John 16:17
in John 16Then 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’?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
KJV
Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
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This verse in John 16
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThen said some of his disciples among themselves,.... It may be, some of them might better understand the meaning of Christ than others, or they might all be ignorant of it; for before the effusion of the Spirit on them, they were attended with a great deal of ignorance; and what through their being overwhelmed at this time with sorrow, and what with their national sentiments they retained about a temporal kingdom, they understood very little of what Christ said to them concerning his death, the nature, use, and end of it.
This site's exposition
In a little while
on John 16:16-19
In a little while covers two spans, the hours the grave hides Him and the day He stands among them again. The disciples turn the saying over with one another and cannot make it out. Jesus knows the question before they ask it.
This site's exposition
Then some of His disciples asked
The disciples join the saying of verse 16 to verse 10, because I am going to the Father, and cannot fit the two together. They knew He was about to leave and did not know He would come back so soon. Grief and misunderstanding thicken each other.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Tr. c. 1) The meaning of these words however was obscure, before their fulfilment; Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me: and, Because I go to the Father. (Tr. ci. 1) For above, because He did not say, A little while, but simply, I go to the Father, He seemed to speak plainly. But what to them was obscure at the time, but by and by manifested, is manifest to us. For in a little while He suffered, and they did not see Him; and again, in a little while He rose again, and they saw Him. He says, And ye shall see Me no more; for the mortal Christ they saw no more. (Tr. ci) Which must be understood thus, viz. that the disciples sorrowed at their Lord's death, and then immediately rejoiced at His resurrection. The world (i. e. the enemies of Christ, who put Him to death) rejoiced just when the disciples sorrowed, i. e. at His death: Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (Tr. ci) This comparison does not seem difficult to understand. It was one which lay near at hand, and He Himself immediately shows its application. And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice. The bringing forth is compared to sorrow, the birth to joy, which is especially true in the birth of a boy. And your joy no man taketh from you: their joy is Christ. This agrees with what the Apostle saith, Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more. (Rom. 6:9) (Tr. ci. 6) To this joy it is better to refer what was said above, A little while and ye shall not see Me, and again, a little while and ye shall see Me. For the whole space of time that this world continues is but a little while. […]
"If," saith one of them, "we shall see Thee, whither goest Thou? And if Thou goest, how shall we see Thee?" Therefore they say, "We cannot tell what He saith." That He was about to depart, they knew; but they knew not that He would shortly come to them. On which account He rebuketh them, because they did not understand His saying.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Some of his disciples therefore said, etc. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the doubt of the disciples, which proceeded from what he had said: in a little while not to be seen and to be seen; on account of which he says: …
2121 Now we see the perplexity of the disciples: first, they talk it over among themselves; secondly, we see the reason for their perplexity; and thirdly, we see their point of view and attitude. 2122 The disciples questioned one another about the Lord's statement, saying, …
Therefore one might well wonder how they did not understand His words. Most likely, the grief that had taken hold of their soul was erasing from their memory what was being said, or a lack of comprehension came upon them due to the obscurity of …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The darkness of ignorance and the darkness of melancholy commonly increase and thicken one another; mistakes cause griefs, and then griefs confirm mistakes. (2.) The notion of Christ's secular kingdom was so deeply rooted in them that they could make no sense at all of those sayings of his which they knew not how to reconcile with that notion.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
At the same time the sorrow of the widowed Church in the absence of her Lord in the heavens, and her transport at His personal return, are certainly here expressed.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Not all Christ's sayings were understood by His disciples. We are told this distinctly in the passage we have now read. "What is this that he says? We cannot tell what he says." None ever spoke so plainly as Jesus. None were so thoroughly accustomed to His style of teaching as the Apostles. Yet even the Apostles did not always take in their Master's meaning. Surely we have no right to be surprised if we cannot interpret Christ's words. There are many depths in those who we have no line to fathom.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Not all Christ's sayings were understood by His disciples. We are told this distinctly in the passage we have now read. "What is this that he says? We cannot tell what he says." None ever spoke so plainly as Jesus. None were so thoroughly accustomed to His style of teaching as the Apostles. Yet even the Apostles did not always take in their Master's meaning. Surely we have no right to be surprised if we cannot interpret Christ's words. There are many depths in those who we have no line to fathom. But let us thank God that there are many sayings of our Lord recorded which no honest mind can fail to understand. Let us use diligently the light that we have, and not doubt that "to him that has, more shall be given." We learn, for one thing, in these verses, that Christ's absence from the earth will be a time of sorrow to believers, but of joy to the world. It is written, "You shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice." To confine these words to the single point of Christ's approaching death and burial, appears a narrow view of their meaning. Like many of our Lord's sayings on the last evening of His earthly ministry, they seem to extend over the whole period of time between His first and second advents. Christ's personal absence must needs be a sorrow to all true-hearted believers. "The children of the bride-chamber cannot but fast when the bridegroom is taken from them." Faith is not sight. Hope is not certainty. Reading and hearing are not the same as beholding. Praying is not the same as speaking face to face. There is something, even in the hearts of the most eminent saints, that will never be fully satisfied as long as they are on earth and Christ is in heaven.
The words behind it
31 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπαν | eipan | Said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἐκ | ek | [some] of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθητῶν | matheton | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἀλλήλους· | allelous | one another; | G240 → | 100 times |
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ὃ | ho | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| λέγει | legei | He says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἡμῖν· | hemin | to us; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| μικρὸν | mikron | A little [while] | G3398 → | 46 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| θεωρεῖτέ | theoreite | you do behold | G2334 → | 58 times |
| με, | me | Me, | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| μικρὸν | mikron | a little [while] | G3398 → | 46 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὄψεσθέ | opsesthe | you will behold | G3700 → | 54 times |
| με; | me | Me’? | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | Because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὑπάγω | hupago | I am going | G5217 → | 79 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατέρα; | patera | Father’? | G3962 → | 410 times |
εἶπανSaid
eipanG2036 →925 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ἐκ[some] of
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
μαθητῶνdisciples
mathetonG3101 →260 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ἀλλήλους·one another;
allelousG240 →100 times
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ὃthat
hoG3739 →1405 times
λέγειHe says
legeiG3004 →1325 times
ἡμῖν·to us;
heminG3165 →1936 times
μικρὸνA little [while]
mikronG3398 →46 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
θεωρεῖτέyou do behold
theoreiteG2334 →58 times
με,Me,
meG3165 →1936 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
μικρὸνa little [while]
mikronG3398 →46 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὄψεσθέyou will behold
opsestheG3700 →54 times
με;Me’?
meG3165 →1936 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτιBecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὑπάγωI am going
hupagoG5217 →79 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πατέρα;Father’?
pateraG3962 →410 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 16:16In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
it leads to
- John 7:33
So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 14:18–24
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
- John 7:33
Through
John 16:5Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
it leads to
- John 13:36
“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
- John 16:28
I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 13:36
Through
Mark 9:32But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
it leads to
- John 16:19
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…
- Luke 9:45
But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
- Luke 18:34
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.
- Luke 2:50
But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.
- John 16:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About John
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 16; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, John; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 79; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.