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Gospel of John - Chapter 16
- 1 A precautionary warning about the world’s persecution: professed love of God will mask the world’s hate.
Just as Jesus’ hour has come - an hour of glorification which involves suffering - so also the disciples’ hour
will come.
- 2 The disciples are bidden to share in the Lord’s blood both in the eucharistic sense and in the natural sense.
The hour here is that for the disciples’ persecution, not Jesus. Strong sense of sacrifice in the greek - bitter
irony that those who persecute the disciples will think they are serving God, while the persecuted are the
sacrifices. This verse is in the collective plural - not just a few individuals but the community as a whole
will suffer.
- 3 What Jesus has said and done is in sharp contrast with what the opponents of the johannine community do
“because they knew neither the Father nor me”.
- 4 Not necessary to discuss Jesus’ departure followed by persecution earlier, because it was not imminent -
now it is. Said now so that they will remember in the future, and so learn. But the events foretold are now
for this community. How would it feel to know that keeping the commandments would bring one’s hour of
trial nearer? Perhaps the persecution caught the community by surprise, with varying reactions.
- 5 Ignores 13:36 and 14:5. Implies chap 16 different origin. Ignore the swirling time shifts: Jesus speaks
both to “them” and to us.
- 6 Not surprising that talk of Jesus’ coming departure brings disciples grief. Opposite of 15:11. Shift from
“being troubled” to “grief”, perhaps because focus shifted from Jesus’ departure to the disciples’ imminent
danger.
- 7 “It is good for you” - fulfills divine plan. But grief is not appropriate, because his departure is necessary to
assure the coming of the Paraclete. Here Jesus will send the Spirit; in chap 14 it was the Father: the
Paraclete is representative of the Son, just as the Son is representative of the Father. Illustrates that the Son
and the Father are one (10:30). Do we really want to know the true cost of discipleship? Or let it come as a
surprise? “For your benefit” - Cf 11:50. Verse is absolute: they cannot have both Jesus and the Paraclete
simultaneously, not until Jesus has “gone”.
- 8 Focus in 14:26 was Paraclete’s role towards the disciples; here it is role towards the world. Jesus’ return to
the Father will show him to be God’s agent, and thus show that the righteousness of those who condemned
him (7:24) is false. The presence in the community of the divine Paraclete will prove that the world’s
disbelief is sin, that the justice of Jesus’ cause will be shown by Jesus going to his Father in triumphant
righteousness, and that it is the ruler of this world, satan, who has been condemned to defeat by Jesus’ death
(12:32), in that his seeming triumph was pre-judged by God from all eternity. As in chap 14, the first
announcement of the Spirit stresses the legal aspect, although in this trial the paraclete goes on the offensive
as prosecutor. The johannine tradition had turned the “defender” of Israel, Moses, into Israel’s accuser. The
Spirit of truth both a guide for the righteous and the internal operation of the conscience which convicts the
sinner. (Cf 3:20).
- 9 How the Paraclete will convict the world of sin. Various meanings of “convict” in greek summed up in
both showing the world’s wrongness and convincing the world - not just the disciples - of that wrongness.
The forensic nature of the Paraclete’s role: in the forum of the disciples’ conscience he prosecutes the world.
- 10 How the Paraclete will convict the world about justice. Believers do continue to “see” Jesus, but those
who have condemned Jesus (8:21) do not. What the world thinks is justice is not.
- 11 How the Paraclete will convict the world about judgement. Links the false judgements made by the
world to its ruler. Those who seek to kill Jesus are doing the works of their father, the devil. So the
Paraclete will act towards and on behalf of the disciples, just as Jesus did, supporting them in their mission
to the world.
- 12 What is it that they cannot carry away now?
- 13 The Spirit will do even more: he will guide the disciples - as Jesus is the way - by speaking what he hears
- now and in eternity - from Jesus through inspired teachers. What Jesus says in his Father’s eternal realm
is now transmitted to the disciples, in their time. Jesus speaks through the Spirit instead of through the
flesh. Jesus’ earthly departure is a gain, for it enables the glorified Jesus to be present. As in chap 14 there
is a triadic structure: vv 13-15 the Spirit; vv 16-22 Jesus; vv 23 -27 the Father. In this second announcement
of the Spirit, - in both chap 14 and here - his teaching aspect is emphasised. Interpretation of what has
already occurred or been said, not new predictions. “Truth” here means the same as elsewhere in this
gospel: belief in Jesus as the sole revelation of God and the one who speaks the words of God (3:20,33;
8:40,47). “Declare the things that are to come”: perhaps a technical expression meaning explaining the
mysteries of the end-time, not predicting the future (Cf 4:25). “Declaring things to come” is a role reserved
to God - used frequently in Isaiah. What the disciples cannot bear to hear now but will be announced by the
Paraclete starts with “things to come”, as “proof” that the Paraclete will have God’s own authorisation.
- 14 But this teaching is to be nothing new. Jesus received everything from the Father; the Spirit receives
everything from the Son. Author makes it clear that the Paraclete is not the source of new revelation by
insisting that the Paraclete, like Jesus, does not speak “on his own” (7:17-18; 8:28; 14:10).
- 15 Vv 13-15 all end with “will announce to you” parallelling vv 9-11: the Paraclete will convict the world of
sin, justice and judgement BY announcing God’s truth to the disciples, who must bear witness to what they
hear. The disciples are not yet able to “carry” these truths with them, but will be able to do so once Jesus
has been replaced by the Paraclete.
- 16 A new riddle - not “where” is Jesus going, but what does “little while” mean? And after several
references to his going in a little while (mikron), suddenly he says he will then return equally soon. The
disciples will shortly lose Jesus in earthly form, but will soon receive him back again in Spirit.
- 17 So ends the long monologue. The disciples try to tease out Jesus’ meaning. They are totally confused -
as are we still! Their misunderstanding here parallels that in chaps 13-14 by Peter and Thomas. Some
relevant experience is needed - by the johannine community and by us - before Jesus’ words can be
understood. Without the pain of Jesus’ death and the joy of his resurrection, they cannot make much sense
of his words. After those experiences they will understand. And for us, Jesus’ words make more sense and
give God’s encouragement directly to us, to the extent that we go out and witness to the world about sin,
justice and judgement.
- 18
- 19 Jesus’ words repeated a third time - the only such repetition in this gospel. Important. But seeking “with
one another” is not enough to understand - they must go out on mission.
- 20 The first “Amen, Amen” since 14:12. Instead of answering their questions about time, Jesus emphasises
that joy will come from this pain of separation. “weeping” recalls Lazarus, and “wailing” also suggests
death (Cf Lk 23:27). But whose death? Pain is now future - now in 16:6. But suffering will not have the
last word.
- 21 The theme of pain turning into joy is expanded in this chapter to compare the death and resurrection of
Jesus to suggest it is in some ways the birth of the Messiah. (Cf Rev 12:2,5; Isa 26:17-19; Isa 66:7-8,10). Isa
implies both the need to depend totally on God for salvation, and that the resurrection leads to the birth of a
people. The disciples will weep as long as they depend on themselves, but if they accept the Paraclete as
guide their grief will become joy in giving birth to a new people.
- 22 Not seeing and seeing Jesus is linked with the disciples’ own hour. The mother’s pain is because her own
hour has come, not someone else’s. In their natural life Jesus’ absence will be compensated by the presence
of the Paraclete, but when their hour comes, they will rejoin Jesus, with a joyous reunion.
- 23 Again the theme of making requests in Jesus’ name, although here they are granted by the Father. In face
of grief-become-joy, death-become-resurrection, absence-become-presence, focus now on what union with
Jesus means. “On that day” signals Jesus speaks of the time of ultimate revelation - after death questioning
ceases. Asking is what is important, ie aligning one’s will to God’s. Focus is on Jesus’ name, rejected by
the world but the key to the disciples’ friendship with God. Not only have the disciples not asked in Jesus’
name so far in this gospel, they have not even used his name since 1:45. Is there an element of respect here?
Do they see Jesus as an elevated Lord, detached, rather than as a friend, who will help and support them? As
we do, asking Mary and Saints to intercede for us, rather than asking Jesus directly. Not good if done from
fear. John urges us to use Jesus’ name directly, and so show our friendship with him.
- 24 The new relationship with the Father will enable the disciples to approach him confidently in prayer.
V.24b again emphasises the joyous consequences of asking, balancing 15:11 and surrounding the grief of
16:6. Pain in the middle but joy at beginning and end.
- 25 A rare reflection on the mode of speech. On that day of birth the time of veiled language will be over; the
time of direct petition to the Father will begin for those who love Jesus and believe in him. Jesus promises a
plain revelation of the Father. No parallel to this in chap 14. The announcement that Jesus has spoken in
“proverbs” but that this mode will cease soon challenges the disciples (and us) to reconsider what has been
said. Could refer to whole gospel, but more likely to refer to a particular aspect of Jesus’ speech that is
especially difficult to understand, Cf a rare use of “proverbs” in OT: Sir 39:1-4, 11: suggests that the
disciples, like the scribes, and assisted by the Spirit, are to shape themselves in accordance with God’s will,
and meditate on these obscure words in order to be united with Jesus and his Father. Suggested that these
difficult sayings are the “ego eimi” statements, which in John’s gospel parallel the parables of the synoptics.
And there are no more “ego eimi” statements in this gospel, apart from the identity of 18:5,8. The hour is
then a time for speaking openly. Then everything which had been spoken in proverbs will become clear.
- 26 At that time their intimacy with the Father will become forged in a new way. Jesus will no longer ask on
their behalf, because they can ask directly, as friends - phileo for now, because not yet sacrificed their lives
to make their friendship agape, but phileo is enough. Note the word-chain: ask - Father (v 26); Father -
friendly (27a); friendly - I came out from the Father (27b); I came out from the Father - come into the world
(28a); leaving the world - going to the Father (28b) (Cf 3:12-21). A mnemonic to help the community
remember what Jesus told them.
- 27 Jesus stresses the reward of the intimate love which the Father has for those who love his Son, Jesus.
- 28 A much clearer statement of his departure than in 14:28. A parabolic structure to summarise Jesus’
journey: out from the Father, into the world, out of the world, back to the Father.
- 29 No parallel to vv 29-30 in chap 14. The disciples finally seem to understand. But they do not understand
how he is to depart and be glorified. (Cf 13:36-37). They cannot understand until they have experienced the
pain. How much we would like to proclaim our understanding without having to face the reality of the
cross? This rare use of the disciples speaking collectively highlights a prime barrier to discipleship.
- 30 Believe because Jesus anticipated their question in v 19. Naively the disciples think they have the full
understanding that is the climax of “the hour” of Jesus’ death and resurrection and ascension, but the only
part of the hour that is at hand for them is their share in the passion. It is not the hour of understanding but
of scattering.
- 31 Rightly questions whether they really understand what they say they believe.
- 32 In response to the disciples’ affirmation of belief, Jesus gives a final warning not to be surprised that they
will be scattered (Cf Zech 13:7), leaving him abandoned by all except his Father. The hour is at hand.
Although in this gospel the disciples are not shown as scattered (19:26-27; 20:19; but see also 21:1-14).
Although Jesus is the shepherd and they the sheep, it is not the hired help who abandons the sheep (10:12),
but the sheep who will abandon him. Although the shepherd will take of his own (10:3-4), the disciples will
retreat into their own. They will be tested - are they part of the world’s “own” who will welcome them back
- Jesus own “who did not receive him” (1:11), or will they become Jesus’ lovers (agape) willing to lay down
their lives their friends and for him? Parallels the testing of Peter (13:37-38) by confronting their false claim
of understanding with the brutal reality of the choice that will face them. But Jesus will not be alone, the
Father is with him, and he could complete his mission without the disciples (?) The word for suffering is
almost technical, meaning in OT the tribulation that is to precede God’s action to bring about his reign (EG
Dan 12:1; Zeph 1:14-15; Hab 3:16). The disciples’ suffering is to bring about the reign of God, the
messianic age that Jesus can proclaim and introduce, but only the disciples can live out and make fully real.
That is the peace that Jesus offers, a world where friendship and love replace violence and lies. The road to
it is difficult, as many peacemakers can testify. But the victory is already won. These final words to his
confused, struggling community are of courage - success is assured.
- 33 They will suffer, but only in Jesus is peace to be found. Take courage, the glorified Jesus has already
overcome the world. Cf 14:27, 29. Jesus’ revelation of God’s love is the foundation of Christian unity.
Christians following this ideal face a hostile world in which their faithfulness only survives if they remember
its source and persist in praying for the guidance of the Spirit necessary to achieve mutual love and unity. “I
have conquered the world” is a more resounding climax/ending than 14:30. The crucifixion is not a victory
for Jesus’ opponents, nor should the disciples’ persecutions be seen as a sign of defeat.
- Overall the similarities between chaps 14 and 16 are very many - too many to be accidental.