— in my name.] As mediator between God and man. Dr. Whitby.

— I have overcome the world.] By “the world” we must here understand the evil of the world, its wickedness, troubles, and temptations; all in it which we have reason to fear and avoid, for the sake of our safety or our happiness in this life and the next. And these Christ overcame by expiating human sin upon the cross; and enabling the faithful, by the assistance of His grace, to subdue their corrupt passions; by Himself submitting to poverty, sorrow, and even death itself, and by displaying those bright and heavenly virtues which shone in His whole character and conversation. Abp. Tillotson.

Chap. XVII. ver. 1. These words spake Jesus, — and said,] Our blessed Saviour, having forewarned His Apostles what they were to suffer on account of their preaching the Gospel, and likewise informed them of the assistance they should receive from the Holy Spirit, concludes with the fervent and affecting prayer, contained in this chapter, immediately before He went to the place where He knew that He was to be betrayed and apprehended. Bp. Mann.

— glorify thy Son, that thy Son &c.] Support Me at the approaching time of trial; enable Me to prevail and triumph over death by a glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven; that by these means I may likewise glorify Thee, and cause Thy will, revealed in the Gospel, to be believed and obeyed through all the world, unto the eternal salvation of mankind. Dr. S. Clarke.

— the only true God,] In exclusion of all the false gods which the Gentiles worshipped. Dr. Trapp. These words at ver. 3. have sometimes been brought to prove the Father only to be the true God, in exclusion of the Son. But it is impossible they can rightly be so understood, for several reasons. 1st, Our Lord speaks in this place of the true God, in opposition to false gods, who could not give eternal life; the main comparison, therefore, consists in this particular, and does not regard the relation between the Father and the Son. If they are distinguished in the text, it is only because Christ speaks particularly of Himself as Mediator. So at 1 Tim. ii. 6. The Scripture does not in either place speak of such a Father, as had not an everlasting only Son, but it speaks of Him as the true God, in opposition to false deities; not excluding the Son’s participation of the Godhead, but distinguishing His mediatorial office, to which the Divine nature was necessary on many accounts. 2dly, As our Lord declares it to be eternal life to know the Father, so does He say as plainly that they who should know the Father should know the Son also, and that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father. See John v. 23. 3dly, Such modes of expression as omit one Person of the Blessed Trinity, when another is more especially spoken of, are frequent: and the reason is apparent, because each, as partaker of the Godhead, may be said to be true God, and God alone, when opposed to false gods. See, among other places, 1 Tim. vi. 16. 4thly, We find that what is said of the Father in this text is said in the same terms of the Son at 1 John v. 20; whence it is most plain, that the opposition is not intended to be made between the Father and the Son, but between either of them, as true God, in opposition to false gods and idols. Archdeacon Pott.

John 16:2

2. As thou hast given him power &c.] According to the full intent of that office and power, with which Thou didst originally invest Him, to receive all fifty disposed persons into the covenant of salvation, and to assist and preserve them in it unto everlasting life. Dr. S. Clarke.

— as many as thou hast given] Whose hearts Thou hast inclined sincerely to come unto me. Dr. Hammond. Gentiles as well as Jews, who will inherit everlasting life on the conditions of the Gospel covenant. Abp. Newcome.

John 16:3

3. And this is life eternal, &c.] The condition of this covenant of eternal life is, that they believe and obey Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ as the true Messiah whom Thou hast sent. Dr. S. Clarke. “Whom Thou hast sent” to instruct and save mankind, as “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,” Heb. iii. 1. Dr. Hales. In the knowledge of the only true God and of

eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

John 16:4

4. — because I was with you.] Because I was in person with you, and supported you by My immediate presence. Dr. S. Clarke.

John 16:5

5, 6. — and none of you asketh me, &c.] Now, when ye understand that I am to be taken from you, ye are overcome with sorrow, and make no enquiry about the state on which I am afterwards to enter. At chap. xiii. 36; xiv. 5, St. Peter and St. Thomas had asked this question; but now, at the time when Jesus was speaking this, none of the Apostles asked this question, because sorrow had filled their hearts. Bps. Mann and Pearce.

John 16:6

6.— glorify thou me with thine own self] By exalting even My human nature to the right hand of glory, and crowning Me with that glory which, as to My Divine nature, I had with Thee before the foundation of the world. See Philipp. ii. 6, p. Dr. Whitby.

6.— unto the men which thou gavest me &c.] To those disciples whom Thou hast disposed to believe in Me, I have, by imparting My doctrines, and working miracles before their eyes, afforded the clearest prospect of Thy power, wisdom, holiness, and goodness. Dr. Whitby.

Anno DOMINI 33. Christ prayeth for his apostles, Anno DOMINI 22. and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

John 16:7

7. — It is expedient for you &c.] It is more for your benefit and the advantage of My Gospel, that I should depart, and that the Comforter should supply My place, because some things to be done by Him are not compatible with My stay among you. Dean Stanhope.

8. Now they have known that &c.] They have known by My Divine doctrine, and by the miracles which they have heard and seen, that I have derived both from Thee. Dr. Whitby.

John 16:8

8. — 11. — he will reprove the world &c.] He will convince the world of the greatness and heinousness of their sin, in disbelieving and rejecting Me; of the holiness and justice of My cause, and the excellency of My doctrine, because the Father will receive Me into glory; and lastly, of My power and authority to execute judgment on My enemies, by the power of Satan and the dominion of sin being mightily destroyed, and the doctrine of true religion propagated in the world with wonderful efficacy and success. Dr. S. Clarke, Bp. Mann.

John 16:9

9, 10. I pray for them: I pray not for the world.] I pray not now for the unbelieving and impenitent world, but for those who have embraced that most holy doctrine which Thou hast taught them by My preaching; who have glorified and will glorify My name by their ministry, as I have done Thine by My ministry, and who consequently are to be esteemed as Thine own, in common with Me. Dr. S. Clarke.

Our Lord uses not these words, “I pray not for the world,” in a general sense, but only with a particular reference to that very prayer which He was then offering up for His Apostles, ver. 12; in which He was praying for those things which could agree to them alone, or to those who were given Him out of the world; that is, for the purpose of being consecrated to their Apostolical function by that Spirit which the world could not receive, that their joy from His presence with them might be full. Thus He made this very prayer, in which He says, “I pray not for the world,” out of affection to the world, and with the design that the preaching of the Apostles to them might be more effectual for their conversion and salvation. Dr. Whitby.

John 16:11

11. — the prince of this world is judged.] “The prince of this world,” Satan, was judged, when our Saviour overcame him by the obedience of His death, Heb. ii. 14; and the first instance of that judgment and victory was, when He arose from the dead; the next was, when He loosed the Gentiles out of the chains and bondage of Satan by the Gospel. See Rev. xx. 1, &c. Dr. Lightfoot.

11.—keep through thine own name] Keep them, by Thy help, in the worship of Thee and the profession of Thy name. Grotius.

— that they may be one, as we are.] That they may be united in affection, and all teach the same doctrine, as I have set them the example, by delivering nothing but what was Thy Divine will, to which I have likewise in all things invariably conformed. Bp. Mann.

John 16:12

12. — many things] Such as the abolition of the law, the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. Abp. Newcome.

— ye cannot bear them now.] Your prejudices render you at present incapable of that full instruction which ye shall receive hereafter through the Holy Spirit. Bp. Mann.

12.—that thou gavest me] See notes at chap. vi. 37. It is completely evident that the phrase “which Thou gavest Me,” does not denote any action of God upon men, but merely the state and character of the persons

described. In this passage it is plain that Judas was originally one of those whom God had given to Christ in the same sense as He gave to Him the rest of His disciples; and yet, that afterwards, by his own fault, by becoming a son of perdition, a wicked and traitorous person, he ceased to be of that number. Dr. S. Clarke.

— none of them is lost, but the son of perdition;] None of those who undertook My service has fallen off from Me but Judas, that wicked traitor, to whom the prophecy relates, Ps. cix. Dr. Hammond.

— son of perdition;] One worthy of perdition, 2 Sam. xii. 5; Matt. xxiii. 15; 2 Thess. ii. 3. Dr. Whitby.

John 16:13

13. — he, the Spirit of truth.] This mode of expression affords a strong proof that the Holy Spirit is a Person. Dr. Wall.

— he will guide you into all truth.] Unto all truth necessary to your apostolical office, the instruction of mankind and the good government of the Church. Dr. Trapp.

13.—that they might have my joy &c.] That they may have the joy which I have promised them (chap. xv. 11.) fulfilled in themselves by the presence of the Spirit, whose fruits are joy and peace. Dr. Whitby. “My joy,” the joy of which I am the object, the joy which they will derive from Me. Dr. Campbell.

John 16:14

14. He shall glorify me.] By enabling you to work miracles, and to foretell future events, and by leading you to all evangelical truths; and by the conversion both of Jews and Gentiles. Abp. Newcome.

John 16:15

15.—from the evil.] From the evil men of this world, and from Satan the prince of the world, who will endeavour by persecutions to suppress the truth, and destroy or discourage the preachers of it. Dr. Whitby.

John 16:16

16. — ye shall not see me.] Because I shall be taken from you by death; and again, after My resurrection, ye shall see Me, though but for a little while, because I must ascend up into heaven. Dr. Whitby, Dean Stanhope.

He intimates that He should disappear from them at His death, during three days, and again appear to them after His resurrection, at intervals, during forty days, until His ascension, when they should see Him no more on earth. Dr. Hales.

Or our Lord’s words may refer to the time of His ascension, as the time when they should not see Him personally any more; but they should afterwards see Him in the influences and gift of His Holy Spirit. Dr. Lightfoot.

John 16:17

17. Sanctify them through thy truth: &c.] Consecrate and prepare them for the ministry of Thy most true and holy word. Bp. Mann.

John 16:19

19.—for their sakes I sanctify myself,] I devote and offer up My life to Thee for their sakes, that they also may be ready to die for the truth. Bp. Mann.

John 16:20

20. — ye shall weep and lament, &c.] The sufferings Prayer in Christ’s name is acceptable to God. Anno DOMINI 33.

the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

20, 21. Neither pray I for these alone, &c.] Neither pray I for these My Apostles only, but for all others also, who shall by their preaching be at any time converted to Thy true religion; that, as I am in Thee and Thou in Me, so they shall all be united to Me and to one another, by one holy and indissoluble bond of faith and charity, becoming eminent examples of holiness and piety, so as to convince the world of the excellency of their religion, and force men to acknowledge its truth and Divine authority. Dr. S. Clarke.

John 16:22

22. — I will see you again.] How reviving was the accomplishment of this promise to His disciples, when, on returning from His empty tomb, they found all their hopes alive again, their faith confirmed, and their courage rendered invincible, in the sight and enjoyment of their Master! But, if the continuance of this for forty days could inspire so just a joy, what raptures and transports must possess all the faithful, when they shall attain the end of their faith; when they shall see, and dwell, and converse, and reign, with their dear Lord for ever; when their bodies shall be glorified, this vail of flesh and frailty drawn away; when faith and hope shall cease, and be swallowed up in fruition, when they shall be drawn into the likeness of God, and see Him as He is! Dean Stanhope.

— your joy no man taketh from you.] Of the joys of the present life we have but a slippery hold; and, were they more substantial than they really are, yet the pleasure in them must be damped by the melancholy prospect that they will one day forsake us, and we know not how soon they may. But the joys promised by our Lord to His faithful followers, as they are true and solid, so are they eternal, without interruption, without conclusion, liable to no decays of nature, no wastings of time; nothing without to destroy them, nothing within to diminish or impair them; subject only to the will of the Almighty Giver, and given by Him never to be taken back. Dean Stanhope.

John 16:23

23. — in that day ye shall ask me nothing.] “In that day,” when that Spirit shall have come, and shall have taught you all things, and satisfied all your doubts, ye

name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

John 16:24

24. — that your joy may be full.] That your joy, which will begin at My appearing to you again after My death, may be completed by the wonderful success and efficacy of your own ministry. Dr. S. Clarke.

John 16:25

25. — in proverbs:] In parables and allusions. Bp. Mann. In general and less distinct expressions, as to the nature and extent of My kingdom. Abp. Newcome.

— the time cometh, &c.] The time draws near, when your prejudices will be removed, and your capacities enlarged; and then I will inform you of the will of God more plainly and perfectly. Bp. Mann.

John 16:26

26. — ye shall ask in my name:] Ye have another motive for prayer in My name, besides the certainty and prevalence of My intercession, the goodness of the Father, which leads Him to love you, “because ye have loved Me,” &c. Abp. Newcome.

John 16:30

30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things,] Inasmuch as Thou knowest our secret whispering was amongst ourselves; and so “needest not that any man should ask Thee;” Thou knowest all that men desire unasked; by this we more firmly “believe that Thou camest forth from God.” Dr. Whitby.

John 16:32

32. Behold, the hour cometh, &c.] Be not too confident. Alas! ye know not how soon your strength may be severely tried. Bp. Mann.

— because the Father is with me.] Though forsaken by all of you, I shall have the support of My heavenly Father’s presence. Bp. Mann.

John 16:33

33. — that in me ye might have peace.] That ye might be supplied with matter of consolation and firmness, from the consideration of My having told you before what distresses will befall you, and how they will finally terminate in triumph. Ye must indeed expect to meet

Anno DOMINI 33. b Matt. 26. 31. home. Christ prayeth to his Father to glorify him. Anno DOMINI 33.

peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

CHAP. XVII.