Jesus answers His disciples' confident claim of belief with a searching question whether they now truly believe He came from God, for though they thought they knew Him they understood Him only in part and still needed a clearer knowledge of the Father which He alone could give. With the question He foretells that the hour is coming when they will be scattered each to his own place and leave Him alone in His trial and crucifixion, yet He is not alone because the Father remains with Him. It was spoken privately to the eleven faithful disciples in the upper room after Judas withdrew, belonging to the sacred farewell instruction of John 14-17 which preceded His last prayer for them. He gave it to prepare them for their future work and severe trial and temptation to lose faith and courage, mingling the dark outlook with bright hopeful comfort and counsel and prayer to steady their sinking hearts so they should stand firm and not fail nor be discouraged. The verse calls them to believe in Him and trust His promises rather than make up for lack of faith by other means, a lesson they could not fully understand until after the resurrection when the Holy Spirit opened their eyes, and lived out in unity with Christ and one another it brings strength to withstand testing and the enemy's assaults.
Upper Room Farewell Words
These words were spoken privately to the eleven faithful disciples in the upper room after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and peace returned, concerning His mission and His approaching separation from them. They belong to the sacred farewell instruction recorded in John 14-17, and especially John 15-17, which was not spoken before the multitude because they could not understand it. That instruction of comfort and counsel and prayer was given to draw the disciples from perplexity about that separation and to steady their sinking hearts in coming disappointment and trial, and it preceded His last prayer for the disciples.
With these words Jesus answered the disciples' confident declaration of belief with a searching question whether they now truly believed He came from God. Though they thought they knew Him, even those who understood Him best understood Him only partially, not yet understanding God's relation to them or the truths He had taught and needing a clearer knowledge of the Father which Christ alone could give. The question came from His deep humanity and fine sensibilities, His human need for a friend and sympathy and His feeling of solitude and loneliness, expressing an inward struggle and reasoning against the suggestion that He would be left alone.
With the question He foretold that the hour was coming when the disciples would be scattered, each to his own place, and would leave Him alone in His coming trial and crucifixion, yet He was not alone because the Father remained with Him. Even the disciples could not fully understand or appreciate these words until after the resurrection, when the Holy Spirit came as at Pentecost to open blinded eyes, cause the scales to fall, and make the teachings clear. Complete understanding of heavenly things would come later, and meanwhile they repeated the words again and again.
Strength for Coming Trials
Jesus gave this question as part of His instruction before separation from the disciples to prepare them for their future work and severe trial. He spoke because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would meet, and He was grieved that they must pass through manifold afflictions from the world and face great temptation to lose faith and courage. The lessons were meant to keep them from being blind or ignorant about His purposes and plans and to remind them of His love. He showed in them that their ministry depended on divine power working with human effort.
To steady them He mingled the bright hopeful lines with the dark, presenting the hopeful part of the future before their minds. He gave words of encouragement and hope, with comfort and counsel and prayer, to draw them from perplexity about His approaching separation and to stay their sinking hearts in coming disappointment and trial. By making every provision through faith in Him He provided strength and assurance so they should stand firm and should not fail nor be discouraged in the dark troubled future He knew must come.
The discourse to which the question belongs plainly expresses God's will and what God desires to do for the human race. In it true education is shown to mean far more than human teachers understand, and obedience to God's teaching would make the race different and present a new world bearing the impress of heaven. Its words are needed by all Christians and are to be received in every home as a message from God showing how to receive Christ's grace. It lays down conditions that must be obeyed, and those who refuse them will be unworthy to stand among His people when He comes in glory and unable to look upon His face.
The question calls the disciples to believe in Jesus and to trust His promises, including that the Father will give what is asked in His name, rather than making up for lack of faith by other means. Living that instruction in practical life, including unity with Christ and one another in answer to His prayer, brings strength to withstand testing and the enemy's assaults. Dissension and self-exaltation instead leave people weak.
The lesson of John 16 gives words Christ commanded to be given, and with John 14, 15, and 17 it is of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. When the lesson is studied and its words are willingly taken and presented to the people as a message from the Lord, the works and words of Christ become sure evidence carrying the converting power seen when three thousand were brought to faith at Pentecost and bringing evidence that Christ is with His workers always even to the end. Young people are to arise and obtain this knowledge of the Word and its converting power. From the disciples' testimony these upper-room truths have spread over all lands to live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to thousands who believe and to believers still.
Jesus answers His disciples' confident claim of belief with a searching question whether they now truly believe He came from God, for though they thought they knew Him they understood Him only in part and still needed a clearer knowledge of the Father which He alone could give. With the question He foretells that the hour is coming when they will be scattered each to his own place and leave Him alone in His trial and crucifixion, yet He is not alone because the Father remains with Him. It was spoken privately to the eleven faithful disciples in the upper room after Judas withdrew, belonging to the sacred farewell instruction of John 14-17 which preceded His last prayer for them. He gave it to prepare them for their future work and severe trial and temptation to lose faith and courage, mingling the dark outlook with bright hopeful comfort and counsel and prayer to steady their sinking hearts so they should stand firm and not fail nor be discouraged. The verse calls them to believe in Him and trust His promises rather than make up for lack of faith by other means, a lesson they could not fully understand until after the resurrection when the Holy Spirit opened their eyes, and lived out in unity with Christ and one another it brings strength to withstand testing and the enemy's assaults.
Upper Room Farewell Words
These words were spoken privately to the eleven faithful disciples in the upper room after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and peace returned, concerning His mission and His approaching separation from them. They belong to the sacred farewell instruction recorded in John 14-17, and especially John 15-17, which was not spoken before the multitude because they could not understand it. That instruction of comfort and counsel and prayer was given to draw the disciples from perplexity about that separation and to steady their sinking hearts in coming disappointment and trial, and it preceded His last prayer for the disciples.
With these words Jesus answered the disciples' confident declaration of belief with a searching question whether they now truly believed He came from God. Though they thought they knew Him, even those who understood Him best understood Him only partially, not yet understanding God's relation to them or the truths He had taught and needing a clearer knowledge of the Father which Christ alone could give. The question came from His deep humanity and fine sensibilities, His human need for a friend and sympathy and His feeling of solitude and loneliness, expressing an inward struggle and reasoning against the suggestion that He would be left alone.
With the question He foretold that the hour was coming when the disciples would be scattered, each to his own place, and would leave Him alone in His coming trial and crucifixion, yet He was not alone because the Father remained with Him. Even the disciples could not fully understand or appreciate these words until after the resurrection, when the Holy Spirit came as at Pentecost to open blinded eyes, cause the scales to fall, and make the teachings clear. Complete understanding of heavenly things would come later, and meanwhile they repeated the words again and again.
Strength for Coming Trials
Jesus gave this question as part of His instruction before separation from the disciples to prepare them for their future work and severe trial. He spoke because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would meet, and He was grieved that they must pass through manifold afflictions from the world and face great temptation to lose faith and courage. The lessons were meant to keep them from being blind or ignorant about His purposes and plans and to remind them of His love. He showed in them that their ministry depended on divine power working with human effort.
To steady them He mingled the bright hopeful lines with the dark, presenting the hopeful part of the future before their minds. He gave words of encouragement and hope, with comfort and counsel and prayer, to draw them from perplexity about His approaching separation and to stay their sinking hearts in coming disappointment and trial. By making every provision through faith in Him He provided strength and assurance so they should stand firm and should not fail nor be discouraged in the dark troubled future He knew must come.
The discourse to which the question belongs plainly expresses God's will and what God desires to do for the human race. In it true education is shown to mean far more than human teachers understand, and obedience to God's teaching would make the race different and present a new world bearing the impress of heaven. Its words are needed by all Christians and are to be received in every home as a message from God showing how to receive Christ's grace. It lays down conditions that must be obeyed, and those who refuse them will be unworthy to stand among His people when He comes in glory and unable to look upon His face.
The question calls the disciples to believe in Jesus and to trust His promises, including that the Father will give what is asked in His name, rather than making up for lack of faith by other means. Living that instruction in practical life, including unity with Christ and one another in answer to His prayer, brings strength to withstand testing and the enemy's assaults. Dissension and self-exaltation instead leave people weak.
The lesson of John 16 gives words Christ commanded to be given, and with John 14, 15, and 17 it is of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. When the lesson is studied and its words are willingly taken and presented to the people as a message from the Lord, the works and words of Christ become sure evidence carrying the converting power seen when three thousand were brought to faith at Pentecost and bringing evidence that Christ is with His workers always even to the end. Young people are to arise and obtain this knowledge of the Word and its converting power. From the disciples' testimony these upper-room truths have spread over all lands to live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to thousands who believe and to believers still.