John 13:33
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
On the night of betrayal in the upper chamber after Judas left, Jesus spoke these words as part of his farewell to the disciples who had been with him three years, shortly before his trial and death. He tenderly called grown men little children because he saw the danger and trials before them as he was about to leave them, and he meant he would remain only a little longer before his death, when they would seek him but could not yet follow where he was going. The saying shocked and sorrowed them because they depended on him, yet even as he faced his own suffering he sought to comfort and prepare them for separation and coming temptation. The words introduce his parting injunction to love one another as he had loved them, called new because his suffering and death would reveal a depth of love never before seen and show how they must love one another. That love, flowing from hearts yoked with him in meekness and tenderness, is to change character and relationships, cure dissension and bind believers in unity, while failure to show it by dominating power or unkind speech dishonors him and will shut the unreformed out of the kingdom, and even in fear at his departure disciples are directed to the hope of a heavenly home.
Farewell Setting and Words
Jesus spoke these words in the upper chamber around the communion table on the night of betrayal, after Judas had left to betray Him. It was shortly before His trial, humiliation, suffering and death, on the night before His suffering and shortly before His crucifixion. They belong to His farewell address to the disciples who had been closely associated with Him for three years, preparing them for His departure and the trials ahead.
He called grown men little children, and He did so tenderly as He was about to leave them. The tender address was uttered because He saw all the danger before them as they were left to face trials and conflicts. Though they were grown men, all people are little children in comparison with God.
Yet a little while means He would remain with them only a little longer before His approaching death. They would seek Him but could not then follow where He was going, the same word He had spoken to the Jews, with the qualification that they could not follow at that time or yet. Peter did not at first grasp that this referred to the approaching death.
Christ, who reads the hearts of all, knew the saying was a great shock to His disciples. His coming departure filled them with fear and sorrow because they depended on Him for help and comfort. As He neared His own trial and death He was not thinking of Himself but was searching for solace to give them, seeking to comfort them and prepare them for separation and for the severe temptation and trial soon to come. Peter later remembered the warning with deep remorse after denying Him, which warns that confidence in one's own strength can fail under severe testing.
New Commandment of Love
Jesus was announcing that his time with his followers was nearly over and they could not follow where he was going, just as he had told the Jews, and in that setting his words prepared them for and introduced the command to love one another as he had loved them, given as his parting injunction as he was about to leave them. The next verse gives that command, and love for him embraces love for the brethren. His approaching death on the cross would reveal a love unlike any previously seen.
The command was called new because the disciples had not yet fully seen the depth of his love, and after his suffering and death they understood it more fully. His death on the cross was the unprecedented manifestation of that love. Its full measure is shown in his suffering and death, which would show how much he loved them and how much he expected them to love one another.
Christ's love is the pattern pardoned sinners must show one another, and believers are to seek this love and let it change their character and their relationships with one another. This love must flow forth in pure, rich currents of tenderness, courtesy, and kindly deeds from a heart unlocked to Christ and yoked up with him in meekness and lowliness, and by this manifestation shall all men know they are his disciples. The new commandment calls for kindness and gentle, loving conduct toward one another, which shows they are doers of his words. Believers as his little children belong to his family and should treat one another with care.
The tender address as little children calls for childlike simplicity and obedience to his parting injunction, and its picture of followers as children applies to all people as God's family, who must learn from their Master. Believers may safely put trust in him as little children by imitating his example, especially his humility, condescension, and kindness, by believing in his merits, his love toward them, and his declarations to them, and by obeying his word and keeping his commandments. Living that instruction in practical life, including his prayer, brings unity with one another and with Christ and helps cure dissension, with humility like that of a little child.
Christ's call to love one another is the basis for being of one heart, bound up with Christ and with one another, and this unity is the safety of commandment-keeping people in the coming conflict. Their remaining bound to him and to one another in unity in his work is their safety amid coming conflict and deception. Managers of every institution and every church must change in heart and character to show this love, rather than drawing in their own lines and closing their hearts, which dishonors God and manifests Satan's attributes instead of the pure, holy, uplifting influence that dwelt in Christ. If the heart is not speedily unlocked and reformed, they will lose all the attributes he came to give, and padlocking the door against Christlike love for brethren will shut them out of the kingdom of God. Those who claim to believe in him must not injure their influence by speech or action, since that dishonors him, puts him to shame, and brings reproach upon his name, and love for Christ is evidenced in love for those who believe, especially by refusing exalted, ruling, dominating power over others.
His coming departure fills them with fear, but his words about being with them only a little longer and their not yet being able to follow where he is going direct them from earthly separation toward the hope of a heavenly home.