Chapter 15, Jesus discusses with disciples, I am the True Vine

and Jesus talk how the world will hate us, His Saints

The departing Jesus Final Teaching

More on the work of the Holy Spirit, then sorrow will turn into joy and Jesus  says I have overcome the world.

The reason for Jesus’ warning: certain persecution, Verses 1-4

John 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

A fulfillment of the previous four verses

They would be forced out of the synagogues for Jesus’ sake, family life.

This has happened in today world among Christians.  Jesus did not want the church to be surprised and stumbled by it.

Keep us from falling away.  Rejection by the world should confirm, not weaken, our faith.

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

The world hated both Lord Jesus and the Father

The Holy Spirit which comes from the Father will testify of Jesus

Jesus Saints will bear witness of Jesus

The persecution always seems to come from the religious world and the people in charge of the government in the past, now from the governments of the world. It comes from within the religious organizations.

Jews leadership requires these words to be spoken in the synagogues.

“At the time when the Gospel was written these words had acquired a special wording to be included in the synagogue prayers of a curse on the Nazarenes, which was intended to ensure that the followers of Jesus could take no part in the service.  This is what the Jews would say and taught.

Jerome wrote to Augustine {354-430 a.d,} pointing out the truth that Jewish synagogues in his day still cursed the Nazarenes. He wrote, “Until now a heresy is to be found in all of the synagogues of the East among the Jews; it is called ‘of the Minaeans’ and is cursed by the Pharisees until now. Usually they are called Nazarenes.”

He also wrote, “until today they blaspheme the Christian people in their synagogues under the name of Nazarenes” 

Further, “Three times each day they “anathematize” the Christian name in every synagogue under the name of Nazarenes.”

Anathematize means, an official curse from the church, formal condemnation, intensely dislike or loathed. 

The Jews who became Christians were put out of the Temple and synagogues because they were part of the Nazarenes, follow of our Lord Jesus.  They had no where to worship except in their homes.

John 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

The persecution of the Saints comes from the religious and secular world, they feel they are doing God a service.  Example, Saul of Tarsus

Acts 22:4 I (Paul) persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,

Since then there have been many who persecute and kill the true followers of Jesus because they think God is pleased.

Cut off socially from family and friends; lasting disgrace; perpetual danger; death.

1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

The persecution of the Saints comes from the religious world. The delusion that they were doing God a service. Most Christian martyrs were targets of those from other religions or even sects within Christian Religion.

Why do they do these things to the Saints.

John 16:3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

1 Corinthians 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

John 16:4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. “And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Jesus had been preparing His Saints to proclaim the truth. In Jesus wisdom, the Lord never gives us more than we can handle.

I really believe at this time, it came as a great shock that gospel is hated so passionately.

Jesus did forewarn us, because it comes as the gospel is hated.  Is it due Satan and his demons.

Jesus explains the Benefits of His Departure. Verses 5-7

John 16:5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’

Remember, both Peter (John 13:36) and Thomas (John 14:5) ask a similar question.  But it seems the heart of the question, disciples were asking, what will happen to us when you leave, not in sense what will happen to Jesus when He leaves.

John 16:6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

Jesus excused their lack of interest in His fate, knowing their great sorrow.

Jesus’ departure was an essential step in the disciples growth to Apostles.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Disciples thinking, How is the to our advantage to be left alone, it is ending

What were they think, since Jesus said it is to their advantage He leaves.

To our advantage that Jesus is arrested?

To our advantage that Jesus’ ministry of teaching and miracles is stopped?

To our advantage that Jesus is beaten?

To our advantage that Jesus is mocked?

To our advantage that Jesus is sentenced for execution?

To our advantage that Jesus is nailed to a cross?

To our advantage that Jesus dies in the company of notorious criminals?

To our advantage that His lifeless body is laid in a cold grave?

The Comforter, Holy Spirit will come if Jesus goes away

The Romans hate us because they see us as disturbers of the peace.

The Jewish leaders hate us because they see us as blasphemers.

You alone love us, and You are leaving us.”

This had to be difficult for the disciples to believe.

Nevertheless, is one of the interesting words of the Bible, it means despite all of that.

Tell you the truth: Jesus said this because He wanted disciples to trust Him at this point. Jesus knew this was difficult to believe and understand. 

Work of the Holy Spirit in the world.   Verses 8-11

John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

The Holy Spirit convicts’ unbelievers through believers who witness (preaching / example) about Jesus. 

You and I, Saints are the mouthpiece for God’s voice. The content of the witness that the Spirit reinforces includes truth about sin, righteousness, and judgment. 

Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

John 16:9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Our witness should not focus on sins (adultery, gluttony, pride, and other sins), but on the full payment that Christ has made for all sin. Reception of the full pardon is the only cure for the disease of sin.

John 16:10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

Jesus is the standard of righteousness

Romans 3:22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

After Christ’s departure the Holy Spirit would convict the world of the nature of righteousness and the need for righteousness

John 16:11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

2 Thessalonians 1:5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

Satan (prince), the ruler of this world

1 John 3:8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.  {Holy Spirit}

Remember, habitual sin, over and over is not consistent with the Way of Life, the Christian Walk.

1 John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

These 2 indications shows if the are God’s children or following the devil pattern.

Work of the Holy Spirit among the disciples  Verses 12-15

John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

The Holy Spirit would complete their understanding.

This is proof of Paul, James, Peter, and John teaching are for us today. Here Jesus answered those who say, “I’ll take what Jesus taught, but not what Paul or the others taught.” Paul and the other New Testament writers taught us the many things that Jesus spoke of.

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Holy Spirit continues today to personally lead us into truth, but never in opposition to the Scripture

John 16:14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit’s ministry is revealing Jesus to us, to bear testimony

He uses many different ways and many different gifts to accomplish this, but the purpose is always the same: to reveal Jesus.

John 16:15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

He will Guide, Declare, and Glorify. The Holy Spirit will glorify Christ; not Himself. 

Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy, prepare the disciples for His coming challenge on the Cross. 

Jesus tells the disciples of His immediate, brief departure, Verses 16-18

John 16:16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”

A little while, and you will not see Me: The disciples didn’t understand that the arrest of Jesus was only an hour or two away, and then His death would follow. Yet because He must go to the Father, they would see Him again as He rose from the dead

John 16:17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”

They were puzzled about the apparent contradiction of not beholding and yet seeing. The statement puzzled them also because He said He would depart. They were expecting a Messiah who would rule and reign, not die and depart

John 16:18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.“

The biggest question weighing on the disciples’ minds was the time factor. They simply did not understand the strange intervals marked by their separation from Jesus.

Jesus explains of coming sorrow being turned into joy.  Verses 19-22

John 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?

Jesus understood that the disciples wanted more clarity; but He also knew that they needed more than information. They needed their hearts and minds prepared to endure the coming crisis.

John 16:20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

When Jesus died, the disciples would openly express their intense sorrow. The world would rejoice, assuming that it was rid of Jesus. But the sorrow of the disciples would be turned into joy.

John 16:21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

A woman … in labor has sorrow, but the very sorrow is transformed into joy in the birth of the child.

John 16:22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

They didn’t fully understand the separation, so they could not fully understand the joy of the coming reunion. The resurrection was the testimony so sure that they endured death because of it. It was joy no one will take from you.

Jesus promises greater joy regarding their coming access to God after Jesus’ departure  Verses 23-27

John 16:23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. {J 15:16}

In prayer

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus have overcome the world

John 16:25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

A figure of speech can be more vivid and graphic than ordinary prose.

John 16:26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

The disciples proclaim their faith;  Verses 28-32

John 16:28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

I came: This verse is a remarkable summary of the work of Jesus.

From the Father, Jesus is God, having existed in heaven’s glory and goodness before He ever came to the earth

Come into the world: Jesus was born as a man, having added humanity to deity

I leave:  Jesus would die.

Go to the Father: Jesus would rise from the dead and ascend to heaven.

John 16:29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!

John 16:30 Now we are sure that You know all things and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”     (notice they did not say, Father)

John 16:31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

John 16:32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

The crisis would come soon, and when it did the disciples would think, every man for himself and abandon Jesus alone.

This is the conclusion to Jesus’ farewell discourse to His disciples and to all of Jesus’ teaching before the cross.  Verse 33 

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus finish with a message of peace and summarized the purpose of the long talk He had with those disciples: to bring them peace and the settled assurance of overcomers.

Peace is offered to us, but we may have peace, but tribulation is promised. When we become Christians, we may bring fewer problems upon ourselves, but we definitely still have them.  We are promised struggle as long as we are in this world; yet there is peace in Jesus.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,    {In a moment Jesus would pray for His disciples.  This is the real Lord’s Prayer.}