Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - John 16:9 - 16:9
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Joh_16:9. First part: in reference to sin He will convince them. The more exact definition, as to how far He will convince them περὶ ἁμαρτίας ; so far as they, namely ( ὅτι , equivalent to εἰς ἐκεῖνο ὅτι , Joh_2:18, Joh_9:17, Joh_11:51), do not believe on me, which He will reveal to them as sin, and will bring them to a consciousness of guilt; ὅτι ἁμαρτάνουσι μὴ πιστεύνοτες ἔτι , Euth. Zigabenus. Following Calvin (comp. already Apollinarius, Ammonius, and also Luther), De Wette and Brückner (comp. also Ebrard) interpret not of the conviction of sin, so far as the unbelief of the world will be brought to its consciousness as sin, but of sin generally (“qualis in se sit hominum natura,” Calvin), of the condition under the wrath of God, in which the world, as opposed to the ever-increasing multitude of believers, who are victorious through the power of truth, appears involved, because it does not believe, for faith is the bond between the sinful world and God. Comp. Lange, who understands the rejection of Christ as the essential manifestation of all sin, as also Wetzel and Godet; which, however, does not correspond to the simplicity of the words.[172] On the ἜΛΕΓΞΙς of the world ΠΕΡῚ ἉΜΑΡΤ ., and that with regard to its converting power, comp. 1Co_14:24-25. Tholuck makes out of the simple ἉΜΑΡΤΊΑς the guilt of sin, and that the unpardonable (Joh_9:41).
Note further that ὅτι is the exponent, not of ἉΜΑΡΤΊΑς , but of ἘΛΈΓΞΕΙ ΠΕΡῚ ἉΜ .
[172] The sense would be this: in reference to sin He will convince them that unbelief is the true essence of sin. How easy would it have been for Jesus to have actually said this! for example, by: περὶ ἁμαρτίας , ὅτι ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπιστία . And such an expression of the thought assumed would have been quite Johannean.