John 16:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

NIV: and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

NASB: and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

CSB: and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

NLT: Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

KJV: Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

NKJV: of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Scripture explains three different ways (John 16:8) in which the Holy Spirit will convict the world. Speaking to the disciples, Jesus has given details on two of these facets: conviction of sin (John 16:9) and conviction of righteousness (John 16:10). Here, He refers to the third, which involves judgment on the spiritual leader of the fallen world: Satan.

Jesus' enemies had Him put to death (John 11:53), thinking that would prove their own moral superiority. As it turned out, Christ was resurrected from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:19–20), proving them wrong. The resurrection of Christ served as a miraculous statement: those who rejected Christ are condemned (Colossians 2:15). In this specific sense, the work of the Holy Spirit will serve to constantly remind all who oppose Christ that they are subject to judgment.

That judgment starts with Satan himself (Hebrews 2:14). However, it also extends to anyone who chooses to side with the world, and its ruler, over obedience to the Son of God (Acts 17:30–31; John 3:36).

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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/5/2024 6:55:40 PM