John Chapter 16 - Commentary

1-4   So that you will not stumble....

[1] These things I have told you so you will not fall away.

Crisis is about to fall upon the disciples just as it does to us today. We are pressured to conform to the likeness of this world. Yet, if we adopt the values and lifestyle of the world, if we conform to the world system, God is left without a witness to truth and life and grace. But if we withdraw and cut ourselves off from the world’s people in order to develop separated communities, God is also left without a witness. Only by living in the world—by being involved daily with the men and women around us, by being involved in the issues of our own times and society—can we show the contrast between human ways and God’s ways..

5-15 The Spirit’s Witness

[7]  I must leave

Without Jesus’ departure (crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection), there would be no gospel. In fact, the disciples to more for an absent Lord.

[9]  The world’s sin

Ironically, the coming of the Holy Spirit is demonstration of the world’s rejection of Christ. Had Christ never been crucified, He would still be here – and since the Father sent Him, the world would not be in rebellion against the will of the Father. But the world would not have Him, necessitating a Comforter for us, believers, so we would not be orphans.

“Convict of sin” can be translated from the Greek elenxei, “to present or expose facts, to convince of the truth”. While most people might admit an error, a vice, or even a crime, they will never admit to a sin – yet they willingly deny the existence or Lordship of Christ, which is by Christ’s definition the “sin of the world”.

[10] Righteousness is available

While the Jewish leadership condemned Jesus and assumed He was unrighteous, by His resurrection and return to the Father, He was vindicated. That righteousness that is “available” must be accepted by the believer to be accepted by the Father. Nothing awaits the world now except judgement.

[13] All truth

The Holy Spirit is capable of guiding the believer into all truth. The Greek word  means “completely”. The truth of the scriptures is not partial, but complete. This truth will bring glory to Christ – not the pope, Mary, Joseph Smith, or any other so called prophet.

16-33 I Will Come Again…

[16] In a little while

The only interpretation that fits is Jesus’ reference to His 40 day ministry following His resurrection before ascending to heaven.

[24] Continue Asking

The verb aiteo implies continuous asking in the present tense. No special technology is required to reach the Lord, you don’t even have to speak.

[26] You will ask the Father in My Name.

Now you will not ask of Me but instead ask the Father directly, in My name, and He will hear you and answer. Christ as “The Door” has opened the way directly to the throne room of the Father – for all believers! Remember is Judaism it was frightening to even utter the name of God, now Jesus is telling His disciples to pray/petition directly to God in Jesus’ name. Only children have the privilege to calling someone “Father”, and we have this guarantee.  Ephesians 1:

¹¹In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹²that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. ¹³In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

[33] I Have Overcome the World and in Him we are have conquered death. Romans 8:

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.