John · Chapter 16

Verse 1. These things have I spoken] Particularly what is mentioned in the two last chapters.

Be offended.] ina mh skandalisqhte, That ye should not be stumbled. May not fall away from the faith, nor receive any injury to your souls, as that man does to his body who stumbles, or falls over a stone, or block, in the way which he has not discovered.

Verses 1, 2. These things have I spoken, that you should not be offended — I have informed you beforehand concerning the opposition which you are to expect from the world, and the proportionable supports which you will receive from the Holy Spirit, that you may not be discouraged in, or turned aside from, the path of your duty; by my leaving you, or by the troubles which you will meet with from my enemies and yours, whose rage will excite them to use all manner of violence and cruelty against you. They shall put you out of the synagogues — The Jews will excommunicate you, as the most execrable of men: yea, whosoever killeth you, will think he doeth God service — That he doth the most acceptable thing possible; or that he offers sacrifice to God, as Dr. Campbell and others render latreian prosferein tw Qew; observing, that as latereia properly signifies the public service of religion, when it is joined, as in this place, with prosferein, (to offer up,) can only mean sacrifice; and it is so rendered in the Syriac and Gothic versions. This gives a beautiful turn to our Lord’s sentiment, which is, “The time shall come when the killing you will be thought a part of the worship of God, and equally meritorious and acceptable with the offering of sacrifices.” Archbishop Leighton’s observation on the passage is, that “the servants of Christ should be considered not only as sheep for the slaughter, but as sheep for the altar too.” The rage of the persecuting enemies of God’s church, and, beyond all comparison, the murders committed by Papal cruelty in the name of the Lord, in the hecatombs of whole burnt-offerings, (if an expression may be allowed which falls far short of the dreadful truth,) too justly illustrate the remark. But how justly God has already resented, and will still resent, the murder of his children upon his altar, the day in which he makes inquisition for blood does and will declare.

Verse 1. These things have I spoken, that ye should not be offended, so as to stumble and shrink back from the cause in which you are engaged. Expulsion from the synagogue was to a jew next to death, being accounted an expulsion from the covenant of mercy, and from the paradise of God.

1. These things—Including his description both of the hostility of the world and the co-operation of the Paraclete or Comforter. Should not be offended—Be caused to backslide or to apostatize.

V. 2. The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service-But, blessed be God, the time is so far past, that those who bear the name of Christ do not now generally suppose they do him service by killing each other for a difference in opinion or mode of worship.

Verse 2. They shall put you out of the synagogues] They will excommunicate you, and consider you as execrable, and utterly unworthy to hold any commerce with God by religion; or with man by civil fellowship. See Clarke on “John 9:22”. In these excommunications they were spoiled of all their substance, see Ezra 10:8, and see also Hebrews 10:34, and deprived of their character, their influence, and every necessary of life. Though the Jewish people had the most humane laws, yet they were a most vindictive and cruel people.

That whosoever killeth you, &c.] This Paul found; for more than forty Jews bound themselves under a curse that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him, Acts 23:12, 13; and agreeably to this, it is said, in that Tract of the Talmud which is entitled Bammidbar, R. xxi. ad. Num. xxv. 13: “He who sheds the blood of the ungodly, is equal to him who brings an offering to God.” What the Zealots did is notorious in history. They butchered any person, in cold blood, who, they pretended to believe, was an enemy to God, to the law, or to Moses; and thought they were fulfilling the will of God by these human sacrifices. We had the same kind of sacrifices here in the time of our Popish Queen Mary. May God ever save our state from the Stuarts!

Verses 1, 2. These things have I spoken, that you should not be offended — I have informed you beforehand concerning the opposition which you are to expect from the world, and the proportionable supports which you will receive from the Holy Spirit, that you may not be discouraged in, or turned aside from, the path of your duty; by my leaving you, or by the troubles which you will meet with from my enemies and yours, whose rage will excite them to use all manner of violence and cruelty against you. They shall put you out of the synagogues — The Jews will excommunicate you, as the most execrable of men: yea, whosoever killeth you, will think he doeth God service — That he doth the most acceptable thing possible; or that he offers sacrifice to God, as Dr. Campbell and others render latreian prosferein tw Qew; observing, that as latereia properly signifies the public service of religion, when it is joined, as in this place, with prosferein, (to offer up,) can only mean sacrifice; and it is so rendered in the Syriac and Gothic versions. This gives a beautiful turn to our Lord’s sentiment, which is, “The time shall come when the killing you will be thought a part of the worship of God, and equally meritorious and acceptable with the offering of sacrifices.” Archbishop Leighton’s observation on the passage is, that “the servants of Christ should be considered not only as sheep for the slaughter, but as sheep for the altar too.” The rage of the persecuting enemies of God’s church, and, beyond all comparison, the murders committed by Papal cruelty in the name of the Lord, in the hecatombs of whole burnt-offerings, (if an expression may be allowed which falls far short of the dreadful truth,) too justly illustrate the remark. But how justly God has already resented, and will still resent, the murder of his children upon his altar, the day in which he makes inquisition for blood does and will declare.

2. Put you out of the synagogues—Excommunicate you from the Old Testament Church, as if no longer Jews; though in reality they are the excommunicate and you are the Church. So even in the history of Christendom, a Church in form, yet apostate in spirit, may expel from its communion those who are in spirit and in truth the purer and the truer Church. Popery can expel the Reformers; Anglicanism can exclude from her churches a Wesley and a Whitefield. But happily often, even from the holy communion of the excommunicates, there returns a blessed influence, to purify and regenerate, more or less, the dead old organism that expelled them. Killeth you… doeth God service—So utterly may churchmanship have put darkness for light that it may be with a religious intent that it persecutes religion itself. Especially is this liable to be the case when a dead organization persecutes men of the living Spirit. Nay, it is even possible that men, with the best light they have, and with the purest conscience their age and position permit, may persecute with a holy intention. Hence we may feel a pity even for good men betrayed into the sin of persecution. Even in the minds of such, however, a worldly zeal for their own system, and a bitter human hatred, usually dwell. As Saul of Tarsus, who sincerely thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and that he ought to persecute even unto strange cities, did also breathe out threatenings and slaughter. With the honest zeal for truth, and earnest opposition against the defenders of error, there may mingle a fierce ambition, a cruel partizanship, a diabolical malignity. The former might be excused in the sight of God, however mistaken; the latter mingling brings them under deep condemnation, both from God and man. Honest error, moreover, may spring from a dishonest antecedent. Error must not only be itself honest, but it must be honestly come by. Doeth God service—Doeth service to God. Bitterest and most cruel of all is likely to be the fate of that victim of persecution whose persecutor most deeply believes he is doing service to God. Our Lord therefore most justly brings this in as the final summit of the climax of suffering he predicts.

V. 3. They have not known the Father nor me-This is the true root of persecution in all its forms.

Verse 3. Because they have not known the Father] See Clarke on “John 15:25”. Ignorance of the benevolence of GOD, and of the philanthropy of CHRIST, is the grand fountain whence all religious persecution and intolerance proceed.

Verse 3. And these things will they do — These cruelties will they exercise upon you, not because ye have done them any harm; but because they have not known the Father nor me — Which, if they had done, instead of injuring me, and exercising such inhumanities toward you, my apostles, they would have received us with the greatest affection and gratitude. Here we have the true root of persecution in all its forms; it is ignorance of God and of Christ, and of the real nature of Christianity: it is a spirit that is hostile to all true piety and virtue; and our Lord here says in effect, Let this comfort you, that none will be your enemies but the worst of men. Observe, reader, 1st, Many that pretend to know God are wretchedly ignorant of him, for he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 1 John 2:4. Israel of old transgressed the covenant, and yet cried, My God, we know thee. 2d, They that are ignorant of Christ cannot have any right knowledge of God. In vain do men pretend to know God and religion while they slight Christ and Christianity. 3d, Those are wretchedly ignorant of God indeed, who think it an acceptable piece of religion to persecute good people. For they that know Christ, know that he came not into the world to destroy men’s lives, but to save them; that he rules by the power of truth and love, not by fire and sword. 4th, It is possible for those that are real enemies to God’s service to pretend a mighty zeal for it. Satan’s work has often been done in God’s livery, and one of the most mischievous enemies Christianity ever had, sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Nay, 5th, It is common to patronise enmity to religion, with the colour of duty to God and service to his church. God’s people have suffered the greatest hardships from conscientious persecutors: Paul verily thought he ought to do what he did against the name of Jesus, Acts 26:9. This, however, does not lessen the sin of persecutors, for villanies cannot be consecrated by their being acted in God’s name; but it greatly increases the sufferings of the persecuted to cause them to suffer under the character of being enemies to God; but there will be a resurrection of names, as well as of bodies, at the great day.

3. Because… not known the Father—This fact, repeated from 15:21-25, is the sad destruction of all excuse for this Jewish persecution. However honest for the moment their persecuting zeal, it sprung from a heart that had previously entrenched itself in error and hardened itself against God. Hence its zeal, however sincere, was mingled and impregnated with fierce and cruel purpose.

V. 4. I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you-To bear the chief shock in my own person, and to screen you from it.

Verse 4. At the beginning] I would not trouble you by speaking of these things pointedly at first, when I chose you to be my disciples, but have referred them to the present time, lest you should be discouraged; and now only declare them because it is absolutely necessary that you should be put upon your guard.

Verses 4-6. But these things have I told you — And forewarned you of them; that when the time shall come — In which they shall happen; ye may remember that I told you of them — And so may turn what has so discouraging an aspect into a further confirmation of your faith. And these things I said not at the beginning — Of my ministry; because I was with you — And could easily suggest proper instructions and consolations, as new circumstances of difficulty arose; and because, being with you, I could bear the chief shock of persecution in my own person, and so screen you from it. But now I go to him that sent me — But now, that my ministry is drawing toward a conclusion, and I am going to leave you, I could no longer defer speaking of these things to you; because it is of great importance you should know them, in order that when they come to pass you may not be surprised and stumbled. And none of you asketh me — Now when it is most seasonable; whither goest thou? — Though I mentioned to you my departure once before, (John 13:33,) none of you has inquired of me the reasons of my departure, nor the effects of it; nor is concerned to make those inquiries about that better world, which surely might well become you in such a circumstance. But because I have said these things — Have spoken of leaving you for a time, and have informed you of the persecutions you will meet with when I am gone; sorrow hath filled your heart — Hath engrossed your thoughts, and filled you with sadness.

4. These things have I told you—Again does the Lord cast back a recapitulating glance in order fully to impress his words upon their memory for future use, both for confirmation of faith and consolation of heart. Said not… at the beginning—Commentators of different ages have found it difficult to reconcile this apparent statement of our Lord, that he had not predicted persecutions heretofore, with passages like Matthew 5:10-12; 10:21-28; 16:24, 25; 24:9; Luke 6:22, etc. That he had predicted persecutions heretofore, again and again, is beyond all question. What, then, is it that our Lord had not said at the beginning? We answer: all these things; namely, that under a persecution of a spiritual character their support was to be the Spirit of truth. This entire shape and substance of things were entirely new. It was his last revelation to them previous to that departure which should produce the coming of that Spirit. He had not said it at the beginning; for he had reserved it until now, the close.

V. 5. None of you asketh me-Now when it is most seasonable. Peter did ask this before, John 13:36.

Verse 5. None of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?] In John 13:3, Peter had asked, Lord, thither goest thou?-and Thomas much the same in John 14:5, both of whom had received an answer. But now, at the time when Jesus was speaking this, none of them asked this question, because their hearts were filled with sorrow: John 16:6.

Verses 4-6. But these things have I told you — And forewarned you of them; that when the time shall come — In which they shall happen; ye may remember that I told you of them — And so may turn what has so discouraging an aspect into a further confirmation of your faith. And these things I said not at the beginning — Of my ministry; because I was with you — And could easily suggest proper instructions and consolations, as new circumstances of difficulty arose; and because, being with you, I could bear the chief shock of persecution in my own person, and so screen you from it. But now I go to him that sent me — But now, that my ministry is drawing toward a conclusion, and I am going to leave you, I could no longer defer speaking of these things to you; because it is of great importance you should know them, in order that when they come to pass you may not be surprised and stumbled. And none of you asketh me — Now when it is most seasonable; whither goest thou? — Though I mentioned to you my departure once before, (John 13:33,) none of you has inquired of me the reasons of my departure, nor the effects of it; nor is concerned to make those inquiries about that better world, which surely might well become you in such a circumstance. But because I have said these things — Have spoken of leaving you for a time, and have informed you of the persecutions you will meet with when I am gone; sorrow hath filled your heart — Hath engrossed your thoughts, and filled you with sadness.

5. None… asketh… whither—In the table discourse (chap. 14:5-7) they had so asked; but now, as he stands uttering his farewell, and unfolding to them their apparent abandonment to the most limitless persecution, with none but a spiritual Comforter, a Comforter little, now, by them appreciated, they had forgotten all question as to his whither.

Verses 4-6. But these things have I told you — And forewarned you of them; that when the time shall come — In which they shall happen; ye may remember that I told you of them — And so may turn what has so discouraging an aspect into a further confirmation of your faith. And these things I said not at the beginning — Of my ministry; because I was with you — And could easily suggest proper instructions and consolations, as new circumstances of difficulty arose; and because, being with you, I could bear the chief shock of persecution in my own person, and so screen you from it. But now I go to him that sent me — But now, that my ministry is drawing toward a conclusion, and I am going to leave you, I could no longer defer speaking of these things to you; because it is of great importance you should know them, in order that when they come to pass you may not be surprised and stumbled. And none of you asketh me — Now when it is most seasonable; whither goest thou? — Though I mentioned to you my departure once before, (John 13:33,) none of you has inquired of me the reasons of my departure, nor the effects of it; nor is concerned to make those inquiries about that better world, which surely might well become you in such a circumstance. But because I have said these things — Have spoken of leaving you for a time, and have informed you of the persecutions you will meet with when I am gone; sorrow hath filled your heart — Hath engrossed your thoughts, and filled you with sadness.

Ver. 6. Because I have said these things, sorrow hath filled your heart. The disciples were so astounded at the extended view of their persecutions, and at the departure of their Lord, that they had not presence of mind to ask whither he was going. The discourse, for the moment, almost deprived them of recollection.

6. Sorrow hath filled your heart—The sorrow was reasonable; but this word filled implied that it was excessive and reprovable. But he goes on to express, with a stronger emphasis, the consolation he had already proffered, namely, the coming of the Comforter.

The struggle of the Spirit with the world, 7-15.

At once as a consolation and as a prophecy of the future dispensation, our Lord now declares that it is expedient FOR THEM, that he should depart. Why? Because the Christian dispensation is, according to God’s plan, to be, not the dispensation of Christ’s bodily presence, but the dispensation of the Spirit. Christ came and gave that dispensation its start; but the Spirit must give it its development, its maturity, its consummation, until Christ come again and affix its judgment end. The bodily must give place to the spiritual. There must be an invisible Saviour, for the same reason that we have an invisible God; namely, that the souls of men may have room for faith and be developed into growth by faith. That invisible Saviour must be above, that men’s souls may be developed upward, and not downward, heavenward, and not earthward. Men, upon these low grounds of earthly nature, must grow up, and form their probationary character, not under a living present corporeal teacher, but under the impregnating power of a spiritual influence, rendering an elevating faith necessary, as shaping their personality to a firm and solid piety and fitness for heaven. Christ must therefore go, in order that the Spirit may come.

What was obscure to these apostles time has rendered plain to us of the present age. We can now understand that it was God’s great plan, that, once for all, Christ should come as a Saviour in a most miraculous manner; that then he should ascend and leave the world under the secret ministration of the Spirit, with the co-operation of mere human agency, even unto the end. Human agency, Christ being corporeally withdrawn, aided by the Spirit, must establish his Church, gather in the Gentiles, convert the world, and prepare for the consummation at the judgment day. Thus it accorded with the laws of human history that miracle should be limited to the least possible space, and that men, from the Ascension to the Advent, should be allowed to work out their own mission and probationary destiny while probation lasts.

V. 7. It is expedient for you-In respect of the Comforter, John 16:7, &c, and of me, John 16:16, &c, and of the Father, John 16:23, &c.

Verse 7. It is expedient-that I go away] In other places he had showed them the absolute necessity of his death for the salvation of men: see Matthew 20:19; 26:2; Mark 9:31; 10:33, Luke 9:44; 18:32. This he does not repeat here, but shows them that, by the order of God, the Holy Spirit cannot come to them, nor to the world, unless he first die; and consequently men cannot be saved but in this way.

Verses 7, 8. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth — I acquaint you with the case just as it is, and tell you the reasons of my going away, though you have not asked them. It is necessary even on your account that I should depart, because, if I go not away, and enter upon my mediatorial office, the Comforter — By whose assistance, as I told you, you are to convert the world, will not visit you: whereas, if I depart — And take possession of my kingdom; I will send him unto you — As the first-fruits of the exercise of my kingly power, to answer all the great and glorious purposes for which you and my church shall need him. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, &c. — Greek, elegxei ton kosmon peri amartiav, &c.; rather, he will convince the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. So Dr. Campbell, who interprets the passage as follows: “Concerning sin — That is, their sin in rejecting me, whereof the Spirit will give incontestable evidence, in the miracles which he will enable my apostles to perform in my name, and the success with which he will crown their teaching. Concerning righteousness — That is, my righteousness, or innocence, the justice of my cause; of which the same miraculous power, exerted for me by my disciples, will be an irrefragable proof, convincing all the impartial that I had the sanction of Heaven for what I did and taught, and that, in removing me hence, God hath taken me to himself. Concerning judgment — That is, divine judgment, soon to be manifested in the punishment of an incredulous nation, and in defence of the truth.” Dr. Whitby gives nearly the same interpretation of this important paragraph; remarking that the original word, paraklhtov, here used, signifies both an advocate and a comforter; he observes, in explanation of the terms, “He performed the part of an advocate in respect of Christ and his gospel, by convincing the world of sin in their not believing on him, and of the righteousness [the innocence and holiness] of Christ; and by confirming the apostles’ testimony of him, by signs and miracles, and various gifts imparted to them, Hebrews 2:4; 1 John 5:6-8; and by pleading their cause before kings and rulers, and against all their adversaries, Matthew 10:18, 19; Luke 21:15; Acts 6:10. In respect of the apostles and the faithful he also did the part of a comforter, as being sent for their consolation and support in all their troubles, filling their hearts with joy and gladness, and giving them an inward testimony of God’s love to them, and an assurance of their future happiness, Romans 8:15, 16.”

Ver. 7. Nevertheless, it is expedient for you that I go away. Such is the order of the heavenly kingdom, and one dispensation must not interfere with another. I must go to the Father: otherwise the long-promised flqrp parakolit, paraklhtov, the advocate, the Comforter will not come. And if he do not, you will be destitute of those divine endowments and powers from on high by which the world is to be converted. Dr. James Cappell, who has given us Lexicons to the Polyglot Bible, quotes here the ancient rabbi Osaias, on Genesis 1:2, where he says that the Spirit of God which moved on the face of the waters, was the Spirit of the Messiah. Hic est Spiritus Messiæ.

7. I tell you the truth—The solemnity of the affirmation arises from the fact that in their present state of mind the information was difficult to believe. Our Lord solemnly assures them that there is no contingency or mistake in the idea that his departure, however sorrowful, was necessary in itself, and best even for them. Expedient for you… go away—This pregnant phrase, go away, included all the circumstances—the cross, the atonement, the resurrection, and the ascension, with the perpetual intercession at God’s right hand ensuing. If… Comforter will not come—The epoch had arrived in God’s redemptive plan in which, by passing through his atoning death and glorification, the Son of God should purchase his right to have his elect and to establish his Church, endowing it with the blessed Spirit. God the Father would not grant that Spirit until his well-beloved Son had performed the condition. At the price of his life did the Redeemer purchase his glorious headship over his Church. If I depart I will send—When the blessed Son ascended to the right hand of God he was fully entitled to send to his Church below, and through it to the world, the blessed Gift. If, therefore, Christ goes not, the Spirit comes not.

V. 8. He-Observe his twofold office; toward the world, John 16:8, &c; toward believers, John 16:12, &c:

will convince-All of the world-Who do not obstinately resist, by your preaching and miracles,

of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment-He who is convinced of sin either accepts the righteousness of Christ, or is judged with Satan. An abundant accomplishment of this we find in the Acts of the Apostles.

Verse 8. He will reprove] elegxei, He will demonstrate these matters so clearly as to leave no doubt on the minds of those who are simple of heart; and so fully as to confound and shut the mouths of those who are gainsayers. See Acts 2:1, &c.

The world] The Jewish nation first, and afterwards the Gentile world; for his influences shall not be confined to one people, place, or time.

Verses 7, 8. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth — I acquaint you with the case just as it is, and tell you the reasons of my going away, though you have not asked them. It is necessary even on your account that I should depart, because, if I go not away, and enter upon my mediatorial office, the Comforter — By whose assistance, as I told you, you are to convert the world, will not visit you: whereas, if I depart — And take possession of my kingdom; I will send him unto you — As the first-fruits of the exercise of my kingly power, to answer all the great and glorious purposes for which you and my church shall need him. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, &c. — Greek, elegxei ton kosmon peri amartiav, &c.; rather, he will convince the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. So Dr. Campbell, who interprets the passage as follows: “Concerning sin — That is, their sin in rejecting me, whereof the Spirit will give incontestable evidence, in the miracles which he will enable my apostles to perform in my name, and the success with which he will crown their teaching. Concerning righteousness — That is, my righteousness, or innocence, the justice of my cause; of which the same miraculous power, exerted for me by my disciples, will be an irrefragable proof, convincing all the impartial that I had the sanction of Heaven for what I did and taught, and that, in removing me hence, God hath taken me to himself. Concerning judgment — That is, divine judgment, soon to be manifested in the punishment of an incredulous nation, and in defence of the truth.” Dr. Whitby gives nearly the same interpretation of this important paragraph; remarking that the original word, paraklhtov, here used, signifies both an advocate and a comforter; he observes, in explanation of the terms, “He performed the part of an advocate in respect of Christ and his gospel, by convincing the world of sin in their not believing on him, and of the righteousness [the innocence and holiness] of Christ; and by confirming the apostles’ testimony of him, by signs and miracles, and various gifts imparted to them, Hebrews 2:4; 1 John 5:6-8; and by pleading their cause before kings and rulers, and against all their adversaries, Matthew 10:18, 19; Luke 21:15; Acts 6:10. In respect of the apostles and the faithful he also did the part of a comforter, as being sent for their consolation and support in all their troubles, filling their hearts with joy and gladness, and giving them an inward testimony of God’s love to them, and an assurance of their future happiness, Romans 8:15, 16.”

Ver. 8, 9. When he is come he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment — because they believe not on me. The sin of unbelief has already been noticed as the cause of the rejection of the whole jewish nation. The Lord the Spirit will remonstrate with them on the glaring crime of their incredulity in the rejection of Christ, whose mission was clothed with so much glory of wisdom, of signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. In rejecting Christ, they rejected their own prophets, and the testimony of God himself.

8. When he is come—This gift is not a mere fluid or emanation shed off from the divine essence or person; it is a He, the essence or person himself. It is not an influence shed from the Spirit, but it is the influencing Spirit. It is not a vapour, but a living Being and Person. The qualities, actions, efficiencies of a living agent are, through the whole passage, ascribed to this Comforter. There is no alternative left but either to pervert the passage, or to acknowledge herein the presence of the third person of the adorable Trinity. Will reprove—Will demonstrate, (so the word signifies,) so that the conscience and mind cannot but more or less clearly perceive the truth. By this Spirit’s power responsibility is made possible. The inability, natural to the human heart, either to perceive or obey divine truth, is more or less dissipated. The Spirit shows to the soul the things of Christ; salvation is brought within its reach, and condemnation for rejection becomes just. The world—The world viewed as apart from the redemptive scheme; the race as it is left in Adam without Christ. This is a fallen world, and it is the purchased Spirit that comes to reconstruct it. Over this world a prince (verse 11) has usurped a dark despotic rule, and the aim of Father, Son, and Spirit is that he be judged, cast out, (verse 31,) and finally sent to the bottomless pit. This, however, is not to be done by immediate force, but by the conviction which the Holy Spirit may work by his gentle dealings with the free volitional spirits of men. Sin… righteousness… judgment—These are the three great topics presented by the Holy Spirit to the human conscience and intellect.

Sin, from rejection of Christ; righteousness, through the ever-living intercession of Christ; judgment upon persistent sin, executed by Christ.

V. 9. Of sin-Particularly of unbelief, which is the confluence of all sins, and binds them all down upon us.

Verse 9. Of sin] Of the sin of the Jews in not receiving me as the Messiah, though my mission was accredited by the very miracles which the prophets foretold: see Isaiah 35:3-6. This was literally fulfilled on the day of pentecost, when the Spirit was given; for multitudes of Jews were then convinced of this sin, and converted to God. See Acts 2:37. If we take this prediction of our Lord in a more general sense, then we may consider that it is one of the grand offices of the Holy Spirit to convince of sin, to show men what sin is, to demonstrate to them that they are sinners, and to show the necessity of an atonement for sin; and in this sense the phrase, peri amartiav, may be understood, and in this sense it is used in multitudes of places in the Septuagint, but the words, because they believe not in me, restrict the meaning particularly to the sin of the Jews in rejecting Jesus as the Messiah.

Verses 9-11. Of sin, because they believe not on me — He will convince the world of that aggravated sin of which they are guilty, in that they do not believe in me, to the truth of whose mission he will bear an unanswerable testimony, by his enlightening influences and miraculous operations. With regard to the latter, it may be observed, that they had been withdrawn from the Jews about four hundred years since, and their being restored, according to Christ’s promise, was sufficient to evince that Jesus, who had restored them by shedding the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, was the true Messiah, and so to convince them of sin, who believed not in him, as we see it did, Acts 2:37-41. Of righteousness — He will convince them of my innocence and holiness; because I go to, and am accepted of my Father — Which will evidently appear, when I send the Spirit from him in so glorious a manner; and ye see me no more — Appearing among you in the form of a servant; but are assured, that, having finished what I was to do on earth, I am taken up to heaven, and received into glory. Though Christ was condemned by the Jews as an impostor, yet his being received into heaven, and sending the Holy Spirit thence upon his disciples, was a sufficient evidence that the Father owned him as a righteous person, and his true prophet and messenger. Hence, from this effusion of the Holy Spirit, Peter argues, that this Jesus was by God made Lord and Christ; and that the Jews had crucified that holy and just One, whom the Father hath glorified, Acts 2:36; and 3:13, 14. Of judgment — He will convince them of my being invested with a power of executing judgment; because the prince of this world — The great head of the apostacy, is now, as it were, already judged and condemned, and shall be triumphed over in a very remarkable manner, when his oracles are silenced, and he is cast out from many persons and countries also, which he before possessed. Whence it may appear that all who belong to his kingdom and choose rather to serve him than Christ, their lawful Prince and Judge, shall be condemned with him.

Ver. 8, 9. When he is come he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment — because they believe not on me. The sin of unbelief has already been noticed as the cause of the rejection of the whole jewish nation. The Lord the Spirit will remonstrate with them on the glaring crime of their incredulity in the rejection of Christ, whose mission was clothed with so much glory of wisdom, of signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. In rejecting Christ, they rejected their own prophets, and the testimony of God himself.

9. Sin… believe not on me—Not that all sin consists in rejecting Christ; but that the rejection of Christ leaves them in the full possession of all their guilt, and to the full consequences of all their sins. By rejecting Christ they hold on to all sin.

V. 10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father-Which the Spirit will testify, though ye do not then see me. But I could not go to him if I were not righteous.

Verse 10. Of righteousness] Of my innocence and holiness, because I go away to my Father; of which my resurrection from the dead, and my ascension to heaven, shall be complete proofs. Christ was treated by the Jews as an impostor; as a magician; as one possessed by the devil; as a wicked person, seducer, and destroyer of the law. His vindication from these charges he chiefly referred to the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who, by his influences on the minds of the people, and by his eloquence and energy in the ministry of the apostles, convinced both the Jews and the Gentiles that the sentence of the Jewish rulers was unjust and infamous, and that the very person whom they had crucified was both Lord and Christ-Lord, the great governor of the universe; and Christ, the Lord’s anointed, the promised Messiah. It was a matter of the utmost consequence to the Christian cause to have the innocence and holiness of its founder demonstrated, and the crime of the Jews in putting him to death made manifest to the world. This also has been literally fulfilled: the universe that has heard of him believes the righteousness and innocence of Jesus; and the Jews, his persecutors, are confounded and execrated throughout the habitable globe.

Verses 9-11. Of sin, because they believe not on me — He will convince the world of that aggravated sin of which they are guilty, in that they do not believe in me, to the truth of whose mission he will bear an unanswerable testimony, by his enlightening influences and miraculous operations. With regard to the latter, it may be observed, that they had been withdrawn from the Jews about four hundred years since, and their being restored, according to Christ’s promise, was sufficient to evince that Jesus, who had restored them by shedding the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, was the true Messiah, and so to convince them of sin, who believed not in him, as we see it did, Acts 2:37-41. Of righteousness — He will convince them of my innocence and holiness; because I go to, and am accepted of my Father — Which will evidently appear, when I send the Spirit from him in so glorious a manner; and ye see me no more — Appearing among you in the form of a servant; but are assured, that, having finished what I was to do on earth, I am taken up to heaven, and received into glory. Though Christ was condemned by the Jews as an impostor, yet his being received into heaven, and sending the Holy Spirit thence upon his disciples, was a sufficient evidence that the Father owned him as a righteous person, and his true prophet and messenger. Hence, from this effusion of the Holy Spirit, Peter argues, that this Jesus was by God made Lord and Christ; and that the Jews had crucified that holy and just One, whom the Father hath glorified, Acts 2:36; and 3:13, 14. Of judgment — He will convince them of my being invested with a power of executing judgment; because the prince of this world — The great head of the apostacy, is now, as it were, already judged and condemned, and shall be triumphed over in a very remarkable manner, when his oracles are silenced, and he is cast out from many persons and countries also, which he before possessed. Whence it may appear that all who belong to his kingdom and choose rather to serve him than Christ, their lawful Prince and Judge, shall be condemned with him.

Ver. 10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father. How would the apostles understand these words? — Answer. That he was the Son of God, the Messiah, and that he had fulfilled all righteousness in his grand mission for the redemption of the world. They would associate the words with the ideas of the prophets, that the Messiah should bring in “everlasting righteousness,” and so copiously as to rain it down upon the earth. They exulted in the hope of righteousness by faith. Behold my salvation is near, and my righteousness to be revealed. Isaiah 45:8. 66:1. Daniel 9:29. This is the righteousness of God, the gift of righteousness by faith, which is upon all them that believe. This is what the fathers mostly call the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which our guilt is removed, and righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost are opened in the heart. Surely then shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. Let us ever hunger and thirst after this.

10. Righteousness—In contrast with the sin of the previous verse. This righteousness, existing first in the person of Christ, is, by his great work, brought into the possession of believers in him. I go to my Father—That is, I go through the great work which both evidences my righteousness and wins my right to bestow justification, sanctification, and eternal life on all who believe in me. To my Father—To the courts of the invisible God; to be myself an invisible Saviour, to be seen by you no more, yet to reign on high, at the right hand of God, over the Church, judging and casting out the prince of this world. Ye see me no more—To you, and through you to all my future Church, I shall be an object not of sight, but of faith. Their religion shall not be corporeal. It shall be the faith of the human spirit, co-worked by the divine Spirit, aspiring upward to the heavenly and the divine.

V. 11. The prince of this world is judged-And in consequence thereof dethroned, deprived of the power he had so long usurped over men. Yet those who reject the deliverance offered them will remain slaves of Satan still.

Verse 11. Of judgment] Of the false judgment of the Jews in condemning the Lord Jesus, who, as some think, is intended here by the ruler of this world: see John 14:30. Others think that Satan is meant whose usurped power over the world was now to be greatly restrained, and by and by totally destroyed: see John 12:31; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 11:15; 12:10, 11. Perhaps our Lord’s meaning is, that as a most astonishing judgement, or punishment, was now about to fall upon the Jews, in consequence of their obstinate infidelity, the Holy Ghost, by the ministry of the apostles, should demonstrate that this judgment, severe as it might seem, was amply merited by this worst of all people; and may we not say that their continuance in the same crime sufficiently vindicates the judgment of God, not only in its being poured out upon them at first, but in continuing to pursue them?

It is necessary to observe that it was one office of the Spirit to convince of a judgment to come; and this he did particularly by the apostles, in declaring that God had appointed a day in which he would judge the world by him whom he had appointed for that purpose: Acts 17:31. And we find that while Peter was asserting this doctrine at Cæsarea, Acts 10:42, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Jews and the Gentiles which were present, Acts 10:44, &c., and many were converted unto the Lord.

One general exposition may be given of these three verses. The Holy Spirit will convince the world of sin committed, and guilt and condemnation thereby incurred. Of righteousness-of the necessity of being pardoned, and made righteous through the blood of the Lamb, who, after being offered up for sin, went to the Father, ever to appear in his presence as our intercessor: and of judgment-of the great day thereof, when none shall be able to stand but those whose sins are pardoned, and whose souls are made righteous. In all that our Lord says here, there seems to be an allusion to the office of an advocate in a cause, in a court of justice; who, by producing witnesses, and pleading upon the proof, convicts the opposite party of sin, demonstrates the righteousness of his client, and shows the necessity of passing judgment upon the accuser.

The faith of the Gospel discovers unto us three different states of man: it shows him: 1. Under sin, in which there is nothing but infidelity towards God, because there is no faith in Jesus Christ.

2. Under grace, in which sin is pardoned, and righteousness acquired by faith in Christ; who is gone to the Father to carry on, by his intercession, the great work of redemption.

3. In the peace and glory of heaven, where Christ will reign with his members; the devil, with his angels and servants, being banished into hell by the last judgment.

Thus, in the Christian revelation, we are made acquainted with three grand truths, which contain the sum and substance of all true religion. The first is the general corruption of human nature, and the reign of sin till the coming of Christ.

The second is the reparation of our nature by the Lord Jesus, and the reign of righteousness by his grace: Romans 5:21.

The third is the condemnation of sinners, and the total destruction of the kingdom of sin, and of all the power of the devil, by the last judgment.

Verses 9-11. Of sin, because they believe not on me — He will convince the world of that aggravated sin of which they are guilty, in that they do not believe in me, to the truth of whose mission he will bear an unanswerable testimony, by his enlightening influences and miraculous operations. With regard to the latter, it may be observed, that they had been withdrawn from the Jews about four hundred years since, and their being restored, according to Christ’s promise, was sufficient to evince that Jesus, who had restored them by shedding the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, was the true Messiah, and so to convince them of sin, who believed not in him, as we see it did, Acts 2:37-41. Of righteousness — He will convince them of my innocence and holiness; because I go to, and am accepted of my Father — Which will evidently appear, when I send the Spirit from him in so glorious a manner; and ye see me no more — Appearing among you in the form of a servant; but are assured, that, having finished what I was to do on earth, I am taken up to heaven, and received into glory. Though Christ was condemned by the Jews as an impostor, yet his being received into heaven, and sending the Holy Spirit thence upon his disciples, was a sufficient evidence that the Father owned him as a righteous person, and his true prophet and messenger. Hence, from this effusion of the Holy Spirit, Peter argues, that this Jesus was by God made Lord and Christ; and that the Jews had crucified that holy and just One, whom the Father hath glorified, Acts 2:36; and 3:13, 14. Of judgment — He will convince them of my being invested with a power of executing judgment; because the prince of this world — The great head of the apostacy, is now, as it were, already judged and condemned, and shall be triumphed over in a very remarkable manner, when his oracles are silenced, and he is cast out from many persons and countries also, which he before possessed. Whence it may appear that all who belong to his kingdom and choose rather to serve him than Christ, their lawful Prince and Judge, shall be condemned with him.

Ver. 11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. The Vulgate reads, is “already” judged. The Mons testament is the same: est deja juge. The death and resurrection of Christ gave a grand defeat to the devices of Satan and the malice of the jews. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2:14. He provided the glorious gospel to chase away the darkness of this world; he prepared the reign of righteousness to supersede the reign of crime, and the grandeur of the Mediatorial scheme to draw all men from idolatry to worship him who is Lord both of the living and the dead. The wicked and rebellious he awed by the terrors of a future judgment, seeing their prince is already judged.

11. Of judgment—Of scrutiny and of separation between good and evil, to be now begun, continued through future history, and consummated at the Second Advent. Prince—See on verse 8.

V. 12. I have yet many things to say-Concerning my passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it. These things we have, not in uncertain traditions, but in the Acts, the Epistles, and the Revelation. But ye cannot bear them now-Both because of your littleness of faith, and your immoderate sorrow.

Verse 12. Ye cannot bear them now.] In illustration of these three points, Christ had many things to say; but he found that his disciples could only bear general truths; yet, in saying what he did, he sowed the seeds of the whole system of theological knowledge, and heavenly wisdom, which the Holy Spirit of this truth afterwards watered and ripened into a glorious harvest of light and salvation, by the ministry of the apostles. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that the things which the apostles could not bear now were such as these: 1. The institution of the Christian Sabbath, and the abolition of the Jewish. 2. The rejection of the whole Jewish nation, at the very time in which they expected to be set up and established for ever. 3. The entire change of the whole Mosaic dispensation, and the bringing the Gentiles into the Church of God.

Verses 12-15. I have yet many things to say unto you — There are many other things concerning which I must give you information. But ye cannot bear them now — But the weakness of your understanding, your desire and expectation of my erecting a temporal kingdom, your prejudices in favour of your own nation and law, and your aversion to the Gentiles, are so great, that you cannot yet bear the discovery. For which reason I judge it more prudent to be silent for the present. The things which our Lord had in view probably concerned his passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it; the abrogation of the ceremonial law, the abolition of the whole Jewish economy, the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, the rejection of the Jews, and the reception of believing Gentiles, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, (so called on account of his office,) is come — According to the promise I have given you; he will guide you into all truth — All necessary truth: so that you will sustain no loss by my not discovering these things to you now; for when the Comforter comes, he will inspire you with the knowledge of them, and of every other matter necessary for you to understand. For he shall not speak of himself, &c. — That you may have the greater confidence in, and satisfaction from, the revelations which he shall make to you, know that he shall speak to you by my direction, revealing to you nothing but what he is commissioned to discover. And he will show you things to come — His revelation shall be so full and complete, that he will discover unto you all such future events as you may be any way concerned to know. He shall glorify me — He shall do me great honour in this respect, that all his revelations to you shall be perfectly conformable to the doctrines which I have taught you in person; for he shall receive of mine — Or of those doctrines which relate to me, and those benefits which I procure and bestow; and will show it unto you — In the most clear and attractive light; will enable you clearly to understand the doctrines, and will assure you of your possession of the benefits, manifesting to you at the same time their unspeakable excellence. All things that the Father hath are mine — Be not surprised that I said, he shall receive of mine; for all the treasures of the Father’s wisdom, power, and goodness, truth, justice, mercy, and grace are mine; yea, in me dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Could any mere creature say this?

12. Many things to say… ye cannot bear—The wise teacher knows not only how to instruct, but how to withhold instruction that he may instruct in the right order. He will not impose truths upon brains not strong enough to bear them. And some instructions need diagrams, examples, apparatus, or experiments before they can be understood. So these apostles needed that Christ should suffer, rise, and be glorified before they could understand and preach a suffering, risen, and glorified Saviour. Nor were they as yet prepared to accept in heart the abolishment of circumcision and of the Jewish ritual, with the destruction of Jerusalem, the overthrow of the Jewish state, and the reduction of Jew and Gentile into one universal Christian Church. Much he probably taught them during the forty days after his resurrection; but, as the next verse teaches us, it required the coming of the Spirit fully to graduate them into a competent apostleship.

V. 13. When he is come-It is universally allowed that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost dwell in all believers. And the internal agency of the Holy Ghost is generally admitted. That of the Father and the Son, as represented in this Gospel, deserves our deepest consideration.

Verse 13. He will guide you] He will consider your feeble infant state; and, as a father leads his child by the hand, so will the Holy Spirit lead and guide you.

The Vulgate, and some copies of the Itala, read, He will TEACH you all truth; but this and more is implied in the word odhghsei, he will lead; besides, this reading is not acknowledged by any Greek MS. He shall not speak of himself] He shall teach nothing contrary to what I have taught you:

But whatsoever he shall hear] Of the Father and me, that he shall speak, and thus show the intimate consent between himself, the Father, and Christ. It is one conjoint testimony, in which the honour and glory of the holy Trinity, and man’s salvation are equally concerned. And he will show you things to came.] He will fully explain every thing that may now appear dark or difficult to you; will give you such a knowledge of futurity as shall, in all necessary cases, enable you to foretell future events; and shall supply every requisite truth, in order to make the new covenant revelation complete and perfect.

Verses 12-15. I have yet many things to say unto you — There are many other things concerning which I must give you information. But ye cannot bear them now — But the weakness of your understanding, your desire and expectation of my erecting a temporal kingdom, your prejudices in favour of your own nation and law, and your aversion to the Gentiles, are so great, that you cannot yet bear the discovery. For which reason I judge it more prudent to be silent for the present. The things which our Lord had in view probably concerned his passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it; the abrogation of the ceremonial law, the abolition of the whole Jewish economy, the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, the rejection of the Jews, and the reception of believing Gentiles, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, (so called on account of his office,) is come — According to the promise I have given you; he will guide you into all truth — All necessary truth: so that you will sustain no loss by my not discovering these things to you now; for when the Comforter comes, he will inspire you with the knowledge of them, and of every other matter necessary for you to understand. For he shall not speak of himself, &c. — That you may have the greater confidence in, and satisfaction from, the revelations which he shall make to you, know that he shall speak to you by my direction, revealing to you nothing but what he is commissioned to discover. And he will show you things to come — His revelation shall be so full and complete, that he will discover unto you all such future events as you may be any way concerned to know. He shall glorify me — He shall do me great honour in this respect, that all his revelations to you shall be perfectly conformable to the doctrines which I have taught you in person; for he shall receive of mine — Or of those doctrines which relate to me, and those benefits which I procure and bestow; and will show it unto you — In the most clear and attractive light; will enable you clearly to understand the doctrines, and will assure you of your possession of the benefits, manifesting to you at the same time their unspeakable excellence. All things that the Father hath are mine — Be not surprised that I said, he shall receive of mine; for all the treasures of the Father’s wisdom, power, and goodness, truth, justice, mercy, and grace are mine; yea, in me dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Could any mere creature say this?

Ver. 13. He will guide you into all truth. That is, into all truth that can be necessary for your apostolical office, and to direct the christian church to the end of the world in all saving truth. For, as Irenæus notes, the doctrine which they taught, they afterwards delivered in the scriptures to be the pillar and foundation of our faith. And, as St. Austin adds, Christ having committed to them the writing of these things which he would have us read, they chose out those things to write which they judged sufficient to be written for the salvation of the faithful. It is therefore certain that the apostles, in compiling the canon of scripture, were so assisted by the Holy Spirit as to write all truths necessary to salvation; all things necessary to be believed or done by christians are contained in the holy scriptures. This is a principal text which the papists bring for their doctrine of infallibility, but without any foundation. For this promise was made to all the apostles, as well as to Peter; and not only to the apostles, but to all their successors, and to all believers to the end of the world. In order to discern and distinguish this Spirit of truth, and when it is He that speaketh in any one, the best way seems to be to search out the nature and office of this Spirit, from the several expressions in our Lord’s last discourse to his disciples; and from this it will appear that those doctrines have a good sign of the spirit of truth which are contrary to worldly, carnal, sensual respects, and not conceivable by the natural and carnal man: John 14:17. Those which stick by us when worldly comforts leave us: John 14:18. Those which are according to Christ’s word and example, accompanied with meekness and obedience: John 14:26. Those which teach us charity and love to one another: John 15:16. Those which inform us rightly in the prime articles of the faith: John 15:26. Those which witness Christ a universal Saviour, as Adam was the universal sinner: John 15:26, 27. Those which reprove the sins and infidelities of the world, and teach us how to be acquitted from them: John 16:28. Those which are in harmony with all other truths, under whatever term or name, though ever so odious or contrary to worldly interest and honour. Those which are not advanced to raise a man’s ownself, to get him a name, or set up a faction; but are consonant to the ancient fathers and primitive antiquity. Those which lift up all our thoughts to heaven: John 16:13. Those which by all means possible can give God the glory, and deny nothing to them that is theirs, under a foolish pretense only to abate and vilify man beyond the truth: John 16:14. These doctrines are truth; such of them at least as agree with these rules are from the Spirit of truth, and manifestations that the Spirit of truth is come to that soul that embraces them.

13. Guide you into all truth—A strict translation would require the article the before the word truth. The Spirit does not guide into scientific, political, or historical truth. The inspiration of Scripture was never intended to teach astronomy or geology. It was to guide them into all the truth, namely, the truth embraced in their apostolate. And this is the truth beyond all comparison with any other truth. Not speak of himself— Literally, from himself. The messenger-Spirit should not have a message of his own separate and apart from his divine Sender. Like the Son, he is not alone and independent, absolutely originating his own doctrine. Whatsoever he shall hear… shall he speak—This hearing, be it noted, is a hearing by the Spirit; it has no fleshly ear, no atmospheric sound. But spirits, we understand, communicate, though by pure voiceless impartation; and so the divine Spirit hears without organ; that is, perfectly sympathizes in the divine thought and purpose of Father and Son, from whom He goes forth. Thus, in an ineffable and mysterious sympathy and oneness does the holy Trinity eternally agree. Here let us believe rather than explain. He will show you things—As it is a spiritual and not a fleshly tongue with which the Spirit will speak, and a spiritual ear with which he will hear, so it is with a purely spiritual, not a fleshly hand, that he will show. He will take the apparatus of salvation, the cross, the tomb, the glory, and unfold them all to the eye of the human spirit. Things to come—Not only these past things, but things future will he show. The future growth of his Church, the future advent, the future salvation of the blessed, and the future retributions of eternity, will be so unfolded by the Spirit to them that they can unfold the whole to the world.

Verses 12-15. I have yet many things to say unto you — There are many other things concerning which I must give you information. But ye cannot bear them now — But the weakness of your understanding, your desire and expectation of my erecting a temporal kingdom, your prejudices in favour of your own nation and law, and your aversion to the Gentiles, are so great, that you cannot yet bear the discovery. For which reason I judge it more prudent to be silent for the present. The things which our Lord had in view probably concerned his passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it; the abrogation of the ceremonial law, the abolition of the whole Jewish economy, the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, the rejection of the Jews, and the reception of believing Gentiles, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, (so called on account of his office,) is come — According to the promise I have given you; he will guide you into all truth — All necessary truth: so that you will sustain no loss by my not discovering these things to you now; for when the Comforter comes, he will inspire you with the knowledge of them, and of every other matter necessary for you to understand. For he shall not speak of himself, &c. — That you may have the greater confidence in, and satisfaction from, the revelations which he shall make to you, know that he shall speak to you by my direction, revealing to you nothing but what he is commissioned to discover. And he will show you things to come — His revelation shall be so full and complete, that he will discover unto you all such future events as you may be any way concerned to know. He shall glorify me — He shall do me great honour in this respect, that all his revelations to you shall be perfectly conformable to the doctrines which I have taught you in person; for he shall receive of mine — Or of those doctrines which relate to me, and those benefits which I procure and bestow; and will show it unto you — In the most clear and attractive light; will enable you clearly to understand the doctrines, and will assure you of your possession of the benefits, manifesting to you at the same time their unspeakable excellence. All things that the Father hath are mine — Be not surprised that I said, he shall receive of mine; for all the treasures of the Father’s wisdom, power, and goodness, truth, justice, mercy, and grace are mine; yea, in me dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Could any mere creature say this?

14. Shall glorify me—The Spirit shall exhibit the Son in all his Messianic glory, as Head of the Church, and Judge of the world. Nay, he shall exhibit him as possessing “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9.)

V. 15. All things that the Father hath are mine-Could any creature say this?

Verse 15. All things that the Father hath are mine] If Christ had not been equal to God, could he have said this without blasphemy? And show it unto you.] As Christ is represented the Ambassador of the Father, so the Holy Spirit is represented the ambassador of the Son, coming vested with his authority, as the interpreter and executor of his will.

Verses 12-15. I have yet many things to say unto you — There are many other things concerning which I must give you information. But ye cannot bear them now — But the weakness of your understanding, your desire and expectation of my erecting a temporal kingdom, your prejudices in favour of your own nation and law, and your aversion to the Gentiles, are so great, that you cannot yet bear the discovery. For which reason I judge it more prudent to be silent for the present. The things which our Lord had in view probably concerned his passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it; the abrogation of the ceremonial law, the abolition of the whole Jewish economy, the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, the rejection of the Jews, and the reception of believing Gentiles, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, (so called on account of his office,) is come — According to the promise I have given you; he will guide you into all truth — All necessary truth: so that you will sustain no loss by my not discovering these things to you now; for when the Comforter comes, he will inspire you with the knowledge of them, and of every other matter necessary for you to understand. For he shall not speak of himself, &c. — That you may have the greater confidence in, and satisfaction from, the revelations which he shall make to you, know that he shall speak to you by my direction, revealing to you nothing but what he is commissioned to discover. And he will show you things to come — His revelation shall be so full and complete, that he will discover unto you all such future events as you may be any way concerned to know. He shall glorify me — He shall do me great honour in this respect, that all his revelations to you shall be perfectly conformable to the doctrines which I have taught you in person; for he shall receive of mine — Or of those doctrines which relate to me, and those benefits which I procure and bestow; and will show it unto you — In the most clear and attractive light; will enable you clearly to understand the doctrines, and will assure you of your possession of the benefits, manifesting to you at the same time their unspeakable excellence. All things that the Father hath are mine — Be not surprised that I said, he shall receive of mine; for all the treasures of the Father’s wisdom, power, and goodness, truth, justice, mercy, and grace are mine; yea, in me dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Could any mere creature say this?

15. All things that the Father hath—How stupendous is this all! Omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, eternity, all these the Father hath, and, therefore, the Son. Yet, by the very terms, the Father possesses alone his Fatherhood, and the Son his Sonship. Therefore—Because the Son hath this fulness, therefore had Jesus included this all in the things revealed by the Spirit.

V. 16. A little while and ye shall not see me-When I am buried: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me-When I am risen: because I go to my Father-I die and rise again, in order to ascend to my Father.

Verse 16. A little while] He had but a few hours to live. And ye shall not see me] I shall be hidden from your view in the grave. Again a little while] In three days after my death:

Ye shall see me] I will rise again, and show myself to you. Or, As I am going by my ascension to the Father, in a short time, ye shall see me personally no more; but in a little while I shall pour out my Spirit upon you, and others through your ministry; and ye shall see me virtually in the great and wonderful work which shall then take place in the hearts and lives of men.

This may also refer to his coming again to destroy the Jewish state, and also to judge the world; but how can this latter be said to be in a little while? Because a thousand years are but as a day in the sight of God: Psalms 90:4Psalm 90:4.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

16. Not see me… see me—Two different Greek words are here used, both translated by the word see. The former, qewreite, signifies the seeing either by the bodily or the mental eye. The latter, oyesqe, signifies more properly bodily sight alone. Hence Jesus here declares that during the little while of his departure he would be lost to both their bodily and their spiritual view, while his return would be to their physical sight. This fact alone, in our opinion, decides that it is his corporeal return at the resurrection, and not merely a spiritual presence, that the Lord here intends. Because I go to the Father—He here gives a reason why they shall see him again. He is not going into nothingness; but he is going to the Father who once sent him, and will send him again.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

16-29. From this high strain the Master now touches a humbler and gentler chord—the immediate present. He recurs again to the little while of his absence; and, being drawn out by the queries of his disciples, he contrasts the grief of that little while of absence with the joy of his return at his resurrection, and the high apostolic privileges which that resurrection should inaugurate.

Verse 18. What is this that he saith] They knew from what he had said that he was to die, but knew not what he meant by their seeing him again in a little time.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

18. What is this that he saith—We suppose that, at the close of the last verse, a slight pause of the Saviour’s discourse enabled him to hear a murmur of perplexity and inquiry among his disciples, which induces him to pause still further, until their perplexity is fully expressed in a low and rapid consultation among themselves. Seven times does this phrase a little while occur in these chapters, and at this point their query is specially fixed upon that clause, but not that clause alone. They take his last expressions by piecemeal, and toss them from one to the other. They would be glad to know, but dare not interrogate the Lord.

V. 19. Jesus said to them-Preventing their question.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

16-29. From this high strain the Master now touches a humbler and gentler chord—the immediate present. He recurs again to the little while of his absence; and, being drawn out by the queries of his disciples, he contrasts the grief of that little while of absence with the joy of his return at his resurrection, and the high apostolic privileges which that resurrection should inaugurate.

V. 20. Ye will weep and lament-When ye see me dead; but your sorrow will be turned into joy-When ye see me risen.

Verse 20. Ye shall weep and lament] To see me crucified and laid in the grave.

But the world shall rejoice] The chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and persecuting Jews in general, will triumph, hoping that their bad cause is crowned with success.

But your sorrow shall be turned into joy.] When ye see me risen from the dead.

It is very evident that our Lord uses the word world, in several parts of this discourse of his, to signify the unbelieving and rebellious Jews.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

Ver. 20, 21. Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. The cloud of the crucifixion was impervious; but joy followed on his resurrection, and on the descent of the Holy Ghost, with powers which gave them joys surpassing those of a woman who after parturition embraces a son.

20. Weep and lament—A description of the grief of the apostles between the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It is a stronger expression of grief than that of Mark 16:10—they mourned and wept, which describes the same grief. The world shall rejoice—The hostile Jewish world. But this narrow hostile world is a representative of the entire world hostile to Christ, which crucifies him, buries him, and rejoices in his supposed destruction and in the sorrow of his friends. Worldliness and infidelity, in all ages, share this joy, and suffer its reverse in the triumph of Christ. Sorrow shall be turned into joy—He says not merely that their sorrow shall be followed by joy; but the very sorrow shall be transformed into joy. For the death of Christ is the source alike both of the sorrow and the joy.

Verse 21. For joy that a man is born] anqrwpov is put here for a human creature, whether male or female; as homo among the Romans denoted either man or woman.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

Ver. 20, 21. Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. The cloud of the crucifixion was impervious; but joy followed on his resurrection, and on the descent of the Holy Ghost, with powers which gave them joys surpassing those of a woman who after parturition embraces a son.

21. A woman… hath sorrow—A brief illustrative parable. It is plain that the woman stands for the apostles; her travail sorrow for their grief at Christ’s death; and the man child for Christ revealed at his resurrection. The best commentary upon this parable is furnished by John himself in Revelation 12:1-5, where a woman brings forth a man child, who is caught up into the heaven to the throne of God; in which the woman represents the Church of God bringing forth a Saviour and ruler of the world. The literal basis of this figure is the birth of Christ from a pure virgin. Or, still farther back, it is Eve whose seed should bruise the serpent’s head. The woman thus symbolizing the Church is here represented by the apostles, who are the Church now in travail and overwhelmed with sorrow until the bringing forth of the glorified Christ. Then shall their very sorrow transform into joy. Remembereth no more the anguish—It is God’s great compensation that her sorrow shall be as if it never had been, and the whole thing becomes a joy. A man is born—A human being, according to the Greek, of either sex. In the midst of humiliation and sorrow, the birth of a human immortal is a most stupendous event. The creation of a material world bears no comparison with it; hence, to the view of Scripture, all the circumstances of generation and birth are divine and wonderful.

V. 22. Ye now therefore have sorrow-This gives us no manner of authority to assert all believers must come into a state of darkness. They never need lose either their peace, or love, or the witness that they are the children of God. They never can lose these, but either through sin, or ignorance, or vehement temptation, or bodily disorder.

Verse 22. Your joy no man taketh from you.] Or, shall take away. Some excellent MSS. and versions read the verb in the future tense. Our Lord’s meaning appears to have been this: that his resurrection should be so completely demonstrated to them, that they should never have a doubt concerning it; and consequently that their joy should be great and permanent, knowing that the atonement was made, the victory gained, and the kingdom of heaven opened to all believers. Therefore it is said, Acts 4:33, that with great power did the apostles give witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Verses 16-22. A little while — When I am dead and buried; and ye shall not see me — I shall not converse with you on earth, as I have hitherto done; and again — For your encouragement and comfort, I assure you it will be but a little while longer, and ye shall see me — And that to your much greater comfort and advantage; because I go to the Father — When I shall be so mindful of your interest with him, as, ere long, to bring you to an eternal abode with him. Then said some, What is this that he saith — The terms in which Jesus had spoken of his death, resurrection, and ascension, being very obscure, the disciples were altogether at a loss to understand them. Wherefore, having revolved them a while in their own minds, they asked one another privately if they could comprehend what he meant. But each of them declared, with a kind of astonishment, that he could affix no idea to his words at all. Jesus, observing their perplexity, and knowing that they inclined to ask him about this matter, prevented them, by signifying that he knew what they had been saying. He therefore said, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, &c. — I will explain myself upon this point: Verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament — When ye see me dead; but the world shall rejoice — Your not seeing me is an event which shall occasion great grief to you, and joy to my enemies. However, your sorrow shall be turned into joy — When ye see me risen. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, &c. — “The state of mind you shall be in when the events happen of which I am speaking, I cannot better describe than by comparing it to the condition of a woman in travail. During her labour she hath exquisite pain, because the birth approaches; but as soon as she is delivered, she forgets the anguish she was in, being filled with joy that she has brought one of the human species into the world. Just so, you, my disciples, will be in the greatest distress during the time of my departure. But, as I am to rise again from the dead, and to ascend into heaven, you will forget your sorrow, and rejoice exceedingly; and from that time forth your joy shall be of such a kind, as that it shall not be in the power of men to rob you of it.” — Macknight.

22. Your joy no man taketh—Your sorrow shall depart, but never your joy. Hostile as is the world, no man can wrest it from you.

V. 23. Ye shall not question me about any thing-Which you do not now understand. You will not need to inquire of me; for you will know all things clearly.

Whatsoever ye shall ask-Knowledge, love, or any thing else, he will give it-Our Lord here gives us a charte blanche. Believer, write down what thou wilt. He had said, John 14:13, I will do it, where the discourse was of glorifying the Father through the Son. Here, speaking of the love of the Father to believers, he saith, He will give it.

Verse 23. Ye shall ask me nothing.] Ye shall then be led, by that Spirit which guides into all truth, to consider me in the character of Mediator in the kingdom of God, and to address your prayers to the Father in my name-in the name of Jesus the Saviour, because I have died to redeem you-in the name of Christ the Anointer, because I have ascended to send down the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Verses 23, 24. In that day ye shall ask me nothing — Eme ouk erwthsete ouden, you shall not inquire any thing of me, or, as Dr. Campbell renders it, you will put no questions to me. That is, when I have sent the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth, you shall have no need to ask for information in any thing as now you do, or to inquire after the sense of any thing suggested to you by the Spirit. as you now sometimes ask the meaning of my words. Verily, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, &c., in my name — And if ever you stand in need of instruction, or assistance, or any other blessing, whether for the propagation of the gospel or your own salvation, the Father will immediately supply you with it, upon your asking it in my name. The word aithshte, rendered, ye shall ask, in this latter clause, is different from that used in the former, and properly signifies, to present a request, as the other word does to make inquiry, or ask questions. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name — Not having been used to regard me under the character of a Mediator between God and man; but then, having received a fuller revelation of the doctrine of my intercession, you may come with a cheerful boldness to the throne of grace, and freely ask whatever shall be necessary, or conducive to the success of your great undertaking, or your support and comfort amidst your temporal discouragements; and, I assure you, you shall receive such gracious answers as will exceedingly increase your joy.

Ver. 23, 24. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. The importance of prayer for ministers in all their sufferings and labours may be inferred from the duty and the promise being five times repeated: John 14:13, 14. 15:7.

First, we have here the nature of prayer described, by asking grace of our heavenly Father, which may be done in silence by lifting up the soul to heaven. Psalms 25:1Psalm 25:1. By pleadings in secret, when the voice utters the heart; and by social prayer in all the forms of worship.

Secondly, we have the order of prayer; it must be in the name of Christ. This is a new argument of devotion: “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name.” If God, when angry with Israel, yielded to Elijah’s prayers on mount Carmel, which were presented in the name of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, patriarchs in covenant with God, how much more will he yield to the name of his beloved Son, who ever lives and intersedes for us at his right hand. Let us therefore ask in faith, and plead with importunity. Thirdly, we may here notice the enlargements of prayer. “Whatsoever” ye shall ask the Father in my name. Here all the blessings of the new covenant in all their classifications are comprised, whether they regard the body or the mind, the church or the nation. The great and precious promises are given us in Christ, to make us partakers of the divine nature. Fourthly, we have the assurance of prayer. “He will give it you.” From the great love of God in not sparing his own Son, St. Paul infers that he will freely give us all things; and from the tender and exuberant language of the promises, we may be assured of answers of peace. Isaiah 55:5, 10. And if we appeal to facts and circumstances, in which the church has cried in trouble, the propitious character of the Deity is fully established. “Oh thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.”

23. In that day—The day of the resurrection. Upon that day Jesus rose as glorified King, able to crown his followers in his kingdom with everlasting joy. See our notes on Matthew 28:18, 19. But that resurrection day was the commencement and inauguration of a great new period of divine-human history. And to his apostles he now promises that they shall be endowed with all the wisdom within the scope of their holy office, have rich access to the Father, and amid tribulation should triumph over the world. Indeed this phrase, in that day, has much of the ring of the same old prophetic phrase in the Old Testament. Thus, Exodus 8:22: I will sever in that day the land of Goshen. Isaiah 2:11: The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Ezekiel 29:21: In that day Israel shall be exalted. Zechariah 9:16: The Lord their God shall save them in that day. Ye shall ask me nothing—Within the scope of your apostleship the fulness of revelation made to you shall forestall all inquiry. They will be under no need of putting such crude questions as were offered in John 14:5, and 14:8, and 16:17. For be it noted that the Greek word here for ask, (unlike the Greek word for the ask in the latter part of the verse,) mainly signifies to inquire or question. Our Lord does not, indeed, mean that no unwise questions would be asked. For Alford truly objects that, in Acts 1:6, they in reality did ask a question; but it is to be replied, that the Lord immediately informed them that their question was outside the limits of their office. Nor should the words be so stringently interpreted as to deny that they should ever ask for wisdom or information. It simply implies that they shall never be left in bewilderment, but should be fully inspired with due wisdom for the apostolic office. Whatsoever ye shall ask—That is, petition. Will give it—Of course the breadth of this promise, like that of the last previous promise, must be limited within the laws of the kingdom of grace and the apostolic office now to be established.

V. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name-For they had asked him directly for all they wanted.

Verse 24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name] Ye have not as yet considered me the great Mediator between God and man; but this is one of the truths which shall be more fully revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.

Ask] In my name; and ye shall receive-all the salvation ye thus request; the consequence of which shall be that your joy shall be full-ye shall be thoroughly happy in being made completely holy.

Verses 23, 24. In that day ye shall ask me nothing — Eme ouk erwthsete ouden, you shall not inquire any thing of me, or, as Dr. Campbell renders it, you will put no questions to me. That is, when I have sent the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth, you shall have no need to ask for information in any thing as now you do, or to inquire after the sense of any thing suggested to you by the Spirit. as you now sometimes ask the meaning of my words. Verily, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, &c., in my name — And if ever you stand in need of instruction, or assistance, or any other blessing, whether for the propagation of the gospel or your own salvation, the Father will immediately supply you with it, upon your asking it in my name. The word aithshte, rendered, ye shall ask, in this latter clause, is different from that used in the former, and properly signifies, to present a request, as the other word does to make inquiry, or ask questions. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name — Not having been used to regard me under the character of a Mediator between God and man; but then, having received a fuller revelation of the doctrine of my intercession, you may come with a cheerful boldness to the throne of grace, and freely ask whatever shall be necessary, or conducive to the success of your great undertaking, or your support and comfort amidst your temporal discouragements; and, I assure you, you shall receive such gracious answers as will exceedingly increase your joy.

Ver. 23, 24. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. The importance of prayer for ministers in all their sufferings and labours may be inferred from the duty and the promise being five times repeated: John 14:13, 14. 15:7.

First, we have here the nature of prayer described, by asking grace of our heavenly Father, which may be done in silence by lifting up the soul to heaven. Psalms 25:1Psalm 25:1. By pleadings in secret, when the voice utters the heart; and by social prayer in all the forms of worship.

Secondly, we have the order of prayer; it must be in the name of Christ. This is a new argument of devotion: “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name.” If God, when angry with Israel, yielded to Elijah’s prayers on mount Carmel, which were presented in the name of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, patriarchs in covenant with God, how much more will he yield to the name of his beloved Son, who ever lives and intersedes for us at his right hand. Let us therefore ask in faith, and plead with importunity. Thirdly, we may here notice the enlargements of prayer. “Whatsoever” ye shall ask the Father in my name. Here all the blessings of the new covenant in all their classifications are comprised, whether they regard the body or the mind, the church or the nation. The great and precious promises are given us in Christ, to make us partakers of the divine nature. Fourthly, we have the assurance of prayer. “He will give it you.” From the great love of God in not sparing his own Son, St. Paul infers that he will freely give us all things; and from the tender and exuberant language of the promises, we may be assured of answers of peace. Isaiah 55:5, 10. And if we appeal to facts and circumstances, in which the church has cried in trouble, the propitious character of the Deity is fully established. “Oh thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.”

24. In my name—See note on John 14:13. While Christ was with them, not having been exalted to his mediatorial station at the right hand of God, prayer had not been offered through him; but now he is our Advocate, to hand our petitions to the Father.

Verse 25. In Proverbs] That is, words which, besides their plain, literal meaning, have another, viz. a spiritual or figurative one. I have represented heavenly things to you through the medium of earthly.

The time cometh] viz. the interval from his resurrection to his ascension, which consisted of forty days, during which he instructed his disciples in the most sublime mysteries and truths of his kingdom. Acts 1:3.

Verses 25-28. These things — Though very weighty and important; have I spoken unto you in proverbs — In the obscurity of parables, which have appeared dark and mysterious to you; but the time cometh, &c. — You may comfort yourselves with this thought, that the time is at hand when I shall speak unto you no more in proverbs — No more in that obscure manner; but I shall show you plainly of the Father — Shall, by the teaching of my Spirit, declare to you, in plain terms, the whole counsel of God relating to the erection of his church and the salvation of men. At that day ye shall ask in my name, &c. — I repeat it to you again, that after my ascension you shall offer up all your addresses unto the Father, through my mediation; I say not that I will pray the Father for you — I do not mean that I will solicit the Father in your behalf, as if he were unwilling to bestow on you the blessings you stand in need of; for the Father himself loveth you — In a peculiar manner; and therefore will be always ready to grant your requests, and to watch over you with paternal affection and care; because ye have loved me — With sincerity and fervency; and have believed that I came out from God — As the Messenger of his grace to men; and have accordingly relied on me with such steadfastness, that you have ventured your all upon that belief. And you have therein acted a very prudent and happy part; for indeed I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world — For purposes of infinite importance to the glory of God and the happiness of the human race; again — Having finished the work I came to do, I leave the world and go to the Father — From whom I came, with whom I shall continually abide, and into whose presence I will shortly conduct you, putting you in possession of a more glorious kingdom than you ever expected, or could expect on earth.

25. These things—To verse 28 Jesus now opens a new promise. The obscurity now resting upon his words to their minds should be withdrawn. New facts and new revelations should be made, which should throw back their broad light upon his past discourses. Proverbs—The proverb, as the word is here used, is a brief expression of a great truth in language concise and somewhat enigmatical. Its very riddle detains the attention of the mind upon it, and so fastens it upon the memory. Our Lord had discoursed in what were to a great degree enigmas; but those very enigmas served as vehicles to hold fast the truth until the day of explanation. Time cometh— The time was doubtless the period of the forty days after his resurrection. And yet in spirit it covered the whole period of their apostolic office.

V. 26. At that day ye shall ask-For true knowledge begets prayer. And I say not that I will pray-This in nowise implies that he will not: it means only, The Father himself now loves you, not only because of my intercession, but also because of the faith and love which he hath wrought in you.

Verse 26. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you] I need not tell you that I will continue your intercessor: I have given you already so many proofs of my love that ye cannot possibly doubt this: besides, the Father himself needs no entreaty to do you good, for he loves you, and is graciously disposed to save you to the uttermost, because ye have loved me and believed in me as coming from God, for the salvation of the world.

Verses 25-28. These things — Though very weighty and important; have I spoken unto you in proverbs — In the obscurity of parables, which have appeared dark and mysterious to you; but the time cometh, &c. — You may comfort yourselves with this thought, that the time is at hand when I shall speak unto you no more in proverbs — No more in that obscure manner; but I shall show you plainly of the Father — Shall, by the teaching of my Spirit, declare to you, in plain terms, the whole counsel of God relating to the erection of his church and the salvation of men. At that day ye shall ask in my name, &c. — I repeat it to you again, that after my ascension you shall offer up all your addresses unto the Father, through my mediation; I say not that I will pray the Father for you — I do not mean that I will solicit the Father in your behalf, as if he were unwilling to bestow on you the blessings you stand in need of; for the Father himself loveth you — In a peculiar manner; and therefore will be always ready to grant your requests, and to watch over you with paternal affection and care; because ye have loved me — With sincerity and fervency; and have believed that I came out from God — As the Messenger of his grace to men; and have accordingly relied on me with such steadfastness, that you have ventured your all upon that belief. And you have therein acted a very prudent and happy part; for indeed I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world — For purposes of infinite importance to the glory of God and the happiness of the human race; again — Having finished the work I came to do, I leave the world and go to the Father — From whom I came, with whom I shall continually abide, and into whose presence I will shortly conduct you, putting you in possession of a more glorious kingdom than you ever expected, or could expect on earth.

26. I say not… will pray—That he said at another time; but that he sets aside for the present. He will omit now to mention his own prayer to the Father for them, in view of the rich access they shall have to the Father himself.

Verses 25-28. These things — Though very weighty and important; have I spoken unto you in proverbs — In the obscurity of parables, which have appeared dark and mysterious to you; but the time cometh, &c. — You may comfort yourselves with this thought, that the time is at hand when I shall speak unto you no more in proverbs — No more in that obscure manner; but I shall show you plainly of the Father — Shall, by the teaching of my Spirit, declare to you, in plain terms, the whole counsel of God relating to the erection of his church and the salvation of men. At that day ye shall ask in my name, &c. — I repeat it to you again, that after my ascension you shall offer up all your addresses unto the Father, through my mediation; I say not that I will pray the Father for you — I do not mean that I will solicit the Father in your behalf, as if he were unwilling to bestow on you the blessings you stand in need of; for the Father himself loveth you — In a peculiar manner; and therefore will be always ready to grant your requests, and to watch over you with paternal affection and care; because ye have loved me — With sincerity and fervency; and have believed that I came out from God — As the Messenger of his grace to men; and have accordingly relied on me with such steadfastness, that you have ventured your all upon that belief. And you have therein acted a very prudent and happy part; for indeed I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world — For purposes of infinite importance to the glory of God and the happiness of the human race; again — Having finished the work I came to do, I leave the world and go to the Father — From whom I came, with whom I shall continually abide, and into whose presence I will shortly conduct you, putting you in possession of a more glorious kingdom than you ever expected, or could expect on earth.

27. Father… loveth you—The love of the Father precedes even the gift of the Son, and was the reason of that gift. John 3:16. But here is an additional love of the Father for these apostles, in consequence of their love to Christ. And this love is from the Father himself; originating freely and earnestly from him.

Verse 28. I came forth from the Father] With whom I existed from eternity in glory.

Am come into the world] By my incarnation.

I leave the world] By my death.

And go to the Father.] By my ascension. These four words contain the whole economy of the Gospel of man’s salvation, and a consummate abridgment of the Christian faith. This gave the disciples a key to the whole of our Lord’s discourse; and especially to that part, John 16:16, that had so exceedingly embarrassed them, as appears by John 16:17, 18.

Verses 25-28. These things — Though very weighty and important; have I spoken unto you in proverbs — In the obscurity of parables, which have appeared dark and mysterious to you; but the time cometh, &c. — You may comfort yourselves with this thought, that the time is at hand when I shall speak unto you no more in proverbs — No more in that obscure manner; but I shall show you plainly of the Father — Shall, by the teaching of my Spirit, declare to you, in plain terms, the whole counsel of God relating to the erection of his church and the salvation of men. At that day ye shall ask in my name, &c. — I repeat it to you again, that after my ascension you shall offer up all your addresses unto the Father, through my mediation; I say not that I will pray the Father for you — I do not mean that I will solicit the Father in your behalf, as if he were unwilling to bestow on you the blessings you stand in need of; for the Father himself loveth you — In a peculiar manner; and therefore will be always ready to grant your requests, and to watch over you with paternal affection and care; because ye have loved me — With sincerity and fervency; and have believed that I came out from God — As the Messenger of his grace to men; and have accordingly relied on me with such steadfastness, that you have ventured your all upon that belief. And you have therein acted a very prudent and happy part; for indeed I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world — For purposes of infinite importance to the glory of God and the happiness of the human race; again — Having finished the work I came to do, I leave the world and go to the Father — From whom I came, with whom I shall continually abide, and into whose presence I will shortly conduct you, putting you in possession of a more glorious kingdom than you ever expected, or could expect on earth.

28. I came forth from the Father—And this is the fundamental fact, basing, sustaining, and justifying their faith. His origin is from God, for their redemption; his destination is to God, for their final glorification and eternal salvation.

Last response of the disciples, and concluding reply of Jesus, 29-33. So literal and cheering were these last sentences of our Saviour—so did they fill the demand of their hearts—that the apostles suddenly applaud him as not only clear but divine. Thereupon the Saviour avails himself of the moment of their elation to warn them of coming dispersion, but to assure them, also, that all will result in final triumph.

Verse 29. Lo, now speakest thou plainly] The disciples received more light now, on the nature of Christ’s person and office, than they had ever done before.

Verses 29-32. His disciples — Struck with the correspondence of what he said to what was secretly passing in their own minds; said, Lo, now speakest thou plainly — We acknowledge that now thou speakest in such a manner as we can easily understand; and speakest no proverb — Usest no obscure form of expression; now we are sure that thou knowest all things — Now, by this further token, even by discerning our inmost doubts on this subject, we are persuaded that nothing is hid from thee; and thou needest not that any man should ask thee — “By the things which thou hast now spoken to us we clearly perceive, that thou so perfectly knowest the hearts of men, that in conversing with them thou hast no need that they should tell thee their thoughts, by asking any question. For, although no question is asked thee, thou answerest the thoughts of every one. In short, thy knowledge of our hearts fully convinces us that thou art come from God.” It seems, through the whole of this discourse, Jesus had obviated the objections and answered the questions which his apostles were going to propose, or would gladly have proposed to him. Jesus answered, Do ye now believe — Are ye now at length fully persuaded that I am the promised Messiah? — Be on your guard. Your faith in me is not so firm but it may be shaken. Behold the hour cometh that ye shall be scattered, &c. — The time is coming, nay, is come already, when every one of you shall desert me, fleeing wherever you think to be in safety from approaching danger; so that I shall be left singly to encounter mine enemies. Nevertheless, I am not alone, because my Father is with me continually.

29. Now speakest thou plainly—Commentators very generally here attribute to the apostles a false pretence, or rather a false estimate of their own understanding. They profess or imagine that they understand when they do not. “They understand so little,” says Augustine, “that they do not even understand that they understand not.” And Lampe even goes so far as to say that they contradict Jesus. But the emphatic word in their language is now. This little word implies that in the past the discourse of Jesus had been enigmatical, and not by them understood. In the present it implied, and implied truly, that his words just uttered were understood, and were divinely cheering to their hearts. For the future it implied that his present words were an earnest that there were lessons yet to come that would make them wise for their high office and for eternal life. Their words were indeed childlike, but not childish.

V. 30. Thou knowest all things-Even our hearts. Although no question is asked thee, yet thou answerest the thoughts of every one.

By this we believe that thou camest forth from God-They, as it were, echo back the words which he had spoken in John 16:27, implying, We believe in God; we believe also in thee.

In this chapter our Lord prays, 1. For himself, John 17:1-5 2. For the apostles, John 17:6-19 and again, John 17:24-26 3. For all believers, John 17:20-23 And 4. For the world, John 17:21-23 In his prayer he comprises all he had said from John 13:31, and seals, as it were, all he had hitherto done, beholding things past, present, and to come. This chapter contains the easiest words, and the deepest sense of any in all the Scripture: yet is here no incoherent rhapsody, but the whole is closely and exactly connected.

Verse 30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things] Is not the following the meaning of the disciples? We believe that thou art not only the Messiah who camest out from God, but that thou art that God who searchest the heart and triest the reins, and needest not to be asked in order to make thee acquainted with the necessities of thy creatures; for thou perfectly knowest their wants, and art infinitely disposed to relieve them.

Verses 29-32. His disciples — Struck with the correspondence of what he said to what was secretly passing in their own minds; said, Lo, now speakest thou plainly — We acknowledge that now thou speakest in such a manner as we can easily understand; and speakest no proverb — Usest no obscure form of expression; now we are sure that thou knowest all things — Now, by this further token, even by discerning our inmost doubts on this subject, we are persuaded that nothing is hid from thee; and thou needest not that any man should ask thee — “By the things which thou hast now spoken to us we clearly perceive, that thou so perfectly knowest the hearts of men, that in conversing with them thou hast no need that they should tell thee their thoughts, by asking any question. For, although no question is asked thee, thou answerest the thoughts of every one. In short, thy knowledge of our hearts fully convinces us that thou art come from God.” It seems, through the whole of this discourse, Jesus had obviated the objections and answered the questions which his apostles were going to propose, or would gladly have proposed to him. Jesus answered, Do ye now believe — Are ye now at length fully persuaded that I am the promised Messiah? — Be on your guard. Your faith in me is not so firm but it may be shaken. Behold the hour cometh that ye shall be scattered, &c. — The time is coming, nay, is come already, when every one of you shall desert me, fleeing wherever you think to be in safety from approaching danger; so that I shall be left singly to encounter mine enemies. Nevertheless, I am not alone, because my Father is with me continually.

30. Now are we sure—The emphatic now they earnestly repeat. So delicately and effectively had the great Master suited his words to their hearts as to convince them anew that he knew their hearts. Ask thee—So well does he know their questionings of heart that he is able to answer without hearing them. Thou camest forth from God—And so it is that the Gospel adjusts itself to the sins, the penitence, the moral wants of our nature, so as to test its own divine origin.

Verse 31. Do ye now believe?] And will ye continue to believe? Ye are now fully convinced; and will ye in the hour of trial retain your conviction, and prove faithful and steady?

Verses 29-32. His disciples — Struck with the correspondence of what he said to what was secretly passing in their own minds; said, Lo, now speakest thou plainly — We acknowledge that now thou speakest in such a manner as we can easily understand; and speakest no proverb — Usest no obscure form of expression; now we are sure that thou knowest all things — Now, by this further token, even by discerning our inmost doubts on this subject, we are persuaded that nothing is hid from thee; and thou needest not that any man should ask thee — “By the things which thou hast now spoken to us we clearly perceive, that thou so perfectly knowest the hearts of men, that in conversing with them thou hast no need that they should tell thee their thoughts, by asking any question. For, although no question is asked thee, thou answerest the thoughts of every one. In short, thy knowledge of our hearts fully convinces us that thou art come from God.” It seems, through the whole of this discourse, Jesus had obviated the objections and answered the questions which his apostles were going to propose, or would gladly have proposed to him. Jesus answered, Do ye now believe — Are ye now at length fully persuaded that I am the promised Messiah? — Be on your guard. Your faith in me is not so firm but it may be shaken. Behold the hour cometh that ye shall be scattered, &c. — The time is coming, nay, is come already, when every one of you shall desert me, fleeing wherever you think to be in safety from approaching danger; so that I shall be left singly to encounter mine enemies. Nevertheless, I am not alone, because my Father is with me continually.

31. Do ye now believe?—The best commentators now agree that the words should be rendered not interrogatively but affirmatively—Ye do now believe. Jesus admits their faith.

Verse 32. The hour cometh] Ye shall shortly have need of all the faith ye profess: ye now believe me to be the Omniscient; but ye will find difficulty to maintain this faith when ye see me seized, condemned, and crucified as a malefactor. Yea, your faith will be then so shaken that ye shall run away, each striving to save himself at his own home, or among his kindred.

Verses 29-32. His disciples — Struck with the correspondence of what he said to what was secretly passing in their own minds; said, Lo, now speakest thou plainly — We acknowledge that now thou speakest in such a manner as we can easily understand; and speakest no proverb — Usest no obscure form of expression; now we are sure that thou knowest all things — Now, by this further token, even by discerning our inmost doubts on this subject, we are persuaded that nothing is hid from thee; and thou needest not that any man should ask thee — “By the things which thou hast now spoken to us we clearly perceive, that thou so perfectly knowest the hearts of men, that in conversing with them thou hast no need that they should tell thee their thoughts, by asking any question. For, although no question is asked thee, thou answerest the thoughts of every one. In short, thy knowledge of our hearts fully convinces us that thou art come from God.” It seems, through the whole of this discourse, Jesus had obviated the objections and answered the questions which his apostles were going to propose, or would gladly have proposed to him. Jesus answered, Do ye now believe — Are ye now at length fully persuaded that I am the promised Messiah? — Be on your guard. Your faith in me is not so firm but it may be shaken. Behold the hour cometh that ye shall be scattered, &c. — The time is coming, nay, is come already, when every one of you shall desert me, fleeing wherever you think to be in safety from approaching danger; so that I shall be left singly to encounter mine enemies. Nevertheless, I am not alone, because my Father is with me continually.

32. The hour cometh—The hour of high faith is the proper time to prepare for danger. Jesus therefore seizes the present moment to warn them of their coming peril. Yet he assures them that abandonment by man is not abandonment by God—the Father is with me.

Verse 33. That in me ye might have peace.] I give you this warning as another proof that I know all things, and to the end that ye may look to me alone for peace and happiness. The peace of God is ever to be understood as including all possible blessedness-light, strength, comfort, support, a sense of the Divine favour, unction of the Holy Spirit, purification of heart, &c., &c., and all these to be enjoyed in Christ.

In the world ye shall have tribulation] Or, as most of the very best MSS. read, ecete, ye have-the tribulation is at hand; ye are just about to be plunged into it.

But be of good cheer] Do not despond on account of what I have said: the world shall not be able to overcome you, how severely soever it may try you.

I have overcome the world.] I am just now going by my death to put it and its god to the rout.

My apparent weakness shall be my victory; my ignominy shall be my glory; and the victory which the world, the devil, and my adversaries in general, shall appear to gain over me, shall be their own lasting defeat, and my eternal triumph.-Fear not!

Luther writing to Philip Melancthon, quotes this verse, and adds these remarkable words: “Such a saying as this is worthy to be carried from Rome to Jerusalem upon one’s knees.”

ONE of the grand subjects in this chapter, the mediation of Christ, is but little understood by most Christians. Christ having made an atonement for the sin of the world, has ascended to the right hand of the Father, and there he appears in the presence of God for us. In approaching the throne of grace, we keep Jesus as our sacrificial victim, continually in view: our prayers should be directed through him to the Father; and, under the conviction that his passion and death have purchased every possible blessing for us, we should, with humble confidence, ask the blessings we need; and, as in him the Father is ever well pleased, we should most confidently expect the blessings he has purchased. We may consider, also, that his appearance before the throne, in his sacrificial character, constitutes the great principle of mediation or intercession. He has taken our nature into heaven; in that he appears before the throne: this, without a voice, speaks loudly for the sinful race of Adam, for whom it was assumed, and on whose account it was sacrificed. On these grounds every penitent and every believing soul may ask and receive, and their joy be complete. By the sacrifice of Christ we approach God; through the mediation of Christ God comes down to man.

ST. JOHN

Verse 33. These things I have spoken, that ye might have peace — “I have said these things to you concerning my departure out of the world, the coming of the Holy Ghost, my resurrection from the dead, the Father’s hearing your prayers, and concerning the great trial you are to be exposed to, in order that you may have consolation in the prospect of the benefits you are to receive, and not be terrified when afflictions draw nigh which are to overtake you. The truth is, you shall have great tribulation in this present life, because the malice of men will everywhere pursue you; nevertheless, be not discouraged, rather take heart, by reflecting how, through constancy and patience, I have overcome the malice of the world, and that I am able to make you overcome it in like manner also.” — Macknight.

33. In me… in the world—Here is a striking antithesis. The apostles were in the world; happy if they were in me. They could be in the world and in me at the same time. At the same time, therefore, they could be both in tribulation and in peace. Such men have a right and a reason to be of good cheer. No tribulation from the world can destroy their peace in Christ. And this imperturbable peace is all earnest of the final triumph over the world, announced in the words that follow. Indeed, the bidding of cheer is in view of this closing triumphal sentence. I have overcome the world— Even in view of the coming sacrifice the glorious victim feels himself the conqueror, and chants his paean of victory. Though the battle is yet to be fought, he stands in spirit at its close, and the immortal laurel is upon his brow. Nay, he is standing in spirit in that future period when his apostles, amid tribulation in the world, shall hear in spirit his thrilling words, Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. And in all ages of the Church the preacher, the martyr, and the saint have fought the battle of the faith, trusting in the great Captain who has overcome the world. And in that trust they too shall overcome. And this victory is over every means which the world uses to deprave the spirit or destroy the soul. Whether the world would allure and ensnare us by its charms, or overwhelm and destroy us by its violence, through faith in Him who has overcome the world we too may overcome.