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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Conference With the Disciples, Part XLVI, John 16:1 - Lesson 154
John 16: (v. 1‑6) Persecution foretold. (v. 7‑15) The promise of the Holy Spirit, and his office. (v. 16‑22) Christ's departure and return. (v. 23‑27) Encouragement to prayer. (v. 28‑33) Christ's discoveries of himself.
Mat 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
John 16:1, These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
The phrase "these things" is used often in John's Gospel.
Jesus Christ uses it here to remind the disciples of the power of his word.
He said in: John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
His word is to make his disciples happy!
He said in John 15:11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
His word is to give the disciples full joy!
In John 15:17 we learn that the things which Christ's commands his disciples will lead then to love one another.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
These things I command you, the words that I speak are designed to put in you that which is necessary for you to love one another.
And here in John 16:1 he says that the things I have told you are designed to give you that which is necessary for you to not be offended.
Christ equips his own for service.
The word of God is sufficient equipage for service by the child of God.
Now the "these things" that Jesus Christ refers to in verse 1 is the hatred and persecution that the disciples will receive.
He had just told the disciples that they would be hated by the world.
Jesus Christ had just told the disciples that they would be persecuted by the world.
Not a very enlightened message to attract disciples, is it?
But Jesus Christ had just told the disciples that he would send them a Comforter to be alongside them as they were hated, as they were persecuted.
He tells them now in verse 1 of chapter 16 why he has told them these things.
He wants prepared disciples.
He wants disciples of knowledge so that when the hatred comes, when the persecution comes they will not be offended.
The word offended is from the Greek word, skandalizo, (skan‑dal‑id'‑zo).
We get our English word, "scandalize" from this word. It means to entrap, to trip up, to stumble, to entice to sin and apostasy.
So Jesus Christ prepares his disciples with the word of God so they will be prepared to withstand the hatred and persecution of the world.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
He does not take away the hatred or the persecution but he fortifies them against what is ahead.
This is a good principle when it comes to child rearing is it not?
Don't take the child out of the tough situations, but impart to him the character necessary to stand in the tough situations.
(Playground safety story perhaps)
Jesus Christ is interested in having standing disciples and he does not leave them defenseless.
So He provides them with knowledge of what is to come. |