16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 “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.”
Read John 16:16-33 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
During Jesus’ last conversation with His disciples before being arrested and crucified, He shares with them a big picture idea that can help us frame God’s perspective on our world. When trying to help the disciples see past what was about to happen, Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (v. 20-22)
The idea I find very interesting in this is while the world is rejoicing, Jesus’ disciples and followers will be mourning. This tells me that the world had a different goal than Jesus’ or God did – or did it?
While Jesus was in the grave, part of me wonders what was happening in heaven. Was heaven filled with joy over Jesus’ completion of His salvation sacrifice, or was heaven filled with sadness over Jesus’ death on the cross? While the world was rejoicing over Jesus’ death and the disciples were sad, was heaven rejoicing with the world, or shedding tears with the disciples?
I am inclined to believe that both joy and sadness were present in heaven on that Sabbath that Jesus rested in the grave. I think that day was a day with mixed emotions unlike heaven had ever experienced up to that point.
But the perspective Jesus shares here in these words to His disciples is a much bigger, broader perspective then the immediate moment. Jesus tells His followers that the world looks at the immediate moment for its emotions, but they are to give equal or greater weight to the perspective that looks at the ultimate end. This means that whatever comes our way, whether we experience things that cause us joy or events that bring tears, we can find joy when looking at the big, big picture that reminds us that Jesus returns, and when history has ended, Jesus will stand victorious!
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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