John 16:30

Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

Now {G3568} are we sure {G1492} that {G3754} thou knowest {G1492} all things {G3956}, and {G2532} needest {G5532} not {G3756}{G2192} that {G2443} any man {G5100} should ask {G2065} thee {G4571}: by {G1722} this {G5129} we believe {G4100} that {G3754} thou camest forth {G1831} from {G575} God {G2316}.

Now we know that you know everything, and that you don’t need to have people put their questions into words. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”

Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

John 16:30 captures a pivotal moment in the disciples' understanding and faith, just before Jesus' crucifixion.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' extended Farewell Discourse to His disciples, delivered in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion (John 13:1 onwards). Throughout this discourse, Jesus had been preparing them for His departure, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the persecution they would face. He had often spoken in parables and proverbs, but in the preceding verses (John 16:25-29), Jesus began to speak to them "plainly" and without "proverbs." The disciples' declaration in verse 30 is a direct response to Jesus' remarkable ability to answer their unspoken questions, which confirmed His divine insight.

Key Themes

  • Jesus' Omniscience: The disciples confidently declare, "Now are we sure that thou knowest all things." This acknowledges Jesus' unique, divine knowledge – His ability to perceive their thoughts and unasked questions. This is a hallmark of His deity, demonstrating that He truly is God incarnate.
  • Divine Origin: Their realization of His omniscience leads directly to the conclusion, "by this we believe that thou camest forth from God." For the disciples, Jesus' supernatural knowledge served as undeniable proof that He was not merely a human teacher or prophet, but one who originated directly from the Father, sent on a divine mission. This echoes Jesus' own claims about His origin in John 8:42.
  • Growing (Yet Fragile) Faith: This verse represents a significant leap in the disciples' faith and understanding. They had moved beyond confusion about His sayings to a clearer grasp of His identity. However, Jesus immediately challenges the depth of this "now" belief in the very next verses, predicting their scattering and abandonment (John 16:32), indicating their faith still needed the strengthening work of the Holy Spirit.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "knowest all things" comes from the Greek oida panta (οἶδα πάντα), which signifies an inherent, intuitive, and complete knowledge, as opposed to knowledge gained through learning or experience. This emphasizes Jesus' divine attribute of omniscience. The phrase "camest forth from God" (ἐξῆλθες ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, exelthen apo Theou) highlights Jesus' unique procession and divine origin, underscoring His pre-existence and mission from the Father.

Practical Application

For believers today, John 16:30 offers profound comfort and reassurance. Recognizing that Jesus "knowest all things" means that our prayers, unspoken thoughts, and deepest needs are fully known to Him, even before we articulate them (Matthew 6:8). It reinforces our trust in His perfect understanding and guidance. Furthermore, the disciples' conclusion that His omniscience proves He "camest forth from God" strengthens our foundational belief in Jesus' divine nature, the cornerstone of Christian faith. It reminds us that our salvation rests on the truth of who Jesus is – the Son of God, fully aware and fully capable.

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 21:17

    He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

  • Hebrews 4:13

    Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

  • John 17:8

    For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them], and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

  • John 16:27

    For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

  • 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.

  • John 16:17

    Then said [some] of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

  • John 5:20

    For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
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