Charles Ellicott Commentary John 16:23

"And in that day ye shall ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name." — John 16:23 (ASV)

And in that day you will ask me nothing.—Compare to Acts 1:6. The time referred to here is, as we have seen (John 16:16), the time of the gift of the Paraclete, who will fully illuminate them, so that they will not need to ask the meaning of new thoughts and words as they have done until now. (Compare, e.g., the certain knowledge of Peter’s speech in Acts 2 with the misunderstandings of these last days of the Lord’s ministry.)

Verily, verily, I say to you.—Compare to John 1:51. As we have so often found, these words precede a truth of weighty import.

Whatever you will ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.—The more probable reading is, Whatever you will ask the Father, He will give it to you in My name.

The thought is that the prayer is offered in Christ’s name (compare Note on John 14:13, and in this context John 16:24), and that the answer to every such prayer is by virtue of His name. The fact that we pray in His name makes it certain that the prayer will be answered. The fact that the prayer is answered is proof that it was in Christ’s name.