John 16:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father."

NIV: I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

NASB: I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.'

CSB: I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."

NLT: Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.'

KJV: I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

NKJV: I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

This sentence is a vague summary of Jesus' entire earthly ministry. These are all ideas Christ has already explained, including His coming from God (John 6:38), incarnation into the world (John 8:42, 58), His prophesied death (Mark 8:31), and His eventual resurrection (John 2:19) and ascension (John 16:16).

In a sense, these are all points the disciples know, even if they don't entirely understand. Despite questions or confusions, they accept what Jesus has been teaching as much as they are able (John 6:68; 16:8; Matthew 16:15–17). In this case, they will be eager to believe, but still miss the mark. What Jesus has said in the last few moments is direct, even blunt (John 16:12). That will lead the disciples to misinterpret the situation and think—even as Jesus is speaking—they already have the perspective which He has promised (John 16:29).

John 16:25–33 completes Christ's combination of encouragement and warning as He prepares the disciples for His impending arrest (John 18:1–3). This passage summarizes the general message of that discourse: that hardship and persecution will come, but believers should remain faithful, knowing this is all part of God's knowledge and His will. Rather than reacting in panic or doubt, followers of Christ should feel a sense of peace. This confidence is inspired by knowledge that nothing they experience catches God by surprise. The expression "take heart" implies courage: knowing Christ's victory overshadows all those troubles.

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 11/21/2024 7:48:36 AM