John 16:4
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
He spoke these farewell words alone with the eleven faithful disciples after Judas withdrew, just before His betrayal and crucifixion, telling them beforehand of His approaching separation after pointing their thoughts to the great object of His mission that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name. He told them beforehand so that when the time and events came they would remember that He told them of them, with His words remaining imprinted on their minds and hearts to stay them in disappointment and trial. He had not said these things at the beginning because He was with them, and His presence strengthened and comforted them, but now He was going to Him that sent Him, to the Father, and though sorrow filled their hearts His departure was necessary because the Comforter would not come to them unless He went away. What He foretold was hatred and persecution, difficulties, conflicts and manifold afflictions from the world, including being put out of the synagogues and being killed by those who think they do God service because they have not known the Father nor Christ. The advance warning was given for the disciples and not for Himself to prepare them to carry out their future ministry without Him as their visible counselor, to give encouragement and hope and courage to stand fast in the most trying hour so that through faith they would not fail or be offended or discouraged, and it is to be believed and lived out.
Setting and Forewarning Purpose
Jesus spoke these words in the upper chamber after Judas had withdrawn, alone with the eleven faithful disciples as farewell words before His separation from them, just before His betrayal and crucifixion. Before telling them beforehand of His approaching separation, He first pointed their thoughts to the great object of His mission that He kept ever before Him, that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, and that this was His joy. The instruction prepared them to carry out their future ministry without Him as their visible counselor.
The verse belongs to the special instruction in John 13-17, also described as John 14-17 and John 15-17. In those chapters God's will and what He desires to do for the human race is plainly set out for those who minister in word and doctrine and for all who claim to be Christians. That instruction was meant to cure dissension and bring unity and love among His followers.
Christ told these things beforehand so that when the time and the events came, the disciples would remember that He told them of them. The words were to remain imprinted on their minds and hearts to stay them in disappointment and trial. When persecution came the Holy Spirit brought those words to their minds while they were being persecuted.
He had not said these things at the beginning because He was with them, and His presence strengthened and comforted them. Now He was going to Him that sent Him, to the Father, and because He had said these things sorrow had filled their hearts. Yet His departure was necessary because the Comforter would not come to them unless He went away. The disciples did not appreciate the privilege of having Jesus with them until the blessing was removed, and then they missed Him and understood too late what He had been to them, warning that people may fail to value God's gifts of light and opportunity until they are gone.
The truths were so simple that all, even children, may understand them, yet the disciples at first could not comprehend them because they were contrary to their wishes and desires. Neither the multitude nor the disciples fully understood them until after the resurrection. They later repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts. Through the Spirit of God they are understood with new enlightenment, the Holy Spirit bringing Christ's words to their minds while imprisoned, threatened, and persecuted.
Persecution Christ Foretold
The things foretold are hatred and persecution, difficulties, conflicts and manifold afflictions from the world. They include being put out of the synagogues and being killed by those who think they do God service, because they have not known the Father nor Christ. Tribulation will assuredly come to all who follow Christ and witness for Him. This is because Satan knows Christ purchased salvation for the whole world and is determined to wrest every possible soul out of His hand. The warning belongs to the controversy between Christ and Satan continued since the fall, accounting for warfare caused by departure from Christ's principles while the gospel has not yet been proclaimed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
The persecution comes not from the world that makes no profession, but from those who profess to be doing God service and manifest the most bitter hatred. It includes trials of the church through unconverted believers, by which the faith and courage of the disciples would be severely tried. As Christ was hated without cause, His people are hated without cause merely because they obey the commandments of God and do His works instead of working directly contrary to them. As He who was pure, holy, undefiled and did only good was treated as a base criminal and condemned to death without evidence, His disciples can expect similar treatment however faultless their life and blameless their character.
Human enactments manufactured by satanic agencies under plea of goodness will be exalted while God's holy enactments are despised. All who prove loyalty by obedience to the law of Jehovah must be prepared to be arrested and brought before councils whose standard is not God's high and holy law but stringent laws inspired by the one whose attributes were manifested at the trial of Christ. The advance warning was spoken for the disciples and not for Himself, though He knew the terrible ordeal of betrayal, scourging, and death awaiting Himself. It was meant to prepare them to carry out their future ministry without Him as their visible counselor, since their work would fail unless divine power worked with human effort.
Its purpose was to give encouragement and hope, courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, and strength and assurance to true believers as long as time shall last, so they could endure without failing. He mingled bright, hopeful promises with the dark, so that through faith they would not fail, be offended, be discouraged, or be intimidated and cast down. In this He did not leave them ignorant of His purposes and plans, but plainly presented their future trials in a dark, troubled future in which He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face, including great temptation to lose faith. Even so, some had already stumbled over His words about eating the bread of life, which He explained as spiritual words that give life, showing the need to be prepared not to be offended.
The words have proved true in the experience of those loyal and true to God according to the light received. The warning applies today, so the children of God must not expect less persecution and trial than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego met.
Instruction to Believe and Live
John 16:4 means just what God says and is to be believed and lived out. The instruction of the great Teacher in John 14-17 plainly sets out God's will and what He desires to do for the human race. If appreciated and obeyed it would make the race different and present a new world bearing the impress of heaven. Its fulfillment in the coming of the Holy Spirit as upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost opens eyes now blinded and causes the scales to fall from them.
The discourse teaches that the disciples' work would fail unless divine power worked with human effort. Those acquainted with present truth need to be converted to believe every verse in John 13-17 and live them out before their brother ministers, learning from them the philosophy of genuine missionary work through renunciation of self. Studying that lesson and faithfully giving the words Christ commanded provides sure evidence for the message preached, accompanied by Christ's promise to be with His disciples to the end.
These words in John 15-17 are to be shared in every home as a message from God about how to receive Christ's grace. Refusing the conditions Christ gives leaves people unworthy to belong to His people when He comes in glory. The instruction in John 6 and John 13-17 is meant to cure dissension and bring unity and love among His followers, and only those who live it out in practical life will stand the test in the shaking time.
Before leaving, Christ gave clear instruction about the future to strengthen His people for coming trials and temptations. He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face in a dark, troubled future, including great temptation to lose faith, and He was grieved for them. His instruction also showed His love for them, so that remembering that love would guide them in their work and counsel. He prepared words they would need to remember and use after He was taken from them.
The verse warns that people may fail to value God's gifts of light and opportunity and the privilege of having Jesus with them until the blessing is removed. The disciples did not appreciate the privilege of having Jesus with them until His blessing was removed, and then they missed Him and understood too late what He had been to them. During His brief ministry He faced such opposition and danger that He could not freely proclaim the truth in the synagogues or even safely go with His family, because people might identify Him and seek to imprison or kill Him.
Its burden is let not your heart be troubled. He now goes His way to Him that sent Him, to the Father. Because He has said these things sorrow has filled their hearts.