John 16:33
These things have I spoken to you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye have tribulation; but be of good courage I have overcome the world.
View all translations →John 16:33 closes the Lord's farewell address to His disciples on the night of His betrayal — a parting word designed to brace their hearts before the cross, and to leave every believer with a settled refuge. Two spheres are placed side by side: "in Me" — peace; "in the world" — tribulation; and over both stands the triumphant declaration, "I have overcome the world."
The verse provides a resource that nothing in the disciples themselves or in their circumstances can disturb. Hamilton Smith draws out the pastoral force of the words:
Hamilton SmithIf the Lord will warn the disciples of their weakness, He will not leave them without one last word of cheer and encouragement. Whatever failure in themselves they may have to deplore, whatever trials in the world they may have to meet, yet, in Christ they would have peace. They may find much in themselves, and much in the world to disturb them, but in Christ they would have an unfailing resource — One in whom their hearts could rest in perfect peace. The world may indeed overcome the disciples, as they are shortly to prove, but Christ has overcome the world.
William Kelly carefully separates this habitual tribulation of the saints from the prophetic "great tribulation" appointed for Israel. He also weds the verse to 1 John 5, which makes faith itself the principle of victory:
William KellyIn the world tribulation was to be their portion, not as for the Jew retributively at a specified and measured hour (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21; Mark 13:19) at the time of the end... but habitually for those not of the world, and hence a prey in it. Yet are they called to courage, as knowing Him Whom they have believed... What a spring and cheer, that we have to overcome a foe already overcome! He indeed alone; we looking to Him Who gives power for all things. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5)
A magazine writer presses the point that the peace promised here is not the world's peace — the mere absence of conflict — but a positive, divine calm enjoyed while the storm rages:
MagazinesIf you consult the dictionary you will find that peace is defined as the absence of war. That is the highest to which dictionaries can reach. But if you read your Bible you get a different thought. Briefly stated, Bible peace is peace in the midst of war. This is very arresting. One could not imagine for a moment that our God is at all disturbed or caught unawares by any storm down here... This is what characterised the Lord Jesus in His holy pathway here.
The same word is searching for those who walk after the disciples. Faith in the Son of God who has overcome is the only thing that holds steady:
MagazinesWe, beloved brethren, have received the Holy Ghost, and (1 John 5:4-5) divinely given faith in the Son of God, who has overcome the world. Are we, in practice and in truth, walking so that our peace is in Him? I mean the peace of a heart truly dependent upon Him in the midst of tribulation. (v. 33.)... Victory over the world is attached to this true faith; all else must end in utter confusion.
This verse stands as the grand conclusion to the upper room ministry of John 13–16, lifting the eye off self and circumstances and fixing it on the victorious Christ:
Hamilton SmithThus the disciples, and ourselves, may be of good cheer, for the One who loves us, who lives for us, who is coming for us — the One who is with us — is the One who has overcome the world. Thus as the great discourses reach their end we are left with a word of encouragement that, lifting us above all our failure, leaves us in the contemplation of the victory of the Lord.
- Two spheres. "In Me" the believer finds peace; "in the world" he meets tribulation — both are normal Christian experience, never one without the other.
- Habitual, not prophetic. The tribulation of John 16:33 is the steady pressure of a hostile world on those not of it, distinct from the future "great tribulation" appointed to Israel.
- Peace amid war. Bible peace is not the absence of conflict but a divine calm kept undisturbed while the storm rages, the very calm seen in Christ Himself.
- Faith is the victory. The believer overcomes a foe already overcome; 1 John 5:5 names faith in the Son of God as the working principle.
- Cheer above failure. The verse closes the upper room discourse by lifting the eye off self and disciples' weakness and fixing it on the triumphant Christ.