John Chapter 16: Submission Headship Godhead Androcentric Translation



    1: These things have I spoken to you that you should not be offended 2: They shall put you out of the synagogues but is coming an hour that whoever kills you will think that they do Theos service 3: And these things will they do to you because they have not known the Father nor me 4: But these things have I told you that when the time shall come you may remember that I told you of them And these things I said not to you at the beginning because I was with you 5: But now I go my way to him that sent me[1] and none of you asks me Where do you go 6: But because I have said these things to you sorrow has filled your hearts 7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth It is to your advantage that I go away if I go not away parakletos[2] will not come to you but if I depart I will send[3] her[4] to you 8: And when that one is come the same will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment 9: Of sin because they believe not on me 10: Of righteousness because I go to my Father and you see me no more 11: Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged 12: I have yet many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now 13: Howbeit when ekeinos[5] the Spirit of truth is come the same will guide you into all truth for she shall not speak of herself but whatever she shall hear that shall she speak and she will shew you things to come 14: Ekeinos shall glorify me for the same shall receive of mine and shall show it to you 15: All things that the Father holds are mine therefore said I that she shall take of mine and shall show it to you 16: A little while and you shall not see me and again a little while and you shall see me because I go to the Father 17: Then said some of his disciples among themselves What is this that he says to us A little while and you shall not see me and again a little while and you shall see me and Because I go to the Father 18: They said therefore What is this that he says A little while we do not understand what he is saying 19: Now Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him and said to them Do ye inquire among yourselves of what I said A little while and you shall not see me and again a little while and you shall see me 20: Amen, amen I say to you That you shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoice and you shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy 21: A woman when she is in labor has sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembers no more the anguish for joy that  one is born into the world 22: And you now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no one takes from you 23: And in that day you shall ask me nothing Amen, amen I say to you Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 24: Up till now you have asked nothing in my name Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full 25: These things have I spoken to you in proverbs but the time comes when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father 26: In that day you shall ask in my name and I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you 27: For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I am born of ho Theos 28: I am born of the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father 29: His disciples said to him See now you speak plainly and speak no proverb 30: Now are we sure that you know all things and need not that anyone should ask you by this we believe that you are born of God 31: Jesus answered them Do you now believe 32: Behold the hour comes yes is now come that you shall be scattered everyone to their own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me 33: These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world


[1] This verse cannot be used to establish hierarchy within the Godhead, as complementarian leaders claim, Jesus is the Prince of Peace who is also the Everlasting Father (Father of Eternity) Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah 9:6 is just one of many verses that establish Jesus’ identity as YHWH (Jehovah)—Almighty God himself.

[2] Parakletos G3875 Summoned; Called to one’s side; Called to one’s aid; One who pleads another’s cause before a Judge; Advocate; A pleader; Counsel for defense; Legal assistant; In the widest sense a helper, succorer, aider, assistant (Thayer).   

[3] Again, it is ludicrous to assume from this statement that, within the Godhead, Jesus ranks above the Holy Spirit in a military-like hierarchy. Within the Being we know as the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is referenced, in scripture, as being God himself Acts 5:3-4

[4] The Greek word, parakletos is a masculine noun that can refer to advocates in general whether heavenly or human (and in the culture of Ancient Greece, Advocates were always male), but it is universally agreed that the parakletos, in this verse, is a reference to the Holy Spirit. In the Torah, The Holy Spirit is always referred in the feminine, as RUWACH, e.g., “And Ruwach Elohiym fluttered over the face of the waters…” 

[5] Ekeinos can be translated as she, he, it, etc.. There is no textual basis for translating the Greek word, ekeinos, as “he,” in reference to the Holy Spirit—who is consistently referred to (in the Pentateuch/Torah) as feminine. This awkward fact is one reason complementarians are desperate to prove a non-existent hierarchy within the Godhead.

Jocelyn Andersen is best known for her book, Woman Submit! Christians & Domestic Violence.  She is also editor of the Hungry Hearts Online Bible Commentary  For more information about her work, visit her website at www.JocelynAndersen.com

Her study entitled, Trinity Marriage and the Godhead, (Volume 1 of the God Women Ministry series) examines and refutes the theory of hierarchy within the eternal Godhead. 







Additional commentary pending for this chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.

No comments: