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Joh_16:29-30. The disciples, aroused, nay, astonished ( ἴδε ), by the clearness of the last great declaration, now find the teachings contained in Joh_16:20-28 so opened to their understanding, and thereby the enigmatical character of Joh_16:16-17 so solved, that they judge, even now, that in this instruction just communicated He speaks so openly and clearly, so entirely without allegorical disguise, that He is at the present time doing for them (not merely a prelude thereof, as Hengstenberg tones down the meaning) that, for the attainment of which He had in Joh_16:25 pointed them to a future hour. But as He, by this teaching in Joh_16:20-28, had anticipated (Joh_16:19) the questions which they, according to Joh_16:16-17, had upon their heart, they are also in this respect so surprised, that they at the same time feel certain that He knows all things, and needs not first to be inquired of, since He replies unasked to the questions on which information was desired; hence the future things promised by Him in the words ἐν ἐκείνῃ to οὐδέν , Joh_16:23, may likewise already exist as present, on account of His unlimited knowledge. “Exultant ergo ante tempus perinde acsi quis nummo uno aureo divitem se putaret” (Calvin); but however incomplete their understanding was as yet, it was sufficient for them to experience a deep and vivid impression therefrom, and to lead up to the expression of the decided confession of faith, ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν , κ . τ . λ . Augustine exaggerates when he says: “Illi usque adeo non intelligunt, ut nec saltem se non intelligere intelligant. Parvuli enim erant.” Schweizer has very arbitrarily declared Joh_16:30 to be spurious; but Lange maintains that the disciples regarded a ray of light from the Spirit, which they now received as the beginning of an uninterrupted holiday of the Spirit. This is least of all to be established by ἐν τούτῳ , κ . τ . λ .
Joh_16:29. νῦν ] Now, what Thou first didst promise as future, Joh_16:25.
Joh_16:30. νῦν ] What we, according to thy declaration, Joh_16:23, should first become aware of at a future time. The obvious retrospective reference, given in the words themselves that are employed, of Joh_16:29 to Joh_16:25, and of Joh_16:30 to Joh_16:23, is neither to be concealed nor denied.
ἵνα ] as in Joh_2:25.
ἐν τούτῳ ] propter hoc, Act_24:16. Comp. ἐν ᾧ , quoniam (Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 93). ἐν denotes causal dependence (Bernhardy, p. 211). Not now for the first time does their faith begin, that ( ὅτι ) Christ came forth from God (see Joh_16:27), and not for the first time do they believe it on the ground that He knows all things; but for their present faith in the divine origin of Christ they acknowledge to have found a new and peculiar ground of certainty in that which they said in Joh_16:30; comp. on Joh_2:11. Lange erroneously says that ὅτι denotes because; “in this our faith is rooted, because Thou,” etc. The procession of Christ from His pre-human existence with God was indeed not the ground of faith (this were His words and works, Joh_14:10-11, Joh_10:38), but the grand subject of faith (Joh_16:27; Joh_17:8; Joh_20:31). Comp. 1Jn_4:2-3; 2Jn_1:7. According to Ewald, ἐν τούτῳ would express that in which they believe, namely, in the fact that ( ὅτι ), etc. But John never designates the object of faith by ἐν (Mar_1:15); he would probably have written τοῦτο πιστ . (Joh_11:26).