The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Sunday School Lessons Series) for Sunday, March 15, 2015, is from John 16:1-15. Please Note: Some churches will only study John 16:4b-15. This posting includes both the International Bible Lesson Commentary and the International Bible Lesson. The International Bible Lesson Commentary is now available in five different Bible translations on the International Bible Lessons Commentary website: these versions are the English Standard Version (ESV), King James Version (KJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).  Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further follow the verse-by-verse International Bible Lesson Commentary. The Study Hints for Discussion and Thinking Further discusses each of the Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further to help with class preparation and in conducting class discussion: these hints are available on the  International Bible Lessons Commentary website along with the International Bible Lesson that you may want to read to your class as part of your Bible study using the easy printable lesson. To help your class review the lesson, an easy printable Word Search Puzzle, a Crossword Puzzle, and a True and False Test are also available below. To listen to this commentary a podcast is available by subscribing and by clicking on the audio links here on the International Bible Lesson Forum.

(John 16:1) “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling.

A true disciple of Jesus will follow Him wherever He leads. These verses do not apply only to the original 12 disciples of Jesus, but to all who will seek to follow Him throughout world history. A disciple of Jesus will be an imitator of God (Ephesians 5:1). He will “walk in newness of life,†“walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit,†“walk by faith, not by sight,†“walk in the light as he himself is in the light,†“walk just as he walked,†“walk according to his commandments,†and “walk in the truth†(Romans 6:4; Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:6; 2 John 1:6; 3 John 1:3). By telling His disciples what to expect in the future, Jesus could build up their faith and prevent them from stumbling as they walked (see also John 8:12; John 11:9-10; John 12:35). If His disciples stumbled, they might fall and actually turn from their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

(John 16:2) They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.

Jesus promised to give His followers the Holy Spirit, and among other things the Holy Spirit would guide them and empower them through times of persecution – not protect them from hardship and persecution, but help them through such times. This promise is given to all of Jesus’ followers throughout all time. The Holy Spirit will help believers keep walking through events that might cause them to stumble and hurt them and others spiritually. There have been times throughout history when “religious†people have persecuted the true followers of Jesus by excluding them from fellowship and even murdering them. They have even worshiped and called out the name of their god as they have murdered Christians and others. Some in synagogues and churches have persecuted, have excluded, and even murdered those who have tried to follow Christ according to the Scriptures.

(John 16:3) And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me.

By telling Christians what they could expect in this world from following Him and walking as He walked in a hostile world, Jesus could strengthen Christians in their faith and total trust in Him rather than have them stumble with the thought that He gave them false promises of security and prosperity in the world. The reason unbelievers persecuted Jesus and will persecute all of His followers is because they know neither the Father nor the Son, the one who makes the Father known (See also John 1:18; John 5:22-23; John 8:19; John 10:30; John 14:6).

(John 16:4) But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

No follower of Jesus Christ who reads the Bible should be surprised when hardship and persecution come as a direct result of trying to live faithful to Jesus Christ, of trying to obey Him in all things, of trying to love and serve others as He loved and served others; for Jesus warned us in advance that we would suffer if we followed Him as He directed. When Jesus was with them in the flesh, he could more easily keep His disciples from stumbling because He could physically stand between His persecutors and His disciples. He could easily answer the questions of both His persecutors and His disciples. Jesus was their Lord and Teacher, and the verbal and physical attacks of those who did not know the Father or the Son would fall first upon Him. After Jesus was crucified, the attacks would naturally fall upon Jesus’ followers as the physical and visible representatives of Jesus and His teaching.

(John 16:5) But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

The revelation of Jesus and the Bible reveal and teach more and more as God’s people are prepared and ready to receive more and new truths over a period of time: this is technically called “progressive revelation,†as new truths are revealed throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. After Jesus revealed much about himself and His mission, He revealed even more as His death and departure neared. The Holy Spirit that Jesus would send His disciples would reveal more truths and create the New Testament Church through the disciples. At the time, His disciples might not have known to ask, “Where are you going?†Or, they were focused too much on their own needs when they learned that they would lose Jesus’ presence to think to ask the question about where Jesus was going.

(John 16:6) But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.

Sorrow filled their hearts to learn that Jesus was going to leave them; as a consequence of being His disciples, they would also lose the fellowship of those in the synagogue, and they would also be persecuted and murdered and those killing them would think that they were serving God in the process of persecuting them. This happened to the first martyr, Stephen. And Saul led a group of persecutors until he met Jesus and became the Apostle Paul.

(John 16:7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Even though the coming events would bring them much sorrow, and even though their fearful anticipation of Jesus leaving them filled them with sorrow, Jesus assured them that the results would be for their own good, for their benefit. Jesus had to go away before He could send the Advocate to them as their “Defense Attorney,†as their Helper, Comforter, and Counselor. Jesus had to die an atoning death for them so they could be forgiven and cleansed from their sin and prepared to receive the Spirit of holiness and truth.

(John 16:8) And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

The Holy Spirit is an Advocate or Defense Attorney for the one who follows Jesus as His disciple. The Holy Spirit is a Prosecuting Attorney to the world or to the one who follows the ruler of this world and the world’s way of life. The world is wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment; and the Holy Spirit will work to convince an unbeliever that they are wrong in order to lead them to saving faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will work on the conscience of the unbeliever, who will harden their conscience (and perhaps persecute Christians and the Church) or repent and turn to Christ for salvation.

(John 16:9) about sin, because they do not believe in me;

Those of this world do not believe in Jesus, who reveals the Father and who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Holy Spirit in the believer’s way of life and words, and in the Church, proves the world is wrong; especially when those of the world persist in unbelief and rebellion against God in spite of overwhelming evidence and the work of the Holy Spirit to lead them to believe and repent.

(John 16:10) about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer;

The world is wrong about righteousness because living rightly according to the commands and teachings of Jesus is a righteous way to live. Since all have sinned, no one can be righteous apart from the work of Christ on the cross and accepting Christ as Savior and Lord. When God raised Christ from the dead, God proved that all Jesus said and did was right and righteous. The Holy Spirit will help believers teach these facts about Christ to the world. The world may think righteous living does not matter, but the world is wrong and there is a coming judgment.

(John 16:11) about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners from their sins and the just punishment that all sinners deserve. The Holy Spirit uses the truth of God’s word to lead sinners to saving faith in Jesus Christ as Christians testify to Christ by their life and words. God condemned Satan, the ruler of this world, for his rebellion. Sinners can choose to follow the way of the condemned ruler of this world or sinners can choose to follow Jesus Christ in the way of salvation that the Holy Spirit shows them through the truth as the Spirit works on their conscience.

(John 16:12) “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

Jesus could have told His disciples all of the details about His arrest, flogging, crucifixion, death, and burial prior to His resurrection, but Jesus knew that in their present state of anxiety they could not bear to learn these facts. He could have explained the meaning and purpose of His atoning sacrifice for sinners, but Jesus decided that the Holy Spirit could remind them of what He had taught them that they did not understand at the time and reveal new truths after He ascended into heaven.

(John 16:13) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

The fact that Jesus is “the Truth†and the Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of Truth†indicates that when Jesus’ earthly work in the flesh is done that the Holy Spirit will come and carry on the work of God the Father and Jesus, the redeeming and sanctifying work of God through the Son and the Spirit on earth. Jesus walked beside His disciples when He walked with them on earth. The Holy Spirit walks with Jesus’ disciples from inside of them, and the Spirit teaches them from within them. He would also teach Jesus’ disciples more about the future (see especially the Book of Revelation).

(John 16:14) He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The Father glorified the Son and the Son glorified the Father by revealing the truth about each other to the disciples and all who would come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. As the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit would glorify Jesus Christ by revealing the truth about Him inside believers; the Spirit will help them understand and apply the Bible to their lives. He would keep teaching truth as Jesus taught and consistent with what Jesus taught when He walked on earth.

(John 16:15) All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.â€

Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father, and the Father loves Jesus and has given Him everything. The Holy Spirit will take what Jesus has and declare to Jesus’ disciples everything that they need to know about Him as the Truth and the things that are to come.

1. What can keep us from stumbling?

2. What might you say to someone who said that they became a Christian because they wanted security and all of their daily needs and requests to be met by Jesus?

3. Why do some people ridicule and persecute Christians?

4. Why was it an advantage or benefit for Jesus to go away?

5. What did Jesus say the Holy Spirit would do in the world?

Study Hints for Discussion and Thinking Further, a study guide for teachers, discusses the questions above to help with class preparation and in conducting class discussion. These hints are available on the International Bible Lessons Commentary website.

The Word Search Puzzle, the True and False Test, and the Crossword Puzzle below are provided from the International Bible Lessons Commentary website to help teachers provide a simple review game or quiz for their students. May you find them helpful.

John 16:1-15

An Educational Take Home Review and Handout using Key Bible Lesson Words.

John 16:1-15

An Easy Review Test to Help Students Remember the Bible Lesson

John 16:1-15

An Easy Review or Handout to End Your Class

“Nevertheless 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 depart, I will send him unto you†(John 16:7—KJV).

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you†(John 16:7—NRSV).

The Holy Spirit bestows many gifts on believers, and of major importance the Holy Spirit serves as their Advocate. He works as an indwelling Defense Attorney. When those of this world attack Christians, their Defense Attorney can give them the words to speak. When spiritually attacked, their Defense Attorney can remind them of Jesus’ words so they do not lose confidence in their Savior and Lord. Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit could only come after He went away. Jesus went away when He died on the cross and later ascended into heaven, which He and the Father planned because they wanted to forgive repentant sinners and uphold the just laws and kingdom of God at the same time. Together, they planned for Jesus to shed His blood so repentant sinners could be cleansed from all unrighteousness and become spiritually prepared to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, who would guide them to live for God in a hostile world. In addition, the Holy Spirit works as a Prosecuting Attorney in the lives of believers and in the Church. Through the church, He proves the world wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. He convinces some that sin has consequences, living right is important to God, God has condemned the ruler of this world, and God will execute judgment. In the world, the Holy Spirit works through believers to help those He has proved wrong to repent and by grace receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. – L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.

Begin or close your class by reading the short weekly International Bible Lesson. To print the International Bible Lesson in three different sizes (including large print size and bulletin size) and for the Teacher’s Study Hints for Five Discussion Questions andThinking Further, go to the International Bible Lessons Commentary website.

See the recommended Bible study, Recovery, and Worship Resources at SmallChurchResources.com.

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