Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 16:16-22

"A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me. [Some] of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith. Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you." — John 16:16-22 (ASV)

Above, our Lord explained one reason for their consolation: his promise of the Holy Spirit. Here he gives the second, which is that they will see him again.

This section has three parts:

1. The promise is made that they will see him again.
2. We see the perplexity of the disciples: then some of the disciples said to one another.
3. Their perplexity is answered: Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask him.

When our Lord foretold that he would leave his disciples, he also promised that they would see him again. He insists on this several times so that by considering his return, they might better endure his absence.

He actually mentions three things to console them:

• His absence will be brief.
• He will be with them again.
• He will leave with honor.

His absence is brief because of the phrase a little while and you will not see me. The phrase little while refers to the time when you will not see me. It is as if he is saying: “I will be taken from you by death, and you will not see me. But do not be sad, because the time during which you will not see me will be a little while, for I will rise at dawn on the third day.” As it is written, hide yourselves for a little while until the wrath is past (Isaiah 26:20).

He will be with them again because of the phrase again a little while. This refers to a brief time after the resurrection—for forty days, appearing to them during forty days (Acts 1:3)—when you will see me. As it says later, then the disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord (John 20:20).

And he will leave with honor, because I go to the Father, for as they were looking on, he was lifted up (Acts 1:9).

Another interpretation is that the first little while refers to the time before Christ’s death. The meaning would be: it will just be a little while until I am taken from you—that is, on the next day, as he said, yet a little while I am with you (John 13:33). And you will not see me in mortal form, because yet a little while, and the world will see me no more (John 14:19) as a mortal man. The world will, however, see him at the judgment when he comes in majesty. But the disciples will see the immortal Christ after the resurrection, because as we read, God... made him manifest, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses (Acts 10:40). And so he adds, a little while, and you will see me, for he will remain in death only for a short time: in a moment of indignation I hid my face from you for a little while (Isaiah 54:8).

Alternatively, this little while before we see him can refer to the time of our entire lives until the final judgment. Then we will see Christ at the judgment and in glory. This duration is called a little while in relation to eternity: for a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past (Psalms 90:4). He says, Because I go to the Father, which he does by his resurrection and ascension, for Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father (John 13:1).

Next, we see the perplexity of the disciples. This is shown in three ways:

1. They talk it over among themselves.
2. We see the reason for their perplexity.
3. We see their point of view and attitude.

The disciples questioned one another about the Lord’s statement, asking, what is this that he said, a little while? They show an admirable respect for Christ, so great that they did not presume to question him directly. The angels do the same: who is this that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah? (Isaiah 63:1). And he answers: it is I who am speaking of righteousness and a defender who saves you (Isaiah 63:1). We see from the disciples’ words that they did not yet fully understand what Christ said, either because they were still overcome with sorrow or because the words themselves were obscure. As Jesus asked on another occasion, are you also still without understanding? (Matthew 15:16).

The reason for their perplexity was that Christ’s statements seemed contradictory. They understood well enough when he said, you will not see me, and because I go to the Father. But they were perplexed as to how they could see the same person a little while after he had died, for they did not yet understand the resurrection. As Scripture says, what man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? (Psalms 89:48); and, no one has been known to return from Hades .

This is why the disciples say, what is this that he said, a little while? We do not know what he means, replying in an unassuming way. As Augustine remarks, when some people do not understand the words of Scripture, they belittle it, preferring their own theories to its authority. Yet others, when they do not understand, humbly admit their own lack of knowledge, as in the prayer: I am... a man who is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws . This is what the apostles are doing here. They do not say that Christ was wrong or that he was speaking nonsense; instead, they attribute their lack of understanding to their own ignorance.

Now their perplexity is addressed. This happens in three stages:

1. First, their perplexity is acknowledged.
2. Second, it is cleared up with the words, amen, amen I say to you, that you will lament and weep.
3. Third, Christ presents a similar situation: a woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow.

Regarding the first point, Christ does two things. First, he shows that he recognized the disciples’ perplexity, as it is written, Jesus knew—by his divinity—that they had a mind to ask him about this difficulty. For he knew what was in man (John 2:25), and man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Second, he shows how this recognition was expressed in words when he said to them, of this do you inquire among yourselves? As it is written, I made them known; then suddenly I did them and they came to pass (Isaiah 48:3).

Now he explains his words and resolves the disciples’ perplexity, not by merely repeating what he said, but by setting their minds at ease. He does this in three steps:

1. He states that there will be a division between those who are sad and those who are joyful.
2. He mentions their own internal sorrow.
3. He speaks of the joy that will follow.

Regarding the first point, he says, amen, amen I say to you, that during that little while in which you will not see me, you will lament—groaning aloud in sad tones—and weep, shedding tears. This is like the description in Scripture: she weeps bitterly in the night (referring to lamenting), with tears on her cheeks (referring to weeping) (Lamentations 1:2). And again, keep your voice from weeping (Jeremiah 31:16).

Their internal sadness will be in contrast to the joy of the world. Thus he says, but the world will rejoice. This can be understood in a particular way as referring to the time of Christ’s passion. In that case, the world—that is, the Scribes and Pharisees—will rejoice that Christ is killed: ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have it; we see it! (Lamentations 2:16). It can also refer to the evil members of the Church, who will rejoice when the saints are persecuted: the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice (Revelation 11:10). Or, in a general sense, the world—those living according to the flesh—will rejoice in worldly things: and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine (Isaiah 22:13).

The sorrow of the disciples follows, and so he says, you will be made sorrowful, because of the sufferings you will have in this world, or more specifically, at my being killed. This is how the saints are saddened: by the sufferings they endure from the world and by sin. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Yet joy will follow this sadness, because your sorrow, which you will experience over my passion, will be turned into joy at my resurrection: the disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord (John 20:20). In general, the sorrow of all the saints will be turned into the joy of the future life: blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4); and, he that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, will come home with shouts of joy (Psalms 126:6). For the saints weep as they sow during this time of merit, but they will rejoice at the reaping, during the time of reward.

Our Lord then offers a comparison. He first mentions a similar case and then draws the parallels, beginning with the words, so also you now indeed have sorrow. The example he gives is that of a woman about to give birth. He mentions first the sorrow she has while in labor, and second, her joy once her child is born: but when she has brought forth the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy.

Regarding the first part of the comparison, he says, A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow—a very great, physical sorrow—because her hour is come, like the anguish as of a woman in travail (Psalms 48:6). We can understand this as the pain of Christ’s passion, which was the greatest of all: look and see if there is any pain like my pain (Lamentations 1:12). We can also see in it the pain of the saints when they are repentant over their sins: like a woman with child, who writhes and cries out in her pangs, when she is near her time, so were we because of you, O Lord (Isaiah 26:17).

Next, he mentions the joy that comes afterward. After a birth, there is a double joy: one because the pain is past, and the other—which is greater—over the birth of the child. This joy was considered greater if the child was male, since in ancient thought the male was seen as complete, while the female was seen as incomplete. As Jeremiah lamented, Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father: a son is born to you! (Jeremiah 20:15). And in Genesis, when Sarah conceived, she said, God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me (Genesis 21:6). So Jesus says, but when she has brought forth the child, she remembers no more the anguish. She rejoices that the pain is over, but even more for joy that a man is born into the world.

This image is appropriate for Christ because, by his suffering, he delivered us from the anguish of death and gave birth to a new humanity. That is, he conferred upon human nature a newness of life and glory previously unknown to us. Thus, the text does not say “a child is born,” but rather a man is born, because Christ, in his human nature, rose from the dead renewed with the newness of a child at birth.

This image also fits the Church militant, which walks in newness of life, and the Church triumphant, which walks in newness of glory. He does not say, “there will be no anguish,” but she remembers no more the anguish, because even though the saints in glory will remember the afflictions they endured, they will no longer experience them as suffering.

Finally, he draws the parallels. Regarding the present sorrow of the apostles, he says, so also you now indeed have sorrow. The word now can refer to the time of his passion, and the sorrow is over his death, as seen on the road to Emmaus: what is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk and look sad? (Luke 24:17). Or, now can mean their entire lives, during which they will indeed have sorrow, as he said above, you will lament and weep.

Regarding their future joy, he says, but I will see you again. First, he promises them a future vision of himself. This is the same as if he had said, “you will see me,” because we can only see him if he reveals himself to us. Yet he does not say, “you will see me,” but I will see you. This phrasing emphasizes that his self-revelation springs from his compassion, which his very sight of us indicates. He says, I will see you again, both at his resurrection and in future glory: your eyes will see the king in his beauty (Isaiah 33:17).

Second, he promises them a joyful heart, saying, and your heart will rejoice when you see me at my resurrection. Thus the Church sings, this is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad. Your heart will also rejoice at the vision of his glory: your face will fill me with joy (Psalms 16:11); then you will see and be radiant, your heart will thrill and rejoice (Isaiah 60:5). It is natural for anyone to rejoice at the sight of what they love. Since no one can see the divine essence without loving it—as it is written, he shows it to his friend, as it is his possession (Job 36:33)—it is necessary that joy follows this vision. As Isaiah says, you will see (knowing with your mind), and your heart will rejoice (Isaiah 66:14). This joy will even overflow to the glorified body, for Isaiah continues, your bones will flourish like the grass. And in Matthew we read, enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:21).

Third, he promises that this joy will last forever, saying, and your joy no man will take from you. The joy you will have over my resurrection will not be taken from you, unlike your joy during my passion, which was taken away. As Isaiah prophesied, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul will be joyful in my God (Isaiah 61:10). This is because Christ rising from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him (Romans 6:9). Furthermore, the joy you will have in the fullness of glory no man will take from you, since it is continuous and cannot be lost: everlasting joy will be upon their heads (Isaiah 35:10). We will not lose this joy through sin, since our wills will be fixed on the good, and no one can take it from us, because then there will be no more violence or injury.