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From: John 16:23b-28

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)

[Jesus said to His disciples,] [23b] Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything
of the Father, He will give it to you in My name. [24] Hitherto you have asked
nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

[25] “I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer
speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. [26] In that day you will
ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; [27]
for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed
that I came from the Father. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the
world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

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Commentary:

25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent
time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf.
Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)—to train them for their mission of preaching the
Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used
metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does
so in this discourse of the Last Supper—the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.:
He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him
questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when
He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly
what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even
now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that
He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25).
Verse 28, “I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am lea-
ving the world and going to the Father” summarizes the mystery of Christ’s Per-
son (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

He is Risen! Truly Risen!

A blessed Eastertide to all!