John 16:19

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, "I said, "In a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.' Is this what you are asking about among yourselves?

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 Some of his disciples asked among themselves, "What does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him; and he also says, "It is because I am going to the Father.'

18 What does this "a little while' mean? We don't know what he is talking about!"

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, "I said, "In a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.' Is this what you are asking about among yourselves?

20 I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness.

21 When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffering has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world.