John 16:16-22
‘A little while, and you shall not see Me! But again a little while, and you shall see Me — because I go to the Father!… You shall weep…. But your sorrow shall be turned into joy…. I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice. And your joy, no man takes from you!’ John 16:16-22.
Calvin comments: “‘A little while, and you (then) behold Me no more!’ Christ had often forewarned the Apostles of His departure. Partly, so that they might bear it with greater courage; and partly, so that they might desire more ardently the grace of the Spirit for which they (then) had no great desire — while they had Christ present with them physically….
“He declares that He will soon be restored to them, after He had gone away. But in another way — that is, by the presence of the Holy Spirit….
“He relieves and softens their sorrow for His absence, by the consolation that it will not last long. And so He commends the grace of the Spirit, by which He will be continually with them…. He is seen, when He dwells in the disciples by the Spirit!…
“The grace of the Spirit, is a mirror in which Christ wishes us to see Him…. You will soon see Me. For My death is not a destruction which will separate Me from you, but a passing to the heavenly glory. Whence My divine power will be shed, even to you!’….
“‘You shall weep and lament.’ He shows the reason why He foretold that His departure was at hand…. At the same time, (He) added a promise about His quick return. This was, so that they might the better understand how necessary was the help of the Spirit…. He described the time between His death and the sending of the Spirit. For it was then that their faith lay as it were
overwhelmed.
“‘Your sorrow shall be turned into joy!’ He means the joy with which they would be endued, when they had received the Spirit…. Renewed by the Spirit, they put off their former feeling of weakness…. Their present weakness was compared with the power of the Spirit, Who was soon to be given to them….
“As if Christ said: ‘You will lie as it were prostrate, for a while. But when the Spirit has raised you, a new joy will begin — which will continually increase, until you have been received into the heavenly glory …. Then, you will have perfect joy!’….
“‘And your joy, no one takes away from you!’ The value of the joy, is greatly increased by its perpetuity. For it follows that the afflictions are light and should be calmly endured, because they are momentary. By these words, Christ tells us what true joy is. The world must needs quickly be deprived of its joys, which it seeks only in fading things…. We must come to Christ’s resurrection — in which there is eternal stability!” Christians shall rejoice, when they see Jesus! You too?
