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See Joh_15:1 ff for the passage quote with footnotes.
Joh_16:2. They will put you out of the synagogues [or they will excommunicate you, ἀðïóõíáãþãïõò ðïéÞóïõóé ὑìᾶò ]—He now reveals to them, by fundamental traits, the operations of the world’s hatred, announced to them by Him. First comes excommunication. See Joh_9:22 [and Joh_12:42]. Jewish persecutions are meant; as a type, however, of the whole mass of declarations of excommunication and outlawry to be levelled against His followers.
Yea, and an hour cometh [ ἀëë ’ ἔñ÷åôáéὥñá ].—In the form of an antithesis, ἀëëÜ [at, yea and] gives exceeding prominence to the following climax to the persecutions. [It introduces the contrast of a much more grievous, even bloody persecution; comp. 2Co_1:9; 2Co_7:11; Php_3:8.—P. S.]. Lücke: They were also to experience the bloody fanaticism of the world at the hands of Jews and Gentiles. He Himself fell a sacrifice to the same, as, did later, Stephen, Act_6:8, etc.; 2Co_1:9; 1Co_4:13.—That every one.— ἴíá lays stress upon the destiny of that hour. [Or, as Meyer expresses it, “that which shall happen in the ὤñá , is regarded as the object of its coming; comp. Joh_12:23.”—P. S.].—Will think that he doeth God sacrificial service [ ἴíá ðᾶò ὁ ἀðïêôåßíáò ὑìᾶò äüîῃ ëáôñåßáí ðñïóöÝñåéí ôῷ èåῷ ].—Serve God by offering unto Him a sacrifice.— ëáôñåßá in the sense of worship, service rendered to the Deity [comp. Rom_12:1; Heb_9:1; Heb_9:6, etc.]. The performance of the curse-sacrifice, Cherem, as the last and highest form of excommunication, was looked upon as a religious act. That the idea of a Cherem is present in this place is proved by the expression ðñïóöÝñåéí , a term which Lücke seems not precisely to understand, whilst Meyer observes: “This axiom of Jewish fanaticism is well known: “omnis effundens sanguinem improborum æqualis est illi, qui sacrificium facit. Bammidbar Rabba, f. 329.” Comp. Matthew 10. Ôῷ èåῷ “is primarily expressive of Jewish fanaticism: Gentile fanaticism, however, was substantially the same.” Lücke. The Gentile world also was acquainted with the curse-offering and performed it in manifold ways. See 1Co_4:12.
Joh_16:3. And these things will they do unto you.—This verse contains 1. consolation for the disciples in regard to their persecutions—conveyed in the intimation that these persecutions will not arise on account of anything in the disciples themselves; this involves the presupposition of their normal behaviour. 2. The thought is suggested that the persecutors will overweeningly imagine themselves to be raised above the disciples on the platform of intelligent judges and defenders of the truth, whilst in reality they are grovelling in the most lamentable darkness.
Joh_16:4. But I have spoken these things unto you.—According to Lücke, ἀëëÜ is an explanation: notwithstanding that nothing else can be expected, I have, etc. But it has just been necessary for Him to inform them that these very things must be expected. Meyer interprets the ἀëëÜ as a breaking off. But enough: these things (thus much) have I told you beforehand, etc. [So also Alford]. A later recollection of the prophetic fore-announcements shall serve to strengthen faith,—faith in the trustworthiness of the Lord as well as in the divinely normal course of things, see Joh_13:19. Hence correctly Tholuck (after Cyril, Gerhard): But, so little is it My intention to affright you with these things, that I have told you of them only in order that, etc.
I told you not from the beginning.—In what respect do the words: Because I was with you, serve as an elucidation? 1. So that I could comfort you (Aug., Lücke). Against this view it may be said: they were then not in need of comfort. 2. The hatred of the world touched Me alone (Chrysostom, Luth., Meyer, etc.). 3. Because ye were then too weak to bear such sayings (Erasmus, Calvin). 4. Because He now promises them the help of the Spirit, He can also tell them of suffering (Bengel, Tholuck). The meaning may be simply this: because I thus had it in My power to tell you at any time and had neither inclination nor need to tell you something painful and oppressive too soon; now, however, for the reason assigned, I am obliged to tell you, in order that ye may not be astonished at experiencing sufferings, of whose coming I have forewarned you. Further motives, as, for instance, forbearance towards their hitherto gradual development, etc., are not excluded by the above. But according to the Synoptists, Christ foretold such sufferings to the disciples at a much earlier time (Mat_5:10 ff; Mat_10:16 ff; Mat_24:9). Deliverances upon this diversity:
1. Here öïâåñþôåñá Ýêåßíùí are announced (Euthymius, Chrysostom).
2. Christ before spoke minus aperte (Grotius, Bengel).
3. Now He proclaims the cause of the world’s hatred (Lampe).
4. As a farewell-word the revelation was a new one (Luthardt). [So also Alford: in reference to His immediate departure.—P. S.]
5. Earlier intimations of a more general and less definite character are reported by the Synoptists in agreement with later and more definite ones (Meyer).
6. Those earlier predictions probably belong to the time when Jesus delivered His last discourses (Beza, Maldonatus).
7. The expression here recorded by John can hardly be justified (De Wette).
8. Tholuck: Those utterances were of an isolated cast; Christ has here more expressly declared the principial position of the disciples. This view must be illustrated more in detail: (1) in the Sermon on the Mount, Mat_5:10, the prediction is couched in such general terms that the disciples might apprehend it as referring to a participation in transient “throes of the Messiah,” soon to be succeeded by the appearance of the kingdom of God. (2) In the Apostolic Instructions, Matthew 10, the momentary predictions are, in accordance with the ideal order of things, amplified through later additions. Even to the adoption of the eschatological items. (3) The eschatological sayings, Matthew 24, were uttered but a day or two previously; hence they coincide ideally with our date.
Joh_16:5. But now I go [ ὑðÜãù ] to Him that sent Me.—The motive for His present full enlightenment of them with regard to their future, in order that, together with what is sad, He may tell them the most gladdening things.—And none of you asketh Me—This seems to be at variance with Joh_13:36; Joh_14:5. The sense, however, is as follows: ye give yourselves up to the sad thought that I go away and make no inquiries as to the glad thought: whither, namely, to the Father. Calvin: “Audito meo discessu expavescitis, neque enim reputatis, quo discedam, vel in quem finem.” They cling to the ruins of their old expectations with regard to the Messiah’s kingdom and are afraid to venture a leap into the new views of life, however urgently the solemn mood of the Lord presses them thereto.
Joh_16:6. Sorrow hath filled your heart.—Sorrow and only sorrow. Joh_16:6 is explanatory of the mild reproach Joh_16:5,—none asketh Me: whither? They do the opposite; they linger at the fact of His departure and its immediate and sad results, as revealed to them by Him; they stay at the ὑðÜãù , not at the ðñὸò ôὸí ðÝìøáíôá . The course of ideas, therefore, is perfectly clear; De Wette and Lücke are under some misapprehension when they fain would improve it by reading Joh_16:6 before êáὶ ïὐäåßò . Even the construction of Olshausen seems to be superfluous; he introduces a period and pause after ðÝìø . ìå and makes Joh_16:6 follow as a question.
Joh_16:7-11. The Holy Ghost as the strength of their victory over the world.
[This whole passage (7–12), relating to the mission of the Holy Ghost, is unmeaning and incomprehensible to the carnal mind, but unspeakably precious and comforting to the spiritual; it touches on the deepest questions of doctrine, and on the practical discipline of our hearts and lives. With a few great strokes, as Olshausen remarks, Christ depicts all and every part of the ministry of the Holy Ghost in the world, His operation on individuals as well as the mass, on believers and unbelievers alike. Comp. here the remarks on pp. 440 f., and the Critical Notes to the five Sermons of Julius Charles Hare (late Archdeacon of Lewis and Rector of Hertsmonceux) on Joh_16:7-11, entitled: The Mission of the Comforter (2d ed., republ. Boston, 1854). These notes betray a rare familiarity with patristic and German exegesis, and contain by far the ablest and fullest exposition of our passage in the English language; yet they are wholly unknown to continental commentators and are ignored even by Wordsworth.—P. S.]
Joh_16:7. But I tell you the truth, etc.—Prominence given to the cheering results of His departure, as also to that departure itself. [But, ἀëëÜ , notwithstanding, nevertheless, refers to the ëýðç in Joh_16:6.—P. S.]. I tell you; ἐãþ [I myself, in opposition to õìåῖò , the sorrowing disciples (5, 6), and in the consciousness of personal ability to remove their sorrow by sending the Comforter.—P. S.].—It is expedient for you that I [for My part] should go away [ óõìöÝñåé ὑìéí ἴíá (expressing the divine necessity and intention), ἐãὼ ἀðÝëèù (depart from this world, leave you).—P. S.] “ Ἵíá marks the fact of His going away, considered with regard to the purposes destined to be accomplished by it.
[With this passage should be compared Joh_7:39 and the notes pp. 258 f. The sending of the Spirit to men as the Spirit of redemption and adoption, presupposes the offering of the atoning sacrifice, the glorification of Christ’s humanity and His elevation to His mediatorial throne. ÓõìöÝñåé ὑìῖí , it is profitable, expedient for you (comp. 2Co_8:18; 1Co_6:12), indicates that the post-pentecostal dispensation of the Spirit who makes us partakers of the whole fulness of Christ and His completed redemption, is higher and more blessed than the dispensation of the Son in the state of His humiliation, as this was higher than the dispensation of the Father before Christ’s advent. Christ’s departure, in itself considered, without the consequent sending of the Paraclete mentioned in the last clause of this verse, would be the greatest calamity that could have befallen the disciples. For there never was any communion upon earth that could at all be compared in blessedness with their daily intercourse with their Lord and Master, who was dearer to them than life itself. But they lived then more in sight than in faith, and depended too much on His visible presence and His human form, like children upon the presence of their parents. They had to lose Christ as a mere man in order to find Him again as God exalted on His heavenly throne, from which He might send them His Spirit as it never had been sent before, establish His kingdom and convert through them the whole world. The book of Acts proves what they gained in independence and self-government, in strength and endurance of faith by the withdrawal of Christ’s visible presence. Archdeacon Hare (Note C., p. 234) ingeniously turns this passage against the Church of Rome, which has indeed preserved the true confession of Christ against all Christological heresies, but has been unable to recognize how it was expedient for Christ to go away. “She has never been content, unless she could get something present, a vicar, images, outward works, actual sacrifices, with priests to offer them up, real flesh and real blood. She chose rather to defy the evidence of the senses, than not to have an object of sense.” She has, as Augustine (Serm. 270, quoted by Hare, p. 232) says of Peter, “loved the Lord Jesus Christ as a man loves man, as the carnal loves the carnal, not as the spiritual loves true Majesty.”—P. S.]
For if I go not away, etc. [ ἐὰí ãὰñ ( ἐãὼ ) ìὴ ἀðÝëèù (depart, leave you), ὁ ðáñÜêëçôïò ïὐê ἐëåýóåôáé ðñὸò ὑìᾶò , ἐὰí äὲ ðïñåõèῶ (go to My Father), ðÝìøù áὐôὸí ðñὸò ὑìᾶò ].—Explanation see in Doctr. and Ethical No. 15. Augustine: “Si alimenta, quibus vos alui, non subtraxero, solidum cibum non esurietis.” The expression here becomes sublime; it is indued with ghostly severity and heroic boldness.
Joh_16:8. And when He is come, etc. [ êáὶ ἐëèὼí ἐêåῖíïò ].—Solemn and triumphant exaltation of spirit, and proclamation. The witness of the Spirit, announced Joh_15:26, is now, in accordance with its subject-matter, power and effect, declared to be a threefold victory over the world. Mention is not made of the disciples for the simple reason that, as bearers of the Spirit, they seem to vanish, utterly from sight in Hi s glory. [Godet, ÉÉ . John 519: “ Voici la description de la victoire morale que, par l’organe des disciples, le Saint Esprit remportera sur le monde. Le discours de saint Pierre à la Pentecôte et ses effets sont le meilleur commentaire de cette promesse.”—P. S.]
He will convict the world ἐëÝãîåé ôὸí êüóìïí ðåñὶ ἁìáñôßáò , ê . ô . ë .].—By His testimony. The ἐëÝã÷åéí of the Holy Ghost is variously construed:
1. In the sense of a judgment. Chrysostom: They shall not do such things unreproved; on the contrary, sentence shall be passed upon them; similarly Theophylact [Erasmus, Wetzel] and others. De Wette: “The idea of judgment is conclusive.” A one-sided and abstract upholding of the punitory consideration; in opposition also to the idea of conviction, which in the forum itself is distinct from the passing of sentence, as is the latter, again, from the infliction of punishment. The êñßóéò here spoken of is the judgment upon the devil. [The patristic interpretation to reprove, strafen, conveys a very inadequate description of the work of the Spirit, and gives no clear sense when applied to righteousness and judgment.—P. S.]
2. A convicting, a bringing to a consciousness of the truth, in such wise that decision must ensue, resulting either in faith or in impenitence (Calvin, Lampe, Bengel, Lücke, etc).
Exposition No. 1 must not be confounded with the doctrine of the Holy Ghost’s disciplinary office (Tholuck), in accordance with which Luther’s translation: strafen, discipline, reprove, likewise conveys an excellent meaning. The operation of the Holy Ghost is never external but always internal; His testification addresses itself to the human consciousness,—never to the intellectual consciousness alone, but invariably to the moral consciousness as well, the conscience. And inasmuch as this is true, the world, in being convicted, is always reproved as well, through the judgment of the Spirit. Now the power of Christ’s saying is involved in the idea that the Holy Ghost, as the Paraclete of the persecuted Apostles, turns the tables upon their adversaries,—reverently be it said; He prosecutes the persecuting world, brings it to judgment, and, in its totality as world, as sinner, convicts it. Thus, with checkless superiority, He executes an ideal judgment upon the whole world. The conversion of the world, or its confirmation in impenitence, is a result resting not solely in the impressions of the Holy Ghost, but in the diverse reactions of men, some turning to belief, others hardening themselves in unbelief. Under this all-powerful ἕëåã÷ïò , however, the world, as an ungodly world, advances towards its dissolution; after the accomplishment of the ἔëåã÷ïò it no longer exists. (See Joh_17:23; 1Jn_2:17). The meaning, therefore, is as follows: He shall reprovingly convince—convict—the world in His judgment, and, by convicting it, occasion its disintegration into the two portions of the saved and the judged, neither of which is any longer a world. (See Joh_3:20; Joh_8:46; 1Co_14:24). The conviction of the world ensues in three acts.
Be it observed that the point of view taken by Christ in describing the following events, is that of the consummation of the things predicted; hence He employs the Present tense. On the three themes see Tholuck, p. 384.
[ ἘëÝã÷åéí in Homer and earlier Greek authors means chiefly to rebuke, to reprove, to reproach; so also in Luk_3:19; 1Ti_5:20; Tit_1:13; Rev_3:19. But in the phraseology of the courts of justice and of the schools the verb expresses demonstration, conviction and refutation of an opponent by fair and conclusive arguments. “In ἐëÝã÷åéí ,” says Lücke, “is always implied the refutation, the overcoming of an error, wrong,—by the truth and the right.” So the word is used Mat_18:15; Tit_1:9; Jam_2:9 ( ἐëåã÷üìåíïé ὑðὸ ôïῦ íüìïõ ὡò ðáñáâÜôáé ); Joh_8:9 ( ὑðὸ ôῆò óõíåéäÞóåùò ἐëåã÷üìåíïé , being convicted by their conscience); Joh_8:46 ( ôßò ἐî ὑìῶí ἐëÝã÷åé ìå ðåñὶ ἁìáñôßáò , which of you, convicteth Me of sin?). The last passage comes nearest to our own. The ἔëåãîéò here meant is a conviction (Ueberführung), by which the sinner is proved to be such and becomes conscious of his sin and guilt, is “pricked to the heart” and “smitten in conscience” (comp. Act_2:37), and brought to a crisis that he will either sincerely repent and be converted (1Co_14:24), or harden his heart and bring upon him condemnation (Act_24:25; Rom_11:7 ff.). The divine intention of this convicting agency is the salvation of the sinner; for the Holy Spirit, like Christ Himself, was sent not to condemn the world, but to save it (comp. Joh_3:17). This view of ἐëÝã÷åéí is substantially held by Calvin and Beza, who translate it convincere, Lampe, Bengel (arguet), Lücke, Olshausen, Tholuck, Stier, Meyer, Hare (l. c. p. 355 ff.), Alford, Wordsworth, Barnes (“convince men that they are sinners and cause them to feel this”), Godet (convaincre de tort ou d’erreur, ici à la foi de l’un et de l’autre).—The world, ὁ êüóìïò , is the object of the Spirit’s convicting agency and must not be confined to the Jews or to the heathen or to the ungodly, but be extended to all men (comp. Joh_3:16; Joh_12:31) who come under the influence of the Spirit and the preaching of the gospel. Calvin: “The term world comprehends those who were to be truly converted to Christ, as well as hypocrites and reprobates. For the Spirit reproves men through the preaching of the gospel in two ways. Some are seriously impressed, so that they willingly humble themselves, willingly subscribe to the sentence by which they are condemned. Others, although they are convicted and cannot escape from the position of a criminal, yet do not heartily yield, nor submit themselves to the authority and dictation of the Holy Spirit; nay, rather being constrained they inwardly fret, and in their perplexity cease not to cherish obstinacy of mind.” Calvin aptly quotes, in illustration, 1Co_14:24-25 : “If all prophesy, and there come in an unbeliever or an ignorant man, he is convinced ( ἐëÝã÷åôáé ) by all, he is judged by all; and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is truly in you.” Godet: “Si le monde est l’objet de la répréhension du Saint-Espirit c’est donc encore dans un but de salut.”—The threefold objects of the conviction are sin, which belongs to men, righteousness, which belongs to Christ, judgment, which is executed on Satan by the overthrow of his kingdom and the establishment of Christ’s kingdom. He who is convicted of sin, passes over either to the righteousness of Christ, or to the judgment of Satan (see Bengel). The triple ὅôé defines the substance and ground of the triple ἔëåã÷ïò , and is= åἰò ἐêåῖíï ὅôé , in that, inasmuch as (comp. Joh_2:18; Joh_9:17; Joh_11:51). The omission of the article before the three nouns gives them the widest sense. The natural man has some slight perception of sin, righteousness, and judgment, as is evident from the writings of the heathen and infidels, and the penal codes of all nations; but it is only the Spirit of God who, appealing to the inner law of our conscience, and unfolding the higher law of God, especially the atoning sacrifice and divine-human fullness of Christ, leads us to a living, practical knowledge and personal conviction of these three facts, and traces them to their fountain-head and culminating point—sin to unbelief, righteousness to Christ, and judgment to Satan. Moreover, the natural man, with all his knowledge of sin, cannot get rid of its power. The great aim of the Spirit is to deliver man from his sin and from the judgment to come, and to make him partaker of the righteousness of Christ. The actual proof of this threefold work of the Spirit is found in the Acts of the Apostles, who were His organs, and is daily repeated in the history of the Church throughout the world; for the Spirit’s convictive work goes on in unbroken succession wherever the gospel is preached, producing everywhere the same effects unto condemnation and salvation, and will go on to the end of time, as long as there is a world to be converted. There is, however, another work of the Spirit, which is not touched upon here, the work of the sanctification of those who have come out of the êüóìïò . Our Lord speaks here of the great help of His disciples in their warfare with the world and in laying the foundations of Christianity. Within the Church the blessed gifts and graces of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, etc. (Gal_5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12), will necessarily manifest themselves.—As to the interpretation of this profound and comprehensive passage there is a substantial agreement among orthodox commentators, yet with characteristic differences of theological schools and creeds. See the details below.—P. S.]
Joh_16:9. With respect to sin [ ðåñῖ —concerning, on the subject of, in respect to— ἁìáñôßáò ].—Act the first.—That they believe not on Me.— ὅôé on explicative: inasmuch as. Interpretations:
1. He will discover to them the sin they commit in not believing on Me (Euthymius Zigab., Lücke;—“He will convince them that their unbelief is sin, is wrong,” Meyer). But to the truth of this interpretation it were requisite that unbelief should be the object—not sin. And, moreover, the thought would not be a particularly comprehensive one. But above all, the view is subverted by the circumstance that the three terms: sin, righteousness, judgment, are mentioned with perfect universality, and unconditionally, in accordance with the universal operation of the Spirit.
Therefore, 2. The passage has reference to sin simply, which, as the Holy Ghost shall convince the world, consists in, is rooted in, in its different phases comprehended in, and, finally, made manifest in, their not believing on Me (Apollinar., Calvin [qualis in se sit hominum natura], De Wette [also Wetzel and Godet]. Only De Wette’s construction of the case is obscure; he opines that the Saviour’s words have reference solely to the unbelief of the impenitent as contrasted with believers, according to Joh_3:36. That unbelief is not prior, but subsequent, to the act of ἔëåãîéò . It is sin too, beyond a doubt; sin, however, of a particular kind, since it is unpardonable. Believers themselves do not attain unto faith without, through the medium of the conviction of the Spirit, perceiving the identity of their sin with the unbelief hitherto cherished by them. The rejection of Christ is the central appearance of all the sins of all the world; light is thrown thereupon by the spiritual manifestation of Christ’s divine exaltedness above all the world. The old world makes a distinction between sin and unbelief, and even ventures to consider the latter a very meritorious thing; on that point, the views of the world shall be subverted by the Holy Ghost.
[Bengel: “Infidelitas est confluens peccatorum omnium et omnibus pejor.” Alford: “This unbelief is not a mere want of historical faith,—but unbelief in its very root,—the want of a personal and living recognition of Jesus as the Lord (1Co_12:3) which, wherever the Spirit has opened His commission by the planting of the visible church, is the condemning sin of the world.” On this point Luther, in his usual forcible and graphic style, makes some remarks which show how much deeper he penetrated into the marrow of the Scriptures on the doctrines of sin and grace and the depths of faith and unbelief than the fathers, not excluding even Chrysostom and Augustine. “The unbelief spoken of in the text,” says Luther, “is not merely that which is planted by Adam in man’s nature, but plainly this, that men believe not in Christ, that is, when the gospel of Christ is preached, in order that we may confess our sins, and through Christ seek and obtain grace. For when Christ came, the sin of Adam and of the whole human race, namely, their previous unbelief and disobedience, was taken away before God by Christ’s sufferings and death; and He built a new heaven of grace and forgiveness; so that the sin, which we have inherited from Adam, shall no longer keep us under God’s wrath and condemnation, if we believe in this Saviour. And henceforward he who is condemned must not complain of Adam and of his inborn sin: for this Seed of the woman, promised by God to bruise the head of the serpent, is now come, and has atoned for this sin, and taken away condemnation. But he must cry out against himself, for not having accepted or believed in this Christ, the devil’s head-bruiser and sin-strangler. Thus every man’s danger rests with himself; and it is his own fault if he is condemned; not because he is a sinner through the sin of Adam, and deserving of condemnation by reason of his former unbelief; but because he will not accept this Saviour Christ, who takes away our sin and condemnation. True it is indeed, that Adam has condemned us all, inasmuch as he brought us along with him into sin and under the power of the devil. But now that Christ, the second Adam, is come, born without sin, and has taken away sin, it cannot longer condemn me if I believe in Him; but I shall be delivered from it through Him and be saved. If, on the other hand, I do not believe, the same sin and condemnation must continue; because He who is to deliver me from it, is not taken hold of: nay, it will be a doubly great and heavy sin and condemnation, that I will not believe in this dear Saviour, by whom I might be helped, nor accept His redemption. Thus all our salvation and condemnation depend now upon this, whether we believe in Christ or no. A judgment has at length gone forth which closes heaven against all such as have not, and will not receive, this faith in Christ. For this unbelief retains all sin, so that it cannot obtain forgiveness, even as faith removes all sin. And hence without this faith everything is and continues sinful and condemnable, even in the best life and the best works which a man can perform; which although in themselves they are praiseworthy and commended by God, yet are corrupted by unbelief, so that on account thereof they cannot please God; even as in faith all the works and life of a Christian are pleasing to God. In fine, without Christ everything is condemned and lost; in Christ everything is good and blessed; so that even sin, which continues in our flesh and blood, being inherited from Adam, can no longer hurt or condemn us.”—I add Olshausen’s explanation, which well agrees with the foregoing extract: “In the first place the Spirit makes sin manifest, not however in its outward character,—in this respect the Law awakens the knowledge of sin (Rom_3:20),—but in its inward deep root. Now this is nothing else than unbelief, which we may call the mother of all sinful actions: but unbelief itself is, in its most glaring form, unbelief in the Incarnate Christ. The inability of recognizing this purest manifestation of the Divinity implies utter blindness.” Stier and Hare may also be profitably consulted on this passage.—P. S.]
Joh_16:10. With respect to righteousness [ ðåñὶ äéêáéïóýíçò ].—Act the second. Here, again, righteousness simply is manifested. Christ’s exaltation to the throne of glory is the central appearance of God’s righteousness; we say, of God’s righteousness in Christ, God’s righteousness in His providence, God’s righteousness in believers, in the conscience of unbelievers even,—an appearance illuminated by the spiritual manifestation of Christ’s world-reconciling and glorifying operations.
Meyer thinks that “things of entirely diverse natures are mingled together” in these words (Leben Jesu, II. 1385). So Paul might seem to him to mingle things of different natures, Rom_3:26, but the äéêáéïóýíç èåïῦ is but one.
1. By Chrysostom, Beza, etc., Lücke, Meyer, the passage is construed to mean the righteousness of Christ (“guiltlessness,” which is too weak a term in this connection); comp. 1Ti_3:16. This view, Tholuck thinks, is untenable in the absence of a ìïõ in connection with äéêáéïóýíç ; in addition to this objection, we would state that “the going to the Father” and “the seeing Christ no more,” must receive their share of consideration.
2. By Cyril, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Gerlach, Stier, it is interpreted as significant of the righteousness that comes of faith, in the Pauline sense. Controverted by Tholuck on the ground that in the writings of Paul äéêáéïóýíç is the central idea, but in those of John that position is occupied by æùÞ . Hence he thinks to interpret the word in accordance with the Johannean usage exemplified elsewhere (1Jn_2:29; 1Jn_3:7; 1Jn_3:10), as indicative of moral purity or “Rechtbeschaffenheit” (righteous nature, to use the abortive term that has sprung up of late). But if we consider that the moral purity of Christ is infinitely positive, that it is the moral purity not of a child, but of the Lord of glory, we find that this exposition coincides with No. 1; irrespective of the fact that the lack of ìïõ might with equal justice be complained of here.—Besides, the word is introduced entirely without limitation. The old world pronounced the Lord a sinner (Joh_9:24); in His crucifixion it set Him forth as sin itself, as the enemy of man êáô ’ ἐîï÷Þí , and treated Him as such;—the Holy Ghost will subvert the world’s old views in reference to Christ and, together with these, its views of the righteousness of God and the human life itself.
The expression, and ye see Me no more [ êáὶ ïὐêÝôé èåùñåῖôÝ ìå ], is interpreted by Meyer as an affectionate participation in the disciples’ grief at their parting—an idea utterly incongruous with the context. It is likewise in accordance with righteousness that Christ, in His exaltation, is removed from the sinful world until His appearance in judgment; hence His kingdom this side of eternity must be a kingdom of the cross, and the world can reach Him only through faith. The full glory of righteousness is still in the hereafter with Christ, and not until the Last Day shall it appear.
[The explanation of äéêáéïóýíç has caused more difficulty than that of ἁìáñôßá . Commentators are divided, as has already been stated, on the question whether äéêáéïóýíç here means the personal and inherent righteousness of Christ (as maintained by the ancient Greek and the majority of modern exegetes), or the communicated, justifying righteousness apprehended by faith (as vigorously advocated by the reformers and recently by Stier). Dr. Lange rightly sides with the former view, but gives it, in his own original way, the most comprehensive meaning, in accordance with his exposition of the äéêáéïóýíç èåïῦ in Rom_1:17; Rom_3:26. (Comp. my annotations in the Comm. on Rom., pp. 74 f., 134 ff). To me it is very clear that the personal righteousness or absolute sinless perfection of Christ is meant, and not justification by faith (although this, of course, rests on the former), for the following reasons: 1. äéêáéïóýíç is plainly the opposite to ἁìáñôßá , and Christ is the subject of “righteousness,” as the world is the subject of “sin.” (Stier and Alford, who take äéê . in the sense of justification of the sinner, consistently make êüóìïò the subject not only of ἁìáñôßáò but also of äéêáéïóýíçò and êñßóåùò , which is unnatural). The absolute holiness of Christ is the only full and proper antithesis to the sin of the world, which centres in unbelief, as the mother of sins from Adam’s disobedience down to the rejection of Christ in our day. 2. The explanatory ὅôé ðñὸò ôὸí ðáôÝñá , etc., refers to Christ, not to us, and gives the proof of His righteousness, not ours. It was by the triumphant exaltation of Christ to the right hand of the Father and His invisible reign, that He, who had been sent to death as a “sinner,” yea as a blasphemer and impostor (Joh_18:30; Joh_9:24), was vindicated by God Himself and demonstrated by the testimony of the Paraclete, through the apostles, as the äßêáéïò , the pure and holy one (comp. Act_2:33 ff; Act_3:14; Act_7:52; Rom_1:4; 1Pe_3:18; 1Jn_2:1; 1Jn_2:29; 1Jn_3:7). The other interpretation would require the mention of Christ’s expiatory death (comp. Joh_6:51; Joh_17:19), as the explanatory ground of justification, rather than His exaltation to glory. 3. John uses äéêáéïóýíç always in its proper sense of righteousness (1Jn_2:29; 1Jn_3:7; 1Jn_3:10; Rev_19:11), not of justification, which corresponds to the Greek äéêáßùóéò —a term unknown to John’s vocabulary. 4. He expresses the Pauline idea of justification in opposition to condemnation not so much in its legal as in its moral aspects and in connection with its effects upon the soul by the familiar phrase: “He that believeth on Christ, hath eternal life” (Joh_3:16; Joh_4:14; Joh_5:24; Joh_6:27; Joh_6:40; Joh_6:47; Joh_12:50; 1Jn_2:25; 1Jn_5:11; 1Jn_5:13).—It is perfectly true, however, that according to John as well as Paul, Christ’s righteousness becomes our righteousness by faith. Christ is the Lord our Righteousness. He did not come down to lead a holy life for Himself, for He was holy from eternity, but for our benefit, that we may become partakers of His righteousness, and so also sharers of His exaltation to the Father in glory. It is in this way that Archdeacon Hare, Dean Alford, and Bishop Words-worth endeavor to combine the two interpretations. “If the conviction of righteousness,” says Hare (p. 135 f.), “which the Spirit works in us, were merely the conviction of God’s righteousness, or of Christ’s, we could only fall to the ground with awestruck, palsied hearts: we could no more venture to look upon Christ, than the naked eye can look upon the sun. But when we are thoroughly convinced that Christ’s righteousness is our righteousness, the righteousness which He purposes to bestow upon mankind,—that He came to fulfil all righteousness, not for His own sake but for ours, in order that He might give us all that we lack out of His exceeding abundance,—then indeed a bright ray of joy and comfort darts through the heart, startling the frost-bound waters out of their yearlong sleep. Then the soul, which before was a wilderness and a solitary place, solitary, because God was far from it,—yea, the barren desert of the heart rejoices and blossoms like the rose. All its hidden powers, all its suppressed feelings, so long smothered by the unresisted blasts of the world, unfold like the rose-leaves before the Sun of Righteousness; and each and all are filled and transpierced with its gladdening, beautifying light.” Comp. also the note of Alford, who closely follows Stier.—P. S.]
Joh_16:11. With respect to judgment, etc. [ ðåñὶ äὲ êñßóåùò , ὅôé ὁ ἄñ÷ùí ôïῦ êüóìïõ ôïýôïõ êÝêñéôáé ].—Act the third. Elucidation of the judgment. The prince of this world appears therein as judged. The judgment executed upon the devil through the death and resurrection of Christ, is the central appearance of all God’s judgments in the history of the world until the end of the world; an appearance fully illuminated by means of the spiritual manifestation of the cross, or the accursed tree,—to which Satan brought Christ,—as the sign of victory. Thus the Holy Ghost subverts the old view of the world, which made misfortune and the cross a sign of reprobation, but held the momentarily successful issue of Satanic plots to be a sign of the favor “of heaven.” To that principiary judgment, consummated on the cross, the victory over the tempter in the wilderness (Matthew 4.), and that over the traitor in the midst of the disciples (Joh_13:30), were introductory: it must, however, as the consummation, be distinguished from those. This principiary consummated judgment has been in process of development throughout the world’s history ever since the time of Christ and shall become evident on that day when the world is judged.
[For a full and able practical exposition of this conviction of judgment see Hare’s fourth Sermon (pp. 162 ff.) and his ample notes. Luther is quite in his element here, when, in his bold, defiant, triumphant tone, he carries on as it were the word of God, and applies it to his own times. “Christ,” says he, “here speaks very grandly and boldly. Not only, He says, shall all emperors, kings, princes, or others, who rage against God’s word, be condemned along with their judgment, but the prince of this world himself, who has more might and strength in his little finger than all the world together. And the gospel shall not only be judge over flesh and blood, nay, not only over some of Satan’s angels or devils, but over the prince himself, who has the whole world mightily in his hands, and is the all-wisest, mightiest and thereto the all-fiercest enemy of God and His Christians, so that everything which is great, mighty and wicked among men is nothing in comparison with him….Therefore it behooves us not to dread or care for their judgment and condemnation, because we hear that it shall not harm us, but is already powerless, being condemned by God’s contrary judgment, so that they shall not work or effect anything against us, however fiercely they rage against us with their condemnation, persecution and murder, but must finally and forever remain under condemnation, which is passed against them both by God, and by us who judge after and by His word. And Christendom shall maintain the supreme judgment, and shall abide, as it has done hitherto, in spite of the devil and the world.” This is the same spirit that breathes in Luther’s “Ein’ feste Burg.”—P. S.]
Joh_16:12-15. The Holy Ghost as the Spirit of the development of Christianity, and of the revelation of the future.
Joh_16:12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. [ Ἔôé ðïëëὰ ἔ÷ù ëÝãåéí ὑìῖí , ἀëë ’ ïὐ äýíáóèå âáóôÜæåéõ ἀñôé ].—Ye cannot bear them now. ÂáóôÜæåéí . Cannot bear them mentally; i.e. in the first place, ye are intellectually unable to comprehend them; doubtless, however, it also means, ye are morally incapable of supporting them. What is Jesus’ meaning? Interpretations:
1. New articles of doctrine are intended. Tradition and its dogmas. Roman Catholic exegetes, Meyer also in measure. The latter does not pretend that the ðïëëÜ are specified, but he too conceives of the relation of new to old as additional (“for neither can we imagine the oral instruction of the Apostles to be fully set down in their Epistles”); he does not consider the new as an organic development of the old.
2. Sufferings to be endured by the disciples.
3. New forms of truth, in itself already familiar. Thomas Aquinas: “Non nova fidei mysteria, sed novo tantum modo (sc. altiori) docebit.”
4. New developments and applications of truth already known. Ancient Protestant interpretation, Lücke.
5. The entire ecclesiastical development of doctrine. Hegelian exegetes. Against this view Tholuck remarks: “The latter extension is manifestly in opposition to the context. Doubtless the promises made to the apostolic disciples, including those contained in the Sermon on the Mount and in Matthew 10, must admit of an application to the disciples generally;—they can, however, only relatively be thus applied; even Hofmann, II., 2, 245 ff., says in reality nothing more than this. Now the persons here addressed are none other than those ìÜñôõñåò ἀð ’ ἀñ÷ῆò , Joh_15:27, those to whom Joh_17:18 applies, for whom He prays first, Joh_17:9, reserving His petitions for other believers on Him until later, Joh_16:20.” Against the “development view” see Tholuck still further, p. 387. We agree with him in thinking that reference is not again had to the general development of Christian doctrine; that having already been treated of in Joh_14:26. Tholuck, with justice, directs attention to the expression: ôὰ ἐñ÷üìåíá ἀíáããåëåῖ ; the term ἀíáããåëåῖ , be it observed, occurs three times in succession.
Hence 6. Christ has in view the apocalyptic disclosures of apostolic Christianity in its more developed stage; revelations, for instance, concerning the perfect emancipation of Christianity from Judaism, Acts 10, set forth also in the life of St. Paul, Eph_3:8-9; preëminently those eschatological revelations reposing upon evangelical premises, which appear in the Revelation of St. John, in the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Rom_11:25; 1Ti_4:1. Thus Albertus M.: “Non solum futura in tempore, sed magis æterna, ad quorum amorem inflammabunt.” Tholuck. The æterna are not to be excluded, we admit; the ultima, however, occupy the foreground of the picture. Of course these proclamations of things to come are principially contained in the communications hitherto made to the disciples, especially in the eschatological discourses of the Lord. Nevertheless, the theocratic and apocalyptic revelations as subsequently received by the Apostles (Acts 10; 2 Thessalonians 2; the Apocalypse), constituted new matter in the development of the kingdom of God, never before revealed with such distinctness.
Joh_16:13. But when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into the whole (full) truth. [ Ὅôáí äὲ ἔëèῃ ἐêåῖíïò , ôὸ ðíåῦìá ôῆò ἀëçèåßáò , ὁäçãÞóåé ὑìᾶò åἰò ôὴí ἀëÞèåéáí ðᾶóáí ].—See the Textual Notes. Lachmann’s reading suits the apocalyptic items of apostolic experience far better than does that of Tischendorf: ἐí ôῇ ἀëçèåßᾳ ðÜóῃ . The emphatic position of ðᾶóá is indicative of the new points of revelation.—On The Spirit of truth, see Joh_14:17.
[Rightly understood, this important passage proves the sufficiency of the Scriptures. The ðᾶóáí after ô . ἀë . expresses the truth in its completeness or totality; comp. Joh_16:22 : ôὴí êñßóéí ðᾶóáí . The article is important: the whole truth, the full truth. The A. V. (into all truth), and all the preceding E. Versions, as also Luther in his G. V. (in alle Wahrheit, instead of die ganze or volle Wahrheit), miss the sense of the original by omitting the article. It is not omniscience or any kind of speculative or scientific truth which is promised, but the full knowledge of living, practical truth as it is in Christ, and as it relates to our soul’s salvation. The Bible is not a universal encyclopædia of knowledge, but an infallible guide of religious faith and moral practice. Luther corrects his faulty translation in his comments. “This truth,” he says, “which the Holy Spirit is to teach them, is not such a doctrine and knowledge as reason of itself can understand and hit upon…for the Holy Spirit and Christ’s Church do not concern themselves with things which are subject to man’s understanding and which belong to this temporal life and to worldly rule…but treat of far other matters, how God’s children are to be begotten out of sin and death unto righteousness and everlasting life, how God’s kingdom is to be established and the kingdom of hell to be destroyed, how we are to fight against the devil and to overcome him, how to cheer, strengthen and uphold faith, so that a man shall continue alive in the midst of death, and even under the consciousness of sin shall preserve a good conscience and the grace of God.” Alford: “All the truth, viz. on those points alluded to in Joh_16:12….The Lord had told them the truth and nothing but the truth, in spiritual things, but not yet the whole truth, because they could not bear it. This the Spirit should lead them into, open the way to it, and unfold it by degrees. No promise of universal knowledge, nor of infallibility, is hereby conveyed; but a promise to them and us, that the Holy Spirit shall teach and lead us, not as children, under tutors and governors of legal and imperfect knowledge, but as sons (Gal_4:6), making known to us the whole truth of God. This was in a special manner fulfilled to them, as set to be the founders and teachers of the churches.”—Yet in a certain sense, the Spirit of God alone can lead us into all truth, even in temporal and human things, since the love of truth is inseparable from the love of God, and the perfect knowledge of truth from the knowledge of God, which comes from the Spirit of God, the true illuminator of the human intellect darkened and distorted by sin and its bosom companion, error. See some excellent remarks on this passage by Hare, 1. c. Note B., pp. 224 ff.—P. S.]
For He shall not speak of Himself. [ Ïὐ ãὰñ ëáëÞóåé ἀö ’ ἑáõôïῦ , ἀëë ’ ὃóá ἂí ἀêïýåé ( ἀêïýóῃ ) ëáëÞóåé , êáὶ ôὰ ἐñ÷üìåíá ἀíáããåëåῖ ὑìῖí ].—See above Joh_14:26. Luther: “Thus He imposeth a limit and measure (a basis and principle) to the preaching of the Holy Ghost Himself; He is to preach nothing new, nothing other than Christ and His Word;—to the end that we might have a sure sign, a certain test, whereby to judge false spirits.” Thus the Spirit is conditioned by the Son, as the Son is by the Father, Joh_5:19.
Whatsoever He hath heard [heareth; on the different readings, ἀêïýåé , ἀêïýóῃ , ἀêïýóåé , see Text. Notes.—P. S.].—I.e. such historical things as He, as the Spirit of believers and of the Church, has heard from Christ, either directly or indirectly: 1. Heard from Christ (Olshausen, Kling, etc.); 2. from God (Meyer); 3. from both (Luthardt [Alford, Godet]). A hearing from God on the part of the Spirit, a hearing independent of history, is not a clear idea at all; it would, moreover, set the revelation of the Spirit, as a separate one, by the side of that of the Son.—Things to come.—See notes on Joh_16:12. [T ὰ ἐñ÷üìåíá are esp