We have examined two of our four Bible verses in this series, so far, looking at how people have misinterpreted scripture to promise an immediate improvement of our current situation. This time, it appears that our promise is for peace.
You might have heard, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” quoted to promise peace. But when anxiety, depression, and other struggles linger, do you feel let down? Mislead?
The Misinterpretation
The idea of a trouble-free type of peace was never Jesus’ promise, though this misinterpretation seems to imply that it is.
People often quote this section of John 16:33 on social media to provide comfort and hope. This isn’t a bad thing, but if it leads people to believe that it implies Christians should always feel peace, ignoring Jesus’ acknowledgement of trouble, it can make struggles feel like spiritual failure.
The Mental Health Impact
“If Jesus overcame the world, why is there still so much evil and suffering?” Has this thought crossed your mind? I think you would be justified asking this if you’ve only heard part of this verse, or if you’ve only thought of the implication of immediate peace, free from troubles.
But the problem is that this misinterpretation can lead to:
- Shame: Feeling unfaithful for lacking peace.
- Isolation: Hiding struggles to appear faithful.
- Delay in Help: Avoiding necessary therapy, expecting instant peace.
Correcting The Misconception
To understand what this verse actually says, we should start by looking at the entire verse – not just a snippet aimed to make us feel better about ourselves.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV).
When we look at the entire verse, there’s much more going on. We need to ask, what are “these things” that Jesus is talking about? And who is he talking to?
Verse 33 is only a few lines of a speech Jesus gives to his disciples, clarifying his previous comments. It might be best to view “these things” as everything Jesus said up to that point, not just what he said immediately before.1
If we look immediately prior to verse 33, we see Jesus telling his disciples that he will soon return to the Father. It appears, at a quick glance, that these are some parting words of wisdom, or what they can expect when he’s gone. This might seem clear to us, since in verse 16 he says, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” We need to leave this for another topic, but his disciples didn’t know Jesus was going to die.
The disciples had lived with Jesus’ teaching for years, and now they need to know what to do without him. It was as though he was explaining to them it was for the best.2 He wasn’t telling them life would be easy from this point forward. He didn’t want them to lose heart when life gets difficult.
If we believe that Jesus’ promise to his disciples was also a promise to us, we must understand that he was not telling them life is going to be easy. He explicitly says, “In this world you will have trouble.”
This might seem counterintuitive. How can we have peace in a world full of trouble?
The type of peace Jesus offers is not peace free from conflict. In fact, this isn’t the biblical view of peace. This type of peace described is wholeness and reconciliation to God.3
There Is Still Hope For Us
Jesus didn’t offer a promise of peace in the way we would like to think – a lack of stress, struggles, fear. This peace, “distinctly peculiar to Christianity,” is a “tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ.”4
When life has its troubles, which it will, and when those troubles come at us, we can be assured that Jesus has overcome the world. And there is peace knowing that.
Find More Resources
There are many resources to help when struggling with Bible interpretations (or misinterpretations). One that I have found to be very helpful is The Bible Project. But as always, you can reach out to me with any questions.
If you struggle with a mental health condition and need more resources, please feel free to contact me, or check out the links below.
References
1. Gill’s Exposition on John 16:33
Bible Study Tools. (n.d.). John 16:33 – Gill’s exposition of the Bible. https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/john-16-33.html
2. Blue Letter Bible – Matthew Henry Commentary on John 16
Blue Letter Bible. (n.d.). Matthew Henry commentary on John 16. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jhn/Jhn_016.cfm?a=1013033
3. BibleHub article on John 16:33 and conflict
BibleHub. (n.d.). How does John 16:33’s peace fit conflicts? https://biblehub.com/q/how_does_john_16_33’s_peace_fit_conflicts.htm
4. BibleHub – Greek word for “peace” (Strong’s 1515)
BibleHub. (n.d.). Strong’s Greek: 1515. εἰρήνη (eiréné) — peace. https://biblehub.com/greek/1515.htm