KJV John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father”

NASB John 16:28  “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”

Without disparaging other authors who have contributed to the Scriptures of Truth by the Spirit of God, there is something remarkable about John’s contribution. His Gospel is punctuated by concise, insightful and weighty statements. These statements are precious and instructive for us to consider. I am thinking not only of the seven “I am” declarations. They, by themselves, are vast gold mines that we cannot fully explore. I am thinking rather of statements such as the one cited above from John 16. It was stated in the shadow of the cross as the Lord sought to strengthen the disciples before His death. It was among His last words to them prior to John 17 and His conversation with His Father.

Taking the verse, statement by statement, think of all that is being affirmed in His words:

“I came forth from the Father” — His eternal Sonship and Deity are expressed by this statement. He came forth from One Who is titled “Father.” As such, an Eternal Father must have an Eternal Son. His coming was not what began His Sonship. His coming displayed the beauty of His Sonship. “When the fulness of the times was come, God sent forth His Son.” (Galatians 4:4)

But if He is the eternal Son, then He must of necessity possess eternal deity. And though John had taught us this much earlier in His Gospel, it is good to reaffirm it here prior to the cross.

“And am come into the world” — His Incarnation and True Humanity are all wrapped up in this terse statement. He came into our world. His coming was a voluntary act, determined in a past eternity. When He called worlds into being, He knew He was the Lamb foreordained to come into that very world. Here was the landscape upon which He would display His love for His Father and His love for each of us.

When He framed man from the dust of the earth, He knew He was framing the race of creatures that would reject and slay Him. And yet He came. His foreknowledge did not hinder His coming, nor did it staunch the grace and kindness that He displayed at every moment of His life.

He came into the world, not as an angelic being or as a visitor, “He dwelt among us” is how John has phrased it earlier in his writing. He was here as a real Man, though not a mere man. But He was here; He came to planet Earth, lived and walked down here. And He learned the cost of obedience by His coming.

He came into our world as a babe, vulnerable and dependent. He lived here, meek and lowly. He served His Master faithfully and truly.

“Again I leave the world” — His death, burial, and resurrection were before Him in this statement. While John uses many figures of His death, such as the uplifted serpent and the corn of wheat falling – there are few direct references to the cross in the Lord’s messages. Yet He was ever conscious of the means by which He would leave the world. Leaving the world would involve His death, burial, and resurrection.

“And go to the Father” — His ascension, entrance, and enthronement at His Father’s right hand are all embodied in this final phrase. Throughout the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus has made 18 references to returning to the Father. He knew it must be by way of the cross, but what seems to occupy Him in John is not so much the cross, but His return to the Father.

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This was foremost in His mind throughout His earthly sojourn – the Father. They moved together, like Abraham and Isaac, throughout His life here below (John 8:29; 16:31). As typified in the homing pigeon in the offerings, He longed for home!

Consider:

Think of other doctrinal statements in John’s Gospel, single verses which capsulize tremendous truth.