John 16 Verses 16-22

John 16:16 “A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”   

It is apparent from this passage that the disciples did not understand or yet believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord.  However, the Lord using the illustration of a woman in travail, gave them an example of how they would feel when his death, burial, and resurrection was past.  He told them that the world would rejoice, i.e. referring to his death, and that they would weep and lament.  Just as the woman in travail hath sorrow, so they would have sorrow.  However, once the woman is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world.  Likewise, after the Lord’s resurrection, their sorrow would be turned into joy.  Further, no man would take away from them this joy. 

John 16 Verses 23-33 

John 16:23 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 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 show 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.” 

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”  There are principles taught to us in scriptures concerning asking the Lord for things in prayer:

1.  James 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”  Often times, we do not receive the things that we really need because we do not ask for them.  The Lord told the disciples that they had not asked.  Then he encouraged them to ask.

2.  James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Asking the Lord is not to be used to satisfy our carnal desires.  We will not receive when we ask to satisfy our carnal desires. 

3.  As the subject verse above tells us we are to ask the Father in the name of Jesus.   

4.  God has made a wonderful promise concerning our asking, seeking, and knocking: Matt. 7:7, 8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” 

“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 show you plainly of the Father.”  The disciples had great difficulty understanding what Jesus was telling them.  Sometimes, understanding is withheld from us because the time is not right or we are not yet in a position or ability to understand.  Only after the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, would the apostles be able to understand what the Lord had been telling them.  We often read these things and wonder why the disciples could not understand.  We need to remember that we are reading these things from a different perspective in time.  We read them on this side of the cross and the resurrection.  They were on the other side.  

“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.”  Before his death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord prayed for the disciples.  After his death, burial, and resurrection, the disciples having believed that he came from the Father and knowing that the Father loved them as they had loved Jesus, now prayed to the Father.  While Jesus intercedes on our account, yet it is us that do the praying unto the Father. 

“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.”  The disciples believed this statement of the Lord and did not believe it to be a proverb, but that the Lord was speaking plainly to them.  The Lord was speaking plainly unto them, but in reality they had not yet believed, as their actions will testify as they will all deny the Lord in a short while.  “Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 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.”   

“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.”  This chapter is closed out with this precious promise from the Lord.  In the Lord we have peace.  In the world we have tribulation, just as the early disciples did.  However, it is cheerful news to us that Christ has overcome the world.  Amen.