John 16:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

NIV: He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

NASB: He will glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you.

CSB: He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

NLT: He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

KJV: He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

NKJV: He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

Christ is reassuring His closest disciples that when He leaves (John 12:32–33; 16:5), that physical absence will allow for the work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). Part of the Spirit's ministry is to "convict" the world so that non-believers will be confronted with the realities of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). In the lives of believers, the primary work of the Holy Spirit is to guide and direct us towards the truth (John 16:13).

That work of the Spirit glorifies Christ, which means it glorifies God. At the start of the gospel of John, Jesus' ministry is described by saying "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). What we see in Christ is a representation of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3).

When the Holy Spirit teaches us truth, it is speaking of Christ (John 14:6), just as it is speaking of the Father (John 16:13). When Jesus refers to "what is mine," in this instance, it's a reference to those truths.

John 16:5–15 resumes an explanation of the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus began to discuss this topic in John 15:26–27, before returning to the subject of persecution (John 16:1–4). Christ must leave the world, so His followers will learn to depend on the influence of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit will guide, judge, and speak in order to bring glory to God.

Throughout His teaching in the Last Supper (John 13:1–5), Jesus has often brought up the fact that He's giving His followers advance warnings (John 13:19; 14:25). His intent is to provide encouragement—persecution as a result of their faith is inevitable. In keeping with that reassurance, Jesus again promises the coming of the Holy Spirit. He explains that after a time of deep sorrow, His followers will experience great joy and clarity. This concludes with a beloved promise that Christ has "overcome the world."

This completes the teaching portion of Jesus' words during the Last Supper, begun in chapter 13. Christ echoes many of the themes of His earthly ministry. His focus is especially on encouragement: reminding the disciples that the hard times they will experience will end in victory. While they don't clearly understand, the Holy Spirit will lead them in the right direction. This ends with Christ's beloved declaration that He has "overcome the world." That introduces the record of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in chapter 17, immediately before His arrest early in chapter 18.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 12/21/2024 12:12:01 PM