John 16:29

His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

His ^{G846} disciples ^{G3101} said ^{G3004} unto him ^{G846}, Lo ^{G2396}, now ^{G3568} speakest thou ^{G2980} plainly ^{G3954}, and ^{G2532} speakest ^{G3004} no ^{G3762} proverb ^{G3942}.

The talmidim said to him, “Look, you’re talking plainly right now, you’re not speaking indirectly at all.

His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.

His disciples say, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no dark saying.

John 16:29 captures a pivotal moment of perceived clarity for Jesus' disciples during His Farewell Discourse. After hours of intimate teaching, warnings, and promises, they express a sense of breakthrough in understanding His words.

Context

Leading up to this verse, Jesus had been preparing His disciples for His impending departure (His crucifixion and ascension). He had spoken extensively about the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, future persecution, and the sorrow that would turn into joy (John 16:20). Importantly, in John 16:25, Jesus Himself stated, "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father." The disciples' exclamation in verse 29 is their immediate reaction to Jesus' subsequent statement in 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." This direct declaration resonated deeply with them.

Key Themes

Clarity and Understanding: The disciples, who had often struggled to grasp the deeper meaning of Jesus' words (e.g., John 10:6, John 14:8-9), finally felt that Jesus was speaking without metaphor or veiled language. This highlights their desire for direct, unambiguous truth concerning Jesus' identity and mission.
Jesus' Plain Identity: The core of what they found "plain" was Jesus' clear affirmation of His divine origin and ultimate destination. This was a straightforward declaration of His relationship with God the Father and His mission.
Progressive Revelation: This verse illustrates that understanding spiritual truth can be a gradual process. Jesus strategically used both parables and direct speech, revealing truth as His disciples were prepared to receive it.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version uses "proverb" for the Greek word paroimia (παροιμία), which can mean an obscure saying, a dark saying, an allegory, or a figure of speech, rather than just a common maxim. It implies a truth veiled in figurative language. In contrast, "plainly" comes from the Greek parresia (παρρησία), signifying openness, boldness, and speaking without ambiguity or concealment. The disciples perceived that Jesus had shifted from teaching in veiled terms to speaking with full parresia.

Practical Application

For believers today, John 16:29 offers encouragement regarding our own journey of faith and understanding. Sometimes, God's ways or His Word may seem obscure, much like Jesus' "proverbs" to His disciples. Yet, there are moments of profound clarity when spiritual truth illuminates our hearts and minds. This verse reminds us:

Seek Understanding: It is natural to desire clear answers and plain teaching from God's Word.
Trust the Process: God reveals truth progressively. What may seem obscure today may become clear tomorrow, especially as we grow in faith and are guided by the Holy Spirit.
Value Direct Truth: When God speaks plainly, it is a precious gift to be received with gratitude and acted upon.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

John 16:25

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.