John 16)
1 These things have I spoken to you, in order that you should not be offended. (Lit. scandalized, to stumble. Do it God's way.)
2 They will put you out of the synagogues (= make you excommunicated. See Acts 26:9): yea, the time comes, that whosoever kills you will think that He is presenting an offering to God. (You wont be popular in the churches. They will try to kill your message)
3 And these things will they do, because they knew not the Father, nor Me. (They are ignorant)
4 But these things have I told you, that when their hour shall have come (i.e. the time of the things of vv. 2,3), you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not to you from the beginning, because I was with you. (Preparing them for the Comforter.)
W L 5-. Return to the Father.
M N -5,6. Disciples. Silence and Sorrow.
O 7. Promise of Holy Spirit to disciples.
N 8-11. Mission of Holy Spirit to the World.
O 12-15. Mission of Holy Spirit to the Disciples.
L 16. Return to the Father.
M P 17,18. Disciples. Inquiry.
Q 19-28. The Lord's Answer.
P 29,30. Disciples. Certainty.
Q 31-33. The Lord's Answer.5 But now I am going away (i.e. withdrawing) to Him that sent Me; and no one out of you asks me, Where do You go? (They did not grasp the expediency of His going. So questioning had given place to sorrow. All else was excluded by the distress caused by "the things" foretold.)
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. (They cant get past the death. They don't talk about the joy after. That's when life begins)
7 But I tell you the truth; It is profitable for you that I go away (i.e. openly. He's got to pay the price to stop blood sacrifice. Up until this time, repentance was not available.): for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And having come, He will convict the world concerning sin (and convince, i.e. bring in guilty), and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me; (The mission of the Holy Spirit was to bring the world in guilty in regard to 3 things: [1] SIN. In God's sight sin is refusal to believe the Gospel concerning His Son [1 John 5:10]. The Jews regarded only moral offenses [as men do today] and infractions of the ceremonial law and the traditions of the elders [Matt. 15:2.] as sin. [2] RIGHTEOUSNESS. Here also God's standard and man's differ. The Jews regarded the punctilious Pharisee [Luke 18:11,12] as the ideal. The only righteous One, whose standard was the will of God [8:29. Heb. 10:7], was rejected and crucified, and now in righteousness was removed from the earth, the seal of the Father's approval being put upon Him by Resurrection. In Him Who is made unto us righteousness [1 Cor. 1:30], the Divine standard is revealed [Rom. 1:17]. [3] JUDGMENT. For the prince of this world has been already judged [12:31] and sentenced, and before long the sentence will be executed [[Rom. 16:20)
10 Of righteousness (this is the good side), because I go to My Father, and you behold Me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged. (Past tense - Ezek. 28:18,19)
12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (You're not ready yet)
13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, shall have come, He will lead the way for you into all the truth (i.e. all the truth necessary for His people from Ascension to Descension; the truth concerning the Pentecostal Church, the blessed hope of His return, and the mystery or secret of the Body of Christ, yet to be revealed to Paul): for He shall not speak from Himself; but whatsoever things He will hear, that shall He speak: and He will tell you of the coming things. (You have to study to see those things. He will not hide it from you.)
14 He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall tell it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine: on account of this said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall tell it to you.
16 A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and you shall see Me, because I go to the Father." (He will be in the tomb, then Resurrection, then in the millennium.)
17 Therefore said some of His disciples to one another, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and you shall 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 says."
Q R 19-22. Departure and Return.
S 23,24. Their prayer in that day.
T 25-. Speaking no longer in parables.
T -25. Speaking plainly.
S 26,27. Their prayer at that.
R 28. First Coming and Departure.
19 Jesus knew that they were wishing to ask Him, and said to them, "Do you inquire with one another of that I said, A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me? (He reads minds. The only One that can. That's why you can pray silently.)
20 Verily, verily, I say to you, That you shall weep and lament They are going to weep for themselves as well as Him), but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 The woman (in conjunction with the Hebraism: "in that day", indicates the woman [wife] of Rev. 12. The time is the time of Jacob's trouble [Jer.30:7], the birth-pangs [sorrows, Matt. 24:8] which will result in the birth of the new Israel, the nation of Isa. 66:8 and Matt. 21:43) when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, on account of joy that a man was born into the world. (Crucifixion the sins forgiven.)
22 And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one takes from you. (Do not let anyone take your joy from you.)
23 And in that day (the use of this important Hebraism in connection with the woman of v. 21 shows that it refers to Israel and has nothing to do with the Church. The promise as to "asking in My name" was fulfilled as long as the offer of restoration on condition of national repentance continued; when that offer was withdrawn [Acts 28:28], the promises [and "gifts"] were withdrawn also. They will be renewed "in that day".) you shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say to you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you. (According to His will)
24 Until now asked you nothing in My name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled. (Pray to Father in Jesus' name)
25 These things have I spoken to you in proverbs: but an hour comes, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall tell you plainly of the Father. (Look forward to Pentecost day as you will in the future.)
26 In that day you shall ask in My name: and I say not to you, that I will pray the Father concerning you:
27 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from beside God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (If you've seen the Father, you've seen the Son. See Gen. 1:26,27. He was finished here [i.e. this earth-age] for now.)
29 His disciples say, "Lo, now speak You plainly, and speak no proverb. (They understand. Before, they were murmuring amongst themselves.
30 Now we know that You know all things, and need not that any one should ask You: in this we believe that You came forth from God."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?"
32 Behold, an hour comes, yes, is come, that you shall be dispersed, each man to his own [home], and shall leave Me alone: and I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace (of mind). In the world you shall have tribulation (they will question you): but be of good cheer; I have conquered the world.