With Dale Ratzlaff
John 16:25-28
These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak 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 of 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 (Jn. 16:25-28).
“These things” refers not just to the immediate context, but to all that Jesus has been recently teaching His disciples. The fact that Jesus Himself states that He uses “figurative language” is important. Many of His sayings, especially in the Gospel of John, were in this genre. We have read where Jesus stated that He was the “door,” the “Good Shepherd,” the “vine,” and many other such figurative descriptions. When reading all the Gospels, we would do well to remember that many of the statements of Jesus are enigmatic and are designed to cause us to dig deeper into the intended meaning. Jesus throws out pearls of truth to the multitudes, true followers will pick up these treasures, polish them off and set them in vessels of beauty.
Jesus indicates that “the hour” is nearing when He will no longer use words with hidden meanings, especially as it relates to the Father. That “hour” most likely refers to the time after the resurrection. However, the disciples now think they understand His words.
In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you.
This sentence speaks volumes about the intercession of Christ. There are some who pray to Mary, who has a “mother’s love,” who in turn intercedes with Christ, her Son, who values His mother’s request, who in turn then intercedes with the Father. Each is pleading the sinner’s case at the bar of justice. Notice how Jesus corrects this notion. Yes, indeed, we are to ask the Father in the name of Jesus; however, by asking in Jesus name, we are not asking Jesus to persuade the Father to forgive us evil sinners. Rather, the Father, Himself, loves us. Asking in Jesus name means to express faith that the doing and dying of Jesus have fully satisfied the principles of justice allowing the Father, who loved us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8) to forgive us freely.
For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
The word for Father’s “love” is “Phileo” (φιλεῖ), which is brotherly love, or family love based upon loving emotions. We could render this by saying the Father has an affection for us. This type of love is an addition to agape love, the love that springs from the will and need of the person being loved.
At first read, this statement appears to be saying that the Father’s love for us springs from the disciple’s love for Jesus. Here is how I understand this. First, we know that the Father loved us before we ever loved Jesus.
For God [The Father] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God [the Father] did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (Jn. 3:16-17).
The word for “love” here in John 3:16 is “agape” love, a selfless love. The word used by Jesus indicating that the Father loves us, because of our love for Christ, is “Phileo” love, or a strong family affection showing emotion and loyalty. Thus, we might say that because the disciples loved Jesus, the Father has an affection for them that He does not for the rest of the world, just as a Dad today might have affection for the teammates of his boy who just won the world series.
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.
Here in this brief sentence, we have the essence of the gospel. Here are four necessary points of saving faith. These four points form the skeleton around which the body of faith is to be fashioned. They are the outline of John’s Gospel.
“I came forth from the father”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (Jn. 1:1-2).
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14).
“have come into the world”
Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world” (Jn. 6:14).
And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind” (Jn. 9:39).
“I am leaving the world again”
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. You heard that I said to you, “I go away, and I will come to you.” If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I (Jn. 14:27-28)
“going to the Father”
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (Jn. 14:12).
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God (Jn. 13:3).
The condition for saving faith rests on belief in these four fundamentals of the faith. These four points are the foundation for the deity of Christ. These points were given to the disciples before His death and resurrection. However, they encompass the resurrection for how else could they come true. Jesus is the eternal One who was always with the Father. John does not hide this saving insight, but reveals it all in the first sentence of His Gospel and laster reinforces it.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (Jn. 1:1-2).
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (Jn. 8:24).
Application
- When reading the Gospels, we should be careful not to interpret every statement of Jesus with crass literalism. Rather, we should realize that many of His statements are purposely given in figurative language. Those honestly seeking truth are encouraged to search out the deeper meaning of His sayings. At the same time, we must be careful not to read into a statement something foreign to its intended meaning.
- If we trust in Christ, pray in His name and believe the four fundamentals of His mission as listed above, now including the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, we have the assurance that not only does the Father love us with the unconditional “agape” love, as confirmed by John 3:16, but He also loves us with “Phileo” love, the family love of affection and loyalty. In his letter to the church, John stated this saving love in these treasured words.
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us (1 Jn. 4:9-12).
Prayer
Father, thank you for this gospel of John that teaches me so much about the mission of Christ and the love you have for me as I believe and pray in Jesus’ name. Help me search out the deeper meaning of Christ’s sayings. May your Spirit guide me into all truth. Help me to love others as you have loved me.
In Jesus name.
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