John 16:19

19 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'?

John 16:19 Meaning and Commentary

John 16:19

Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him
This is a proof of Christ's deity, that he is the omniscient God who knows all things, what is in man, even the secrets of the heart; for he not only knew the whisperings of the disciples, and their inquiries among themselves about the sense of his words, but also their secret desires to ask him concerning it:

and said unto them, do ye inquire 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?
which he said before they could put the question to him, they being bashful, and backward, through fear or shame; and which not only confirms what is before observed of his omniscience, but also shows his readiness to open his mind and meaning, and explain himself to his disciples, as he does in the following words.

John 16:19 In-Context

17 At this, some of the talmidim said to one another, "What is this that he's telling us, `In a little while, you won't see me; then, a little while later, you will see me'? and, `I am going to the Father'?"

18 They went on saying, "What is this `little while'? We don't understand what he's talking about."

19 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'?

20 Yes, it's true. I tell you that you will sob and mourn, and the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

21 When a woman is giving birth, she is in pain; because her time has come. But when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering out of joy that a child has come into the world.