_These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended_ CHRIST’S REASONS FOR PRESENT SPEECH AND FORMER SILENCE I. OUR LORD’S LOVING REASON FOR HIS SPEECH. 1. The two statements of Joh_16:1; Joh_4:1-54 are separated by a reiteration of the dark prospect that He has been holding out.... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is expedient for you that I go away_ THE ABSENTEEISM OF CHRIST 1. The words must have been very startling to the apostles. They had doubtless come to consider the personal presence of Christ indispensable. He was the principle of cohesion among them, and His departure would be the signal for... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment_ THE MISSION OF THE COMFORTER This is the only passage in which the Saviour has expressed the process of the Spirit’s action in regenerating the world. It forms Christ’s own history of the silent progres... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of sin, because they believe not on Me_ INEFFECTUAL REPROOF AND EFFECTUAL CONVICTION OF SIN We did not need that the Holy Spirit should come down from heaven to reprove the world of sin. The words and thoughts of men would have been sufficient to do this. Every preacher of righteousness from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of righteousness, because I go to My Father_ THE WORLD’S FALSE THEORIES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS The world is examined, convicted, convinced, as to its false theories of righteousness. In Christ was the one absolute type of righteousness; from Him a sinful man must obtain righteousness. Just as sin is r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of Judgment, because the prince of this world is Judged_ THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD JUDGED Through His whole life did Christ judge the prince of this world. When He, who was born King of the Jews, was born in the stable of Bethlehem, and when the shepherds were called to be the first witnesses of H... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now._ --The original implies that such teaching as that of the Cross would have been a crushing burden (_cf_. John 19:17; Luke 11:46, Luke 14:27; Galatians 6:2, Galatians 6:5; Acts 15:10) . The Resurrection brought the strength which... [ Continue Reading ]
_When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come_ THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH What is meant by “all truth? ” It is better to take for granted that the Bible always means what it says--all the truth of nature as well as of the gospel, of science as well as of religion. Aholiab was, doubtless, a skilled mechanic bef... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall glorify Me_ CHRIST GLORIFIED BY THE SPIRIT This is the crowning and has been the constant work of the Spirit. He glorified Christ in the prophecies, sacrifices and promises of the ancient economy, in the sinless humanity with which He clothed Him; in the public ministry to which He set... [ Continue Reading ]
_All things that the Father hath are Mine_ THE FULNESS THAT IS IN CHRIST I. CHRIST HAS A LEGAL RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OF THE FATHER. Because He has 1. A natural right to it, as He is God. 2. A federal right as Mediator, _i.e_., God the Father and God the Son are represented in Scripture as having... [ Continue Reading ]
_A little while and ye shall not see Me_ CHRIST VISIBLE TO LOVING HEARTS This was a strange saying, and a stranger reason. How should His going away be the pledge of their seeing Him again? There have already been three manifestations of our Lord, and there shall be yet a fourth--the three first a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask Him_ CHRIST’S KNOWLEDGE OF OUR THOUGHTS I. CHRIST PERFECTLY KNOWS OUR THOUGHTS. He knew, and knows, “what is in man.” 1. All the evil thoughts of His adversaries. When He forgave the man sick of the palsy He heard the whisper “within themselves, this... [ Continue Reading ]
_Verily, verily! say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament_ SORROW AND JOY I. THE FORETOLD SORROW, arising, _i.e_ 1. From their own sense of loss and bereavement. In the death of Jesus these men lost for a season their dearest, most honoured, and trusted Friend. 2. From their sympathy with the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing_ THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHRISTIAN AGE I. COMPLETE REVELATION 1. The subject: the Father; His nature: God; His character: love; His purpose: salvation. 2. The medium: Christ; the Father’s Son, Ambassador, Revealer. II. ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION. 1. Clear... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs_ CHRIST IN HEAVEN, THE CHURCH ON EARTH I. CHRIST IN HEAVEN. 1. As the Revealer of the Father. He came to be this here, and did reveal the Father, but chiefly in parables, figures, dark sayings. There was a sort of veil over what He said regarding t... [ Continue Reading ]
_I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you_ NO NEED OF AN INTERCESSOR Our Lord would teach that the Father is ready to receive our petitions directly, because He loveth us. We have here I. A NEW CONCEPTION OF GOD. 1. New to the Jew with his elaborate sacrificial and mediatorial sch... [ Continue Reading ]
_I came forth from the Father_ FROM THE FATHER AND TO THE FATHER These majestic and strange words are the proper close of our Lord’s discourse, what follows being rather a reply to the disciples’ exclamation. I. THE DWELLING WITH THE FATHER. The most probable reading is more forcible. “I came fort... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now speakest Then plainly_ THE DISCIPLES’ CONFESSION AND THE MASTER’S WARNING The first words of these discourses were, “Let not your heart be troubled. ” The aim of all was to bring peace and confidence to the disciples. And this joyful burst shows that the aim has been reached. The last sublim... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do ye now believe?_ LOVE’S FAREWELL I. A KIND INQUIRY (John 16:31). A question. 1. Authoritative. Put by Him who alone has a right to do so. 2. Necessary. The existence of faith (John 9:35; Mark 4:40) the one thing needful (Luke 18:8; Hebrews 11:6). 3. Urgent. Then the time was short--Christ wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me_ SOLITUDE 1_._ There are two kinds of solitude--visible and inward. When we are not seen, we say that we are alone; however, it is not always a true isolation. The fisherman does not feel himself alone when he passes... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace._ THESE THINGS, OR CHRIST’S SECRETS I. The secret of COMMUNION (John 14:25). II. The secret of JOY (John 15:11). III. The secret of STEADFASTNESS (John 16:1). IV. The secret of PRAYER (John 16:25). V. The secret of PEACE AND... [ Continue Reading ]