At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
After His departure the disciples were to come directly to the Father in Jesus' name, and He assured them He was not speaking as if He must plead with the Father on their behalf. Asking in His name means far more than adding His name to prayer, it means praying in His mind and spirit while trusting His promises and doing His works. The Father Himself loves those who love Jesus and believe He came from God, and His own heart is open to welcome them. This does not mean the Father needs to be persuaded to love or hear or save, nor does it set aside Christ's work as Intercessor, Mediator and Advocate who presents the petitioner to God with His own blood, merits and righteousness and makes the prayer acceptable as His own request. Father and Son are one in perfect harmony in the plan of salvation, so Jesus' name is the passport to the Father's heart that gives prayer access and efficacy, opening the treasures of grace to be received and shared until asking ends in receiving and joy is full.
Setting and Encouragement
It was spoken to the faithful disciples alone in the upper chamber at the Passover supper after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and the peace of heaven returned. It was not spoken before the multitude, who could not understand such sacred truth, but belonged to the burden of His soul in words of comfort, counsel and prayer recorded in John 15, 16 and 17. Even the disciples could not then fully grasp it, yet they repeated these words again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial. The truths uttered there have spread through their testimony over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.
It was Christ's final instruction to His disciples before He was separated from them, given to prepare His little flock for His approaching separation. That instruction taught that their ministry depended on divine power working through human effort, and that they must build on a divine Christ. The chapter gave them lessons about the future, meant to strengthen them for coming trials and temptations and to help them remember Christ's love as they carried out their work. These words of comfort, counsel and prayer in the upper chamber later brought comfort, peace and hope to believers in times of trial.
It stands among the verses in John 13-17 that plainly outline God's will, with God's plainly expressed will for His people also found in John 6 and John 13-17 and His will plainly expressed in John 16 and in John 14-16. Believers are to trust what it says, believe every verse in these chapters, and live it out in practical life. The words in John 15-17 are needed by all who claim to be Christians and are to be shared in every home as a message about how to receive Christ's grace, calling for compliance with the conditions Christ lays down. When what it teaches is lived, dissension is cured and there is unity with one another and with Christ and love that withstands the assaults of the enemy, making believers strong co-workers with Christ and enabling them to stand the test in the shaking time, whereas dissension leaves weakness instead of strength. The lesson of John 16 must be studied and obeyed by young people and all who teach the Word, with willingness to take the words Christ commanded and give them to the people with a Thus saith the Lord.
Knowing the trials His church would face through unconverted believers, and knowing how severely the faith and courage of His disciples would be tried, He spoke it as encouragement and hope. He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face in a dark, troubled future, with the difficulties, hatred, afflictions and trials they would meet from the world, and He spoke plainly beforehand to prepare them for that time of trial and temptation to lose faith. He mingled bright, hopeful lines with the dark, presenting the hopeful part of the future alongside the warning. It was a word of comfort and consolation spoken not for Himself but to strengthen His disciples to endure without failing, so they would not be offended or fail or be discouraged or lose courage, simple enough for even children to understand. As long as time shall last it imparts to the true believer who studies it courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, with strength and assurance. John 14, 15, 16 and 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to the service of God.
The disciples' questions showed their limited understanding of God's relation to them, and Christ promised to make the Father better known so they would come to know the Father more clearly through Him. Even so they could not fully understand until after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, for this instruction that preceded Jesus' last prayer for His disciples was fully understood and appreciated only then. The Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost clarified His previously mysterious teachings, while full understanding awaits the end of the conflict.
Through the Comforter there is divine help that teaches His followers, reminds them of His words, reveals Christ and brings His words to mind. By this they are equipped for ministry and become living witnesses who show Christ's character and testify to their communion with Him. When that lesson is learned there is willingness to take the words Christ commanded and give them to the people with a Thus saith the Lord, the works and words of Christ become the sure evidence of the message, Christ's promised presence with His workers to the end is seen, and the Word shows its converting power in bringing thousands to the faith as at Pentecost.
Prayer in Jesus' Name
At that day after His departure the disciples may ask the Father in Jesus' name with direct access, and He says not that He will pray the Father for them. Asking in His name means more than merely saying His name in prayer; it means praying in His mind and spirit, trusting His promises and grace, and doing His works. The Father Himself loves them because they love Jesus and believe that He came from God and accept Him, and His own heart of love is open to welcome Christ's friends. He hears them and gives them the riches of His grace because they love Christ and believe He came from God.
Christ's intercession does not mean the Father must be persuaded to love, hear, save or care for them, as if He were unwilling. The Father's willingness to hear rests on His own love, and the Father's love no less than the Son's is the source of salvation for the lost. This does not deny Christ's intercession; He remains Intercessor, Mediator, Advocate and connecting link who presents them to God and makes their petitions acceptable. He places His own blood, merits and righteousness on the suppliant's side, presents the petition as His own request with fragrance as sweet incense, places the petitioner by His side with access to the throne of grace, and gives efficacy to prayer as the medium between God and man.
The Father and Christ are one in perfect harmony with prayers offered in Christ's name, united in the counsel of peace and plan of salvation expressed in the heavenly sanctuary. Jesus' name is their passport to the Father's heart that gives prayer efficacy and access, so the Father lays open the treasures and riches of His grace for them to receive and share. He answers so that asking results in receiving and their joy may be full, because they approach God through Christ's merits and righteousness. As long as time shall last it imparts courage, strength and assurance to the true believer who studies it to stand fast in the most trying hour. Living what it teaches cures dissension and gives unity with one another and with Christ, love that withstands the enemy, strength as co-workers with Christ, and power to stand the test in the shaking time.
Its promises of asking in His name and of Christ coming as Comforter, understood through the Spirit's influence, are a reason to trust God rather than make up for lack of faith by using drugs. It presents Jesus as Advocate in heaven responding to prayers for forgiveness, pardon, mercy, grace, truth and rest, in the context of the day of atonement and judgment where confession and humble repentance prepare sins to be blotted out. It shows that Jesus lives and prays the Father for His people, proving God is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God who gives joy and confidence to lean on Him as the source of strength and reward and to seek fuller understanding of truth in order to do duty at home and among neighbors.
After His departure the disciples were to come directly to the Father in Jesus' name, and He assured them He was not speaking as if He must plead with the Father on their behalf. Asking in His name means far more than adding His name to prayer, it means praying in His mind and spirit while trusting His promises and doing His works. The Father Himself loves those who love Jesus and believe He came from God, and His own heart is open to welcome them. This does not mean the Father needs to be persuaded to love or hear or save, nor does it set aside Christ's work as Intercessor, Mediator and Advocate who presents the petitioner to God with His own blood, merits and righteousness and makes the prayer acceptable as His own request. Father and Son are one in perfect harmony in the plan of salvation, so Jesus' name is the passport to the Father's heart that gives prayer access and efficacy, opening the treasures of grace to be received and shared until asking ends in receiving and joy is full.
Setting and Encouragement
It was spoken to the faithful disciples alone in the upper chamber at the Passover supper after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and the peace of heaven returned. It was not spoken before the multitude, who could not understand such sacred truth, but belonged to the burden of His soul in words of comfort, counsel and prayer recorded in John 15, 16 and 17. Even the disciples could not then fully grasp it, yet they repeated these words again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial. The truths uttered there have spread through their testimony over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.
It was Christ's final instruction to His disciples before He was separated from them, given to prepare His little flock for His approaching separation. That instruction taught that their ministry depended on divine power working through human effort, and that they must build on a divine Christ. The chapter gave them lessons about the future, meant to strengthen them for coming trials and temptations and to help them remember Christ's love as they carried out their work. These words of comfort, counsel and prayer in the upper chamber later brought comfort, peace and hope to believers in times of trial.
It stands among the verses in John 13-17 that plainly outline God's will, with God's plainly expressed will for His people also found in John 6 and John 13-17 and His will plainly expressed in John 16 and in John 14-16. Believers are to trust what it says, believe every verse in these chapters, and live it out in practical life. The words in John 15-17 are needed by all who claim to be Christians and are to be shared in every home as a message about how to receive Christ's grace, calling for compliance with the conditions Christ lays down. When what it teaches is lived, dissension is cured and there is unity with one another and with Christ and love that withstands the assaults of the enemy, making believers strong co-workers with Christ and enabling them to stand the test in the shaking time, whereas dissension leaves weakness instead of strength. The lesson of John 16 must be studied and obeyed by young people and all who teach the Word, with willingness to take the words Christ commanded and give them to the people with a Thus saith the Lord.
Knowing the trials His church would face through unconverted believers, and knowing how severely the faith and courage of His disciples would be tried, He spoke it as encouragement and hope. He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face in a dark, troubled future, with the difficulties, hatred, afflictions and trials they would meet from the world, and He spoke plainly beforehand to prepare them for that time of trial and temptation to lose faith. He mingled bright, hopeful lines with the dark, presenting the hopeful part of the future alongside the warning. It was a word of comfort and consolation spoken not for Himself but to strengthen His disciples to endure without failing, so they would not be offended or fail or be discouraged or lose courage, simple enough for even children to understand. As long as time shall last it imparts to the true believer who studies it courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, with strength and assurance. John 14, 15, 16 and 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to the service of God.
The disciples' questions showed their limited understanding of God's relation to them, and Christ promised to make the Father better known so they would come to know the Father more clearly through Him. Even so they could not fully understand until after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, for this instruction that preceded Jesus' last prayer for His disciples was fully understood and appreciated only then. The Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost clarified His previously mysterious teachings, while full understanding awaits the end of the conflict.
Through the Comforter there is divine help that teaches His followers, reminds them of His words, reveals Christ and brings His words to mind. By this they are equipped for ministry and become living witnesses who show Christ's character and testify to their communion with Him. When that lesson is learned there is willingness to take the words Christ commanded and give them to the people with a Thus saith the Lord, the works and words of Christ become the sure evidence of the message, Christ's promised presence with His workers to the end is seen, and the Word shows its converting power in bringing thousands to the faith as at Pentecost.
Prayer in Jesus' Name
At that day after His departure the disciples may ask the Father in Jesus' name with direct access, and He says not that He will pray the Father for them. Asking in His name means more than merely saying His name in prayer; it means praying in His mind and spirit, trusting His promises and grace, and doing His works. The Father Himself loves them because they love Jesus and believe that He came from God and accept Him, and His own heart of love is open to welcome Christ's friends. He hears them and gives them the riches of His grace because they love Christ and believe He came from God.
Christ's intercession does not mean the Father must be persuaded to love, hear, save or care for them, as if He were unwilling. The Father's willingness to hear rests on His own love, and the Father's love no less than the Son's is the source of salvation for the lost. This does not deny Christ's intercession; He remains Intercessor, Mediator, Advocate and connecting link who presents them to God and makes their petitions acceptable. He places His own blood, merits and righteousness on the suppliant's side, presents the petition as His own request with fragrance as sweet incense, places the petitioner by His side with access to the throne of grace, and gives efficacy to prayer as the medium between God and man.
The Father and Christ are one in perfect harmony with prayers offered in Christ's name, united in the counsel of peace and plan of salvation expressed in the heavenly sanctuary. Jesus' name is their passport to the Father's heart that gives prayer efficacy and access, so the Father lays open the treasures and riches of His grace for them to receive and share. He answers so that asking results in receiving and their joy may be full, because they approach God through Christ's merits and righteousness. As long as time shall last it imparts courage, strength and assurance to the true believer who studies it to stand fast in the most trying hour. Living what it teaches cures dissension and gives unity with one another and with Christ, love that withstands the enemy, strength as co-workers with Christ, and power to stand the test in the shaking time.
Its promises of asking in His name and of Christ coming as Comforter, understood through the Spirit's influence, are a reason to trust God rather than make up for lack of faith by using drugs. It presents Jesus as Advocate in heaven responding to prayers for forgiveness, pardon, mercy, grace, truth and rest, in the context of the day of atonement and judgment where confession and humble repentance prepare sins to be blotted out. It shows that Jesus lives and prays the Father for His people, proving God is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God who gives joy and confidence to lean on Him as the source of strength and reward and to seek fuller understanding of truth in order to do duty at home and among neighbors.