John Part 34
Notes
Transcript
Tonight we are going pickup at the start of chapter 16
Now, we briefly looked at the first 3 verses last week
because they are connected to chapter 15
but I’ll reread them tonight
because they obviously go with chapter 16, too
in fact, we’ve had the same conversation going
since chapter 13.
1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
So, Jesus says, all these things were said
That means all the comforting words
and all the uncomfortable words
about persecution and hate
Jesus said all it to keep them from falling away
It is not God’s will for you to fall away
He will give you everything you need
to keep you from falling away
So, when you feel like you might be close to falling away
you need to go back to those promises he gave you
I will come for you
I am going to prepare a place for you
I am leaving my peace with you.
Hold onto to the word of God when you feel week
and it will keep you from falling away.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
This is the persecution he was talking about in the last chapter
and he tells them that those who are doing it
will think they are doing it for God
But they are not doing it for God
They don’t even know God according to the next verse
3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
So, the ones who persecute the followers of Christ
are doing it because they do not know him
And that includes Saul before he was call Paul
He really thought he was doing the will of God
by killing Christians
but he later found out
that he did not even know God
which is why he had to ask…
Who are you Lord
On that road to Damascus.
4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
So, we can still use this promise today
He is talking about their own “hour” coming
But we will also have our “hour” coming
an hour when the enemy is fighting us
and tempting us to fall away
but we will remember what Jesus told us
Now, look at verse 5-7
5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
So, the disciples are feeling sorrow
Jesus knows their heart
and he knows that they are filled with sorrow
because they are hearing the Lord that they love
tell them that he is leaving
He doesn’t rebuke them for feeling sorrow
And this is something I think as Christians,
we have a hard time with
And that is when someone is leaving this earth
that we know is going to Heaven
we often feel sorrow in our hearts
but we then feel guilty for that sorrow
because it seems logical that we should be happy for them
since we know they are in Heaven
It is a dilemma I have witnessed time and time again
but the truth is
You can still feel sorrow for a loss
and be happy for someone’s gain
at the same time
And you shouldn’t feel guilty for feeling that sorrow
That sorrow just means you love them.
Jesus wept back in chapter 11 when he heard that Lazarus had died
and yet, Jesus full well knew that he was going to ressurect Lazarus from the dead.
So, if Jesus weeps when he loses a friend
knowing he will seem him in a resurrection
Then there is nothing wrong with us weeping for a friend
who we know we will see in the resurrection.
Think of it this way.
If you send your kids off to college 10 hours away
you will miss them
and you will feel sorrow when they are gone
even though you know you will see them again
and even though you know that a college degree is a good thing
it doesn’t take away the sorrow
And that’s okay
That’s human nature
and it is not wrong
And in a little while,
Jesus is going to tell them that their sorrow
will turn to joy
So, his disciples are feeling that sorrow filling their hearts
and Jesus tells them,
I know you are feeling sorry
Nevertheless, It is to your advantage that I go away
And the reason is stated here
That if Jesus goes away
then the Helper will come
which we know is the Holy Spirit
and so long as Jesus was with them in the flesh
he could not be with them in the Spirit
And being with us in the Spirit is an advantage — He says
So, as much as I would have loved to walk with Jesus in person
Looked at his face
talked to him
ate with him
Jesus said… it is to our advantage
that he is not here in person
but that he is here in Spirit
Now, when the Helper comes
says there will be 3 convictions
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
The Holy Spirit is going to convict the world in these 3 areas
Sin
Righteousness
and Judgment
What does this mean?
Jesus tells us what he means in the next 3 verses
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
So, the first conviction is sin
and Jesus says this is because they do not believe in me
This brings us back to something Jesus said in chapter 8…
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
So, sin will convict you unless you believe in Jesus
The second conviction was concerning righteousness…
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
What does this mean?
Well, I think it means that
Because Jesus was raised from the dead
he will judge the world in righteousness
Paul said it this way in …
31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
The 3rd conviction is concerning judgment
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
There are many people who think that Satan is still the ruler of this world
and that he is in power
But when the Holy Spirit comes
Jesus says, he will judge the ruler of this world
and we see from Matt 28.18
that Jesus has all power in heaven and earth…
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
And earlier in this book, Jesus says…
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
So, the death of Jesus dealt a decisive blow to the ruler of this world
in fact, that is the promise that was given to serpent in the garden
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
and
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
So, when Satan was trying to offer all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus
during the wilderness temptations
Jesus did not take that deal
because he knew he was about to get all those kingdoms anyway
Jesus has all power in heaven and in earth
because of the death, burial and resurrection.
But, this really only applies to those who are filled with his Spirit
Because remember the context
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
So, for us, who are filled with the Spirit
The devil is not our ruler
He has no power over us
We are part of another kingdom
the kingdom of God
We do not have to fear the devil
or any of his demons
because, greater is he that is in us
that he that is in the world.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
Jesus wants to teach them more
but they would not be ready for it
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own [authority], but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Now, the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of Jesus
because Jesus said, I AM The truth
and he also said it would be the truth who sets you free
and then says when the son sets you free you are free indeed
So, he is talking about the Holy Spirit
but he is really talking about himself
but he is still speaking in figures of speech
as we will see later in this chapter
he admits to doing
But notice how he says the Spirit of truth won’t speak on his own authority.
The word authority is added there
just like it was adding when Jesus also said that he himself does not speak on his own
The Greek does not have the word authority here
we can see this by comparing translations…
13 and when He may come—the Spirit of truth—He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you;
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.
13 But when he—the Spirit of truth—comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will proclaim to you the things to come.
13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].
So, the amplified Bible helps us see that the words “own authority” are really just an interpretation, not a translation
and there is a huge difference
I read several translations that leave that word “authority” out
but there are several more that put it in there
Including the NKJV
So, why do that feel the need to add that word?
For the same reason they added that word when Jesus said the same thing about himself
It is because the way it is originally worded
does not really jive with Trinitarian theology
you cannot be a separate distinct person
and not be able to talk on your own
But Jesus said the same thing about himself
and said, the words you hear me speak are my Father’s words
so, here is saying the same thing about the Spirit of Truth
and we know he is talking about his own Spirit
because he is the truth
so, if Jesus didn’t speak on his own when he was in person
why should he speak on his own as a spirit?
He wouldn’t
Because it is the Father who is actually speaking when Jesus speaks
and it is the Father who is actually speaking when the Holy Spirit speaks
By adding the word “authority”
It shifts the meaning ever so slightly from ability to speak
to permission to speak
and those are very different things
Jesus is not saying the Spirit can’t speak without permission from the Father.
He is saying the Spirit can’t speak at all without the Father speaking.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
So, the Spirit is going to glorify Jesus
And he will do so by taking all that is Jesus’s and declare it to us
wait a minute
I thought the Father was the one telling the Spirit what to say
Exactly
watch this
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
So, the Father is the one speaking through Jesus in human form
and the Father is the one speaking through Jesus in spirit form
Nothing is changing except that the Spirit of Jesus will not be visible
but it is still the words of God the Father
the one and only God
