This week we finish reading Jesus’ ‘Farewell Discourse’ in John chapters 15 and 16. A.T. Robertson in his Harmony of the Gospels breaks Jesus’ farewell discourse into two sections. He refers to John chapter 14 as the Farewell Discourse in the Upper Room and to John chapters 15 and 16 as the Farewell Discourse on the way to Gethsemane. Farewell Discourses were not new with Jesus. In the Old Testament there are several. Jacob begins his farewell discourse in Ge. 47:29 and it continues until Ge. 49:33. Moses gives his farewell discourse in Deut. 33:1-29. Joshua’s farewell discourse is found in Josh. 23:1-24:28. David’s last words are recorded in 2 Sam. 23:1-7 and his final instructions to his son Solomon are found in 1 Kings 2:1-9. In Jesus’ Farewell Discourse He wants to prepare His disciples for life after His departure. Much of what He tells them will be very comforting, but He also informs them of difficult times ahead. He will tell them of His love for them and that they will actually benefit from His going away. Someone has said the discourse is to help the disciples transition from life with Christ to life in Christ.
An interesting problem for translation and interpretation occurs in the discourse in Jn. 16:23. The CSB translates the Greek as, “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” The issue involves the meaning of the Greek verbs translated ‘ask’ in this verse. They are two different Greek verbs. The first occurrence of ‘ask’ translates a Greek verb (erōtaō) that originally meant ‘to ask a question.’ The second occurrence of ‘ask’ translates a Greek verb (aiteō) that means ‘to ask for something.’ In John’s Gospel this distinction is not always followed with the first word (erōtaō). For instance, in Jn 14:16 the word translated ‘ask’ is the one that originally meant to ask a question (erōtaō) and that is obviously not its meaning in this verse. Notice how several translations have handled the issue in Jn 16:23:
“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” – CSB
“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.” – NASB95
“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” – ESV
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” – NIV84
How translators understand the meaning of the first ‘ask’ will also influence their paragraph divisions. Does Jn 16:23a go with what goes before (verse 19) or does it go with what follows (verse 24)?
Just a bit of added information the ‘verb’ that originally meant to ‘ask a question’ (erōtaō) is used clearly with that meaning three times in chapter 16 see 16:5; 16:19; and 16:30. So what do you think its meaning is in verse 23?
Chapter 17 contains what is often referred to as Jesus’ ‘High Priestly Prayer.’ In the prayer Jesus first prays for Himself then for His disciples and lastly for all who would believe through the word of the disciples, which would include us. As you read this section of the prayer meditate on the fact that Jesus has prayed for you.
An interesting problem for translation and interpretation occurs in the discourse in Jn. 16:23. The CSB translates the Greek as, “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” The issue involves the meaning of the Greek verbs translated ‘ask’ in this verse. They are two different Greek verbs. The first occurrence of ‘ask’ translates a Greek verb (erōtaō) that originally meant ‘to ask a question.’ The second occurrence of ‘ask’ translates a Greek verb (aiteō) that means ‘to ask for something.’ In John’s Gospel this distinction is not always followed with the first word (erōtaō). For instance, in Jn 14:16 the word translated ‘ask’ is the one that originally meant to ask a question (erōtaō) and that is obviously not its meaning in this verse. Notice how several translations have handled the issue in Jn 16:23:
“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” – CSB
“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.” – NASB95
“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” – ESV
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” – NIV84
How translators understand the meaning of the first ‘ask’ will also influence their paragraph divisions. Does Jn 16:23a go with what goes before (verse 19) or does it go with what follows (verse 24)?
Just a bit of added information the ‘verb’ that originally meant to ‘ask a question’ (erōtaō) is used clearly with that meaning three times in chapter 16 see 16:5; 16:19; and 16:30. So what do you think its meaning is in verse 23?
Chapter 17 contains what is often referred to as Jesus’ ‘High Priestly Prayer.’ In the prayer Jesus first prays for Himself then for His disciples and lastly for all who would believe through the word of the disciples, which would include us. As you read this section of the prayer meditate on the fact that Jesus has prayed for you.
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