They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
The saying belongs to the upper chamber after Judas withdrew, to Jesus' farewell to the eleven faithful disciples alone before His betrayal, crucifixion, suffering, and separation from them. The sacred truths unfolded in John 15, 16 and 17 were not for the multitude who could not understand them, but for His faithful followers alone. That instruction before He was separated from them prepared them for their future work and taught that their efforts would fail unless they worked with divine power. It was His final comforting talk before His suffering, given so their hearts would not be troubled.
The verse records their perplexed question about what He meant by a little while, confessing we cannot tell what He says. They were perplexed by His words and could not yet understand their meaning. They could not understand because they could not accept that their beloved Teacher would be betrayed, scourged, and put to death, and His words conflicted with their hopes, though He spoke to strengthen them for the trial ahead.
Even the faithful disciples could not fully understand the farewell words at the time. Only after the resurrection were the words spoken on that memorable occasion fully understood and appreciated. Meanwhile the disciples repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial.
He spoke to strengthen them for the trial, temptations, and future work ahead, to make His purposes known, and to keep their hearts from being troubled. Because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face, He told them beforehand of hatred, affliction, trial, and great temptation to lose faith, so they would remember and not be offended when the time came. These lessons made His purposes known and were intended to strengthen them for the trials and temptations ahead.
As He prepared to speak of leaving them, He first directed their thoughts to His mission, that His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father. With the dark future He mingled bright, hopeful lines. Among them was the promise of the Comforter, the Spirit of truth from the Father to testify of Him.
The discourse in John 16, belonging to the instruction of John 14-17, is a message for Christians in every setting and of highest value for every soul consecrating his life to God's service. It is to be received as instruction about how to obtain Christ's grace. Believers can understand it with new enlightenment when the Spirit of God renews their minds. Its conditions must be followed, or people will be unworthy to stand among Christ's people at His return.
The teaching plainly expresses God's will calling for unity and love answering Christ's prayer. That unity and love becomes an impregnable wall withstanding Satan's assaults and efforts to ensnare workers for Christ, cures dissension and seeking the highest place, and must be lived out in practical life by strong co-workers with Christ to stand the shaking time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. Spread by the disciples' testimony over all lands to live through all ages, those truths comfort the desponding and give peace, hope, changeless consolation, and courage within reach through faith.
The saying belongs to the upper chamber after Judas withdrew, to Jesus' farewell to the eleven faithful disciples alone before His betrayal, crucifixion, suffering, and separation from them. The sacred truths unfolded in John 15, 16 and 17 were not for the multitude who could not understand them, but for His faithful followers alone. That instruction before He was separated from them prepared them for their future work and taught that their efforts would fail unless they worked with divine power. It was His final comforting talk before His suffering, given so their hearts would not be troubled.
The verse records their perplexed question about what He meant by a little while, confessing we cannot tell what He says. They were perplexed by His words and could not yet understand their meaning. They could not understand because they could not accept that their beloved Teacher would be betrayed, scourged, and put to death, and His words conflicted with their hopes, though He spoke to strengthen them for the trial ahead.
Even the faithful disciples could not fully understand the farewell words at the time. Only after the resurrection were the words spoken on that memorable occasion fully understood and appreciated. Meanwhile the disciples repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial.
He spoke to strengthen them for the trial, temptations, and future work ahead, to make His purposes known, and to keep their hearts from being troubled. Because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face, He told them beforehand of hatred, affliction, trial, and great temptation to lose faith, so they would remember and not be offended when the time came. These lessons made His purposes known and were intended to strengthen them for the trials and temptations ahead.
As He prepared to speak of leaving them, He first directed their thoughts to His mission, that His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father. With the dark future He mingled bright, hopeful lines. Among them was the promise of the Comforter, the Spirit of truth from the Father to testify of Him.
The discourse in John 16, belonging to the instruction of John 14-17, is a message for Christians in every setting and of highest value for every soul consecrating his life to God's service. It is to be received as instruction about how to obtain Christ's grace. Believers can understand it with new enlightenment when the Spirit of God renews their minds. Its conditions must be followed, or people will be unworthy to stand among Christ's people at His return.
The teaching plainly expresses God's will calling for unity and love answering Christ's prayer. That unity and love becomes an impregnable wall withstanding Satan's assaults and efforts to ensnare workers for Christ, cures dissension and seeking the highest place, and must be lived out in practical life by strong co-workers with Christ to stand the shaking time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. Spread by the disciples' testimony over all lands to live through all ages, those truths comfort the desponding and give peace, hope, changeless consolation, and courage within reach through faith.