In John 16:5-16 Jesus talks to his disciples about future matters and does so speaking figuratively, by the use of figures of speech. After he was done talking, his disciples didn’t understand what he meant when He said “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me”, and other things He had said, to which they kept asking between themselves what this could possibly mean. You can confirm this on verse 17-18. On verse 19 then it explains how Jesus, noticing they wanted to ask him about this, said something further, speaking now in a more clear manner and without figures of speech. Jesus had known they wanted to ask him something even before they asked him or mentioned anything about it.
After he had responded and explained further to them, verses 19-28, they responded to him in verse 30: “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” Notice the word “THIS“. It’s interesting to note this happens two chapters before Jesus is finally arrested and completes his mission(John 18). So they have been followers of Jesus for a while now, and yet now is when they really believe with all their senses and finally get it. Only because they received empirical proof that he had the power of knowing things beforehand and reading the hearts of men.
Our natural tendency and first reaction as humans is to disbelieve and doubt everything. We are always aching for even more proof, but I wonder what would be the outcome of us taking God’s word from the get go? Of us believing in Him wholeheartedly from the beginning? I think we could spare ourselves the dreading remark of Jesus’ reply to them, as if He had been waiting for a long time and is finally relieved they now get it, in verse 31: “You believe at last!”
Thinking As Leverage 