John 16:32, commentary and pictures

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus told the eleven faithful disciples that within hours they would abandon him to his enemies and scatter each to his own way when he was seized. They did so in terrified confusion at his willing submission to arrest and humiliation, even after seeing his power to fell his captors and heal the wounded servant. Yet he was not utterly alone in that abandonment, for the Father remained with him. He told them beforehand because he knew every trial before them, to strengthen them not to fail or lose faith and to give them peace in him amid tribulation, for he has overcome the world. His reliance on God when left alone teaches that the believer who stands without human support may still stand with divine companionship.

Setting and Scattering Foretold

Jesus spoke these words privately to the eleven faithful disciples after Judas withdrew from the upper chamber, with the oppressive shadow lifted and Jesus left alone with his own, both in the chamber and on the way across the brook Kedron that night. They belong to the sacred truths of John 15-17, the final instruction of comfort, counsel and prayer poured out to prepare the little flock soon to be left without a shepherd for his approaching separation from them before trial and crucifixion, truths the multitude could not understand. After that separation the disciples would no longer have him visibly present as their counselor, and their future work could succeed only through divine power working with their human effort.

That very night, when he was seized, they would all be offended because of him and be scattered every man to his own, leaving him alone in the hands of his enemies. The flight from the garden fulfilled the prediction when, on the night of his trial, they forsook him and fled in fear. They fled terrified and mortified by his submission and humiliation, because they could not understand his willingness to suffer. They were offended that he permitted himself to be taken and bound instead of delivering himself, and they blamed him for not defending himself.

Their desertion came in fear, distress and confusion when they saw that he did not deliver himself from his enemies. This happened though they had just seen his power to prostrate his captors, to stop the arrest, and to heal the wounded servant whose ear was cut off, and they knew he could have delivered himself from the murderous mob. Terrified by his submission to the mob, they were frightened and left him, and so his foreknown warning was fulfilled.

Even those who understood him best understood him only partially, and when the disciples thought they knew him he challenged whether they truly believed before foretelling their scattering. In facing a future his chosen companions could not understand, with even his words beyond them and with foresight that they would forsake him and leave him alone in the world, he needed a fresh hold on God's power to be received by faith. The words were spoken with touching sadness and pitying love, and were not fully understood until after the resurrection. Afterward they were repeated again and again to stay sinking hearts in disappointment and trial, and the truths have spread over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.

The scattering fulfilled what is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, when the little flock so soon to be left without a shepherd abandoned him in his humiliation. Jesus joined the warning with the promise that after he was risen he would go before them into Galilee.

Not Alone with Father

Though forsaken by his followers when seized by his enemies, he was not truly or utterly alone, for the Father was with him and remained with him. He faced human abandonment without being forsaken by the Father, left alone in the hands of his enemies yet upheld by divine companionship. His disciples fled in fear because they could not understand his submission and willingness to suffer, blaming him for not defending and delivering himself. Their flight fulfilled his foretelling even though they had just seen his power to prostrate his captors, stop the arrest, and heal the wounded servant, knowing he could have delivered himself from the mob.

The words reveal deep humanity, full of fine sensibilities, standing in need of a friend and of human sympathy and feeling solitude and loneliness at times. They express a struggle and inward conflict and reasoning in his mind against a suggestion, answered by the assurance that the Father is with him. Even those who understood him best understood him only partially, so he challenged whether they truly believed before foretelling that they would be scattered every man to his own. In facing a future his chosen companions could not understand, when he foresaw being left alone in the world, he needed a fresh hold on God's power, with the promised help to be received by faith.

The saying belongs to his effort to help the disciples know God more clearly, spoken as he prepared the eleven for approaching separation after Judas had withdrawn. That preparation unfolds in the setting of his mission to glorify the Father, with his coming suffering and separation serving that glory. It teaches that there are two opposing parties with two different leaders, Satan as captain of one and Jesus Christ as leader of the other.

It presents him as laying aside royal robe and kingly crown and clothing himself with humanity to stand at the head of the human race. He bore the trials and met the temptations human beings must meet, with temptations far greater because he is higher and purer, yet never swerving for an instant from loyalty to God. He lived a pure undefiled life without spot or stain of sin, and with one hand on the throne of God and the other laid on fallen human beings he lifts them from degradation. To all who receive him he gives power to become sons of God.

Encouragement and Present Application

These were words of encouragement spoken to prepare the disciples to stand fast without failing in severe trials, and words of comfort, counsel and prayer to prepare the little flock soon to be left without a shepherd for difficulties, temptations and trials in the world without losing faith or being discouraged. They were spoken privately to the faithful after Judas withdrew, because the multitude could not understand such sacred truths, and they belong to the instruction of John 15-17 poured out for those left alone. Even the disciples could not fully understand them until after the resurrection, but afterward they repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial, and those truths have spread over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers. He spoke plainly beforehand because He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face and was grieved that they must pass through manifold afflictions from the world. He sought to strengthen them by making His purposes and plans known and teaching them to remember His love in their work and counsel, mingling bright hopeful lines about the future with the dark so that through faith they would not fail nor be discouraged in a dark troubled future and coming time of great temptation to lose faith.

The verse belongs to His promise of peace in Him amid tribulation in the world because He has overcome the world, and to His assurance that sorrow after His death would be turned into joy. The disciples would no longer have Him visibly present as counselor, and their future work could succeed only through divine power working with their human effort. The Father will answer requests made in His name, and He promises to come as Comforter, promises that call for faith. The discourse of John 14-17 plainly expresses God's will for His people and for Christians in every setting, showing what God desires to do for the human race, and it is to be shared in every home as teaching how to receive His grace while calling for obedience to His conditions. It is a lesson to be studied, especially by young people seeking knowledge of the Word and its converting power, so that the works and words of Christ become the sure evidence for presenting a divine message, and when studied with willingness to give the words He commanded it brings evidence that He is with His workers always even to the end with power to bring converts as at Pentecost. Its meaning is opened when the Holy Spirit comes upon readers as He came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, reshaping the mind and opening blinded eyes until scales fall from them.

When this instruction is lived out in practical life it cures dissension and brings unity with one another and with Christ, giving strength to withstand Satan and to stand the test and the shaking. His example in facing His hour of trial knowing His followers would leave Him, yet not alone because the Father was with Him, teaches that a person can stand without human support by relying on God. Even when those closest leave and followers are scattered, He is not truly alone because the Father is with Him. So a believer who feels alone may still be accompanied by Jesus, and one who stands alone among family, friends and fellow believers can still rely on God's presence.