“A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.”
At the beginning of this section the expression “a little while” is used seven times in four verses. Jesus uses it, the disciples puzzle amongst themselves about this expression, and Jesus knows that they want to question him about it. Remember the disciples haven’t experienced the resurrection, so this expression may well have been really puzzling. According to commentators, the expression could refer to his coming again in the person and work of the Holy Spirit, or to his post-resurrection appearances, or even to the ascension and coming again. The ambiguity might be deliberate so that Jesus’ death and resurrection are themselves events that both prefigure and anticipate final events. However, most likely this refers to Jesus’ death and the post-resurrection appearances.
Jesus tells the disciples that they will mourn and grieve while the world rejoices, but afterwards their pain will turn into joy. He uses the example of a woman in childbirth. During labor the mother is in anguish, but when the child is born the distress is forgotten and joy comes.
The death and resurrection of Jesus is an event that separates before and after. There is an impact on prayer, for example. Before, the disciples have not asked for anything in the name of Jesus; afterwards they will ask, “so that your joy may be complete.” That joy will not be removed.
Another transition is about to happen. Jesus will no longer speak in figures of speech, but will speak plainly. Again, Jesus insists on the unity of the Father and him. The plain speaking elicits a response from the disciples: “Now we know that you know all things…by this we believe that you came from God.” It’s probably significant that they don’t say that they understand, rather that they have full confidence in Jesus that he has answered the question in their hearts (v. 19).
The disciples have just professed their faith, and soon they will fail Jesus at the time of crisis and scatter back to their homes. Even so, Jesus is never alone because he says “the Father is with me.”
In the last verse there are three contrasts: “in me” compared with “in this world,” “you may have” over against “you will have,” and “peace” versus “trouble.” The contrast is that all must live in the world and will have trouble. Some people may also live in Christ and when they do so they will have peace. Jesus ends with “But take courage, I have conquered the world!” The Greek verb for “conquer” is used only here in John’s gospel. It is an audacious statement given that the world will see the cross as total defeat. Jesus goes to the cross not in fear or gloom, but as a conqueror.
Can you think of experiences that birthed something new? Where pain was turned to joy?