An Emotional Time (JOHN 16:16–17:26)

Getting Started

From the Commentary

John 16:16–33 concludes the Upper Room Discourse and deals primarily with the emotions of the disciples. They were sorrowing, they were confused about some of Jesus’ teaching, and they were afraid. It is an encouragement to me to know that the disciples were real men with real problems, yet the Lord was able to use them. We sometimes get the false impression that these men were different from us, especially endowed with spiritual knowledge and courage, but such was not the case. They were human!

1. Read John 16:20–22, 24, 33. What do these verses teach us about where we find joy? How does grief turn to joy? In what ways has the “Ask and you will receive” statement been misinterpreted (v. 24)? What do you think Jesus meant by it?

Going Deeper

From the Commentary

In John 16:16, Jesus announced that in a little while, they would not see Him; then, in a little while, they would see Him. It was a deliberately puzzling statement (John 16:25, He spoke in proverbs [“dark sayings”]), and the disciples did not understand. This also encourages me as I study my Bible and find statements that I cannot understand. Even the disciples had their hours of spiritual ignorance!

2. What does Jesus mean in John 16:16? What “return” is He talking about? Why do you think Jesus uses figurative language so often in His teaching? What is the time that is coming when Jesus will speak plainly about His Father (vv. 25–26)?

From the Commentary

The central theme of John 16:23–28 is prayer: “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). It is important to note that the text uses two different words for “ask,” although they can be used interchangeably. The word used in John 16:19, 23a, and 26 means “to ask a question” or “to ask a request.” It is used when someone makes a request of someone equal. The word translated “ask” in John 16:23b, 24, and 26b (“pray”) means “to request something of a superior.” This latter word was never used by Jesus in His prayer life because He is equal to the Father. We come as inferiors to God, asking for His blessing, but He came as the very Son of God, equal with the Father.

3. Why does Jesus turn His focus to prayer in John 16:23–28? How does this fit in with the ongoing timeline for His own story? How does Jesus define the process of prayer in these verses?

From the Commentary

In John 16:29–30, the disciples suddenly moved out of their spiritual stupor and made a tremendous affirmation of faith. First, they claimed to understand what He had been teaching them, though this claim was probably presumptuous, as their subsequent actions proved. They seemed unable to grasp the meaning of His promised resurrection. They were bewildered even after His resurrection as to the future of Israel (Acts 1:6ff.). I am not criticizing them, because we today have just as many blind spots when it comes to understanding His Word. All I am suggesting is that their affirmation was a bit presumptuous.They not only affirmed their understanding, but they also affirmed their faith and assurance. “Now we are sure … by this we believe.” It was quite a statement of faith, and I believe the Lord accepted it. In His prayer recorded in the next chapter, Jesus told the Father about His disciples and reported on their spiritual condition (John 17:6–8). Certainly He knew their weaknesses, but He was quick to approve their growing evidences of faith and assurance.

4. Is it possible to have faith, understanding, and assurance and still fail the Lord? Explain. What do you think caused the sudden turn in the disciples’ understanding (John 16:29–30)? What does this tell us about the disciples’ relationship with Jesus prior to this moment? How is this like or unlike the process Christians go through today in their pursuit of biblical truth?

From the Commentary

Whether He prayed it in the upper room or en route to the garden, this much is sure: The prayer in John 17 is the greatest prayer ever prayed on earth and the greatest prayer recorded anywhere in Scripture. John 17 is certainly the “Holy of Holies” of the gospel record, and we must approach this chapter in a spirit of humility and worship. To think that we are privileged to listen in as God the Son converses with His Father just as He is about to give His life as a ransom for sinners!No matter what events occurred later that evening, this prayer makes it clear that Jesus was and is the Overcomer. He was not a “victim”; He was and is the Victor!

5. Go through the prayer in John 17 and circle the things Jesus prays about for His disciples and all believers. How do these requests compare to the things He prays for Himself (vv. 1–5)?

From the Commentary

Our Lord began this prayer by praying for Himself, but in praying for Himself, He was also praying for us. “A prayer for self is not by any means necessarily a selfish prayer,” wrote Dr. R. A. Torrey, and an examination of Bible prayers shows that this is true. Our Lord’s burden was the glory of God, and this glory would be realized in His finished work on the cross. The servant of God has every right to ask his Father for the help needed to glorify His name. “Hallowed be thy name” is the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9), and it is the first emphasis in this prayer.

6. In what ways does John 17 reveal Jesus’ burden? How is Jesus’ prayer similar to the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6)? What can this prayer teach us about how to pray today? What is the role of prayer in glorifying God?

From the Commentary

“I have given them thy word” (John 17:14; and see v. 8). The Word of God is the gift of God to us. The Father gave the words to His Son (John 17:8), and the Son gave them to His disciples who, in turn, have passed them along to us as they were inspired by the Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21). The Word is divine in origin, a precious gift from heaven. We must never take God’s Word for granted, for those who are overcomers know the Word and how to use it in daily life.

7. How does the Word of God help us overcome the world? What does it mean to be in the world but not of it (17:14)?

From the History Books Throughout the history of Judaism and Christianity, there have been groups that chose to remove themselves from the ebb and flow of the larger community. The Essenes were a Jewish religious group that practiced celibacy and asceticism and lived a communal lifestyle not that dissimilar from later Christian monastic living. They are perhaps best known because they are linked to the Dead Sea Scrolls (ancient manuscripts that included multiple copies of the Hebrew Bible), which some scholars believe were their library.

8. Why do some groups choose to separate themselves from society in order to practice their pursuit of God? How does this fall in line with Jesus’ prayer for believers in John 17? What benefits can such seclusion provide to religious study, prayer, and spiritual growth?

From the Commentary

In John 17:20–26 our Lord focuses our attention on the future. He begins to pray for us who live today, for the whole church throughout all ages. He has already prayed about security and sanctity; now the burden of His prayer is unity. He is concerned that His people experience a spiritual unity that is like the oneness of the Father and the Son. Christians may belong to different fellowships, but they all belong to the Lord and to each other.The disciples had often exhibited a spirit of selfishness, competition, and disunity, and this must have broken the Savior’s heart. I wonder how He feels when He sees the condition of the church today! The Puritan preacher Thomas Brooks wrote: “Discord and division become no Christian. For wolves to worry the lambs is no wonder, but for one lamb to worry another, this is unnatural and monstrous.”

9. According to John 17, what is the basis for Christian unity? Why is disunity so common in churches today? What would Jesus say about the things that cause disunity? How can churches encourage and support unity today?

10. How might you have reacted to Jesus’ message in the upper room (John 16)? Do you experience the joy that Jesus talks about in John 16:20–22, 24, 33? How have you interpreted the “Ask and you will receive” statement in verse 24?

11. What are some of the things that have perplexed you about Jesus’ teaching? What are some of the things you have “finally understood” about His message? What are some things you’re still wrestling with?

12. What role does prayer play in your daily life? How can the prayers in John 17 help you focus your prayer time?