John 16:19

Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

Now {G3767} Jesus {G2424} knew {G1097} that {G3754} they were desirous {G2309} to ask {G2065} him {G846}, and {G2532} said {G2036} unto them {G846}, Do ye enquire {G2212} among {G3326} yourselves {G240} of {G4012} that {G5127}{G3754} I said {G2036}, A little while {G3397}, and {G2532} ye shall {G2334} not {G3756} see {G2334} me {G3165}: and {G2532} again {G3825}, a little while {G3397}, and {G2532} ye shall see {G3700} me {G3165}?

Yeshua knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you asking each other what I meant by saying, ‘In a little while, you won’t see me; and then, a little while later, you will see me’?

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’?

Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?

John 16:19 captures a pivotal moment in Jesus’ Upper Room discourse, revealing His divine foreknowledge and the disciples’ human struggle to comprehend His impending departure and return. This verse serves as a bridge, transitioning from the disciples' private confusion to Jesus' direct clarification of His earlier, enigmatic statements.

Context

This verse is nestled within Jesus' final teachings to His disciples before His crucifixion, often referred to as the Upper Room Discourse (John chapters 13-17). Just prior to this, Jesus had spoken cryptically about His departure and return, stating, "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father" (John 16:16). The disciples, though present and listening intently, were deeply perplexed by these words, particularly the paradoxical "little while." They began to question among themselves, unable to reconcile the idea of seeing and not seeing Him.

Meaning of the Verse

The core of John 16:19 lies in Jesus' omniscience. "Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him." This highlights His divine nature, knowing their unspoken thoughts and questions before they even articulated them. This is a consistent theme throughout John's Gospel, where Jesus frequently demonstrates His perfect knowledge of human hearts and minds. He then directly addresses their internal debate, repeating His earlier statement to prompt their understanding.

The "little while" references are crucial:

  • "ye shall not see me": This refers to Jesus' imminent death, burial, and the period He would be absent from them physically.
  • "ye shall see me": This points to His resurrection appearances to them shortly after His death, and ultimately, His spiritual presence with them through the Holy Spirit and His final return.

Key Themes

  • Divine Foreknowledge: Jesus' ability to know the disciples' thoughts underscores His deity and sovereign control over all circumstances, providing comfort that He understands our deepest confusions.
  • Disciples' Limited Understanding: The disciples' perplexity illustrates the human difficulty in grasping divine truths, especially when they involve suffering and paradox. Their confusion mirrors our own struggles to understand God's plan during times of uncertainty.
  • The Journey from Sorrow to Joy: This verse sets the stage for Jesus to explain that their temporary sorrow over His departure would be transformed into lasting joy upon His resurrection, as promised in John 16:20.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "knew" in "Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him" is ginōskō (γινώσκω), which implies a deep, experiential knowledge, not just intellectual awareness. It signifies Jesus' intimate understanding of their internal state. The phrase "a little while" translates from the Greek mikron (μικρόν), emphasizing the brevity of the period of separation and the subsequent joy of His return.

Practical Application

For believers today, John 16:19 offers immense comfort. It reminds us that Jesus knows our unspoken questions, our fears, and our confusion, even when we struggle to articulate them. When life presents paradoxical or difficult circumstances, we can trust that He understands our plight and has a plan that will ultimately lead to joy, even if it involves temporary sorrow. This verse encourages us to bring our honest questions and doubts to Him, knowing that He is fully aware and will provide understanding in His perfect timing, just as He did for His disciples.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 16:30

    Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

  • John 16:16

    A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

  • John 14:19

    Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

  • John 7:33

    Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and [then] I go unto him that sent me.

  • John 2:24

    But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all [men],

  • John 2:25

    And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

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