from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 
(Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents
 

 

Lesson 24

John 16  The Comforter

The Story

Intermediate

The Lord had already told the disciples that in the days that were coming they would be hated and persecuted. (John 15:18-20) Not only would the disciples suffer hard things, but the principles of Christian faith and love for which the disciples stood would also be despised and lost from Christian life and worship. "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service." It would be a comfort to the disciples to remember that the Lord had foreseen and foretold their trials; it should reassure and encourage us to know that He foresaw that the principles of Christian faith would suffer hard things and be denied. He knew it would be so; still He was not discouraged. Read A. 3488.

What did the Lord mean by His going to the Father? Not a going to some far-off place, but a passing beyond the natural sight and comprehension of the disciples, as His human nature was glorified by union with the Divine. The disciples were sad at the thought of losing the Lord's outward presence, but the inward presence would become more full and powerful. "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." The Comforter or Holy Spirit was the Lord's own influence, which would be with them after His glorification more strongly than when He was visible to natural sight. It was especially the influence of His truth enlightening and strengthening them. It is plain from John 14:18 and from John 20:22 that the Holy Spirit was the Lord's own personal influence. The increased power of this influence when the Lord should be glorified is promised in John 7:39. (A. 9818 end, 9199)

That the Comforter would reprove or convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, means that the light and power of the Lord's presence would expose and condemn sin in matters of goodness (righteousness) and of truth (judgment). By His going to the Father the Lord opened the way to all goodness; by overcoming falsity, the prince of this world, He opened the way to all truth. Compare John 15:22-24. (A. 2235)

The mission of the Comforter, the power of the Lord's influence, to enlighten and instruct is beautifully described in verses 12, 13. "He will guide you into all truth." The Lord had spoken in parables and in other simple ways, but all the wisdom of heaven was in the words, and by the enlightenment from Him that wisdom would be opened more and more forever. The infinity of this wisdom is suggested by the words, "He will show you things to come." The influence of the Spirit in opening the meaning of the words already spoken is shown in John 14:26, where it is said, "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (T..139, 140; E. 25)

"A little while." These words so many times repeated in verses 16-18 emphasize the temporariness of the natural states in which we are while preparing for the enduring spiritual state. The little while in which we do not see Him is the experience of natural disappointment and obscurity by which we are prepared to know the Lord in a more true and spiritual way. How truly we may say of every state of natural trial, "A little while"; and then, if we are faithful, the joy which no man taketh from us!

Read also chapter 17, the Lord's prayer for His disciples, which describes in a wonderful and beautiful way His oneness with the Father, and our union with Him.

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