John 16 - Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged

3. The discourse on revelation (16:1–33) a. The revelation of rejection (16:1–4)

1–2 In Ch. 16, Jesus reveals to his disciples what they must know to prepare them for their coming mission. He links it with the preceding section of his final discourse by sharpening the warning he has already given them concerning the hatred of the world. He applies this revelation particularly to their local conditions and predicts that they will suffer excommunication from the synagogue and even death (cf. the blind man in 9:22, 34; Lazarus in 12:10). While Jesus was with the disciples, he could shelter and direct them. They must realize, however, that even his resurrection will not be sufficient to convince his enemies to remove the hatred that exists between them and Jesus’ followers.

3 Jesus attributes the action of his foes to ignorance—not the ignorance of intellectual knowledge, but the lack of a personal experience of God and Christ (see comment on 15:21–22). Their attitude is determined by who they think Jesus is and by who they think God is, rather than by actual contact with either. So warped has that attitude become that their contact with Jesus has generated hate for both himself and the Father (15:24; cf. Mt 6:23).

4 It may well be that this particular utterance of Jesus was reported by John because of the pressing need for courage in the church of his day. The Apocalypse indicates a wide break between the church and the synagogue at the end of the first century (Rev 2:9; 3:9); those who professed faith in Jesus were completely disowned by their Jewish compatriots.

b. The revelation of the Holy Spirit (16:5–15)

The time has come for a new revelation. Previously Jesus had been with the disciples to counsel them and answer their questions. Now, in view of his imminent removal, they need someone to take his place. Thus he reveals to them the coming of the Holy Spirit, whom he has already mentioned in the general discourse (14:16–17, 26; 15:26).

5–6 The statement “none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ” seems incongruous in the context of Peter’s question in the earlier part of the discourse (13:36). At that point Peter’s question was casual, and neither he nor the other disciples pressed the issue to ascertain what Jesus’ plans really were. The same thing is true here. There is little concern about Jesus’ future; they are interested mainly in their own future. They are sorrowful because they will lose him, so they make no inquiry about the reasons for his departure nor about the objectives he might wish to attain.

7 Jesus tells the disciples that his separation from them is in their best interest. As long as he is with them in person, his work is localized; once he leaves, it will be impossible to communicate with them equally at all times and in all places. The coming of the “Counselor” (see comment on 14:16–17), therefore, will equip them for a wider and more potent ministry.

8–9 Three major aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit are described in vv.8–15: (1) to the world—conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment (vv.8–11); (2) to the disciples—direction and truth (vv.12–13); (3) to Jesus—revealing him more perfectly to and through those who represent him (vv.14–15).

(1) The key to this first aspect is the word “convict” (GK 1794). The word is a legal term that means to pronounce a judicial verdict by which the guilt of the culprit is defined and fixed. The Spirit not only accuses people of sin, he brings to them an inescapable sense of guilt so that they realize their shame and helplessness before God. This conviction applies to three particular areas: (a) sin, (b) righteousness, and (c) judgment.

(a) The Spirit is the prosecuting attorney who presents God’s case against humanity. He creates an inescapable awareness of sin so that it cannot be dismissed with an excuse or evaded by taking refuge in the fact that “everybody is doing it.” The Spirit’s function is like that of Nathan the prophet, who said to David, “You are the man” (2Sa 12:7), and convicted him of his misdeeds. David acknowledged his sin in a state of complete penitence (2Sa 12:15; Ps 51:4).

The essence of sin is unbelief (v.9), which is not simply a difference of opinion; rather, it is a total rejection of God’s messenger and message. A court can convict a person of murder, but only the Spirit can convict him or her of unbelief. Jesus insists that sin is fundamentally repudiation of his message and his mission.

10 (b) The second area in which the Spirit convicts people is “righteousness” (GK 1466). He enforces the absolute standard of God’s character, to which all thought and action must be compared. Apart from a standard of righteousness, there can be no sin; and there must be an awareness of the holiness of God before a person will realize his or her own deficiency—an infinite gap that humans cannot bridge. The first step toward salvation is the awareness that a divine mediatorship is necessary.

The connection between righteousness and Jesus’ return to the Father is not immediately clear. It should probably be interpreted as meaning that his return to the right hand of God was a complete vindication of all he had done and consequently established him as the standard for all human righteousness. Apostolic preaching conveyed this concept (see Ac 3:14–15). Whereas righteousness had previously been defined by precepts, it now has been revealed in the incarnate Son, who exemplified it perfectly in all his relationships (cf. 1Jn 3:5).

11 (c) Judgment always occurs when an act or thought is evaluated by an absolute principle. When human sin is confronted by the righteousness of Christ, its condemnation is self-evident. In this context “judgment” (GK 3213) refers to the condemnation of Satanic self-will and rebellion through the obedience and love exhibited by Jesus toward the Father. The Cross utterly condemned and defeated the “prince of this world.” Satan is already under judgment; the sentence is fixed and permanent. (For discussion of “the prince of this world,” see comments on 14:30.)

12–13 (2) Jesus tells his disciples directly that his revelation to date is incomplete. They are not sufficiently mature to understand all he wishes to impart. A second function of the Holy Spirit, therefore, will be to “lead” (GK 3842) them into the full comprehension of all he wants them to know. The Spirit will not present an independent message, differing from what they had already learned from him. Rather, they will be led further into the realization of his person and into the development of the principles he has already laid down. They will also be enlightened about coming events. In this promise lies the germinal authority of the apostolic writings, which transmit the revelation of Christ through his disciples by the work of the Holy Spirit.

14–15 (3) The third function of the Spirit is to “glorify” (GK 1519) Christ. His chief purpose is not to make himself prominent but to magnify the person of Jesus. The Spirit interprets and applies the character and teaching of Jesus to the disciples and by so doing makes him central to their thinking and real in their lives.

c. The revelation of Jesus’ reappearance (16:16–24)

16 Jesus’ remark in this verse was obscure to his disciples and is still enigmatic to us. His prediction of disappearance refers to his death, but to what does the second appearance refer? It cannot refer to his coming in the person of the Holy Spirit because he has emphasized the distinction between himself and the Spirit and between their respective ministries. The disciples are confused by his language, both by the concept of his going to the Father and by the time element involved. The best solution seems to be that he was referring to the Resurrection, which would take place “a little while” after he had left them.

17–18 The two problems that vex the disciples are the prediction of disappearance and then reappearance after a short interval, and the concept of “going to the Father” (for the second one, see 14:28). The disciples have not yet established the mental perspective Jesus wishes them to have and are thinking only in terms of the present situation. They therefore hold a consultation among themselves about it; the discourse, in other words, does not proceed as an uninterrupted lecture. Apparently it is a casual conversation with periods of silence on Jesus’ part.

19–22 The subsequent narrative develops the postresurrection period as a time in which the disciples’ fears are quelled, their doubts dispelled, and their commission confirmed. Jesus compares their coming parting to the painful birth of a child, which, when fully accomplished, brings joy. The disciples are disappointed because the kingdom has not come; and they are distressed because of the calamity that is about to overtake Jesus. The “world” will rejoice that he has been removed and will pride itself in a victory, but the disciples will mourn the untimely loss of their leader. In Jesus’ resurrection, however, the conditions will be reversed, and their lamentations will be transformed into joy because he will return to them.

23–24 The verb “ask” (GK 2263) in the phrase “in that day you will no longer ask me anything” means “to ask a question” rather than “to request a favor.” Jesus seems to mean that at his reappearance after the Resurrection the truth of his claims and the status of his person will be self-evident. At that time the disciples will no longer question him as one of their number but will present their petitions to the Father in his name (Cf. 14:13) and will be eligible for the Father’s response to their needs.

d. The revelation of the Father (16:25–33)

25 Jesus had used figurative or parabolic language to the disciples because of their spiritual immaturity. After the Resurrection, however, he will be at liberty to speak plainly about the Father. Little is said in the Gospels concerning the instruction Jesus imparted to the disciples during the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension. However, it is probable that during this period he gave them much of the teaching that was reflected in their later preaching and writing (see Ac 1:3).

26–27 It will be unnecessary for Jesus to make requests on their behalf, for they will be able to present their own petitions. The phrase “in my name [GK 3950]” recurs frequently in this farewell discourse (14:13–14, 26; 16:23–24, 26) and indicates Jesus’ sponsorship of the disciples. Their standing with God will depend on his merits. Because of his work and their relationship to him by faith, they will be able to approach the Father directly with their petitions.

28–30 Jesus’ declaration that he has come from the Father and is about to return to the Father satisfies their inquiry. They feel that he is no longer talking in riddles. Their response to Jesus’ straightforward declaration is a further confession of faith. Their questions have been occasioned by their bewilderment over his figurative language. The direct statement he has just made clarifies their understanding and eliminates the need for further questioning. In the light of that understanding they reaffirm their belief that he has come from God.

31–32 Jesus is skeptical of the firmness of the disciples’ avowed belief, for he knows about their impending failure (already expressed about Simon Peter in 13:37; cf. Mt 26:33–35; Mk 14:29–31; Lk 22:33–34). “You will leave me all alone” reveals Jesus’ disappointment and emotional tension. The sympathy and support of these men, imperfect as they are, means much to him. Nevertheless, his chief resource is the Father, whose purpose he has come to fulfill and by whose power he is able to execute it.

33 Jesus imparts to his disciples the information concerning his death and his provision for them that they might be calm and confident in the face of disillusionment and apparent disaster. “Peace” (GK 1645) reiterates his statement in 14:27. Even in the hour of his greatest suffering he has an unshakable confidence in the victorious purpose of God. Jesus does not overlook the trial that will affect them as well as himself, for that is inevitable in a world alienated from God. He does, however, proclaim victory over it.