7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.
But the Comforter, `even' the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, `even' the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, `even' the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, `even' to them that are called according to `his' purpose.
But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet `given'; because Jesus was not yet glorified.
nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. Now this he said not of himself: but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad.
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Yea, `among' the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell `with them'.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some `to be' apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, `said he', ye heard from me: For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, `there' ye may be also.
And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.
But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 16
Commentary on John 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
Among other glorious things God hath spoken of himself this is one, I wound, and I heal, Deu. 32:39. Christ's discourse in this chapter, which continues and concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples, does so.
Jhn 16:1-6
Christ dealt faithfully with his disciples when he sent them forth on his errands, for he told them the worst of it, that they might sit down and count the cost. He had told them in the chapter before to expect the world's hatred; now here in these verses,
Jhn 16:7-15
As it was usual with the Old Testament prophets to comfort the church in its calamities with the promise of the Messiah (Isa. 9:6; Mic. 5:2; Zec. 3:8); so, the Messiah being come, the promise of the Spirit was the great cordial, and is still.
Three things we have here concerning the Comforter's coming:-
Jhn 16:16-22
Our Lord Jesus, for the comfort of his sorrowful disciples, here promises that he would visit them again.
Jhn 16:23-27
An answer to their askings is here promised, for their further comfort. Now there are two ways of asking: asking by way of enquiry, which is the asking of the ignorant; and asking by way of request, which is the asking of the indigent. Christ here speaks of both.
Now for this he gives a reason (v. 25), which plainly refers to this promise, that they should not need to ask questions: "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs, in such a way as you have thought not so plain and intelligible as you could have wished, but the time cometh when I shall show you plainly, as plainly as you can desire, of the Father, so that you shall not need to ask questions.'
Jhn 16:28-33
Two things Christ here comforts his disciples with:-
These words, and needest not that any man should ask thee, may bespeak either,