John 16:17
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Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
DISCOURSE AT THE SUPPER TABLE CONCLUDED. (John 16:1-33) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended--both the warnings and the encouragements just given.
Open source ↗Among other glorious things God hath spoken of himself this is one, I wound, and I heal, Deu. 32, 39. Christ's discourse in this chapter, which continues and concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples, does so. I. Here are wounding words in the notice he gives them of the troubles that were before them (Joh 16:1-6). II. Here are healing words in the comforts he administers to them for their support under those troubles, which are five: - 1. That he would send them the Comforter (Joh 16:7-15). 2. That he would visit them again at his resurrection (Joh 16:16-22). 3. That he would secure to them an answer of peace to all their prayers (Joh 16:23-27). 4. That he was now but returning to his Father (Joh 16:28-32). 5. That, whatever troubles they might meet with in this world, by virtue of his victory over it they should be sure of peace in him (Joh 16:33).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.
So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead.
Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.