John 16 prepares the disciples for exclusion and persecution, explains why Jesus' departure is connected to the Counselor's coming, promises that grief will turn to joy, and ends by locating peace in Jesus rather than in the absence of trouble.
Jesus tells the disciples about coming hostility so that they will not be taken by surprise. He then returns to the problem of his departure. Instead of presenting departure as pure loss, he says it is connected to the Counselor's coming and describes the Spirit's work regarding the world and the disciples' continuing reception of truth.
The disciples struggle to understand Jesus' language about a little while. Jesus uses the image of childbirth to describe sorrow that becomes joy and speaks about asking the Father in his name. The chapter closes with the disciples expressing confidence, Jesus warning that they will scatter, and a final assurance: tribulation is real, but peace is found in him because he has overcome the world.
Jesus warns about exclusion and violence so that later hostility will not appear to disprove what he has told them.
The departure is connected to the Counselor's coming, and Jesus describes the Spirit's work in relation to the world, truth, and the glorification of the Son.
The disciples' confusion over Jesus' departure and return is answered through the image of labor pains giving way to joy.
The disciples claim understanding, Jesus predicts their scattering, and he closes with a promise of peace in the middle of tribulation.
The Spirit's work is described as exposing, guiding, declaring, and glorifying rather than replacing Jesus with an unrelated message.
Jesus does not minimize the disciples' grief; he promises transformation of that grief, using childbirth as the image for pain that gives way to joy.
The closing promise is explicitly paired with trouble in the world, so peace is grounded in Jesus' victory rather than comfortable circumstances.
John 16 develops the earlier promise of the Counselor and the earlier gift of peace.
The promised movement from fear and sorrow to joy is echoed when the risen Jesus appears to the gathered disciples.