John 16:30-33

 

John 16:30 (KJB)

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.

 

It seems now that the disciples knew that Jesus was who He claimed to be since He had intimate knowledge of the Father. They now believed Him much stronger than they ever did before. They now knew that Jesus was who He claimed to be and since His knowledge was perfect, no one had to question Him like an interrogation to try and get Him to make a mistake or prove His knowledge. They knew that Jesus knew what He was talking about from first hand experience. His intimate knowledge of the Father proved that He was truthful in all His teachings about the Father because no one could know what He knew unless it was experienced first hand, that is, in person.

 

John 16:31 (KJB)

Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

 

Here Jesus asks them the big question concerning their belief. They may have believed that they had full understanding but the truth is that they were still extreme babes in understanding. What they were believing now was probably through their intellect because the Spirit had not yet been given to them. Their understanding was minimal but when the Holy Spirit will be given to them, He will fill in the breaches in their faith and understanding. Right now, Jesus leaves it where it is but the time will come when they will increase in understanding.

 

John 16:32 (KJB)

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.

 

Scattered - Dispersed or scattered abroad

 

Jesus now gives them a prophecy of reality which is soon going to come to pass. They might have thought they were strong in their beliefs but here Jesus is telling them that within a few hours, they are all going to forsake Him and be scattered. (Zec 13:7 KJV) Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. The prophecy comes from Zechariah and when Jesus is arrested, tried, and then crucified, the disciples will be scattered according to the prophecy of Zechariah. They are all going to abandon Jesus and leave Him alone. This had to happen because as I mentioned previously, Christ Himself was the only one who could take the sins of all His people. If some of His disciples were captured and crucified with Him, then the false teachers down through the ages could claim co-redeemer status for the disciples. This way there is no question that Jesus took the penalty alone. Jesus explains to the disciples that He will not really be alone because the Father is with Him. The intimacy between the Father and Son was eternal and this was God’s salvation plan so He was just as much a part as the Lord Jesus was.

 

John 16:33 (KJB)

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.

 

Tribulation - Oppression, affliction, or distress

Overcome - Prevail, have victory over, or conquer

 

The first thing that Jesus assures them is that He has told them everything He could to this point and that if they truly believed Him, then they would have peace in their hearts during the next few days of great tribulation. It is interesting that Jesus used the words “ye might,” which in the Greek is in the Subjunctive Mood, which is the mood of condition. If they truly believed Jesus and were confident in what He told them, then they would have peace in their hearts but if they only believed with their minds and really did not believe from the heart, they would not have peace. Obviously, the second scenario took place because of their actions. Jesus then goes on to tell them that this world will give them all kinds of tribulation and this goes for all Christians down through the ages. Then Jesus says that they should have good cheer because Jesus has overcome or conquered the world. It is totally possible that a Christian can live above their circumstances or worldly tribulations and not allow it to affect their good judgment or testimony. Since Jesus has overcome the world and since the believer is in Christ, then through Him, we have also overcome the world. When Jesus went to the cross, He totally defeated the prince of this world and if you defeat the rulers, you defeat their systems and philosophies. Something else which the believer can cheer over and that is the fact that no matter what the believer goes through, they will never lose their salvation. (John 6:37 KJV) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

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