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chapter 16
1. “I have told you these things so that you won’t be caught by surprise.
2. They will ban you from the synagogue; in fact, the time will come when anyone who kills you will think he is serving God!
They will ban you from the synagogue. See 9:22N. The vast majority of Jewish people are staunch supporters of the principle of free speech. But in many synagogues, if a Jewish believer in Yeshua makes his faith public, speaks about it, and attempts in conversation to persuade others to acknowledge the Messiah, he may be asked to leave the synagogue and not come back. In fact, I once attended a synagogue for the first time and in a private conversation told its rabbi about my faith: his response was to make it clear I would not be welcome to return. The price a Messianic Jew is asked to pay for worshipping God with his own people is often silence about God's most important historical work! The reason for such behavior is given in v. 3.

Fortunately, there are many social situations, both in synagogues and in other settings, where this does noi happen, where Jewish people are open to hearing the Gospel explained. I have found this true in Israel more than in the Diaspora, because Diaspora Jews often use their conception of Jewishness without Yeshua to defend against assimilation into the surrounding Gentile culture. 

3. They will do these things because they have understood neither the Father nor me.
4. But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for it to happen, you will remember that I told you. I didn’t tell you this at first, because I was with you.
5. But now I am going to the One who sent me. “Not one of you is asking me, ‘Where are you going?’
6. Instead, because I have said these things to you, you are overcome with grief.
7. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the comforting Counselor will not come to you. However, if I do go, I will send him to you.
But I tell you the truth. See Mt 5:18N 

8. “When he comes, he will show that the world is wrong about sin, about righteousness and about judgment —
9. about sin, in that people don’t put their trust in me;
The world is wrong... about sin, in that people don't put their trust in me. Instead, they have other theories about sin, theories which downgrade the horribleness of sin and upgrade their own holiness. Thus they find no need to accept for themselves Yeshua's atoning death. 

10. about righteousness, in that I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me;
God comes to consider sinners righteous only because Yeshua has done his work on earth and is now with the Father, alive and interceding with him on our behalf (Ro 8:34, MJ 7:25,1 Yn 2:l). 

11. about judgment, in that the ruler of this world has been judged.
12. “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.
13. However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future.
14. He will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and announce it to you.
15. Everything the Father has is mine; this is why I said that he receives from what is mine and will announce it to you.
The Messianic life is lived by attentiveness to the Holy Spirit. Moreover, by telling his talmidim that the Spirit of Truth will guide them into all the truth and announce the events of the future (see Ac 11:27N, 1С 12:8-10N) Yeshua virtually pre-authenticates the New Testament Scriptures which they will write as the product of the Holy Spirit. 

16. “In a little while, you will see me no more; then, a little while later, you will see me.”
17. At this, some of the talmidim said to one another, “What is this that he’s telling us, ‘In a little while, you won’t see me; then, a little while later, you will see me’? and, ‘I am going to the Father’?”
18. They went on saying, “What is this ‘little while’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.”
19. Yeshua knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you asking each other what I meant by saying, ‘In a little while, you won’t see me; and then, a little while later, you will see me’?
20. Yes, it’s true. I tell you that you will sob and mourn, and the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21. When a woman is giving birth, she is in pain; because her time has come. But when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering out of joy that a child has come into the world.
22. So you do indeed feel grief now, but I am going to see you again. Then your hearts will be full of joy, and no one will take your joy away from you.
The world of nonbelievers will rejoice at Yeshua's death, but his return after being resurrected will turn the sorrow of the talmidim into joy. 

23. “When that day comes, you won’t ask anything of me! Yes, indeed! I tell you that whatever you ask from the Father, he will give you in my name.
24. Till now you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Keep asking, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
25. “I have said these things to you with the help of illustrations; however, a time is coming when I will no longer speak indirectly but will talk about the Father in plain language.
26. When that day comes, you will ask in my name. I am not telling you that I will pray to the Father on your behalf,
27. for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
28. “I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and returning to the Father.”
29. The talmidim said to him, “Look, you’re talking plainly right now, you’re not speaking indirectly at all.
30. Now we know that you know everything, and that you don’t need to have people put their questions into words. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31. Yeshua answered, “Now you do believe.
32. But a time is coming — indeed it has come already — when you will be scattered, each one looking out for himself; and you will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone; because the Father is with me.
The talmidim have at last come to the point of simple, childlike faith (compare Mt 18:3). Nevertheless, Yeshua does not permit them to bask in it but at once calls their attention to its fickleness. The moment you feel secure, certain your faith is strong, may well be the very instant when you will be scattered, each one looking out for himself; and you will leave me (Yeshua) all alone. 

33. “I have said these things to you so that, united with me, you may have shalom. In the world, you have tsuris. But be brave! I have conquered the world!”
In the world you have tsuris (see Mt 6:34N). The life of a believer in the Messiah is not the proverbial rose garden, except, perhaps, for the thorns. Nevertheless, Yeshua encourages us: Be brave! I have conquered the world!