John 16:32 — Community Reflections

JOHN 16:32 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

I have said all this 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 — this verse repeats the pattern of chapter 16:4, circling back to Jesus' concern that foreknowledge will sustain faith. The discourse has been offered as an act of love: Jesus sees the coming persecution and gives the disciples words to remember, a rope to grasp when they feel themselves falling.

Church Fathers on John 16:32

The disciples were so refreshed with the thought of being in favor with the Father, that they say they are sure He knows all things: His disciples said to Him, Now you speak plainly, and speak no proverb.
Chrysostom · 4th century

But why do they say so, when the hour in which He was to speak without proverbs was yet future, and only promised? Because, our Lord’s communications still continuing proverbs to them, they are so far from understanding them, that they do not even understand their not understanding them.
Augustine · 4th century

They believe that He came forth from God, because He does the works of God. For whereas our Lord had said both, I came forth from the Father, and, I am come into the world from the Father, they testified no wonder at the latter words, I am come into the world, which they had often heard before. But their reply shows a belief in and appreciation of the former, I came forth from the Father. And they notice this in their reply: By this we believe that you came forth from God;…
Hilary of Poitiers · 4th century

Read all 15 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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