João 16
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 16
Cole - When Jesus says that the Spirit will reveal to the apostles “what is to come,” He probably includes prophetic teaching. But in this context, it mainly refers, as D. A. Carson explains (The Gospel According to John [Apollos/Eerdmans], p. 540, italics his), “to all that transpires in consequence of the pivotal revelation bound up with Jesus’ person, ministry, death, resurrection and exaltation.” Leon Morris (The Gospel According to John [Eerdmans], p. 701) says, “‘the things to come’ is a way of referring to the whole Christian system, yet future when Jesus spoke, and to be revealed to the disciples by the Spirit, not by natural insight.” (How the Holy Spirit Works John 16:12-15) Merrill Tenney adds that that in Jesus' promise "lies the germinal authority of the apostolic writings, which transmit the revelation of Christ through His disciples by the work of the Holy Spirit. He would conduct them (hodegeo) into the unknown future as a guide directs those who follow him into unfamiliar territory." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) NET NOTE - Three important points must be noted here. (1) When the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide the disciples into all truth. What Jesus had said in John 8:31–32, “If you continue to follow my teaching you are really My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” will ultimately be realized in the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit to the disciples after Jesus’ departure. (2) The things the Holy Spirit speaks to them will not be things which originate from Himself (He will not speak on His own authority), but things He has heard. This could be taken to mean that no new revelation is involved, as R. E. Brown does (John [AB], 2:714–15). This is a possible but not a necessary inference. The point here concerns the Source of the things the Spirit will say to the disciples and does not specifically exclude originality of content. (3) Part at least of what the Holy Spirit will reveal to the disciples will concern what is to come, not just fuller implications of previous sayings of Jesus and the like. This does seem to indicate that at least some new revelation is involved. But the Spirit is not the Source or Originator of these things—Jesus is the Source, and He will continue to speak to His disciples through the Spirit who has come to indwell them. This does not answer the question, however, whether these words are addressed to all followers of Jesus, or only to his apostles. Different modern commentators will answer this question differently. Since in the context of the Farewell Discourse Jesus is preparing the twelve to carry on his ministry after his departure, it is probably best to take these statements as specifically related only to the twelve. Some of this the Holy Spirit does directly for all believers today; other parts of this statement are fulfilled through the apostles (e.g., in giving the Book of Revelation the Spirit speaks through the apostles to the church today of things to come) (ED: NOT TO MENTION MANY PROPHETIC PASSAGES IN THE EPISTLES - 1Th 4:13-17, 2Th 2:3-4, 2Pe 3:10, etc). One of the implications of this is that a doctrine does not have to be traced back to an explicit teaching of Jesus to be authentic; all that is required is apostolic authority. Steven Cole on the ministry of the Spirit - Since the Pentecostal movement began a little over 100 years ago, there has been a lot of emphasis in evangelical circles on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. But there has also been a lot of confusion and error. Pastor John
João 16
Cole addresses a serious error regarding the Holy Spirit - Before we look at Christ’s teaching here, I need to clear up one other error that the Pentecostal movement has promoted, namely, that believers need to receive the Holy Spirit. They base this on a mistaken interpretation of Paul’s question to some followers of John the Baptist in Ephesus (Acts 19:2), “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” When they replied that they did not even know that there is a Holy Spirit, Paul gave them further instruction and laid his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. Based on that model, believers are urged to receive the Spirit (or be baptized in the Spirit) and speak in tongues. If you have not had this experience, then your spiritual life is deficient. But that teaching fails to recognize that the Book of Acts is a transitional book from the Old Testament era to the age of the Holy Spirit. Under the apostles, in Acts the ministry of the Spirit spreads in line with the pattern of Acts 1:8 from Jerusalem (Acts 2), to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8), to the Gentiles (Acts 10), to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 19). But in this church age, Paul states emphatically (Rom. 8:9), “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” He writes to the carnal Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:19), “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” He didn’t tell them that they needed to receive the Spirit or be baptized in the Spirit, but rather, to recognize that He indwelled each of them. To the same church, he said (1 Cor. 12:13), “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” Paul told the Galatians (Gal 3:1–5) that we receive the Spirit by believing the gospel. He makes the same point in Ephesians 1:13–14, In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. This means that receiving the Holy Spirit is not an experience that you’re supposed to have subsequent to salvation. You may not even be aware of the Spirit’s presence in your life until you are taught about it. Receiving the Spirit is not connected with speaking in tongues. It is definitely not evidenced by writhing on the floor, barking like a dog, or laughing uncontrollably! The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ Rather, the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ. You must learn to walk in dependence on the Spirit so that you do not carry out the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). Another way to describe this is that you need to be filled with or controlled by the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). But if you have believed in Christ, you do not need to receive the Spirit, be baptized in the Spirit, or seek some dramatic experience with the Spirit. (How the Holy Spirit Works John 16:12-15) James Smith - THE REVELATIONS OP THE HOLY SPIRIT John 16:12-14. 1 He Reveals the Pierced Saviour, Zech. 12:10 2 He Reveals the Way into Truth, John 16:13 3 He Reveals the Love of God, Rom. 5:5 4 He Reveals the Things of Christ, John 16:14 5 He Reveals the Things God hath Prepared, 1 Cor. 2:10 6 He Reveals the Valley of Need, Ezek. 37:1 7 He Reveals the Path of Service, Acts 8:29 C H
João 16
Cole - The late Scottish preacher, Alexander Whyte, observed that we all tend to hang heavy weights on the thinnest wires (source unknown). He meant that we hang our happiness on fragile things that easily and quickly can be taken from us: health, mates, children, jobs, homes, or possessions. These are all good blessings from the Lord. But they’re inadequate as a foundation for lasting joy, because they’re all so uncertain and transitory..... G. Campbell Morgan was a godly pastor and Bible teacher. When he was 30, he and his wife lost their little daughter in death. Forty years later, when he was preaching on Christ’s raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, he made reference to the loss of their little girl, who in spite of their prayers, was not healed. He said (A Man of the Word [Baker], by Jill Morgan, p. 83), “She has been with Him for all those years, as we measure time here, and I have missed her every day; but His word, ‘Believe only,’ has been the strength of all the passing years.” Six months after his daughter’s death he wrote in his diary (ibid.), “Today I am thirty-one years old. Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life! There have been no accidents. All under the Father’s government, and all best.” (Sorrow Turned into Joy John 16:16–24) More Than Waiting By Anne Cetas A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father. —John 16:16 I don’t know how it works where you live, but when I have to call for a repair for one of my appliances, the company says something like, “The repairman will be there between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.” Since I don’t know when the repair person will arrive, all I can do is wait. Jesus told His followers that He would soon be leaving them and they would need to wait for His return in “a little while” (John 16:16). After His resurrection, they saw Him again and they hoped He would be establishing His kingdom on earth at that time. But He told them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). They would have to wait even longer. But they were to do more than wait. Jesus told His followers that they were to “be witnesses to [Him] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v.8). And He gave them the Holy Spirit to empower them to do this. Dear Lord, we love You so much. We want our words and our lives to be a witness of Your goodness and grace. Please use us in ways we never thought possible. Wait and witness till Jesus returns Tragedy to Triumph By Rev. Mark Hollis SCRIPTURE: John 16:16–33 INTRODUCTION: Jesus was about to die. His disciples were about to experience profound grief. If we live long enough, all of us will face grief. If we follow Jesus, we find that He turns our tragedies into triumphs. 1. The Triumph of Joy over Grief (vv. 16–22). A. Jesus’ Impending Death Would Bring Grief (vv. 16–20). B. Jesus’ Resurrection Would Bring Joy (vv. 21, 22). 2. The Triumph of Intimacy over Distance (vv. 23–27). A. Jesus Promised a Relationship So Close We Can Tell God What We Need (vv. 23, 24). B. Jesus Promised a Relationship So Close God Wants to Help Us (vv. 25–27). 3. The Triumph of Peace over Trouble (vv. 28–33). A. In This World Our Faith Is Imperfect (vv. 28–32). B. Our Peace Is Found in Jesus’ Victory Over This World (v. 33). CONCLUSION: Our health fails. Our children disappoint. Tragedy strikes. God takes tragedy—even the deepest pain of our lives—and turns it into triumph. CHRIST SPEAKS OF THE FUTURE John 16:16–33 - Croft Pentz - Expository Outlines Gospel of John I. PARTING—vv. 16–24 A. Ascension—v. 16. Christ speaks of His ascension. He spoke earlier of this in John 14:1–6. It was fulfilled in Acts 1:9–11. B. Asking—vv. 17–18. The disciples didn’t understand His words. They heard Him speak, but didn’t seem to fully understand. C. Allegory—vv. 19–22 1. Crucifixion—vv. 19–20. Christ speaks of His death. His enemies would rejoice and His friends would weep. The prophet Isaiah speaks of Christ’s death in Isaiah 53. 2. Comparison—vv. 21–22. A woman suffers much in childbirth. Yet all suffering is forgotten when the child is born. His followers would suffer now, but His resurrection would bring joy, WHICH NO ONE COULD TAKE AWAY. D. Asking—vv. 23–24. Twofold: 1. Person—v. 23. Ask God to meet your needs. 2. Pleasure—v. 24. Ask that your joy may be full. II. PRAYER—vv. 25–28 A. Proverbs—v. 25. Christ was now speaking in proverbs, or parables. Later they would fully understand. When the Holy Spirit came, He would help them understand. Also, this could mean that after they were in heaven, they would fully understand. See 1 Corinthians 13:12. B. Prayer—v. 26. We should pray in the name of Jesus. We are saved in His name—Romans 10:13. Compare with John 14:13. C. Plan—vv. 27–28. God loves the man who loves Christ, because Christ came from the Father. Now He would return to the Father. III. PEACE—vv. 29–33 A. Plainness—vv. 29–30. Now the followers believe. Christ always used simple speech. Simplicity plus the Holy Spirit’s application of the Scripture makes it powerful, and easy to understand. B. Prophecy—vv. 31–32. The disciples would be scattered. They would be left alone. Christ would not be alone, since God would be with Him at all times. C. Peace—v. 33 1. Peace—“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.” See John 14:27. 2. Problems—“In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Often the Christian has more problems than the sinners. However, he has God to help with these problems. 3. Power—“But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” See 1 John 4:4. Christ overcame temptation—Matthew 4:1–11. With Him “living in us” we can overcome all sin and temptation. James Smith - A LITTLE WHILE John 16:16-23 In these verses, the words, "A little while," are repeated seven times over, as if they were of special significance. From the fact that our Lord, in explaining the meaning of them, used the parabolic form, we may infer that different applications may be made of them (v. 25). "A little while, and ye shall not see Me...and ye shall be sorrowful... but I shall see you again, and your heart shall rejoice... and in that day ye shall ask Me no question." These precious words may easily have a threefold meaning. As the I. Historical. "A little while, and ye shall not see Me." It was but "a little while"—a few hours—and Christ was buried out of their sight, though in a borrowed grave, yet sealed with the royal signet. The interval between His death and resurrection was, indeed, to them a time of "sorrow" and "lamenting," but to the world a time of rejoicing (Luke 24:17). The world's feasts go on more merrily in the absence of the Saviour from sin, but the Christian can find a feast nowhere where He is not. "A little while, and I shall see you again, and your heart shall rejoice." Their hearts did rejoice when, after three days, they saw Him again in resurrection power and glory. "Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord" (John 20:20). "They worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." "In that day" they did ask Him no question. The fact of His appearing to them as the Risen One was itself the answer to all their doubts and questionings. He who had power to rise from the dead, had power to perform His every promise. In a dark and cloudy day, the relative value of other lights may be disputed, but when the sun breaks out in all his glorious majesty, there is no questioning his all-sufficiency to meet the need. II. Personal. "A little while..ye shall be sorrowful...but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice... in that day ye shall ask no question." The sorrowful "little while" of His called-out ones is now, while their Lord is absent, and the world is rejoicing. "In the world ye shall have tribulation" (v. 33), but His "I will see you again" is the hope of his suffering saints. Through the gathering gloom we look for the breaking of the day, when we shall see Him face to face. Just now we may see as but through a glass darkly; there are many things that we cannot possibly understand, mysterious movements of the providence of God, and of the Holy Spirit, that at times sorely perplex our eager spirits, many things we should like explained. Yes, but "in that day ye shall ask Me no question." One look into the glorified face of our redeeming Lord will hush at once every restless feeling and every anxious thought. So satisfied shall we be when we see Him, that we shall not be able to ask Him any question. So perfect will be our acquiescence to His will in everything. "Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care, Not a blast of hurry moves the spirit there." III. Dispensational. These words of our Lord may also be prophetic of that time when He will come again, taking to Himself His right to rule and reign over this world for which He died. The Church of God is now passing through its "little while" of sorrow, this is its time to "weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice." In the latter days perilous times will come. But the Church's hope lies in His promise, "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." She, like a woman in travail, hath sorrow now, but when the Man is born into the world, she shall remember no more her anguish for joy (v. 21). God's people just now are sadly divided and full of questionings, but on that day when He shall appear in the glory of His power, as King of kings and Lord of lords, "ye shall ask no questions." All human questionings are for ever set at rest in the presence of the glorified Son of God. Angels ask Him no questions, but it is our great privilege now to "Ask that we may receive" (v. 23). More Than Waiting A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father. —John 16:16 Today's Scripture : Acts 1:1-11 I don’t know how it works where you live, but when I have to call for a repair for one of my appliances, the company says something like, “The repairman will be there between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.” Since I don’t know when the repair person will arrive, all I can do is wait. Jesus told His followers that He would soon be leaving them and they would need to wait for His return in “a little while” (John 16:16). After His resurrection, they saw Him again and they hoped He would be establishing His kingdom on earth at that time. But He told them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). They would have to wait even longer. But they were to do more than wait. Jesus told His followers that they were to “be witnesses to [Him] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v.8). And He gave them the Holy Spirit to empower them to do this. Dear Lord, we love You so much. We want our words and our lives to be a witness of Your goodness and grace. Please use us in ways we never thought possible. Wait and witness till Jesus returns. John 16:17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” said: John 16:1,5,19 12:16 14:5,22 Mk 9:10,32 Lu 9:45 18:34 Related Passages: John 13:36 (DISCIPLES ASKED SEVERAL QUESTION IN THE UPPER ROOM) Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” John 14:5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” John 14:8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” DISCIPLES CONFUSED WHAT'S NEW? Some of His disciples (mathetes) then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’ - Notice in their confusion, and for reasons that are not clear (to me) they query one another and do not directly question Jesus. Clearly, their question is tantamount to a confession of ignorance. They did not understand what He meant when He had said He would rise from the dead on the third day. In Jn 14:28+ Jesus had declared "I go to the Father" but they were confused. It would take the crucifixion, the resurrection, the post-resurrection ministry, and His ascension to make it all clear to the disciples.
João 16
Cole - Two unpopular themes in modern evangelical Christianity are the need to suffer for the sake of the gospel and the certainty of God’s judgment. Rather than suffering, the evangelical church is into how Christianity can help you have a successful, happy life. Of course, the Bible does give wisdom and guidance on how to live happily and it is proper to understand and apply its teaching....In its extreme form, the de-emphasis on suffering has veered into the heretical teaching that it’s always God’s will for you to enjoy financial prosperity and physical health. You’re supposed to rebuke any sickness or suffering it in the name of the Lord. If it continues, you must not have enough faith. Regarding God, we focus on His love and grace rather than on His judgment. Many go so far as to say that because God is love, no one will suffer in hell. In his popular book, Love Wins, Rob Bell (CRITIQUE) argued that a loving God would not punish people in an eternal hell. While that book was rightly denounced as heretical, it resonates with many. We’d rather think of God as love than of His wrath and judgment. (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT John 16:1–15 - Croft Pentz I. THE PERSECUTION—Jn 16:1–4 A. Prediction—Jn 16:1. Christ, who knows all, tells what would happen in the future. Though human, yet Christ was divine. B. Punishment—Jn 16:2. Not only persecuted, but even killed. By killing Christians, sinners feel they would be helping God. C. Problem—Jn 16:3. All this would happen, because they knew not God. Ignorance of God and Christ always leads man to do strange things. D. Prophecy—Jn 16:4. Christ tells His followers these things, so they would know what to expect. God’s people have always suffered—in the past, and even now in parts of the world. Also, they will suffer in the future. WE MAY EVEN HAVE TO DIE FOR HIM! II. THE POWER—Jn 16:5–11 A. The Savior—Jn 16:5. The Savior was going to leave the earth and go to the Father in heaven. B. The sorrow—Jn 16:6. The followers were sorry Christ was leaving. No one asked where He was going. C. The Spirit—Jn 16:7–11. 1. Comforter—Jn 16:7. If Christ did not go away, the Holy Spirit would not come. 2. Character—Jn 16:8–11. Note the character of the Holy Spirit. He will reprove of sin. He will show God’s goodness and deliverance from judgment. Deliverance from judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged. III. THE PERSONALITY—Jn 16:12–15 A. The wish—Jn 16:12. Christ wished to tell the disciples more, but they would not understand. Later, the Holy Spirit would help them understand His words. B. The work of the Spirit—Jn 16:13–14 1. Perception—“Will guide into truth.” Help understand the Bible. 2. Praise—“He shall not speak of himself.” Will speak of Christ. 3. Prophecy—“He will show you things to come.” Future events. 4. Pleasure—“He shall glorify me.” The Spirit will take pleasure in praising and honoring Christ. C. The worship—Jn 16:15. The Holy Spirit will help us worship and praise Christ the way God wants us to. James Smith - THE BELIEVER’S EQUIPMENT JOHN 16 The Lord is here warning His disciples that times of trial and suffering were before them. “These things have I told you, that when the time shall come ye may remember” (Jn 16:1–4). But He did not leave them with their “sorrow-filled hearts,” without giving them many encouraging promises, which we may regard as their equipment for life’s work. There was— I. The Promise of a Comforter. “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send Him unto you” (Jn 16:7). He does not say, I will sent it, but HIM. Christ never dishonours the Holy Spirit by speaking of Him as a mere thing. As a companion, the Holy Spirit was to be to them all that Christ had been. This was abundantly proven after Pentecost. This is what the Spirit can be to us in our times of suffering for His Name. His invisible Presence is here as really as the visible Presence of Christ is departed. II. The Promise of Guidance and Teaching. “He will guide you into all truth, and He will shew you things to come” (Jn 16:13, 14). John says that ye need not any man teach you, for this anointing teacheth you all things (1 John 2:20–27). This is the Spirit that searcheth all things (1 Cor. 2:9, 10). Why should we not expect the Holy Spirit to do His work in us just as effectively as Christ has done His work for us? Don’t grieve the Spirit by refusing His teaching regarding these “things to come.” III. The Promise of His Coming Again. “You now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice” (Jn 16:22). This was literally fulfilled when He rose from the dead. “Then were their hearts glad when they saw the Lord.” But is there not a wider fulfilment awaiting for His suffering, sorrowing disciples in these latter days? When He promised: “I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). IV. The Promise of Answered Prayer. “Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He will give you; ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full” (Jn 16:23, 24). Having, therefore, brethren, such good and sure promises, let us come with boldness into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus and confidently make our requests known (Heb. 10:19). “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it” (Ps 81:10). V. The Promise of Christ’s Intercession. “I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you” (Jn 16:26, 27). What thanksgiving and confidence this should bring to our hearts, that Christ is pleading for us with the Father who loves us. What then in Heaven, earth, or Hell can hinder His will being done in us? Only our own unbelief. VI. The Promise of Peace. “These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace” (Jn 16:33). He hath made peace by the Blood of His Cross. He hath spoken peace by the power of His resurrection. This peace is not of ourselves, not the result of anything we can do. It is not conditioned by our circumstances. Not affected by our disappointments or tribulations. The world cannot give it nor take it away. It is in Himself, and all that He is to His own people. It is as real as abiding and as eternal as He Himself is. “In Me ye shall have peace.” VII. The Promise of Victory. “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). But persecution, mockery, or death does not mean defeat, for out of their tribulation they shall come with washed robes (Rev. 7:14). Nothing can “separate us from the love of Christ, and where His love is, His power also is there to make us more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:35–37). The powers of the world are impotent when the “Greater is He that is in you” is with us (1 John 4:4). Christ has already overcome the world, and your life is hid with Christ in God. To God be the thanks, who in Christ ever heads our triumphal procession (2 Cor. 2:14). John 16:2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue: John 9:22,34 12:42 Lu 6:22 1Co 4:13 an hour is coming: Isa 65:5 Mt 10:28 24:9 Ac 5:33 6:13,14 7:56-60 8:1-3 9:1,2 Ac 22:3,4,19-23 26:9-11 Ro 10:2,3 Ga 1:13,14 Php 3:6 Related Passage: Luke 6:22+ “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. John 9:22, 34+ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue...They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out. Acts 5:40-41+ They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. (THIS IS AN AMAZING PASSAGE! SURELY ONLY MEN FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT COULD REJOICE THAT THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF SUFFERING FOR THEIR LORD!) Philippians 1:29+ For to you it has been granted (charizomai = THIS IS A GIFT OF GRACE!) for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (SUFFERING IN HIS PLACE IS A GIFT FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST). 2 Timothy 3:12+ (YOU WON'T FIND THIS PROPHETIC PROMISE IN THE POPULAR BOOKS OF GOD'S PROMISES!) Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (COROLLARY THOUGHT - WHAT MIGHT ONE DEDUCE IF THEY FIND THEY NEVER RECEIVE PERSECUTION) Acts 9:1-2+ (SAUL/PAUL WAS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A MAN "ZEALOUS FOR GOD" WHO PERSECUTED THE CHRISTIANS EVEN TO DEATH!) Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Acts 22:3-4+ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, Acts 26:9-11+ (SEE ALSO Acts 8:1-3, 22:3-5) “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. Hebrews 10:11+ (OFFERING USED REPEATEDLY IN HEBREWS OF RELIGIOUS OFFERINGS) Every priest stands daily ministering and offering (prosphero) time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 1 Peter 4:12-13+ Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation JESUS' FOREWARNING OF COMING PERSECUTION They will make you outcasts from the synagogue (sunagoge) - Forewarned is forearmed! Jesus did not want His disciples caught off guard when (not "if") the opposition came! (THOUGHT - If you are actively functioning as a disciple, rest assured Christ haters will seek to make you an "outcast" and disparage your name.) Who is "They?" In context (synagogue), this is a reference to the Jewish religious leaders who hate Jesus and His disciples. This was the great fear of the parents of the healed blind man in John 9:18-21, 22+. In the greater context of Jn 15:18-16:4, the "they" would be the world which hates and persecutes disciples of Jesus (Jn 15:18-21). And remember the world can mean the created world (Jn 1:10, the world of all mankind (Jn 3:16) or the world that is separated from and hostile to God. For proof of Jesus' predictions all we need to do is read the book of Acts! When these things transpired what would be the impact on the faith of the disciples? John 14:29+ “Now I have told you before it happens, so that (WHAT PURPOSE?) when (NOT IF) it happens, you may believe. Comment - In other words when all of these things Jesus had prophesied began to take place, their faith would be strengthened. (cf purpose of trials - James 1:2,3,4+) John MacArthur helps us understand the significance of being cast out of the synagogue - To be made outcasts from the synagogue meant far more than merely being forbidden to attend religious services. Those who were excommunicated from the synagogue were cut off from all religious, social, and economic aspects of Jewish society. They were branded as traitors to their people and their God, and faced the likely consequence of losing both their families and their jobs. Not surprisingly, being unsynagogued was greatly feared (cf. Jn 9:22; Jn 12:42). (See The MacArthur Commentary) Do not be surprised when you are persecuted by religious people. Outcasts is aposunagogos (apo = from + sunagoge = synagogue) used 3x, all in John (Jn 9:22, 12:42, 16:2). Friberg says is "a religious technical term relating to Jewish disciplinary measures in varying degrees of severity, expelled from the synagogue; (completely) excommunicated; cut off from the rights and privileges of a Jew; put under the ban or curse." F F Bruce - At the time when the Gospel was written these words had acquired a special relevance from the inclusion in the synagogue prayers of a curse on the Nazarenes, which was intended to ensure that the followers of Jesus could take no part in the service.” (BORROW Gospel of John, page 316) Bob
João 16
Cole - Before his conversion, the apostle Paul thought that he was being faithful to his Jewish faith by imprisoning and killing Christians. After his conversion, the Jews persecuted him and other early Christians (2 Thess. 2:14–16). Centuries later, the Roman Catholic Church instituted the Inquisition to try to stop those who preached the true gospel. Religion has always been a major perpetrator of persecution. Jesus pinpoints the heart of the problem (John 16:3), “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.” (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) The idea of think (dokeo) stresses "the subjective mental estimate or opinion about a matter" (Trench). Dokeo reflects the personal perspective of the one making the subjective judgment call (in this case to kill disciples), i.e. showing what they value, specifically the death of Christ followers! Marvin Vincent on an hour is coming - Literally, "there cometh an hour in order that." The hour is ordained with that end in view: it comes fraught with the fulfillment of a divine purpose. Bob
João 16
Cole - The key to enduring persecution is to trust in the Lord Jesus. Thus in verse 4, He gives us a solid reason to trust Him: He knows the future. He knows the trials that we will face as we serve Him and He warns us in advance so that we will trust in Him.....So the Lord speaks these prophetic words so that we will be forewarned and thus forearmed. It will not be easy to be a faithful witness to Christ in this hostile world. (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) These things I did not say to you at the beginning (arche - beginning of His public ministry, cf 1Jn 1:1+), because I was with you - There's that phrase "these things" again! What is He saying here? In context, He did not warn them of persecution and martyrdom in the first 3+ years of His ministry (except for several general allusions to persecution - Mt 5:10-12+, Mt 10:24-25+) To be sure they were eyewitnesses of the repeated threats against Jesus by the religious leaders, including witnessed them even picking up stones to kill Him. It is hard to imagine that it did not enter their minds that one day they too might have to endure hostility from religion! While He remained with them He was the ‘lightning rod’ that attracted the flashes of persecution. -- Colin Kruse Because I was with you explains why He refrained from more direct warnings about persecution. There would seem to be two reasons - (1) He Himself took most of the heat and (2) He was there to protect them and did not lose any of His true disciples (cf Jn 18:8-9+). But soon He would depart from them and as His representatives, they would need to "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1Co 16:13+) THOUGHT - Dear "storm tossed" disciple are you remaining "steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (1Co 15:58+). He did not promise that the road to heaven would be an easy path, or flatter His followers with the notion that the cross, which they had to carry after Him, had no weight in it
João 16
Cole adds "D. A. Carson (BORROW The Gospel According to John, p. 533) explains this by telling of a little boy who is disappointed that his father is suddenly called away for an emergency meeting when the boy and his dad had planned to go fishing. The boy says, “Aw, Dad, where are you going?” But he really isn’t interested in where his dad is going, as much as he is focused on his own disappointment. So, although the disciples have asked about where Jesus was going, they were really just self-absorbed in their own loss at His leaving them. They didn’t have the big picture of the Lord’s returning to the right hand of the Father and of His sending the Holy Spirit to empower them for the task of the great commission. The application for us is, to be effective witnesses in this hostile world, we need to take our focus off of our feelings and needs and focus rather on the Lord’s glory through the spreading of the gospel to all peoples. Even if we are persecuted, His glory should be our aim. But we can’t accomplish that task in our own strength. (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) Jesus can read their minds and sees that they finally seem to grasp that He must leave them, so they don't question Him as they had done in the recent past (Jn 13:36+, Jn 14:5+). While they dreaded the loss of His personal presence, they understood what He was saying, but still did not comprehend why He was going.
João 16
Cole has a helpful note on the phrase will convict the world - The Spirit obviously does not convict every person in the world. Even to this day, many have never even heard of Christ and so are not convicted of their sin. Rather, “world” refers to unbelievers in general, both Jewish and Gentile. It means everyone without distinction, not everyone without exception. (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) Rod Mattoon on convict - The idea of the word is of cross-examining a person until that person perceives and acknowledges his errors or of reasoning he has not seen yet. Cross-examination can produce two results. 1. Conviction of a crime. 2. Convincing a person of the weakness of his own case and the strength of the debate that he has opposed. Both concepts apply here. The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of sin. The Jews thought they were doing God a service when they crucified Jesus, but in Acts 2, the conviction in their hearts was pricked. They realized they made a mistake. See Acts 2:37 (Treasures from John, Volume 2) Note that sin (hamartia) is singular so Jesus is referring to the one sin that will take a person to hell, the ultimate sin of rejecting Jesus' free gift of salvation. In a sense this is an "unpardonable sin," for every other sin can be forgiven if one receives the Christ Jesus as their Sin Bearer (1Pe 2:24). John
João 16
Cole comments "Although the word is not used, we see an example of conviction when Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and his hearers were “pierced to the heart” (Acts 2:37+). His message exposed their sin of rejecting Christ and it convinced them that they were wrong. But such conviction is not always effectual in the sense of bringing a person to saving faith. In other words, it is necessary for salvation, but not sufficient: All who are saved have been convicted of their sin, but not all who have been convicted are saved. Salvation requires the Father’s drawing the sinner to Christ (John 6:44+) and the Spirit’s imparting new life to the convicted sinner (John 3:5–8+). A truly saved person is marked by genuine repentance for sin. It seems to me that conviction of sin is often missing in our evangelistic methods today. We’re quick to get people to pray to receive Christ even when there is no indication that they are under conviction for their sin. I realize that a sense of conviction deepens after we’re saved. As we’ve seen, that’s the role of God’s Word. I am far more convicted about my past sins now than I was when I came to Christ. And, through God’s Word, I am aware now of sins in my life that I formerly would not even have noticed. But to trust in Christ for salvation there must be some sense that I am guilty before God and that I need a Savior. Without that conviction of sin, conversion will be for superficial reasons. We see an example of shallow conviction when Samuel confronted King Saul with disobeying the Lord because he did not kill all of the Amalekite sheep and oxen as God had commanded. Under the pretext of saving them for sacrifice, Saul at first proclaimed (1Sa 15:13+), “I have carried out the command of the Lord.” When Samuel further confronted him with his disobedience, Saul still insisted that he had obeyed, but he blamed the people for bringing back some of the sheep and oxen. When Samuel persisted with his charge, Saul finally reluctantly admitted that he had sinned, but then he wanted Samuel to return with him so that he might be honored before the people. His “repentance” was superficial. (Witnessing To A Hostile World John 16:1-11) John
João 16
Cole - The Lord knew that the disciples were not ready at that point to bear all that He could teach them. This may have been due to their slowness to believe all that the prophets had spoken, especially the truths related to Messiah’s suffering (Luke 24:25–26). Jesus had repeatedly told the disciples that He was going to die and be raised from the dead, but they didn’t get it until after His resurrection (Luke 9:22, 44–45; 24:45–46). And there were other truths that they could not comprehend until the Holy Spirit came to dwell in them permanently. Here Jesus promises that the Spirit would guide them into (some good manuscripts read, “in”) all the truth.....The point in our text is that the Lord doesn’t dump the whole thing on us at once. As a loving Father, He knows how much His children can bear, and so He patiently teaches us what we need for the stage of growth that we are in. A wise father doesn’t teach nuclear physics to his five-year-old. He teaches him the A-B-C’s, simple arithmetic, how to read, and other basic truths. As he grows, you take him deeper. The Holy Spirit does that with us spiritually. A young believer needs the milk of the Word: to understand what salvation means, who God is, how to live by faith, how to read and study the Bible, how to pray, etc. Later, he can begin to digest some meat (1 Cor. 3:1–3; Heb. 5:11–14; 1 Pet. 2:2). (How the Holy Spirit Works John 16:12-15) John
João 16
Cole has an illustration on guide you - “Guide” suggests that this is a process and since the subject is “the unfathomable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8), it is a never-ending process. Years ago, we took a tour through the fabulous Hearst Castle in central California. They don’t just turn you loose to wander around on your own in that mansion. You have to go with a guide, who takes you from room to room, revealing to you the riches of that mansion (ED: Hearst Castle has a total of 42 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms,127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield and, during Hearst's lifetime, the world's largest private zoo.). On our tour, there was a woman whose mother had been a personal guest of William Randolph Hearst at the mansion, and our guide was eager to talk more with her to gain some inside knowledge about the history of that place that he may have lacked. There is so much to see that there isn’t just one tour of the castle, but three separate tours. So if you go through once, you can’t rightly say, “I’ve seen all there is to see at Hearst Castle.” Even after taking all three tours, you could go back many times and still not see it all. Our guide told us that even though he had conducted that tour many times, nearly every time he discovered something new that he had never noticed before. That’s how your study of God’s Word should be. The Holy Spirit is the divine guide, who takes you from room to room, revealing the riches of Christ to your soul. Sometimes, you’re on your twentieth trip through a book and you see something that you’d never seen before, so you stop and revel at the glory of God in Christ. At other times, you make a connection between one part of God’s Word and another part that lets you see afresh that this book is not a product of human genius, but rather the inspired word of the living God. But you’ll never get to a place in this lifetime or even in all eternity (Eph. 2:7) where you can say, “I know it all; there’s nothing more for me to learn from the Bible!” So keep reading your Bible over and over, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Christ to your soul. (How the Holy Spirit Works John 16:12-15) For (gar - term of explanation) He will not speak (laleo) on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak (laleo) - Jesus explains how the Spirit will be able to guide the disciples into all the truth. Some feel the One He hears here is Jesus, but others feel this refers to the Father. Certainly Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing, so to hear from Jesus would be to hear from the Father (See Jn 5:19; 7:16; 8:26-29; 14:10). So not only does the Spirit of truth always speak truth, He always speaks the words of God the Father. It follows that the Spirit's guidance will always be consistent with God’s revealed will in the Bible, the words of the Bible. The corollary is that the will of God is always best found in the Word of God (See The Will Of God) One common source guarantees unity in the teaching. -- Wycliffe Bible Commentary
João 16
Cole - When people continually emphasize the Holy Spirit and their supposed experiences in the Spirit, they are not filled with the Spirit. The Spirit exalts Jesus Christ. Dr. Carson (BORROW The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus PAGE 150) states: “Nothing brings more glory to our exalted Lord Jesus than for his followers to become steeped in all truth concerning him…. Glory comes to Jesus as the truths of the gospel are established in the lives of men.” (How the Holy Spirit Works John 16:12-15) For (term of explanation) He will take (lambano - receive) of Mine and will disclose (anaggello/anangello - open declare, proclaim, teach) it to you - Take of Mine refers to Jesus' teaching, to anything (and everything) that relates to Him. This is exactly what Spirit filled (controlled) Peter did in the sermon in Acts 2. He preached Christ and Him crucified and 3000 souls were saved. This prophecy was ultimately fulfilled in all the apostles as they wrote New Testament books which took what the Spirit inspired and recorded truth that brought glory to Jesus. Truth about Jesus communicated by Spirit filled messengers brings glory to Jesus. As Peter explained "no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2Pe 1:21+) Merrill Tenney explained that the Spirit "would not present an independent message, differing from what [the disciples] had already learned from [Christ]. They would be led further into the realization of his person and in the development of the principles he had already laid down. They would also be enlightened about coming events. He would unfold the truth as the disciples grew in spiritual capacity and understanding." (BORROW The Expositor's Bible Commentary PAGE 354) Kenneth Gangel writes that "These verses are fulfilled repeatedly when people in our day read the writings of Paul or Peter and know more about Jesus because the Holy Spirit first revealed it and now explains it." (See Holman New Testament Commentary scroll up/down to show more comments) W E Vine on will take of Mine and will disclose it to you - The whole of the New Testament is the great proof of the fulfillment of this, and by means of the entire Scriptures the Spirit of truth has been fulfilling it to and through believers ever since. Yet not all has been unfolded thus far. The ek, out of, is to be taken literally. There remains yet more in the ages to come. (The Collected Writings of W. E. Vine) J I Packer's illustration of Spirit's role to glorify Jesus - The Holy Spirit's distinctive role is to fulfill what we may call a floodlight ministry in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. So far as this role was concerned, the Spirit "was not yet" (John 7:29, literal Greek) while Jesus was on earth; only when the Father had glorified him (John 17:1, 5) could the Spirit's work of making men aware of Jesus' glory begin. I remember walking to church one winter evening to preach on the words, "He will glorify me" (John 16:14), seeing the building floodlit as I turned a corner, and realizing that this was exactly the illustration my message needed. When floodlighting is well done, the floodlights are placed so that you do not see them; in fact, you are not supposed to see where the light is coming from; what you are meant to see is just the building on which the floodlights are trained. The intended effect is to make it visible when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness, and to maximize its dignity by throwing all its details into relief so that you can see it properly. This perfectly illustrated the Spirit's new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden flood light shining on the Savior. Or think of it this way. It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus who stands facing us. The Spirit's message to us is never, "Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me", but always, "Look at him, and see his glory; listen to him and hear his word; go to him and have life; get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace." The Spirit, we might say, is the matchmaker, the celestial marriage broker, whose role it is to bring us and Christ together and ensure that we stay together. (James Packer, BORROW Your Father Loves You - Daily Insights for Knowing God) J I Packer adds "My conviction is that the key to understanding the experiential aspects of life in the Spirit is to be found in His work of making Jesus Christ, our crucified, risen, reigning Savior, real and glorious to us moment by moment (John 16:14). And I claim that John is referring to this ministry of the Spirit when he declares that “his anointing teaches you about everything” (everything, he means, concerning Jesus and his glory - 1Jn 2:27+), and leads us to “abide in him” (to maintain not just a true confession about him, but a disciple relationship to him as living Lord)." John
João 16
Cole says "We disobey it when we stubbornly refuse the help that He sends us through the promises of His Word or through a fellow believer who tries to encourage us. We obey it when we say, “Thank You, Lord, for Your faithful love,” and trust His Word. Thus the main way that the Lord encourages us is with His presence in our difficult circumstances." Gary Hill adds that tharseo "refers to God bolstering the believer, empowering them with a bold inner-attitude ("of good courage"). Inner bolstering comes from the Lord infusing strength by His inworking of faith. This unflinching, bold courage lives out inner confidence which is produced by the Holy Spirit....(believers) know all physical circumstances of life are under His control (Jn 1:3) which produces an unconquerable sense of "inner triumph."" (Discovery Bible) THARSEO - 7V - take courage(7) - Matt. 9:2; Matt. 9:22; Matt. 14:27; Mk. 6:50; Mk. 10:49; Jn. 16:33; Acts 23:11 Overcome (conquered) (3528) nikao means to conquer, to be victorious or to prevail in the face of obstacles. To bring about a victory, to achieve the victory, always referring to spiritual victory in the New Testament. Ro 3:4+ speaks of God prevailing as in a legal accusation against Him! Overcome describes the quality of a true saint who may stumble and fall but who God always picks up and he continues onward and upward in the power and motivation of the victory Christ has won for us on the Cross. NIKAO - 24v - conquer(1), conquering(1), overcame(2), overcome(11), overcomes(10), overpowers(1), prevail(1), victorious(1). NOTE REPETITION OF NIKAO IN DESCRIPTION OF BELIEVERS IN THE REVELATION - Lk. 11:22; Jn. 16:33; Rom. 3:4; Rom. 12:21; 1 Jn. 2:13; 1 Jn. 2:14; 1 Jn. 4:4; 1 Jn. 5:4; 1 Jn. 5:5; Rev. 2:7; Rev. 2:11; Rev. 2:17; Rev. 2:26; Rev. 3:5; Rev. 3:12; Rev. 3:21; Rev. 5:5; Rev. 6:2; Rev. 11:7; Rev. 12:11; Rev. 13:7; Rev. 15:2; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 21:7 Brian Bell - As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: “It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians— and I am one of them.” Vance Havner - "This Is the Victory" "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 The world is too much with us nowadays. We cannot explain it for God holds that secret and the world by its wisdom knows not God. We cannot endure it by a Stoic stiff-upper-lip philosophy. Thousands are trying to bluff through, whistling their way past the graveyard, wearing the royal robes of a put-on fortitude over the sackcloth of inner wretchedness (2 Kings 6:30). We cannot enjoy the world for "she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth," it is all a lifeless counterfeit. But we can overcome the world and any of us, regardless of circumstance, can get in on this. Christ did not dodge or deny the fact of trouble: he declared plainly that in this world we might expect it. But he follows it with, "Be of good cheer." He overcame the world and whoever is born of God and believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4, 5). This business of overcoming the world is open to you. You may be an invalid, you may be in straits, you may be poor and ignorant and despised, but there is no condition in which you may be placed that can keep you from overcoming the world if you will receive him and let him live his overcoming life in you. "Be of good cheer." He is the way out Warren