John Calvin Commentary John 16:10

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

Of righteousness. We must pay attention to the succession of steps which Christ lays down. He now says that the world must be convinced of righteousness; for people will never hunger and thirst for righteousness but, on the contrary, will disdainfully reject all that is said concerning it, if they have not been moved by a conviction of sin. Regarding believers particularly, we ought to understand that they cannot make progress in the Gospel until they have first been humbled; and this cannot take place until they have acknowledged their sins. It is undoubtedly the unique role of the Law to summon consciences to the judgment seat of God and to strike them with terror; but the Gospel cannot be preached in a proper manner until it leads people from sin to righteousness, and from death to life; and, therefore, it is necessary to borrow from the Law that first clause of which Christ spoke.

By righteousness must here be understood that which is imparted to us through the grace of Christ. Christ makes it consist in His ascension to the Father, and not without good reason; for, as Paul declares that He rose for our justification (Romans 4:25), so He now sits at the right hand of the Father in such a manner as to exercise all the authority that has been given to Him, and thus to fill all things (Ephesians 4:10). In short, from the heavenly glory He fills the world with the sweet savor of His righteousness. Now the Spirit declares, by the Gospel, that this is the only way in which we are accounted righteous. Next to the conviction of sin, this is the second step: that the Spirit should convince the world what true righteousness is, namely, that Christ, by His ascension to heaven, has established the kingdom of life and now sits at the right hand of the Father to confirm true righteousness.