Summary of the Upper Room Discourse

Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed and face illegal trials, mockings, beatings, crucifixion, and the wrath of God for our sin.  He also knew His disciples would be shaken by these events and would scatter and hide in fear (John 16:32; cf. Matt. 26:56; John 20:19).  Because He loved them, Jesus prepared them for the trials ahead (John 13:1; 16:33).  He instilled knowledge that would result in fruitful lives after His resurrection when their faith was strengthened.  Jesus taught His disciples to model humility and forgiveness (John 13:1-17), to love as He loves (John 13:34; 15:11-17), to know they have a home in heaven prepared for them (John 14:1-6), to pray to the Father in His name (John 14:13-14; 16:23-26), to expect the coming of the Holy Spirit after His departure (John 14:26; 16:7-15), to abide in fellowship with Him that they may bear fruit (John 15:1-10, 16), to expect hatred and persecution from the world (John 15:18-27; 16:1-4), to anticipate grief and joy (John 16:16-22), to accept that Jesus will return to the Father (John 16:5, 10, 28; cf. 13:1-3), to realize they are loved by God the Father (John 16:27), that the disciples would fail Him as He went to the cross (John 16:32), and to know that Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension will finalize victory over Satan and his world-system (John 16:11, 33).  As a result of these truths, the disciples who lived by faith would have an unshakable peace and courage while living in a hateful and hostile world (John 16:33).