Bible Study John 16:23

[tjw]

What does John 16:23 mean to you?

 

[Michae1]

I believe that part of scripture was Jesus saying that when we are in Heaven, we will ask the Father directly for what we want and we will received it.

The Father and the Son are one and the same, so we will be in the presence of the Lord. Anything you may want, you will have.

:amen

 

[stovebolts]

Hi tjw,
What a facinating study! Have you seen the sticky I've posted about an effective Bible Study? It's a great start!

To kind of help, we need to know what the setting is. I mean, why is Jesus saying what he's saying... and to whom is he saying it? I think if we start here, we'll have a better understanding of what that one verse is talking about.

I believe this discourse really starts back in chapter 13, but as far as the passage you cited, I keyed in on "In that day" as a starting point which to build from. So after we have our story straight, we need to find out what "In that day" is refering to right?

To help us on our way with that, we can also look back to chapter 14, verse 20 in regard to "That day".

Let's see where this study leads

 

[westtexas]

Sounds like a great study! Looking back to Ch.13-16 Christ has left the multitudes and is with just the 12. Starting with the question of "in that day" -what does it mean? I think the answer to this question lies in the preceding 6 verses. The disciples are questioning "What does he mean in a little while He will go away? Verse 22 Christ says "but I will see you again". Verse 23 "And in that day"

Westtexas

 

[sherri2]

I just looked it up in the original.

John 16:23
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Broken down -

In that day (hēmera) you will not question (erōtaō) Me about anything. (tis) Truly, (amēn) truly,(amēn) I say (legō) to you, if (an) you ask (aiteō) the Father (patēr) for anything (tis) in My name, (onoma) He will give it to you. (didōmi)

If you ask the father for anything he will give it to you?

The translation for 'tis' (for anything) is 'certain' or 'a while' or 'some.'

See anything odd?

So if translated in context with the scriptures around it - which are talking about Christ leaving the disciples but that being ok because they can ask him things when he has returned to the father (so they arn't going to be left desolate)

it can read like that. (particularly in view of verse 24 which again tells them to ask for anything. But if you check the original wording it can also mean 'ask anything'. Which means you can drop the 'for' in both cases.

In otherwords instead of reading like a free ticket to ask God for whatever you want because he'll give it to you once christ has been crucified and we're under the new covenant, it reads, we can ask christ (God) anything we want because he's going to be crucified and he won't leave us desolate. We'll still be able to find out anything we need (through his sacrifice and the indwelling of the holy spirit) under the new covenant.

So it can read as 'ask anything' instead of 'get anything'.

And we know we can't get anything (because that's pretty obvious) but also because there's another scripture in the NT that conditions god giving us things according to his will. (Although I've forgotten where it is and don't want to bother looking for it. Thanks)

 

[Nathan]

I love Bible Study!!!

I am going to go against the norm of the way this thread is going, but I believe He was referring to when they would see Him again after the resurrection, before He ascended into heaven.

He is directly referring to the statement He made and then the repeating of the statement in the form of a question by the disciples.

Jhn 16:16-23 "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?" So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Jesus addresses their question by putting it back into a question Himself. So I believe it is safe to say that the verses following this interchange are describing the statement He made and the question the disciples asked.

Notice what happened after the resurrection. Not one question was asked to Him. But....

Jhn 20:19-23 "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

See, He gave them power, well...He gave them the understanding that they had the authority to do anything in His name.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you."