John 16

John 16:1

“These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.

Kept from stumbling. The words of Jesus uphold us in times of trouble. They provide strength and comfort and keep us from falling.

John 16:7

“But 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 go, I will send Him to you.

The Helper is the Holy Spirit; see entry for John 14:16.

John 16:8

“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

(a) Convict. The original word (elegcho) means convince or expose. The Counsellor is in the business of convincing and persuading us about the things of God.

(b) Concerning sin. The Holy Spirit does not condemn the world on account of their sin; he seeks to convince them that Jesus has borne all their sin (see next verse). He seeks to convince them that God is no longer holding their sins against them (2 Cor 5:19).

Religion tells us that we have a problem called sin. Our sin is not the problem. Our sin was dealt with once and for all at the cross (Heb. 7:27, 9:26). Our problem is they we may not believe this good news.

(c) Righteousness; see entry for John 16:10.

(d) Judgment; see entry for John 16:11.

John 16:9

concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

(a) Concerning sin. Some imagine that the Holy Spirit is a kind of heavenly policeman convicting us of our sins. The Holy Spirit never does that. Adam didn’t need God’s help in recognizing his sin and neither do we. Any guilt you have over wrongdoing comes from a condemning source such as your conscience and not the one called Comforter.

(b) Because they do not believe in Me. The Holy Spirit wants you to trust in Jesus. He wants you to see Jesus’ sacrifice as the once-for-all remedy for your sin and guilt. “Concerning sin, see Jesus.”

John 16:10

and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

(a) Concerning righteousness. The Holy Spirit will always seek to convince the believer that you are righteous in Christ. You are not righteous because of your good works or moral excellence. You are righteous because of what Jesus has done. “By his one act of righteous many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18). The moment you were put into the Righteous One by the Holy Spirit, you became as righteous as he is (2 Cor. 5:21).

To be righteous is to be in right standing or relationship with the Father. See entry for Righteousness.

(b) The Father; see entry for John 4:21.

John 16:11

and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

(a) Judgment. The usurper who is sometimes known as the ruler of this world has been judged at the cross.

(b) The ruler of this world; see entry for John 12:31.

John 16:14

“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

He will glorify Me. The Holy Spirit wants to make Jesus known. He doesn’t want you sin-conscious but Son-conscious.

John 16:23

“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

(a) The Father; see entry for John 4:21.

(b) If you ask. The God Jesus revealed is a listening and responsive Father (Matt. 6:8, 7:11, 18:19, Luke 11:13, John 15:16, 16: 26). He hears your prayers and knows your needs even before you ask him (Matt 6:8).

John 16:26

“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;

(a) The Father; see entry for John 4:21.

(b) You will ask. The God Jesus revealed is a listening and responsive Father (Matt. 6:8, 7:11, 18:19, Luke 11:13, John 15:16, 16:23). He hears your prayers and knows your needs even before you ask him (Matt 6:8).

John 16:27

for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

The Father Himself loves you. The original word for loves is the verb phileo which means fondness or affection. It’s the same word that describes the affection God has for his Son in John 5:20. The God that Jesus revealed is a loving Father (John 10:17, 14:21, 23, 15:9, 17:23, 26), who loves us as much as he loves his Son (John 17:23).

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Tribulation. Trials and troubles are a fact of life. God does not remove our troubles but gives us relief in our troubles (2 Th. 1:6). He promises to be with us when we go through the fire and the flood (Is. 43:1–2). God comforts us and gives us relief in our afflictions, and he does this by revealing more of Jesus to us. “Our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:5).

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