March 30, 2014: John Chapter 16

The Gospel According to John Chapter 16

Originally posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008

John Chapter 16:4b-15 The Work of the Spirit/Paraclete

In this passage John returns to the subject of the Spirit/Paraclete which cannot be sent until Jesus goes to the Father. Thus his departure is an advantage to the disciples and they should not grieve their loss of his physical presence. There are three specific functions this returning spirit of Christ will have within and through the Christian community. In vss. 16:8-11 the three works of the Paraclete are presented followed by a brief description of their meaning. All are set in the context of a judicial proceeding with the word "prove" in vs. 8 better understood as "expose the guilt." The Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, will offer the spiritually charged evidence and show the guilt of the world, inclusive of those who have rejected Jesus and will reject the disciples, but more specifically the leadership of the Synagogues in Asia Minor and probably Syria.

To more fully understand John's idea of proving the world guilty we need to consider to whom this guilt will be shown. In Vs. 14:17 The Paraclete (Spirit of Christ who is with the Father) cannot be received by the world for it neither sees him nor knows him. So, it cannot be the world that has rejected Jesus that will be shown its own guilt. It is to the believer to whom the Paraclete comes, to the disciples, the community of faith. They are the ones to whom the Paraclete will prove the guilt of the world. Because John has fashioned his ideas in the judicial context of a courtroom, we can look to the trial of Jesus before the Temple leadership as the setting for all three components of the world's guilt. First, the Temple leadership rejected Jesus (and the Baptist before him) and so they have sinned and this sin has led to Jesus' crucifixion. Second, the leadership charged Jesus with blasphemy by claiming he and the Father were one, considering Jesus  as an unjust sinner without righteousness. Third, the Temple leadership has passed judgment on Jesus as guilty and condemned him to death. In all three instances when the Paraclete comes he will prove to the disciples that the world was wrong and stands guilty. Jesus is found innocent of all the world's charges. It will be through the ongoing work of Jesus through those who believe that his innocence will be shown.

The three generalized charges for which the world will be exposed to the believers as being guilty are:

1. About Sin because they [continue to] reject Jesus although he has been sent by the Father. For John, Sin with a capital "S" is the state of living in sinfulness as a way of life (see Jn. 3:19, 7:37). Remaining part of the dark realm of Satan (by rejecting Jesus) through disbelief also proves rejection of God the Father.

2. About Justice, because they have crucified a just man who has been vindicated in his exaltation, going to the Father in whose presence no injustice can stand.

3. About Judgment, because by Jesus' death followed by resurrection Satan has been condemned. His power of [spiritual] death has been overcome (see Heb. 2:14). John is not proposing that Satan no longer holds sway over the world, his own kingdom of sin. He has been defeated only with respect to the believer who faithfully continues to abide in Christ and will not suffer spiritual death. John does warn of the possibility of "falling from Grace." There is no such thing in John (or the other Gospels) as "once saved always saved."

The Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, will show the disciples how wrong the world (Jewish leadership) is and they will spread the message of release from sin and the defeat of death.

John Chapter 16: 16-24 Sorrow Turning to Joy

All of Jesus' words about his returning to the Father, that their hearts should not be troubled, and the coming of the Paraclete, seem not to have been understood by the disciples. Perhaps their confusion comes from Jesus' adding the point that though in a little while they will not see him (in heaven) and a little while later they will see him (spiritually as the returning Paraclete). While he is "out of sight" the world, thinking he is dead, will rejoice but the disciples will grieve. That grief will soon turn to joy, a joy which cannot be taken away. It will be as the pain of the mother giving birth is forgotten and turns to joy when her child is placed in her arms. On that day, with the Paraclete present in them (and the community), they  will not need to ask him any questions, for the Spirit of Truth will teach them what they need to know. Yet, if they do ask anything of the Father in Jesus name the Father will give it (through the Paraclete). The same will be true when they ask in Jesus' name.

John Chapter 16:25-33 Peace for the Disciples

Jesus has spoken to the disciples using figures of speech: parable, metaphor and mashal. But when his "hour" comes (suffering, death, resurrection and exaltation to heaven) he will speak to them about the Father directly and plainly (as the Paraclete). He will do so because they have loved him as shown in their belief that he has come into the world from the Father to whom he will return.

Even though the disciples demonstrate understanding of this plain speaking and even though they believe in and love him and that he was sent by God, they will, none the less, abandon him and be scattered, each to his own (home in Galilee 21:1). But God will be with Jesus so they should not be troubled even now or when they face persecution in the world, for Jesus has conquered the world of Satan and, therefore, death itself. It is this victory that the disciples will one day share and will bring them courage and peace.