Pressing On in the World

Time on earth for Jesus is running short. As He finishes this very personal time with the disciples, they experience the last few moments of tranquility. This would soon give way to anguish in Gethsemane, injustice during prosecution, cruel ridicule, and brutal scourging, followed by suffering and death by crucifixion. Yet, despite His own desire for comfort and encouragement, Jesus comforted and encouraged His followers.

1. A Prediction and Promise of Resurrection!, 16:16.

There is in verse 16 a negative followed by a positive, all to happen in a short time span: a little while.

Negatively, they will not see Him – referring most likely to His crucifixion death and burial.

Positively, they will see Him in a little while –His bodily resurrection and 40 days on earth before His ascension; potentially looking to the Spirit’s continual indwelling of believers in Christ – In the gospel, seeing God is seeing the Father through the Son in the Spirit, a possible connection Jesus may be making of the disciples participation in Him by the Holy Spirit after His departure and the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost.

2. A Confused Reaction by the disciples, 16:17-18.

There is in verses 17 and 18 a sharing of confusion. The disciples do not understand the nature of this sight, nor its connection to His departure. It seems that the primary issue of confusion for the disciples is the phrase, “a little while.” They are really trying to understand the exact nature of the provision Jesus has promised them as their hour of persecution approaches. So, Jesus will make Himself clearer to His disciples. His explanation is both important and comprehensive in regard to what He is about to inaugurate.

3. A Prediction and Promise: Fullness of joy is permanently ours through Christ, 16:19-24.

Note that Jesus repeats their focus of concern. By doing so, He is acknowledging their confusion and doubt. Then He starts to clarify, using “Truly, truly” to draw attention to the truth He is presenting them.

First we will note the conflict of the world with the children of God. “Weep and lament” is emphatic, a phrase used in context for mourning over the dead. The cause of this will be the death of Christ – they will grieve but the world will rejoice. They will experience real grief but with a reversal; Their weeping and lamenting because of death and loss will become the source of their joy. It is Jesus’ real death which is the necessary precondition for real life.

The judgment and death of Christ is the judgment and death of the world (of sin and rebellion against God). The resurrection of Christ is a resurrection (transformation) for the children of God, a resurrection of life in the Spirit until they are finally received by Christ into the heavenly life He has prepared for them, as He said in John 14:1-6

John 14:1–6 NASB95

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. “And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

The illustration Jesus uses is comparative; a woman in labor experiences real, strong pain when her hour has come. This affliction of pain is due to the curse from Genesis 3, yet it will be a short-lived affliction once the child arrives, when real joy takes the place of real pain. The pain becomes but a memory as the birth of a child into the family/world. Compare this to the days surrounding Easter: the day of crucifixion can only be called “Good Friday” because of “Resurrection Sunday!”

Jesus explains that because the disciples are participating in the life of the Son of God, they are already experiencing grief. He has promised them that He will see them again—His resurrection and His continuing presence with and in them by the Holy Spirit will be theirs. The placement of all grief and suffering are to be seen in the larger context of the death and resurrection of Christ. The innermost part of the disciples/believers will rejoice at Christ’s victory. This joy will be definitive and permanent – no one takes our joy from us!

In that day, Jesus says we will not ask Jesus for information [“question Me”]. Why? Using the “Truly, truly” emphatic emphasis we can ask the Father directly, i.e., we have direct access to the Father mediated by Christ. “Ask in My name” is essentially asking on the merit of Christ’s Person and work. Cf. John 14:13-14

John 14:13–14 NASB95

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

We see Jesus answering prayers.

Now we are told to “ask” the Father; that is “to solicit His favor, to ask for help in our time of need” and the Father Himself will answer our prayer because we have asked based on the merit of Christ. We can now participate in the life of the Triune God, praying to the Father through the Son and In the Spirit. And when we pray, we are promised to receive what we need so that we will be filled with joy. Cf. 1 John 1:6-7

1 John 1:6–7 NASB95

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

4. A Prediction and Promise: An Unhindered Love Relationship with the Father is ours in Christ, 16:25-28.

Here Jesus is refocusing their attention to “an hour [that] is coming.” Jesus has been speaking circumspectly with His disciples, careful not to reveal too much. But Jesus promises that soon He will speak plainly to them. This may point to the forty days following His resurrection but also draws us to what we know of the work of the Holy Spirit, the One who will guide believers in all truth. Note this however: Jesus never ceases be the teacher! John 16:13-14

John 16:13–14 NASB95

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Now, His teaching is facilitated by the Holy Spirit. It is only by the ministry of the Holy Spirit that believers cand receive fully the words of Jesus and the truth about God, cf. 1 Cor. 2:14

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB95

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

“In that day” – even the guidance of the Spirit is done through Jesus’ mediation and authority – “you will ask in My name. But note the following statement. It points out that the Father Himself loves us so when we ask we do not have to hope for an answer but by asking on Jesus’ merit we can ask the Father…fellowship with God the Father is restored through Christ. We have loved the Son, believing He is the Messiah who came forth from the Father. The word “from” used here is para, which in this context cares the idea of authority, and sometimes with the idea of commission. Jesus came forth with authority as part of God’s plan to provide salvation for the world, but only enacted in those who have received Christ by faith. These have loved Jesus; the Father reciprocates that Love on the merit of Jesus.

Verse 28 seems to say the same thing as the end of verse 27. There is a different nuance here, emphasized by the different term also translated as “from.” This is the preposition ek, which implies that the source is “from within” and carries the idea of the nature of a person or thing. Jesus came from the Father, revealing His nature to the world. This is Jesus stating His origin.

Jesus has “come into the world” speaks to His incarnation. The third phrase, “I am leaving the world again” speaks to His crucifixion. Then finally, He is “going to the Father” speaks to His ascension. These four phrases in verse 28 constitute four essential doctrines of faith regarding Jesus Christ. There will be a fifth one amidst the statement of the disciples that follows.

5. A revelation of self-assurance by the disciples, 16:28-29.

The disciples now say Jesus is speaking plainly. They claim to “now” know He was from God what they are saying is true – but incomplete, for they did not have the clarity that the Spirit of God’s ministry of illumination would bring. Is “now” here “in that day”? Jesus is pointing to something not now, but soon so that they will understand, to know the ramifications of the truths Jesus has been teaching.

In verse 30, the last phrase is another occurrence of a Greek word translate “from” in the NASB. It is the Greek preposition apo, carrying the idea of separation. Jesus, who was once in the company of God has now been separated from God. This implies Jesus pre-existed with God — His deity. What they said, even if expressing incomplete knowledge, is true. However, it did not sustain them in the hours immediately following. Jesus gives another prediction and promise.

6. A Prediction and Promise: Our Peace comes through belonging to Christ who overcame the world, 16:30-33.

Jesus begins in verse 30 by puncturing the disciples’ own self-assurance. It is as if He says, “After 3 ½ years, you get it Now?” With the phrase “Behold,” Jesus is predicting that things are in motion at this very moment, and when they come to fruition will scatter every disciple, leaving Jesus alone by Himself, as prophesied in Zechariah 13:7

Zechariah 13:7 NASB95

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones.

In the next breath Jesus points out that even though the disciples will scatter, the Father is with Him; the Father remains faithful. Jesus has completely trusted the Father in what is to come when it is finally His hour.

Everything Jesus has shared in this last moment of parting exhortations and encouragement is that in Him, the disciples – and believers today – may have peace, This is not just peace with God, but is also the subjective kind as well. This is conditional; that is, this peace can only come through Jesus, believing that He indeed has overcome the world. It is a peace that passes all understanding , a peace that is steadfast amidst the chaos of the world. In fact, Jesus says while we are in the world, we will have tribulation. Troubles of various shapes and sizes will be present while we are in the world, but we need not be plagued by trouble because we belong to the One who has overcome [“conquered”] the world.

Do you have a joy that cannot be taken away? Do you have confidence in God’s love? Are you confident in the truth that He is for you? Can you rest confidently in His wisdom and say to Him, “Lord, You know everything, so I’m not questioning You any longer”? When life comes crashing down, the qualities of joy, love, and peace are God’s gift to keep us going. But like a full bank account, they do us no good if we fail to draw upon them. The gifts of joy, love, and peace require faith.

Failing to trust in the promise of God leads to lack of joy, failing love, and unsteady peace.