AM May 4th John 16

May 4^th

25: These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26: At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28: I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29: His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30: Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31: Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32: Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

There is much that Christ was unable to teach them directly because they were unable at this time to receive it. Therefore he spoke in metaphors and in figures of speech. However there was going to come a time when they were indwelt and enlightened by the Holy Spirit when they would be able to understand much clearer. Of course the truth of Gods word was not something that came to the disciples all at once. When we read through the Acts we have the record of how Christ slowly step by step taught the church more and more of himself. The apostles had a very fixed Jewish mindset and it would take time to develop their thinking. Sometimes there was a great earthquake shift in which they had to catch up quickly to what God was doing and to what Christ was saying. We see this in the issue of Peter and Cornelius and on the road to Damascus and in Acts 15. Christ promised that a day would come when they could ask any question and it would be answered. I think that this is still a coming day. (We see nothing in the Acts of the Apostles like this) Christ will return to Israel and the Apostles as representatives of Israel will ask every question that has ever troubled them. Then Christ told them plainly I am leaving this world to go to my Father. The disciples professed their faith in Christ’s origin in the Father. Christ challenged them. Do you believe? He said there is a time coming when you will be scattered. You will all leave me but l am not alone - The Father is with me. Christ said. I have said these things to you so you might have peace in your hearts when the scattering comes. In the world you will have tribulation but don’t be afraid. I have overcome the world. This passage l think is primarily prophetic and the tribulation he speaks of is the tribulation of the end of Daniels 70 weeks. The Disciples as representative of Israel receive instruction for those days.

• What had the disciples believed in?
• What does Christ say that the disciples will do in his hour of need?
• Why did Christ tell them all these things?