Church Fathers Commentary John 16:29-33

"His disciples say, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no dark saying. Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is 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. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." — John 16:29-33 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: The disciples were so refreshed by the thought of being in favor with the Father that they said they were sure He knows all things. His disciples said to Him, Now you are speaking plainly and using no proverb.

St. Augustine of Hippo: But why do they say this, when the hour in which He was to speak without proverbs was still in the future and only promised? It is because our Lord’s communications were still proverbs to them, and they were so far from understanding them that they did not even understand their own lack of understanding.

St. John Chrysostom: But since His answer addressed what was on their minds, they added, Now we are sure that you know all things. See how imperfect they still were, after so many great things, to finally say, Now we are sure—and to say it as if they were doing Him a favor. They continued, and have no need that anyone should question you. This means, “You know what troubles us before we tell you, and you have relieved us by saying that the Father loves us.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Why this remark? For one who knew all things, instead of saying, “you have no need that anyone should question you,” it would have been more appropriate to say, “you have no need to ask anyone.” Yet we know that both were done; namely, that our Lord both asked questions and was asked them. But this is easily explained, for both were for the benefit not of Himself, but of those whom He questioned or who questioned Him.

He questioned people not to learn for Himself, but to teach them. And when people questioned Him, their questions were necessary for them to gain the knowledge they wanted, but they were not necessary to inform Him, because He knew the inquirer’s wish before the question was even asked. Thus, knowing people’s thoughts beforehand was no great thing for the Lord, but to the minds of babes it was a great thing: By this we believe that you came forth from God.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: They believe that He came forth from God because He does the works of God. For while our Lord had said both, I came forth from the Father, and, I have come into the world from the Father, they showed no wonder at the latter phrase, I have 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. They highlight this in their reply, By this we believe that you came forth from God, without adding, “and have come into the world.”

This is because they already knew He was sent from God but had not yet received the doctrine of His eternal generation. They now began to see that inexpressible doctrine for the first time because of these words, and therefore they replied that He no longer spoke in parables. For God is not born from God in the manner of a human birth; His is a “coming forth from” God, rather than a “birth from” God.

He is one from one; not a portion, not a defection, not a diminution, not a derivation, not a pretension, not a passion, but the birth of living nature from living nature. He is God coming forth from God, not a creature appointed to the name of God. He did not come into being from nothing, but He came forth from an abiding nature. To “come forth” signifies birth, not a beginning.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Lastly, He reminds them of their weak and tender age with respect to the inner man. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe?

The Venerable Bede: This can be understood in two ways: either as a reproach or as an affirmation. If the former, the meaning is, “You have awakened to belief somewhat late, for behold, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own.” If the latter, it is, “What you believe is true, but behold, the hour is coming...”

St. Augustine of Hippo: For when He was taken, they did not only leave His body with their bodies, but they also left the faith with their minds.

St. John Chrysostom: You will be scattered; that is, when I am betrayed, fear will so possess you that you will not even be able to flee together. But I will suffer no harm as a result: And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

St. Augustine of Hippo: He wishes to help them advance to the point of understanding that He had not separated from the Father just because He had come forth from the Father.

St. John Chrysostom: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. This means that you should not reject Me from your minds. For not only will you suffer tribulation when I am taken, but as long as you are in the world: In the world you will have tribulation.

St. Gregory the Great: It is as if He said, “Have Me within you to comfort you, because you will have the world outside of you.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: The tribulation of which He speaks was to begin this way—namely, with each one being scattered to his own home—but it was not to continue so. For in saying, and leave Me alone, He does not mean for this to apply to their sufferings after His ascension. They were not to desert Him then, but to abide and have peace in Him. Therefore, He adds, But be of good cheer.

St. John Chrysostom: That is, lift up your spirits again. When the Master is victorious, the disciples should not be dejected. I have overcome the world.

St. Augustine of Hippo: When the Holy Spirit was given to them, they were of good cheer and, in His strength, victorious. For Christ would not have overcome the world if the world had overcome His members.

When He says, These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, He refers not only to what He has just said, but to everything He had said all along, either from the time He first had disciples or from the start of the supper, when He began this long and wonderful discourse. He declares this to be the object of His entire discourse: namely, that in Him they might have peace. And this peace will have no end, for it is itself the goal of every pious action and intention.