RSV ~ John 16 Notes
Jn 16:2 | ISB Notes
out of the synagogues: i.e., excommunicated from the fellowship of Israel.
service to God: Or âworship to Godâ. According to rabbinic meditations on the Phinehas episode of Num 25:1-13, to slay apostates from Judaism is to sacrifice unto the Lord.
Jn 16:5 | ISB Notes
Where are you going?: Although both Peter (13:36) and Thomas (14:5) asked this question earlier, they were too troubled by the prospect of Jesusâ departure to press for information about his destination.
Jn 16:7 | ISB Notes
to your advantage: Greater blessings will come when the Spirit dwells within them at Pentecost (14:17; Acts 2:1-4). Chief among these benefits will be the power (1) to proclaim the gospel with boldness (Acts 1:8; 4:31), (2) to preserve and understand the truth in its fullness (16:13), (3) to give witness to Jesus in times of persecution (Lk 12:11-12), and (4) to fulfill the just requirements of Godâs Law (Rom 8:4).
Jn 16:8 | ISB Notes
he will convince: The Spirit exposes the sin of unbelief for what it is (3:20), convinces the world that Christ, though condemned as a criminal, was truly righteous (8:46), and makes it known that Satan and every enemy of Christ will face judgment for rejecting him (5:26-29; 12:31; CCC 388, 1433). The mission of the Spirit, here described in juridical language, shows that while he acts as an advocate or defense lawyer for the disciples, he is also a prosecutor who indicts the unbelieving world.
See word study: Counselor at Jn 14.
Jn 16:13 | ISB Notes
he will guide you: The work of the Spirit counteracts the work of Satan. The former discloses the full meaning of the gospel (14:26); the latter spreads deception and falsehood throughout the world (8:44). The point here is that the Spirit continues the teaching mission of Jesus to bear witness to the truth (8:31-32; 18:37; CCC 687).
⢠Vatican II outlined the doctrine of magisterial infallibility, meaning that the pope alone or the pope and the bishops united with him are divinely protected from teaching error when they define matters pertaining to faith and morals (Lumen Gentium, 25). The guidance of the Spirit is Christâs guarantee that the gospel will not be corrupted, distorted, or misunderstood by the ordained shepherds of the Church during her earthly pilgrimage (CCC 768, 889-92). See note on Jn 14:26.
Jn 16:15 | ISB Notes
declare it to you: The Spirit gives us a share in the divine life and authority of Jesus (6:63; Rom 8:14-16; CCC 690).
Jn 16:18 | ISB Notes
A little while: The disciples will again see Jesus at his Resurrection (20:19-30), and after his Ascension they will await his visible return in glory (Acts 1:9-11).
Jn 16:21 | ISB Notes
her hour has come: The hour of Christâs Passion is compared to the pangs of childbirth. The disciples, like a woman in labor, will experience extreme distress that soon gives way to joy when Christ is reborn to a new life on Easter morning.
⢠The Prophets similarly compare times of divine testing and judgment to the onset of labor pain (Is 13:6-8; 26:17; Mic 4:10).
Jn 16:23 | ISB Notes
ask nothing ⌠ask anything: Two different Greek verbs are translated âaskâ in this verse: the first means âto questionâ, and the second âto requestâ. So the disciples must not interrogate Jesus when they see him risen, but they may petition the Father for their needs (CCC 2614).
Jn 16:25 | ISB Notes
in figures: Refers back to the metaphor of the true vine (15:1-6) and probably to numerous parables in the Synoptic Gospels that tell us about the Father (Mt 21:33-41; 22:114; Lk 13:6-9).
Jn 16:30 | ISB Notes
you know all things: Amounts to a confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus, since only God is omniscient (21:17; Ps 139:1-6).
Jn 16:32 | ISB Notes
you will be scattered: Jesus foretells his abandonment with the help of Zech 13:7 in the Synoptic Gospels (Mt 26:31; Mk 14:27). His words come to fulfillment with his arrest in Gethsemane (Mk 14:50).