John 16:25, commentary and pictures

In proverbs means in parables and figurative, obscure sayings about God, in contrast to showing the Father plainly and making Him clearly known. The disciples had no clear understanding of God and of their relation to Him, and though the words were simple they could not take them in because they were not ready to bear the truth and their hopes left no room for a suffering Saviour. What they did not understand was explained after the resurrection and discerned still more fully after the ascension, and at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out blinded eyes were opened and the Father and the Son were revealed through their witness. Even then they received only as much knowledge of God as they could bear, so human knowledge of God remains partial and imperfect, and the promise will be completely fulfilled only when the conflict is ended and what is now mysterious is clearly understood. That clearer, more distinct knowledge of God which Christ alone can give is the highest education, and when it is believed and lived out it cures dissension and seeking the highest place, answers His prayer for oneness, and gives asking in His name its efficacy because the Father Himself loves those who love Christ, so their joy is made full.

Figurative Speech Explained

“These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs” sets parables and figurative, obscure sayings about God over against a coming time when the Father would be shown plainly. The disciples had no clear understanding of God and of their relation to Him and of their present and future interests, and Christ desired them to know God more clearly and distinctly. His teaching about His own relation to God was still dark to them, and what He had spoken in figures they could not yet fully understand.

Though His words were simple enough for children to understand, the disciples could not take them in because they were not ready to bear the truth. Their hopes left no room for such truth, for they could not imagine that their Teacher would be betrayed and scourged and killed. What conflicted with those hopes they failed to grasp, even when plainly encouraged with hope and courage and strength and assurance to stand through trials.

The saying belongs to Christ’s last talk in John 13-17, given before separation and death and betrayal and crucifixion and before His last prayer, so that the disciples’ hearts would not be troubled. It was instruction given before He was separated from them to prepare them for their future work. They did not fully understand and appreciate that instruction and that prayer until after the resurrection.

In that farewell instruction He gave plain lessons about the future so they would not remain blind or ignorant but would be strengthened for coming trials and temptations. Their ministry must rest on Christ and depend on divine power, for without God working through them their efforts would fail. These teachings also showed His love for them, which they were to remember in their work and counsel.

He plainly set before them hatred from the world and manifold afflictions and great temptation to lose faith, knowing every phase of experience and every conflict they would face. He did this so they would not be offended, mingling the dark prospect with bright hopeful lines of the future. That bright hope was the Comforter and their calling to be His faithful witnesses while in the world but not of the world, words of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God’s service.

Plain Revelation Fulfilled

Christ came to teach what God wanted people to know, and the coming time He promised was when He would no longer speak in figures but would make the Father plainly known. His earlier teaching about the Father had been given in parables and figurative, obscure sayings that the disciples did not yet understand, leaving them without a clear understanding of God and of their relation to Him and their present and future interests. What He desired for them was a clearer, more distinct knowledge of God, which He alone can give.

That understanding came only after the resurrection, when He explained what they had not understood from His words before His death. After His ascension they discerned the meaning still more fully. His words, spoken at a time they could not fully take in, were afterward understood and appreciated more fully and brought comfort, peace, and hope to believers.

At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, much of that teaching became clear. Blinded eyes were opened and the scales fell from them, confused ideas were removed, former theories and fanciful interpretations appeared foolish beside the new knowledge, and the Spirit revealed the Father and the Son through their witness and brought light to their understanding. What had been mysterious became clear as the Spirit clarified much of Christ's instruction in John 14-17 showing what God desires to do for the human race.

Even then the disciples received only as much knowledge of God as they could bear, so human knowledge of God remains partial and imperfect and many things remain mysteries, with believers now knowing only in part. The promise will be completely fulfilled only when the conflict is ended and Christ acknowledges His faithful workers before the Father. Then what is now mysterious will be clearly understood, and they will understand clearly the things they cannot yet understand. With that plain showing, the disciples would no longer approach the Father through obscure sayings, and asking in Christ's name gives prayer its efficacy because the Father Himself loves those who love Christ and believe He came from God, so their prayers are answered and their joy is made full.

God's Will Lived Out

John 16:25 stands with John 6 and John 13 through 17 as a plain outlining of God's will for His people, showing what God desires to do for the human race. Together those chapters hold the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world, by which believers are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him through all eternity. Their verses are to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers. Their meaning is opened when the Holy Spirit comes as at Pentecost, opening blinded eyes and causing scales to fall from them.

What is commanded there is to be given to the people with a Thus saith the Lord, with Christ's works and words as sure evidence. Studying its lesson, gaining knowledge of the Word, and willingly speaking what Christ commanded brings the converting power of the Word, as when three thousand were brought to faith at Pentecost, and brings His promised presence with His workers even to the end of the world. Lived out in practical life, this instruction cures dissension and seeking the highest place. It answers the prayer Christ offered to the Father just before His betrayal and crucifixion, and produces unity and love that stand as an impregnable wall against Satan's assaults and enable standing the shaking-time test, while without it there is weakness instead of strength, and souls remain sick while thinking themselves whole.

The discourse is instruction for every church, home, school, sanitarium, and printing establishment, as a message from God showing how people may receive Christ's grace, whose conditions must be obeyed or they will be unready to stand before Him when He comes in glory. It taught that ministry must rest on Christ and depend on divine power, for without God working through them efforts would fail. Its words in John 14 to 16 are words of encouragement giving believers hope, courage, strength, and assurance to stand through trials, and afterward bringing comfort, peace, and hope. They can be understood with new enlightenment when minds are reshaped by the Spirit of God, and they plainly set forth hatred from the world, afflictions, temptation to lose faith, and every phase of conflict, mingled with bright hope in the Comforter and the calling to be faithful witnesses while in the world but not of it, making them of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. The clearer, more distinct knowledge of God and of relation to Him and present and future interests, which Christ alone can give in place of figurative and obscure sayings, is the highest education.