SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:7
¶ Pero yo os digo la verdad: Os es necesario que yo me vaya; porque si yo no me fuese, el Consolador no vendría a vosotros; mas si me fuere, os lo enviar.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 16:7
Verse 7. It is expedient-that I go away] In other places he had showed them the absolute necessity of his death for the salvation of men: see Matt. xx. 19; xxvi. 2; Mark ix. 31; x. 33, Luke ix. 44; xviii. 32. This he does not repeat here, but shows them that, by the order of God, the Holy Spirit cannot come to them, nor to the world, unless he first die; and consequently men cannot be saved but in this way.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth , etc.] Christ was truth itself, and could say nothing else; but he makes use of this way of speaking, to raise the attention of his disciples, and to engage their belief of what he was about to say, and of which they were not easily persuaded; which was, that however overwhelmed they were with grief and sorrow, because of his going away from them, a greater truth he could not tell them, than that this would be to their real good and advantage: it is expedient for you that I go away ; Christs death here, as in many other places in these discourses of his, is signified by going away, a departure, taking a sort of a journey, such an one as indeed is common to all mankind; death is the way of all the earth, and which Christ took by agreement with his Father; a dark way is the valley of the shadow of death, and so it was to Christ, who went away in the dark, under the hidings of his Fathers face; it is a mans going to his long home, and a long journey it is, till he returns in the resurrection morn; though it was a short one to Christ, who rose again the third day. The phrase supposes the place and persons he went from, this world and his disciples; and the place and persons he went unto, the grave, heaven, his Father, the blessed Spirit, angels, and glorified saints; and is expressive of the voluntariness of his death; he was not fetched, or thrust, and forced away, but he went away of himself; and is a very easy and familiar way of expressing death by, and greatly takes off the dread and terror of it; it is only moving from one place to another, as from one house, city, or country, to another; and shows, that it is not an annihilation of a man, either in body or soul, only a translating of him from one place and state to another. Now the death of Christ was expedient, not only for himself, which he does not mention; he being concerned more for the happiness of his people than of himself; but for his disciples and all believers; for hereby a great many evils were prevented falling upon them, which otherwise would; as the heavy strokes of divine justice, the curses and condemnation of the law, the wrath and vengeance of God, and eternal death, ruin, and destruction; as well as many good things were hereby obtained for them; as the redemption of their souls from sin, law, hell, and death; peace; reconciliation, and atonement; the full and free forgiveness of all their sins, an everlasting righteousness, and eternal life. Moreover, Christs going away was expedient for his people; since he went to open the way for them into the holiest of all, by his blood; to take possession of heaven in their name and stead; to prepare mansions of glory for them; to appear in the presence of God for them; to be their advocate, and make intercession for all good things for them; to transact all their business between God them; to take care of their affairs; to present their petitions; to remove all charges and accusations; and to ask for, and see applied every blessing of grace unto them. The particular instanced in, in the text, of the expediency of it, is the mission and coming of the Spirit: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him to you . The Spirit of God in some sense had come, before the death of Christ; he had appeared in the creation of all things out of nothing, as a joint Creator with the Father and Son; he was come as a spirit of prophecy upon the inspired writers, and others; the Old Testament saints had received him as a spirit of faith; he had been given to Christ as man, without measure, and the disciples had been partakers of his gifts and graces; but he was not come in so peculiar a manner as he afterwards did; as the promise of the Father, the glorifier of Christ, the comforter of his people, the spirit of truth, and the reprover of the world: there are reasons to be given, why the Spirit of God should not come in such a manner before, as after the death of Christ. The order of the three divine persons in the Trinity, and in the economy of mans salvation, required such a method to be observed; that the Father should first, and for a while, be more especially manifested; next the Son, and then the Spirit: besides, our Lord has given a reason himself, why the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified, ( John 7:39); And the coming of the Spirit as a comforter, and the spirit of truth, was to be through the intercession, and by the mission of Christ; and therefore it was proper he should go away first, in order to send him; add to all this, that if Christ had not gone away or died, there would have been nothing for the Spirit to have done; no blood to sprinkle; no righteousness to reveal and bring near; no salvation to apply; or any of the things of Christ, and blessings of grace, to have taken and shown; all which are owing to the death of Christ, and which show the expediency of it: the expediency of Christs death for the mission of the Spirit to his disciples, is very conspicuous; for hereby they were comforted and supported under a variety of troubles; were led into all truth, and so furnished for their ministerial work; and were made abundantly successful in it, that being attended with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-15 - Christ's departure was necessary to the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's death, which was his going away His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at all times, wherever two of three are gathered together in his name. See here the office of the Spirit, first to reprove, or to convince. Convincing work is the Spirit's work; he can do it effectually, and none but he. It is the method the Holy Spirit takes, first to convince, and then to comfort The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin; of the fault of sin; of the folly of sin; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become hatefu to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Holy Spirit prove that all the world is guilty before God. He convinces the world of righteousness; that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ the righteous. Also of Christ's righteousness, imparted to us for justification an salvation. He will show them where it is to be had, and how they may be accepted as righteous in God's sight. Christ's ascension proves the ransom was accepted, and the righteousness finished, through whic believers were to be justified. Of judgment, because the prince of thi world is judged. All will be well, when his power is broken, who mad all the mischief. As Satan is subdued by Christ, this gives u confidence, for no other power can stand before him. And of the day of judgment. The coming of the Spirit would be of unspeakable advantage to the disciples. The Holy Spirit is our Guide, not only to show us the way, but to go with us by continued aids and influences. To be led int a truth is more than barely to know it; it is not only to have the notion of it in our heads, but the relish, and savour, and power of is in our hearts. He shall teach all truth, and keep back nothin profitable, for he will show things to come. All the gifts and grace of the Spirit, all the preaching, and all the writing of the apostles under the influence of the Spirit, all the tongues, and miracles, wer to glorify Christ. It behoves every one to ask, whether the Holy Spiri has begun a good work in his heart? Without clear discovery of ou guilt and danger, we never shall understand the value of Christ' salvation; but when brought to know ourselves aright, we begin to se the value of the Redeemer. We should have fuller views of the Redeemer and more lively affections to him, if we more prayed for, and depende on the Holy Spirit.
Greek Textus Receptus
αλλ 235 CONJ εγω 1473 P-1NS την 3588 T-ASF αληθειαν 225 N-ASF λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP συμφερει 4851 5719 V-PAI-3S υμιν 5213 P-2DP ινα 2443 CONJ εγω 1473 P-1NS απελθω 565 5632 V-2AAS-1S εαν 1437 COND γαρ 1063 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N απελθω 565 5632 V-2AAS-1S ο 3588 T-NSM παρακλητος 3875 N-NSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N ελευσεται 2064 5695 V-FDI-3S προς 4314 PREP υμας 5209 P-2AP εαν 1437 COND δε 1161 CONJ πορευθω 4198 5680 V-AOS-1S πεμψω 3992 5692 V-FAI-1S αυτον 846 P-ASM προς 4314 PREP υμας 5209 P-2AP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. It is expedient (sumferei). From son together, and ferw to bear or bring. The underlying idea of the word is concurrence of circumstances. Go away (apelqw). The different words for go should be noted in this verse, and ver. 10. Here, expressing simple departure from a point.Depart (poreuqw). Rev., go. With the notion of going for a purpose, which is expressed in I will send him.
