Context is the bane of the religious world. We pull scriptures out of the Bible, and without the preceding and following verses, the words take on a meaning the authors never intended.
We only understand the Word of God when we study the scriptures.
John 16:23-24 falls in the midst of Jesus teaching his disciples about a future time when he would no longer be with them. Up to this point, he’s taught them in parables, and now’s his time to speak clearly and to the point.
Jesus knows this is a sea change for the men who’ve given up everything to follow him. He’s been their focus, and they’ve hung on his every word for their very sustenance. They will be lost without him, so he gives them encouragement that he will still empower them to carry on in his name.
Jesus starts off with a statement that at first sounds odd.
“In that day you will ask nothing of me.”
Yet, this is the most important of his remarks. In the context of the moment, Jesus is saying that his trusted disciples will soon understand his parables and figures of speech with an unflagging clarity. The darkness will be pulled from their eyes, and the power of the Risen Savior will become theirs. They will no longer need to ask for explanations of what Jesus’ stories mean, because they will soon understand the true purpose of the Christ.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”
Here, Jesus makes one point very clear. All things that we ask of the Father must be requested in the name of Jesus. More precisely, we are to ask with the authority that Jesus invests in us. We can’t wimp around and expect God to respond to our half-hearted prayers.
“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
Read this paraphrase. Until now, you have asked nothing with the authority I have invested in you. Ah, now it begins to make sense. Once we ask with the full power of the authority Jesus invests in us, we will receive our answer, and his joy will be ours.
It’s the power of Christ’s death on the cross that makes our prayers effective. When our salvation is assured, the answers to our prayers will be certain.
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Code: FGO.I.22.17g.vp.esv