Albert Barnes Commentary John 16:10

"of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more;" — John 16:10 (ASV)

Of righteousness. This seems clearly to refer to the righteousness or innocence of Jesus himself. He was now persecuted. He was soon to be arraigned on heavy charges, and condemned by the highest authority of the nation as guilty. Yet, though condemned, he says that the Holy Spirit would descend and convince the world that he was innocent.

Because I go to my Father. That is, the amazing miracle of his resurrection and ascension to God would be a demonstration of his innocence that would satisfy Jews and Gentiles. God would not raise up an impostor. If he had been truly guilty, as the Jews who condemned him pretended, God would not have set his seal to the imposture by raising him from the dead. But when he did raise him up and exalt him to his own right hand, he gave his attestation to his innocence; he showed that he approved his work and gave conclusive evidence that Jesus was sent from God. To this proof of the innocence of Jesus the apostles often refer (Acts 2:22–24; Acts 17:31; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:14; 1 Timothy 3:16).

This same proof of the innocence or righteousness of the Saviour is as satisfactory now as it was then. One of the deepest feelings an awakened sinner has is his conviction of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He sees that he is holy; that his own opposition to him has been unprovoked, unjust, and base; and it is this that so often overwhelms his soul with the conviction of his own unworthiness and with earnest desires to obtain a better righteousness than his own.

And you see me no more. That is, he was to be taken away from them, and they would not see him until his return to judgment; yet this source of grief to them would be the means of establishing his religion and greatly blessing others.