John 16 - Life Application Study Bible

16:1-16 In his last moments with his disciples, Jesus (1) warned them about further persecution; (2) told them where, when, and why he was going; and (3) assured them that they would not be left alone but that the Spirit would come. Jesus knew what lay ahead, and he did not want the disciples’ faith shaken or destroyed. God wants you to know you are not alone. You have the Holy Spirit to comfort you, teach you truth, and help you.

16:2 Not many years after Jesus said these words, Saul (also known as Paul), under the authority of the high priest, went through the land hunting down and persecuting Christians, convinced that he was doing the right thing (Acts 9:1-2; 26:9-11).

16:5 Although the disciples had asked Jesus about his death (13:36; 14:5), they had never wondered about its meaning. They were mostly concerned about themselves. If Jesus went away, what would become of them?

16:7 Unless Jesus did what he came to do, we would have no Good News. If he did not die, he could not remove our sins; he could not rise again and defeat death. If he did not go back to the Father, the Holy Spirit would not come. Jesus’ presence on earth was limited to one place at a time, but his leaving meant he could be present to the whole world through the Holy Spirit.

16:8-11 To convict means “to convince,” “to expose the facts,” or “to refute or cross-examine.” Three important convicting tasks of the Holy Spirit are (1) convincing people of their sinfulness to prepare them to seek repentance and God’s mercy; (2) revealing the standard of God’s righteousness to anyone who believes, because Jesus is no longer physically present on earth; and (3) demonstrating Jesus’ authority over Satan and his ultimate judgment and defeat of all evil. This conviction can convince us that what Jesus promises will come true and give us courage to live out our faith in a fallen world.

16:9 According to Jesus, not believing in him is a sin.

16:10-11 Jesus’ death on the cross made a personal relationship with God available to us. When we confess our sin, God declares us righteous and delivers us from judgment for it.

16:13 The Holy Spirit guides us to see the truth about Jesus Christ—who he is and what he came to do for us. The Spirit also helps us, through patient practice, to discern right from wrong. (See Hebrews 5:14 and 1 John 2:20 for more on discernment.)

16:13 Jesus said the Holy Spirit would tell them “about the future”—the nature of their mission, the opposition they would face, and the final outcome of their efforts. They didn’t fully understand these promises until the Holy Spirit came, after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then the Holy Spirit revealed truths to them that they wrote down in the books that now form the New Testament.

16:16 Jesus was referring to his death, now only a few hours away, and his resurrection three days later.

16:20 What a contrast between the disciples and the world! The world rejoiced as the disciples wept, but the disciples would see Jesus again—in three days—and rejoice. The world’s values are often the opposite of God’s values. This can cause us to feel like misfits. But even if life seems difficult now, one day we will rejoice. Keep your eye on the future and on God’s promises!

16:23-27 Jesus is talking about a new way to relate to God. Previously, only priests could stand in the presence of God in the Most Holy Place. After Jesus’ resurrection, any believer could experience the presence of God anywhere. A new day has dawned, and now all believers are priests, talking with God personally and directly (see Hebrews 10:19-23). We approach God not because of our own merit but because Jesus, our great High Priest, has made us acceptable to God.

16:30 The disciples believed Jesus’ words because they were convinced that he knew everything. But their belief was only a first step toward the great faith they would receive when the Holy Spirit came to live in them.

16:31-33 As Christians, we should expect continuing tension with an unbelieving world that is out of sync with Jesus’ values and often bitterly hostile to him, his Good News, and his people. Some will face only astonishment or ridicule for what they believe. Others will face imprisonment and even martyrdom. But whatever we face, we can depend upon our relationship with Jesus to produce peace and comfort because we are in sync with him.

16:32 The disciples scattered after Jesus was arrested (see Mark 14:50). Jesus accepted their statement of faith even though he knew their weakness. He knew they would have to grow into people whose words and lives matched even to the point of death. He takes us through the same process. How well are you living out what you say you believe about Jesus?

16:33 Jesus summed up all he had told them this night, tying together themes from 14:27-29; 16:1-4; and 16:9-11. With these words he told his disciples to take courage. Despite the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.