John 16: 12 – 33
Okay Kid, It’s Your Turn
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. 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. 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.” 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.”
I enjoy sports especially football [the American game not soccer]. I was channel surfing one evening watching some pre-season games. In fact there were 7 games on. Of interest to me was the Chicago Bears against the Denver Broncos. Chicago had drafted a quarterback from North Carolina who they reported would probably not play in the game that evening. With about two minutes left in the half however the coach changed his mind and went over to this rookie an told him, ‘Okay kid, it’s your turn. Let’s see what you got.’ To the delight of the NFL and especially to the fans in Chicago he came in and took his team down the field for a touchdown. They kept him in to start the 3rd quarter where he did extremely well. It looks like the Bears have found themselves a diamond in the rough so they took a protective role in this potential star and sat him down for the 4th quarter.
In this chapter our Lord Jesus is also going to challenge His team to go into His field. It was now their turn to exercise everything He had taught them.
The home team fans love their players. But this is not a shocker that other teams and their fans dislike or may I say, ‘hate’ the successful team. Our Great Master and coach tells His team ‘these things have I spoken to you’. That is, the warnings of the hatred they will experience and the promise of the Spirit they will receive to help them. Even though they are rookies they have the best coach alongside to guide them to victory (15.18-27).
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
The disciples’ assignments were to be in the offensive starting line up to take the Good News to all the world and make disciples of all nations. The natural thought of the preacher of the Gospel is that his message is so wonderful that none can refuse it, and it can initially come as a shock when that is not so. But what they had yet to recognize was the evil in men’s hearts which comes to the forefront when they are faced with the truth. It was a necessary warning. In view of what was to happen in the future they might well, without this warning, have begun at times to wonder whether God’s hand was at work after all.
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.
When The Holy Spirit comes He will guide the disciples into all truth. For that is what He Is, the Spirit of Truth. I would say that this special promise in its full significance is not only for the Apostles but for all of us as well. All spiritual truth in its entirety will be revealed to them, the truth about God, the truth about Christ, the truth about His ways and purposes. In their faithful obedience guided by the Holy Spirit they will report this truth in writing. Then, in all its fullness we now have it all available to us in our bibles. It is up to us to tap into this wisdom while seeking the Holy Spirit’s help in its applications.
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.”
The Lord Jesus is letting them know His upcoming amazing itinerary. He is departing from them and in human terms they will not see Him again after the following day. But shortly afterwards they will see Him for He will rise again and they will see Him face to face as the glorified Christ, and from then on The Holy Spirit will reveal Him continually to them as such. Unfortunately, neither they nor I think we also would be able to put everything together in our minds of the events that would unfold as we read in the following verses.
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.”
We see that our Lord Jesus’ words have caught the attention of the disciples and they now talk over with each other some of what He has said. First he speaks of going to the Father and being seen no more (v.10). Then He speaks of not being seen and then being seen (v.16). What on earth can He mean? They are genuinely puzzled. But in fear of being rebuked or shown to be stupid they do not ask Him what this all means.
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.
Isn’t it amazing that the Lord knows everything we think. Isn’t that also scary? He knew they were confused and wanted to know more of what the Lord was saying but were afraid to ask. So again will give them a picture of what is going to happen emotionally to them.
They will experience a great sorrow which will turn into joy when they discover that they have not lost Him after all but have gained something far greater. At first they will weep and the world will rejoice because of what is about to happen to Him, for He will be snatched away from them and will be put to death, and they will fall into despair. But their gloom will be turned into joy for they will see Him again and then they will be filled with a joy that nothing can alter.
The illustration He uses is telling and vivid, while at the same time being commonplace. As men they may not have been present at births but they would certainly know all about it. A woman in labor suffers great pains and begins to ask whether it is all worth it. And she often cries out in her pain. Indeed she can go into despair. But once the birth takes place it is all forgotten because of the joy of what follows. And that, says Jesus, is how it will be with them.
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.
Up to now The Lord Jesus has been the source of all their understanding, of all their learning, and has provided for all their needs. When they have had a question they have come to Him. When they have needed anything they have looked to Him. But now it is no longer Him to Whom they will come. Instead they will directly approach the Father through the Holy Spirit.
When they need help in their ministry, and especially when they need help in understanding God and His ways, they can ask the Father and He will give it to them. The Spirit will take of what are Christ’s and the Father’s and will declare it to them. Jesus Is now leaving them and He Is seeking to direct their thoughts and attention to the Father. From now on it is to Him that they should look. All the supplies of Heaven are now available to them.
The promise may be seen as inclusive of other things than just the wisdom and understanding that comes from God, but, in so far as it is, it is directed towards the fulfillment of their ministry. This is no blanket promise that any Christian can have whatever he wants. It is the promise that as they seek to fulfill their service to Him and in His name, they can receive from Him and in His name all that is needed.
These were dedicated men who thought only of fulfilling the Master’s will and the promise is given in that light. When we take these words and apply them to our own selfish needs we make light of them. When we pray seeking something for ourselves we are not praying ‘in His name’, we are asking in our own name, whatever the words we use. It is when we seek His help in making us more fit to serve Him and seek strength from Him in fulfilling His work that we are going in His name. This is brought out in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’
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.
The Lord Jesus’ words here are looking from the disciples’ viewpoint. It is they who see all He has said to them as a mystery, not the fact that He has not spoken plainly. It has all been so new and so revolutionary that they have not been able to grasp it. However, He says, they may be puzzled now but one day soon all will be made plain to them. The Holy Spirit will illuminate their minds. They will learn the Father’s plans and understand His ways, in so far as it is possible for man.
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.
This verse for ever puts to an end the claim that we need Mary or the Saints who have died to pray for us. Indeed it tells us that even the intercession of our Master and King Jesus is not strictly necessary for those who are committed to Him, because the Father loves them so much.
Of course The Lord Jesus will discuss us with the Father, but not because the Father needs persuading of anything. And He will carry out His High Priestly intercession, applying His work of atonement and sanctification to His people, a work which no other can do. But receiving answers to prayer for assistance in their work for Him do not require His intercession because of the direct interest of the Father in their work.
28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
Our Lord Jesus here reiterates what He has said again and again, but this time it will strike home with more force. Firstly that He has come from the Father into the world (sent by the Father), having left behind the glory which had been His before the world was (17.5) and secondly that He is about to leave the world and go to His Father to once again experience that Glory. This is His summing up of His life on earth, a parenthesis between two eternities. He Who was the Lord of Glory had divested Himself of His Glory and humbled Himself for a time, entering servitude and becoming man (Philippians 2.6-7). He had taken the lower place, made lower than the angels (Hebrews 2.9). In status He had demeaned Himself so that for that period He could say, ‘My Father Is greater than I’. Now He goes to be restored to His former Glory. What the disciples do not realize at this time is that it will be by way of humiliation and the cross.
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.”
Their response is understandable. The truth is that no one likes to be told that they do not understand. So they begin to put on pretence of understanding, and to save their own self-respect even convinced themselves that they did. The disciples had not liked being told that they saw all things as parables. They liked to think that they really did understand things, unlike those others. Their pride demanded that they tell The Lord Jesus that now at last they understood. So they seized on His current words and told Him that now they could suddenly understand what He meant.
Please take note how our Lord Jesus immediately righted their wrong remarks. He did it gently by referring to belief rather than understanding. He did not want to humiliate them. But He knew that the greater their self-confidence the greater the spiritual collapse when their belief was all revealed within the next few days to be totally wrong. [Like Peter displayed and then ultimately denied even knowing the Lord]
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.
Our Lord Jesus calms their enthusiasm by having them face up with the truth. He wants them to realize that their faith is not as strong as they think it is. They think that now they truly believe in what He Is, but this is not true, for shortly they will desert Him for the safety of their homes and friends, leaving Him strictly alone. Yet in a strange way this will later be a source of comfort. They will be disappointed in themselves but they will be aware that He knew all the time what they would do and loved them still.
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.”
His purpose in all that He has said is so that in the end they will have peace. As they think back and remember all He said and all that has happened their assurance and confidence will grow and peace will fill their hearts. And especially He wants them to have confidence in the fact that the world will not win. It is God Who will win. For by His sacrifice of Himself He has overcome the world and all that it stands for.
Tribulation is the Christian’s lot because we are at enmity with the world’s ways. The word means ‘distress brought by outward pressure’. Its purpose though is good as the apostle Paul teaches us in his letter to the Romans in chapter 5 verses 1 through 5 for it produces patient endurance, leading to experience which results in hope for the future.
“1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
