be weaker and judged his doctrines to be false.

v.12 Jesus’ disciples has already heard enough surprising “bad news” for the night, and their minds were perplexed and depressed. [7]

v.13 The main work of the Holy Spirit is to guide us unto the truth. [8] Therefore, the Holy Spirit guides us to understand God’s Word because His word is truth (JOH 17:17). Therefore, He is called the Spirit of truth.

The Spirit will not speak of himself, i.e. from Himself. In other words, the truths that He teaches are not His own opinions but are God’s eternal truths (i.e. whatsoever he shall hear from the Father, that shall he speak).

v.14 The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus, rather than Himself. The Charismatic movement glorifies the Holy Spirit, especially the supposed gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, rather than Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit’s mission is that we may preach Christ. On the other hand, many Christians over-react to the Charismatic over-emphasis on the Holy Spirit and go to the other extreme of denying the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives and ministries – and thus loses the power of the Spirit.

v.15 Jesus re-emphasises the unity between the Father, Himself and the Holy Spirit. [9]

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

v.16 In the next few hours (i.e. little while) Jesus would be crucified and buried, and they shall not see Him. However, a little while, and they shall see Him, because I go to the Father, and we shall “see” Him in God’s Word.

v.17 What Jesus said sounded ridiculous to His disciples, because He had told them that He was leaving them, yet He says that the fact that He was going to the Father was the reason why they would see Him! [10]

v.20 [11] Jesus is speaking of His crucifixion – how the disciples would weep and lament and be sorrowful, but the world (especially the Pharisees and Sadducees) would rejoice. However, later when Jesus resurrected the disciples’ sorrow was turned into joy.

v.21 Their sorrow on seeing Jesus crucified would be similar to that of a woman in labour pains (i.e. travail). At the time of labour pains, the woman would be in great agony (i.e. sorrow). However, when her child is delivered her anguish is turned into joy.

v.22 Jesus would see the disciples again when He resurrected, and they would rejoice greatly. Their joy of salvation, through the risen Christ, no man taketh from them.

v.23 The disciples were frightened to ask Jesus any more questions for fear of looking foolish, so Jesus tells them that when He leaves, they would not need to ask any more foolish questions because the Holy Spirit would give them spiritual understanding (v.13). [12]

Prayer Promises

v.24 Prior to Jesus’ finished work at Calvary, the disciples had prayed but not in the name of Jesus because they were not fully aware of who Jesus was. After Calvary, they could ask with certainty because they knew that Jesus was their High Priest interceding for them at the right hand of the Father (HEB 7:25). [13] One of the great comforts of Jesus leaving is that He will be our High Priest in heaven interceding for us.

v.25 Jesus had spoken to them in  parables (i.e. proverbs) up to this point of time, because the events had not yet occurred (eg. Resurrection, Pentecost) and they would not be able to fully comprehend the meanings of them. However, as parables are easily remembered, the disciples could recall them when the events occurred. [14] Also, since they were spiritual “babes,” parables were a more suitable means of teaching them, rather than lectures.

v.26 When Jesus resurrected (i.e. at the day) the disciples would fully realise who Jesus was (i.e., He was the Son of God, the Mediator) and they shall ask in His name. Jesus tells that they He would not pray to the Father, on their behalf, to hear their prayers because that would be unnecessary. The Father would willingly hear any prayers that are asked in Jesus’ name.

v.27 The disciples were fearful to ask from the Father because they were not sure that the Father loved them, but Jesus assures them that because they loved Him and believed that He was the Son, the Father loved them.

v.30 [15] Jesus’ confident revelation of what He would do assures them that He knows all the things that God had planned to do. [16]

v.32 [17] Jesus, as God, saw Judas’ band coming (i.e. is now come). He knew that His disciples would be scattered, every man to his own place. However, He would not be alone, because the Father was always with Him.

v.33 The fulfilment of these prophecies (i.e. things I have spoken) would strengthen their faith that He was the Son of God, and through that faith they would have peace. In the world there shall be tribulations (i.e. pressures). Nonetheless, they were not to be overcome by their pressures because their Lord has overcome the world. [18]

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Footnotes

[1] The most dangerous people are those who are sincerely wrong because they commit their wrong deeds with the greatest zeal, eg. Osama bin Laden.

[2] There are many men who think that they serve God but who in reality do not know Him. Instead they serve themselves, using God, as a cover.  The book of Acts and church history record how Jesus’ predictions have been fulfilled.

[3] Earlier in His ministry He did teach them, in a more general way, that they would suffer persecutions (MAT 5:10-12, 10:16-39).

[4] This does not mean that the Holy Spirit was absent in the Old Testament – no Old Testament saint was ever saved apart form the saving power of the Holy Spirit in his life. However, after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out in an unprecedented way on the church on the day of Pentecost, and He now dwells in them. The disciples had no need of another comforter so long as Jesus was physically with them.

Though the invisible presence of the Holy Spirit in each believer is far better than Jesus’ physical presence on earth, yet many Christians desire Jesus’ presence (to satisfy their curiosity) rather than rejoicing in the Spirit’s indwelling.

[5] The ones who will be reproved are not believers but the world, including unbelievers (v.9). This convincing does not only to the inward conviction of a believer’s heart but also the outward proofs given to the world by the mighty works of the Holy Spirit.

[6] Verses 7 to 11 teach of the Holy Spirit’s work in the world.

[7] Later on, during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, Jesus taught His disciples many lessons when He was continually speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (ACT 1:3). During that time they were more able to understand important truths relating to Jesus’ death and resurrection.

[8] The Spirit will guide us into all the spiritual truth that we need to know at the stage of our spiritual growth. As our minds are limited in the amount of truths that we can absorb and apply, He will not teach truths that are not needful for us at that stage of our spiritual lives. He guides by illuminating our minds to understand God’s Word.

[9] All things that Jesus taught are from the Father (i.e. all things that the Father hath are mine), and all things that the Spirit teaches are from Christ (i.e. he shall take of mine). Verses 12 to 15 teach of the Holy Spirit’s work in the church.

[10] The disciples had asked Jesus so many foolish questions before (13:36, 14:5,8,22) that they were embarrassed to ask Him again, therefore, they said among themselves “What is this that he saith unto us?”

[11]   v.19 Jesus knew that they would soon have the answer to their question, however He gives them an answer to comfort them in their moment of depression.

[12] Jesus then repeats His former promise about prayer (14:13, 15:16) to encourage them to pray. “Whatsoever”  is obviously limited to whatsoever things are good for them.

[13] The word “ask” is better translated “keep on asking.” Christians should pray without ceasing (1TH 5:17) because they need of God’s help never ceases.

Though Jesus was aware of His coming agonies. He was concerned for His disciples and patiently instructed and encouraged them.

[14] During the forty days between His resurrection and ascension (i.e. when the time cometh), Jesus probably taught His disciples more plainly. Also after Pentecost, when they became spiritual “adults” they could be taught in plain language (eg. the epistles).

[15]  v.29 Jesus had promised them that He would soon speak plainly to them (v.25), and His disciples thought that He was already fulfilling His promise.

[16] Furthermore, they knew that Jesus knew their deepest thoughts and that He did not require them to ask questions for Him to guess what was in their minds (i.e. needest not that any man should ask thee). By these two inferences they believed that He came forth from God.

[17]    v.31 The disciples confidently claimed that they believed that Jesus came from God (v.30). Jesus knew that their faith was at best frail (v.32) and says this to check any over-confidence in them.

[18] Jesus gave them an example of a life that overcame sin, pride, fear, worldliness, etc. He also will give them strength through the Holy Spirit to overcome the world as He did. Jesus also would soon overcome the Prince of this world at Calvary by destroying Satan’s dominion over man.