32 Behold, [the] hour is coming, and has come, that ye shall be scattered, each to his own, and shall leave me alone; and [yet] I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
And he that has sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I do always the things that are pleasing to him.
Then saith Jesus to them, All *ye* shall be offended in me during this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, even against the man [that is] my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn my hand upon the little ones.
I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. But the Lord Jehovah will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adverse party? let him draw near unto me. Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall grow old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
At my first defence no man stood with me, but all deserted me. May it not be imputed to them. But the Lord stood with [me], and gave me power, that through me the proclamation might be fully made, and all [those of] the nations should hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.
Believest thou not that I [am] in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words which I speak to you I do not speak from myself; but the Father who abides in me, he does the works. Believe *me* that I [am] in the Father and the Father in me; but if not, believe me for the works' sake themselves.
But [the] hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for also the Father seeks such as his worshippers.
And Jesus says to them, All ye shall be offended, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad.
And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles.
These things I have spoken to you in allegories; the hour is coming that I will no longer speak to you in allegories, but will declare to you openly concerning the Father.
They shall put you out of the synagogues; but the hour is coming that every one who kills you will think to render service to God;
But all this is come to pass that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that have heard shall live.
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,