John 16:26 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;

NIV: In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

NASB: On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;

CSB: On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

NLT: Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,

KJV: At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

NKJV: In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God predicted He would establish a new covenant with His people. This would replace the system of priests, temples, and sacrifices. The new covenant would be in the hearts of each individual person, allowing direct communication between them and God (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Hebrews chapter 8 further establishes how Christ is the fulfillment of this promised new covenant.

Jesus has promised His disciples that their understanding will drastically increase, after He is resurrected and the Holy Spirit has arrived (John 16:12–13). What was once spoken in vague proverbs will be made clear (John 16:25). The disciples have been commanded to pray "in the name of" Jesus (John 16:23–24). When they do so, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17) and thanks to the reconciliation of Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), they will have direct communication with God. Discipleship with other believers will still be needed (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:31), but those truths can be more directly stated.

The statement about asking the Father on the disciples' behalf can be interpreted in two ways. One is that Jesus means He "will not" make requests to God the Father, meaning they can ask Him directly. The other option is that Christ means that His requests on their behalf go without saying: something like "I don't have to tell you that…" Both have support from the surrounding context, though the idea of direct communication with God better fits the way Scripture describes the relationship between a believer and the Father (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 9:8–12; 1 Peter 2:9).

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 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.