John 16:20, commentary and pictures

Spoken in the upper room to His faithful followers after the betrayer had left, these words prepared them for the grief and stumbling that would come upon them that very night of His betrayal and death. Their weeping and lamenting while the world rejoiced would last only a little while, and their grief would be turned into lasting joy when they saw Him alive again after He rose triumphant from the tomb. The warning of sorrow is joined to the bright assurance of coming joy, given by One who knew every trial and temptation ahead for them and the terrible suffering ahead for Himself, to keep them from failing or losing faith. It is a simple yet deeply important promise to be learned by heart, bringing encouragement, comfort, hope, and strength to every true believer in the darkest hour, even opening blinded eyes when the Holy Spirit comes as He came at Pentecost. Though He would no longer be with them in person after His ascension, they were not to live in mourning but to look by faith to His ministry above and rejoice in the presence of the Comforter, with fasting fitting only when trial came and they failed to discern Him.

Setting and Fulfillment

Jesus spoke these words in the upper chamber to His faithful disciples after Judas withdrew, when heavenly peace had returned, as part of His words of comfort, counsel, and prayer before His separation from them concerning the future and the sorrow and offense that would come upon them that night. They belong to the instruction in John 14-17, which with John 6 and John 13-15 and John 17 shows what God desires to do for the human race and expresses His will for His people, and which is to be understood with new enlightenment through the influence of the Spirit.

They mean the disciples would weep and lament and fast and grieve for a little while when they saw their Lord betrayed and crucified and put to death, while the world rejoiced. Their sorrow would be turned into lasting joy when they saw Christ again after His death. That promise was fulfilled when He rose from the tomb and appeared to them and came forth from the tomb, marking His triumph over death and bringing them lasting joy.

The words stayed their sinking hearts through great disappointment and trial, but were not fully understood or appreciated until after the resurrection had taken place. Then the disciples repeated them again and again for support, and their truth spread from their testimony over all lands and through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.

Mary's sorrowing three-day search when Jesus as a boy was separated from her pointed forward to losing Him again for three days when He was offered up for the sins of the world, and her gladness at finding Him pointed forward to her gladness when He came forth from the tomb. He wanted her to understand His mission and the prophecies of the suffering Saviour beforehand so she would be strengthened to endure witnessing His last agony on Calvary when the sword pierced her soul, and she could have borne the anguish of His death better.

Comfort and Strength

Christ spoke the promise with full knowledge of every phase of experience the disciples would meet, including the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers and how severely their faith and courage would be tried. He knew beforehand the difficulties, conflicts, manifold afflictions and dark, troubled future they would meet from the world, including a time of trial and great temptation to lose faith that would fill their hearts with sorrow. He grieved over their coming suffering, yet though He knew the terrible ordeal awaiting Himself, He spoke not for Himself but to prepare and strengthen them, to remind them of His love, and so that through faith they would not fail nor be discouraged nor be offended.

He mingled the dark warning of sorrow with the bright, hopeful part of the future, that sorrow would be turned into joy, with the changeless consolation, hope and courage of the Holy Spirit ever within their reach as His witnesses. The saying is among His deeply important lessons and promises, to be studied and even committed to memory, and its words are so simple that all, even children, may understand them. As long as time shall last it brings encouragement, comfort, consolation, hope, strength and assurance to the true believer who studies it and to the sorrowful and afflicted, giving courage to stand fast and endure without failing in the most trying hour.

Its promise is fulfilled when the Holy Spirit comes upon people as He came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, opening eyes that are now blinded and causing the scales to fall from them. After the ascension He would be absent in person but still with them through the Comforter, so they were not to spend their time in mourning but by faith to look to the sanctuary above where He was ministering for them and to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and rejoice in the light of His presence. Days of temptation and trial and conflict with rulers and powers of darkness would still come when He was not personally with them and they failed to discern the Comforter, and then fasting would be fitting.

Lived out in practical life, the instruction brings unity with one another and with Christ and love that withstands Satan's assaults, curing dissension and seeking the highest place and giving strength to stand the test.