John 16

John 16 23

My Notes Authors Matthew Henry - Commentary on the Whole Bible An answer to their askings is here promised, for their further comfort. Now there are two ways of asking: asking by way of enquiry, which is the asking of the ignorant; and asking by way of request, which is the asking of the indigent. Christ here speaks of both. I. By way of enquiry, they should not need to ask (v. 23): “In that day you shall ask me nothing;” ouk erotesete ouden—you shall ask no questions; “you shall have such a clear knowledge of gospel mysteries, by the opening of your understandings, that you shall not need to enquire” (as Heb. viii. 11, they shall not teach); “you shall have more knowledge on a sudden than hitherto you have had by diligent attendance.” They had asked some ignorant questions (as ch. ix. 2), some ambitious questions (as Matt. xviii. 1), some distrustful ones (as Matt. xix. 27), some impertinent ones, (as ch. xxi. 21), some curious ones (as Acts i. 6); but after the Spirit was poured out, nothing of all this. In the story of the apostles’ Acts we seldom find them asking questions, as David, Shall I do this? Or, Shall I go thither? For they were constantly under a divine guidance. In that weighty case of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, Peter went, nothing doubting, Acts x. 20. Asking questions supposes us at a loss, or at least at a stand, and the best of us have need to ask questions; but we should aim at such a full assurance of understanding that we may not hesitate, but be constantly led in a plain path both of truth and duty.

John 16 28

My Notes Authors Matthew Henry - Commentary on the Whole Bible Two things Christ here comforts his disciples with:— I. With an assurance that, though he was leaving the world, he was returning to his Father, from whom he came forth v. 28-32, where we have, A plain declaration of Christ’s mission from the Father, and his return to him (v. 28): I came forth from the Father, and am come, as you see, into the world. Again, I leave the world, as you will see shortly, and go to the Father. This is the conclusion of the whole matter. There was nothing he had more inculcated upon them than these two things—whence he came, and whither he went, the Alpha and Omega of the mystery of godliness (1 Tim. iii. 16), that the Redeemer, in his entrance, was God manifest in the flesh, and in his exit was received up into glory. (1.) These two great truths are here, [1.] Contracted, and put into a few words. Brief summaries of Christian doctrine are of great use to young beginners. The principles of the oracles of God brought into a little compass in creeds and catechisms have, like the beams of the sun contracted in a burning glass, conveyed divine light and heat with a wonderful power. Such we have, Job xxviii. 28; Eccl. xii. 13; 1 Tim. i. 15; Tit. ii. 11, 12; 1 John v. 11; much in a little. [2.] Compared, and set the one over against the other. There is an admirable harmony in divine truths; they both corroborate and illustrate one another; Christ’s coming and his going do so. Christ had commended his disciples for believing that he came forth from God (v. 27), and thence infers the necessity and equity of his returning to God again, which therefore should not seem to them either strange or sad. Note, The due improvement of what we know and own would help us into the understanding of that which seems difficult and doubtful.

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