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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - John 16:16 - 16:24
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_16:16-24
16"A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me." 17Some of His disciples then said to one another, "What is this thing He is telling us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?" 18So they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about." 19Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, "Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23In 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. 24Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full."
Joh_16:16 "A little while" This phrase occurs often in John (cf. Joh_7:33; Joh_12:35; Joh_13:33; Joh_14:19). There have been several theories of what this idiomatic phrase means.
1. the post-resurrection appearances
2. the Second Coming
3. Jesus' coming in and through the Holy Spirit
In the light of the context, number 1 is the only possibility (cf. Joh_16:22). The disciples were confused by this statement (cf. Joh_16:17-18).
Joh_16:17 "Some of His disciples then said to one another" This is another question like Joh_13:36; Joh_14:5; Joh_14:8; Joh_14:22. Jesus uses these questions to reassure them and reveal Himself. It is characteristic of John that he uses dialog to reveal truth. In John there are twenty-seven conversations with or about Jesus. It is also characteristic of John that Jesus' hearers did not comprehend what He said (cf. Joh_16:18). He is from above; they are from below.
▣ "and 'because I go to the Father'" Jesus stated this in Joh_16:5 as He did in the phrase "in a little while" in Joh_16:16. In a sense this is a very specific Messianic reference (cf. Joh_13:1; Joh_13:3; Joh_16:28; Joh_17:24).
▣ "will not see. . .see" There are two different words for "see" in Joh_16:16-17. They seem to be synonymous. If so there is only one period of time being referred to and that probably was the time between Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection morning.
Others suppose the two verbs and phrases refer to "physical" sight and "spiritual" sight and thereby refer to (1) the time between Calvary and Sunday morning or (2) the time between the Ascension and the Second Coming.
The fact that the first verb (theôreô) is present tense in both Joh_16:16-17 and the second (horaô) is future tense in both Joh_16:16-17 seem to support the synonymous theory.
Joh_16:18 "So they were saying" This is an imperfect tense which can mean (1) they were saying over and over or (2) they began to say.
▣ "What is this that He says" Those who were with Him, who heard Him and saw His miracles, did not always understand (cf. Joh_8:27; Joh_8:43; Joh_10:6; Joh_12:16; Joh_18:4). This is what the ministry of the Spirit will alleviate.
Joh_16:19 "Jesus knew that they wished to question Him" Jesus often knew people's thoughts (cf. Joh_2:25; Joh_6:61; Joh_6:64; Joh_13:11). It is difficult to know for sure if this was (1) His divine nature; (2) insight into people and situations; or (3) both.
Joh_16:20 "Truly, truly, I say to you" This is literally "Amen, Amen" (see Special Topic Joh_1:51). "Amen" was the OT term (aman, emeth, emunah) for "faith" (cf. Hab_2:4). Its primary etymology was "to be firm" or "to be sure." It came to be used figuratively for the trustworthiness of God which is the background to the biblical concept of faith/faithfulness. Jesus is the only one who ever started a sentence with this term. It seems to have the connotation of "this is an important and trustworthy statement, listen closely."
▣ "you will weep and lament" This meant loud and expressive sorrow which was characteristic of Jewish grieving practices (cf. Joh_11:31; Joh_11:33; Joh_20:11). Three times Jesus used the emphatic plural "you" when speaking of the disciples' sorrow (Joh_16:20 [twice] and Joh_16:22). Leadership means
1. servanthood
2. rejection by the world
3. persecution like the Master's
▣ "you will grieve, but your grief will be turned to joy" What a great promise to the disciples in the midst of their confusion and lack of understanding. Everything that Jesus promised this core group of disciples was fulfilled at Jesus' first post-resurrection appearance the first Sunday night after the resurrection in the upper room.
1. He would not leave them (cf. Joh_14:18; Joh_16:16; Joh_16:19; Joh_20:19)
2. He would come to them (cf. Joh_14:18; Joh_16:16; Joh_16:19; Joh_20:19)
3. He would give them peace (cf. Joh_16:22; Joh_20:19)
4. He would give them the Spirit (cf. Joh_15:26; Joh_20:22)
Joh_16:21 "Whenever a woman is in labor" The metaphor of a woman in childbirth is common in the Old and New Testaments. Usually it is used to emphasize the suddenness or inevitability of the birth, but here the focus is on the attitude of the mother, before and after. This metaphor is often linked with the "birth-pains" of the New Age (cf. Isa_26:17-18; Isa_66:7-14; Mar_13:8). This was exactly what Jesus was referring to and this was exactly why the disciples, who were still on the other side of the cross, resurrection, and ascension, did not understand Jesus' words!
Joh_16:23 "In that day" This is another Hebraic idiomatic phrase (like childbirth cf. Joh_16:21) which is commonly associated with the coming of the New Age (cf. Joh_14:20; Joh_16:25-26).
▣ "you will not question Me about anything" There are two different words for "question" or "ask" in this verse (cf. Joh_16:26). The first implies "ask a question" (cf. Joh_16:5; Joh_16:19; Joh_16:30). If this is the proper translation, Jesus was referring to all their questions expressed in the context of chapters 13-17 (cf. Joh_13:36; Joh_14:5; Joh_14:8; Joh_14:22; Joh_16:17-18). The second term would then refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf. Joh_14:16-31; Joh_15:26-27; Joh_16:1-15), who will answer all their questions.
In some ways this phrase reminds me of the promise of the "new covenant" of Jer_31:31-34, where the coming of the new age would bring a complete knowledge to all believers.
NASB "if you ask the Father for anything in My name"
NKJV "whatever you ask the Father in My name"
NRSV "if you ask anything of the Father in my name"
TEV "the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name"
NJB "anything you ask from the Father he will grant in my name"
This is an indefinite relative clause, not a conditional sentence. It must be understood that asking in Jesus' name is not simply closing our prayers with a ritual formula, but praying in the will, mind, and character of Jesus Christ (cf. 1Jn_5:13). See note at Joh_15:16. See hyperlink at 1Jn_3:22.
There is a manuscript variant related to the phrase "in My name." Should it go with "ask" or "give" or both? The context is prayer, therefore, it should probably go with "ask," although in reality, everything from the Father comes through Jesus ("My name" cf. Joh_14:13-14; Joh_16:15; Joh_16:24; Joh_16:26). See hyperlink at Joh_14:13-14.
Joh_16:24 "ask and you will receive" "Ask" is a present active imperative. This focuses on believers' prayers being persistent and ongoing. In one sense believers need only ask once, believing, but in another sense, prayer is an ongoing fellowship and trust in God, keep on asking (cf. Mat_7:7-8; Luk_11:5-13; Luk_18:1-8).
▣ "so that your joy may be made full" This is a periphrastic perfect passive participle (cf. 1Jn_1:4). Answered prayer is a reason for our joy! Joy is a characteristic of Jesus' followers (cf. Joh_15:11; Joh_16:20-21; Joh_16:24; Joh_17:13).