John 16:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

NIV: No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

NASB: for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

CSB: For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

NLT: for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.

KJV: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

NKJV: for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

Christ is reassuring the disciples that they will better understand His teachings when they have the influence of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12–13; 16:25). In the prior verse, Jesus alluded to the intimate, immediate connection which the Spirit allows between God the Father and each individual believer (Jeremiah 31:31–34).

Jesus often noted the intimate connection between Himself and God the Father (John 10:30). A major theme of His preaching was that belief in Him—in Christ—was absolutely necessary in order to be reconciled with God (John 3:16–18, 36; 14:6). Scripture makes it clear that belief in Jesus is the one and only way for a person to know God (John 6:28–29). Those who don't know Christ do not know God—and their rejection of His Son proves this (John 15:18–23).

Likewise, those who humbly follow God (John 14:15, 21) give evidence they are truly part of His people (John 14:23). Those who don't submit to God won't have the helpful influence of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14–16) and will be more likely to misunderstand (Matthew 11:25–26).

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.

Accessed 5/4/2024 5:39:53 PM