John 16:25-28

"These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will speak no more to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father."

 

We must remember that Jesus knows His death is coming, and throughout the last several chapters He has been trying to encourage and comfort the disciples. But His comfort is only partially comprehensible to them. Here Jesus tells them why: He has been speaking in figurative language. This does not make it so that all of His comforting is worthless. The disciples should still be able to understand that something good is about to happen and that everything will turn out well in the end, something good that involves Jesus being gone, but the Spirit of truth being with the disciples. They may not understand everything Jesus is predicting, but they can still take comfort in it because Jesus has clearly taught them that what is about to happen will be for their good. Still, it has been difficult for the disciples because Jesus has been speaking figuratively.

 

But Jesus promises that this won’t be the case forever. An hour is coming when He will teach the disciples plainly about the Father. The things they need to know will be clear.

 

And in that time, the disciples will ask the Father directly. They will ask things in Jesus’ name, but they will not necessarily be asking the Father through Jesus. This text doesn’t answer the question of whether Jesus Himself asks for things for them, without their prompting (which He does; e.g., Romans 8:34). Jesus is not saying, “I won’t pray for you.” What He is saying is, “You will go directly to the Father in prayer. You won’t pray to me and ask me to ask the Father for things. You will pray to Him yourselves, asking for things that will honor Me (‘in My name’).” The disciples will be able to ask the Father for themselves because the Father loves them. The Father loves them enough to listen to their prayers because the disciples have loved Jesus and have believed that Jesus came from the Father.

 

Jesus ends by stating again that He did, indeed, come from the Father and that He is leaving the world and returning to the Father. This is the reason He has been trying to comfort the disciples.

 

Father, thank You. Thank You that we are living in the time when Jesus has spoken clearly, and that we have those clear teachings passed on to us from the disciples in the Scriptures. Thank You that we are living in the time when we may approach Your throne of grace with confidence as those who love and believe Jesus, the One You loved us enough to send into the world. Help us to take advantage of the clarity of Jesus’ post-death teachings and to listen passionately so that we can live zealously and know that we are pleasing You. Help us to take advantage of the open door we have to approach You directly, for You are the source of all good things. We need You.