John 16:16-33, Before and After Jesus’ Resurrection

{Note: Today is "Easter Monday," a holiday celebrated in a few places in this world, including among the Baptists (and Orthodox, etc.) of Ukraine.  It has become a special day for me because our daughter passed away on Easter Monday.  Easter moves around, of course, so the date is not the same.  But in my final moments with our daughter the fact of Jesus' resurrection was quite significant.  Today's post talks about the difference Christ's resurrection makes so that lives lived after that event can be lives of unlimited joy and good cheer.}  

This passage from the Upper Room Discourse emphasizes the difference made by the resurrection of Christ.  The key phrases from our Lord are, “in a little while” and “after a little while.”  His comfort for the Twelve, and for us, was that in what was about to happen (death/burial/resurrection), the difficulties experienced before would be nothing compared to the glory and joy afterwards.  Let’s consider!

·       16:16: Now you won’t see Me; then you will see Me. This sets the stage.  In the “little while” of which Jesus speaks there are several important events, though only a few days: 1) Arrest in Gethsemane; 2) Trials before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod; 3) Crucifixion; 4) Burial in a rich man’s tomb; 5) Descent into hell to preach to the spirits in prison; 6) Resurrection; 7) Appearances; 8) Entrance into heaven to sprinkle the blood.  Jesus’ emphasis is on the last: because I go to the Father.  After His work is done (v1-7) He did in heaven what was then possible to do.  The effects of going to the Father, following the death and resurrection, are the things that describes in this passage.

·       16:17-22: Now you will have sorrow; then you will have unending joy.  The reason for this unending joy is that the resurrection life of Christ is greater than the creation-life we have now.  Jesus resurrection life has experienced death and broken the chains of death that hold every human, that which is the power of the devil (Heb. 2:14).  Eternal life is the righteous life of Christ, proven in the incarnation and finished on the cross.  Because of the resurrection, that eternal life will be lived eternally.  The resurrection body will be fit for eternity. 

·       16:23-24: Now you have limited access to the Father; then you will have unlimited access to the Father.  Up to that point the disciples could ask Jesus for what they needed, if they were within earshot.  As for the rest of humanity, there was no freedom of access.  This limitation was illustrated by the veil in the temple whereby only the High Priest could enter and only once a year and only with sacrificial blood.  When Jesus died the veil was torn in two.  When He was raised the Twelve and every other one who believes in Christ is commanded to enter into God’s presence (Heb. 4:14-16).  Eph. 2:14-18 tells us that peace (reconciliation) has been made for everyone who has come to the Father through Christ.  We have access to God.  We have an abiding relationship with the Father, a relationship with no fear but with perfect love (1 John)!

·       16:25-27: Now I speak to you figuratively; then I will tell you plainly about the Father.  This is the essence of the New Covenant.  Because Christ has paid the price and sprinkled the blood at the mercy seat, we can know God: not just about God; we can know God deeply.  Reread the covenant that has been established in Jeremiah 31:31-34.  Israel illustrates this for us in Scripture.  In Deut. 29:4 Moses reminded the people that God had not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear.  But Moses also promised them that the day would come when God would circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love the Lord (Deut. 30:6).  That day has come.  Through the cross and empty tomb Jesus has done the work to establish this new covenant (Heb. 9:11-15).

There is one final “before and after” that tells the practical import of all this.  Jesus tells the Twelve (16:28-33) that they will soon be scattered.  But their lives after His resurrection, though filled with trials, will be filled with hope, and good cheer of all things!  The reason?  In His resurrection He will have overcome the world.  The resurrection is not just an event in the life of Jesus.  His resurrection is an event in the lives of those who believe in Him to this day.