METAPHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF JOHN CHAPTER 16
16:1These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be caused to stumble. 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. 16:3And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 16:4But these things have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye may remember them, how that I told you. And these things
I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you. 16:5But now I go unto him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?16:6But because I have spoken these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
JUST AS JESUS knew He was persecuted and would be persecuted so He knew that His followers would be persecuted. The ignorant persecute those whom they do not understand or revere.
The Pharisaical or worldly state of mind has no conception of the higher realm within but thinks it governs the whole man and is jealous of any attempt to usurp its power. Hence persecution follows.
While Jesus knew that His apostles did not fully comprehend all that He said, He was encouraging them to go forth in their spiritual strength and to travel the road that was ahead of them.
16:7Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.16:8And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
16:9of sin, because they believe not on me; 16:10of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more; 16:11of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged.
16:12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.
Jesus understood that the apostles must make their own demonstration and could not lean on Him. Therefore He directed them to the Holy Comforter or Holy Spirit, which is the law of God in action and the one supreme teacher. Eventually this Spirit leads us into all Truth. "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law." Justice and righteousness must be meted out. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter or God's love in action, which like a mother guides and helps and forgives all who seek her.
16:14He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. 16:15All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.
The Holy Spirit is the dispenser of divine substance, and all prosperity demonstrations are made through Him. The widow's mite was more than the gift of the rich because the widow had blessed it and it was her all. It is not the size of the object but the blessing behind it that counts. Like the little
children blessed by Jesus, the mite, being blessed, increases mightily.
16:16A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me. 16:17Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 16:18They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith. 16:19Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? 16:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.16:21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. 16:22And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you.
The Christ always goes into the secret place by Himself in order to hold for greater strength and illumination, and when He attains this strength and illumination He comes out and demonstrates what He has received from the Father. Our thoughts get panicky and don't understand, and each time the Christ withdraws in order to receive new inspiration from God they are sorrowful; but when He comes forth and demonstrates, their sorrow is turned into joy. Ultimately they will come into the light of
Truth and understand what the indwelling Christ demonstrates when He goes into the silence to renew His strength. This is also true of the individual who is trying to "put on Christ."
Spiritual perception reveals to us that we are not persons but ideas in the cosmic Mind. Jesus knew that the hour for His crucifixion was approaching. Crucifixion means the giving up of the whole personality. This was the demonstration that the Master was facing. However, He knew His spiritual power, and He was well aware that He would rise from the dead, would again be with His disciples, and would be more able than ever to instruct them in the mysteries of Being. "I will see you again."
16:23And in that day ye shall ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. 16:24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.
16:25These things have I spoken unto you in dark sayings: the hour cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in dark sayings, but shall tell you plainly of the Father. 16:26In that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you; 16:27for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father. 16:28I came out from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father.
16:29His disciples say, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no dark saying. 16:30Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 16:31Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 16:32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 16:33These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
"In that day ye shall ask me no question" means that the apostles would have unfolded to the point where they would understand the laws of Spirit and would be able to read out of the law for themselves.
The "dark sayings" refers to the darkened consciousness that cannot see the true light. But this Scripture indicates that "the night is far spent, and the day is at hand." The apostles are coming into a great illumination and will be able to go direct to the Father for light and guidance and power. Hitherto the apostles have been students. Now they are to come into a consciousness in which they can tap the great universal reservoir and receive therefrom. They are to realize that Omniscience knows all things, and they have only to unify their consciousness with that of Omnipresence in order to enter into the state where the true light leads into perfect understanding.
(See John 14:12-14 for further interpretation.)
